Over the past few years, change has been happening for Collegedale Adventist Middle School. As a former student, visiting the school again felt slightly off-kilter. While many things were the exact same, signs of change were prominent. Namely—teachers are leaving, getting hired, and becoming new parents.

The beloved Judy Spicer, long-time school secretary, has retired, and Mrs. Hilburn has taken the helm. Coincidently, her husband, Mr. Hilburn, was hired to teach 8th grade math and the reinstated robotics program, which qualified for the robotics National Championship.

Seventh-grade math teacher Cindy Ladi moved to be a math coach in a public school. Hired in Ladi’s place, Mrs. Trott now teaches 7^th grade math and science.

One of the most major changes is Mr. Richardson, the vice principal, becoming a new parent. He’s “very excited” about the little girl expected in the spring. The father-to-be absolutely had to know the gender right away and was ecstatic to find out it was a girl. To reveal the gender to the school, students dressed in either blue if they thought it was a boy or pink for a girl; Richardson wore both colors to provide an element of suspense. Then, he opened a box letting out pink balloons, and the gymnasium exploded with cheering.

Life is full of change, and our middle school is no exception. For better or worse, it is different than it was even just a few years ago—the faculty and students are constantly striving for improvement and excellence.