UPrep has an enemy: a growing space shortage that’s becoming impossible to ignore. The ULab’s debut in Jan 2024 gave me the impression that issues with lack of space would be solved, but instead it’s created an illusion of space. The 100,000-square-foot main campus and the 40,000-square-foot ULab seem like enough on paper, but in practice, they don’t truly accommodate the number of students enrolled. There is a difference between capacity and comfort, and UPrep isn’t adequately addressing the comfort issue at hand.
Though evident in the limited (68-spot on-campus parking) or crammed staircases during passing periods, the restriction is especially complicated for students simply trying to find a place to sit during Community Time and lunch. During these times students want to socialize with friends, eat their first meal of the day, knock out some homework or frantically study for a class assessment. But before doing so, many must pace around the school to find a comfortable place to set up. This experience is not sustainable and the uncertainty is an unfair predicament for students trying to get through their school day.
This school simply wasn’t built for expansion. The whole upper school has outgrown Founders Hall, and the Pumadome bleachers cannot seat all middle and upper school students, yet the student body grows. Come the 2026-27 school year’s schedule change, upper school community time and middle school lunch will overlap.
How will 700+ students navigate the upper and lower commons then?
If UPrep intends to grow the student body, expanding the campus should also be a priority. Each upper school grade will surpass the 100-student mark next school year according to Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations Susan Lansverk, and extended campus space won’t be granted in the near future.
Since the space inadequacy isn’t quickly reversible, and the neglect of student spaces won’t suffice, UPrep should caution against normalizing “full”.
In theory, I can appreciate the school wanting growth, however, it shouldn’t come at the expense of meeting current needs.
