No one is more involved here at South than the principal, Lara Tiffin. A 1986 South alumna herself, she knows the school well and has answers to questions many students may have.
When asked how she thinks COVID-19 will impact South after the pandemic ends, Tiffin had an insightful response: “That remains to be seen. I think that we will be better and closer and stronger than we were prior. I think our staff and students will be more resilient and also more compassionate, I hope.”
She went on to say that although administrators are still in the middle of planning next school year, school will very likely be held for five days a week with eight periods. She also predicted that students will still have to undergo some protocols, like wearing masks and sanitizing, but not others, like the six-foot rule.
One thing South students can count on next year is the completion of the campus construction project.
“It is going to be phenomenal.” Tiffin said. “They will be removing our portables off the track the week right after school gets out. [South will have] 24 new classrooms, […] two new science labs, a brand new auditorium, a new culinary room, and a new broadcast journalism room.”
“I think that we will be better and closer and stronger than we were prior. I think our staff and students will be more resilient and also more compassionate.”
Lara Tiffin
Tiffin said her favorite thing about South is “the welcoming, inclusive student body,” and that one of the most unique aspects of South is that “no matter what it is that we decide to focus on, I feel like we, our students and our staff. dedicate themselves and invest themselves to the point that we end up excelling and I think that’s a really unique trait.”
On advice she would give to every student, Tiffin said “I think, based off of this experience we’ve had this last year, my best advice would be to not take anything for granted… Try to be open-minded to any opportunities so you don’t miss it…”
She continued, “With the past year, year and a half, I’ve seen what the class of 2020 and class of 2021 have had to miss out on and I really hope that no other classes have to miss out on as much. [This] tells me we need to seize every opportunity presented to us and make sure that we enjoy what we have.”
This is Tiffin’s seventh year as principal of South Salem High School.
