Since 1991, Bear Creek's population has increased 205 percent. This growth has resulted in big differences between the Bear Creek in the past and the current campus. Principal Jeff Thompson reflected on the atmosphere of Bear Creek's initial year. "I knew a lot of the kids on a personal level," Thompson said. "The grass was greener and more beautiful and the restrooms were treated with more respect. There was a sense of family." Bear Creek has not always been an overcrowded school consisting of two campuses and two lunches. Portables were not always a part of Bear Creek's landscape. Grass really was greener. Bathrooms were once equipped with mirrors and soap. One factor accounts for these changes: overpopulation. In October of Bear Creek's opening year (1991), only 1,203 students were enrolled. Since then, student enrollment has gradually increased. This October, Bear Creek was home to 2,463 students. The single lunch period was divided into two lunches during the 1996-97 school year because of the number of students. Imagine 2,000 students eating lunch all at the same time. People could not get their food because the lines were so overwhelmingly long. Bear Creek was once a single campus, but as a result of the growing number of students in the 1996-97 school year, Bear Creek acquired a second campus, Julia Morgan Elementary School. Junior Margaret Sinhbandith explained how overpopulation at a school site affects students. "I think the overpopulation affects our learning environment because there is only one teacher to so many students," Sinhbandith said. Portables have also been introduced to the school because of the massive amount of students. In 1991, Julia Morgan, the entire K building, and all of the A portables were not in use. Currently, Bear Creek is using all but two rooms on the two campuses - a total of 46 classrooms. "When some of the classes do not even have enough seats for everyone to sit down, then the school is far too overcrowded," sophomore Todd Doughty said. Sophomore Tin Nguyen fears that the overcrowding will lead to a totally different school system. "Overcrowding is bad for everyone involved," Nguyen said. "If there are too many students for the space we have available, we might have to turn toward other alternatives such as the track system." Thompson said Julia Morgan will still be used for Bear Creek students next year. He also said that the track system is highly unpopular with Lodi Unified School District and will probably not be an option. Thompson also mentioned some speculative options Bear Creek may take as a result of student growth. Additional portables may be added to make 30 portables in all. Some Bear Creek students could be asked to relocate to other high schools since those schools are less crowded, and middle schools may be reconfigured to include ninth grade students.