Small Classroom, Big Impact: Alisal High School’s Transformation

At Alisal High School, Health Science teacher Carolyn Cleaves faced the challenge of teaching up to 32 juniors and seniors in a very small classroom. Traditional desks limited movement, collaboration, and efficiency. With Smith System’s flexible square desks, her space was transformed. Carolyn can now reconfigure the room into groups of four, pairs, or tables of six—making the classroom more adaptable, organized, and student-centered. The result is a cleaner, more collaborative environment where students have room for Chromebooks, backpacks are off the floor, and peer-to-peer learning thrives.

“The grouping makes movement easier and the colors give the room a smooth, welcoming look. It encourages students to help and support each other throughout the year,” Carolyn shared.

The transformation at Alisal High School shows how the right furniture choices can completely reshape a classroom—making it more adaptable, organized, and collaborative for both teachers and students. At Smith System®, we believe the right tools have a seriously positive impact on learning. Flexibility, versatility, comfort, style all matters. Because at the end of the day, it supports one cause: to enable the genius inside every student.