The Background

When Oregon City School District (OCSD) made strategic building updates to Gardiner Middle School and Tumwata Middle School, student well-being was a top priority. The district strives for every student to feel a sense of belonging and seeks to amplify student voices.

With these goals in mind, Michael Sweeten, Director of Operations and Capital Projects at OCSD, conducted focus groups with students. Open-ended questions designed to understand student needs revealed that a common thread among students was the importance of having choices available to them. Middle school is an awkward period marked by significant physical and emotional changes, so having options for changing and using the restroom helps students feel comfortable and in control.

“Locker rooms and restrooms became a focus point for both our middle schools,” said Sweeten. “We wanted to change it up so that kids have as many options as possible as they progress through school.”

To achieve this, Gardiner Middle School rebuilt two separate locker rooms into one space that is not only more inclusive but is also easier to keep tidy andsupervise students. The new locker room includes two separate, gendered areas and a row of higher-privacy Aria Partitions® so students can choose to change into their gym clothes in the traditional open locker room format or the comfort of a private changing room.

The center of the locker room features storage that any student may use. Separating storage from changing areas prevents clutter and lost items. Students grab their items, change in separate areas, then put their belongings away, reducing confusion and mess.

“It’s not your typical locker room with water bottles and stuff everywhere,” said Rebekah Beck, Principal at Gardiner Middle School. “It’s very clean and efficient.”

Aria Partitions changing stalls add to the clean, modern, athletic aesthetic of the reconstructed locker room. The partitions are full-height, except for the bottom few inches for safety purposes, with reduced sightlines at the hinges and a bench inside, allowing students to feel secure.

“Student well-being is at the core of these updates,” said Beck. “We have students who don’t identify within the gender binary and there’s a lot that happens in middle school for kids. Not having the pressure of changing in front of other kids is really important and we can now offer that option.”

Gardiner Middle School and Tumwata Middle School also added all-user restrooms featuring Aria Partitions. The partitions offer privacy and a host of other benefits, such as:

• Durability: The locker rooms accommodate up to 100 students at a time for three simultaneous gym classes, and the building currently holds over 700 students.
• Convenience: Students and staff can use whichever facilities are closest to them and there are no longer long restroom lines.
• Flexibility: The schools may have a fluctuating gender ratio every year and this design ensures the flexibility to accommodate everyone.
• Supervision: Any teacher can monitor the locker rooms and restrooms regardless of gender.

At first, some families with students at OCSD were apprehensive to hear about the addition of all-user locker rooms and restrooms at the middle schools. However, once those community members were able to tour the schools and experience using the Aria Partitions, they were reassured by the high level of privacy.

“Having some all-user bathrooms can be scary for some families,” said Ben Kates, Principal at Tumwata Middle School. “But when I would actually show them how private they are, they realized it was fine. I never heard a parent say it still wasn’t okay after showing them the restrooms; they were always totally reassured by how private they are.”

“It’s not your typical locker room with water bottles and stuff everywhere,” said Rebekah Beck, Principal at Gardiner Middle School. “It’s very clean and efficient.”

Overall, the updated locker room and restroom designs have been well-received in the community, with both parents and students feeling comfortable with the options available. Complaints about the restrooms have decreased, and students no longer avoid using them.

“Having the individual privacy stalls has been such an incredible thing for all kids to be able to use,” said Beck. “During this time of life, middle school kids are learning all about themselves and working on building confidence, so being able to offer them additional privacy has been extremely

impactful.”

OCSD may renovate locker rooms and restrooms in more schools after observing the long-term impact at Gardiner and Tumwata. Faculty have been impressed by not only the impact on students but also by how well the restrooms have held up.

To learn more about Scranton Products Aria Partitions, please visit www.scrantonproducts.com or call 800-445-5148.

About Scranton Products:

With more than 30 years of experience, Scranton Products is the industry leader in plastic bathroom partitions and lockers. Endless design options and an array of designer colors and textures provide confidence and elegant style in every project, creating a lasting impression. Proudly made in the USA and constructed from premium-grade solid plastic, our products’ unmatched durability withstands impact, corrosion, graffiti, and mildew. Backed by sustainable technologies and industry-leading warranties, with our partitions and lockers you are investing in peace of mind.

*About our brands’ health and safety: https://www.scrantonproducts.com/better-safety/