1+1=2 New Math Classrooms
Wrestling Deck is Converted to New Classrooms for Students
By: Hailey Knott
Over the past year, the maintenance staff has been hard at work transforming the old wrestling deck into a space to accommodate two new math classrooms..
“With the district continually increasing in size and opportunities for students, there was a need for more classroom space,” said math teacher Ms. Emma Thede.
With even more option students enrolling this year and additional elementary classes taking place in the high school end of the building, administrators felt the need to find more space in the existing building.
Fellow math teacher Mr. Drew Bivens stated, “When wrestling moved out of the area, it was important to use the space for something that would benefit students.”
The new classrooms have presented various challenges. The area where the classrooms were built can be quite isolated, and with that isolation come issues with bathrooms and students leaving class early. It can take a lot out of instructional time when students need to make use of bathrooms, water fountains, lockers, and printers.
“The new classrooms are fairly removed from the rest of the secondary classrooms, which means that a lot of the things we need throughout the day (printer, bathrooms, etc.) are a little more difficult to get to,” said Thede.
Despite these issues, there are countless benefits to these new spaces. On top of it being a good long-term solution to some of the issues the school was facing space-wise, these new classrooms have been tailor-made to accommodate math classes. These upgrades include more space, windows, better (non-fluorescent) lighting, whiteboard desks for students, and a close proximity that encourages easier collaboration between math teachers.
“I love the larger classroom size and the whiteboard desks. The extra space provides a lot more freedom for students and me to move around and feel comfortable, especially when class sizes are growing,” said Thede. “It also allows me more creativity in planning lessons and projects since I can include more movement and activity. The whiteboard desks allow for plenty of space and ease for students to solve problems and practice their skills.”