Observations from Week 1 of the New Building
New Building Honeymoon: 10 Observations So Far
1. The newly established tradition of not walking on the CA logo on the entry floor of the new building has taken on a life of its own. My office is close to the school entrance so I can daily hear the friendly shouts of "don't step on that!" or "you stepped on the logo!" when someone absent-mindedly walks over it. Interesting how some ideas just stick quickly and seem to resonate with students. This one establishes a nice sense of ownership and pride in the new building. They are already asking me how we can we notify people new to the building that they should avoid stepping on the seal.
2. Students have relished the opportunity to write on the walls, both on the huge chalkboard space outside of the Innovation Lab and the whiteboard labs surrounding the new media station on the 2nd floor. 98% of what has been written or drawn has been appropriate(!) and even in many cases highly artistic.
3. The lecture hall is truly incredible--what great sound and picture. The control center for that room is idiot proof as well! Already that space has been in high use, with everything from a screening of Apocalypse Now for Dr. Davis' Viet Nam War elective to guest speaker/performer Adrian Molina working with students in grades 9, 11 and 12. The first class meeting will take place on Friday when all the juniors will meet with the college counseling staff.
4. Many students still prefer carrying a heavy backpack around with everything in it rather than stowing things in their lockers. I would love to get them better trained NOT to do this. We have locker space as well as additional LARGE cubbies in which they could stash their belongings. Still, their habit of being like turtles and carrying their world on their backs confirms one of our strong rationales for our new iPad program. In the future the perfect locker would be one with just an iPad and a coat in it. The days of the 50-pound backpack are numbered.
5. The Math Lab has been a big hit because of the extra size and the extra whiteboards on the walls. The whiteboard walls have "changed my teaching in the best of ways" says veteran math instructor Richard Kelly. Students in his BC Calculus worked on one problem over a span of about fifteen feet in that room.
6. Students are really using the five small conference rooms for quiet study. There has been an occasional card game as well in there. These were sort of bonus spaces--so it is great to see them get used so extensively.
7. High school kids want to touch everything. Therefore the new Touch Screen monitor in the front entry has been a big hit. It really has a lot of neat features and so far we have not entirely built up the photo libraries that can be housed there. Once we do there will be a world of CA information available at the user's fingertips.
8. Because it is a highly complex lab space full of sophisticated and expensive--not to mention dangerous--equipment, we are easing into the new Innovation Lab slowly. Thus far there has been much interest but not too much action in the lab. New equipment will arrive next week and within just a few school days, Mr. Chris Roads will be bringing his Innovation classes (and occasionally Physics students as well). Mrs. Kimberly Jans will also be bringing over her students in the Robotics elective. Other teachers will take students to the space over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, the Engineering club will begin its work in there as well, gearing up for at least one regional contest this year.
9. Natural light makes a huge difference!
10. One could write a very interesting sociology thesis on human behavior in a new shared building. Some people take to new spaces quickly, adapting easily and excitedly; others need more time to take in their surroundings and feel comfortable there. Obviously, with 400 people inhabiting the school on a daily basis, reactions run a spectrum. But everyone I have encountered feels fortunate to be there and expresses gratitude to the many donors who made this new building a reality on such a speedy timeline.
1. The newly established tradition of not walking on the CA logo on the entry floor of the new building has taken on a life of its own. My office is close to the school entrance so I can daily hear the friendly shouts of "don't step on that!" or "you stepped on the logo!" when someone absent-mindedly walks over it. Interesting how some ideas just stick quickly and seem to resonate with students. This one establishes a nice sense of ownership and pride in the new building. They are already asking me how we can we notify people new to the building that they should avoid stepping on the seal.
2. Students have relished the opportunity to write on the walls, both on the huge chalkboard space outside of the Innovation Lab and the whiteboard labs surrounding the new media station on the 2nd floor. 98% of what has been written or drawn has been appropriate(!) and even in many cases highly artistic.
3. The lecture hall is truly incredible--what great sound and picture. The control center for that room is idiot proof as well! Already that space has been in high use, with everything from a screening of Apocalypse Now for Dr. Davis' Viet Nam War elective to guest speaker/performer Adrian Molina working with students in grades 9, 11 and 12. The first class meeting will take place on Friday when all the juniors will meet with the college counseling staff.
4. Many students still prefer carrying a heavy backpack around with everything in it rather than stowing things in their lockers. I would love to get them better trained NOT to do this. We have locker space as well as additional LARGE cubbies in which they could stash their belongings. Still, their habit of being like turtles and carrying their world on their backs confirms one of our strong rationales for our new iPad program. In the future the perfect locker would be one with just an iPad and a coat in it. The days of the 50-pound backpack are numbered.
5. The Math Lab has been a big hit because of the extra size and the extra whiteboards on the walls. The whiteboard walls have "changed my teaching in the best of ways" says veteran math instructor Richard Kelly. Students in his BC Calculus worked on one problem over a span of about fifteen feet in that room.
6. Students are really using the five small conference rooms for quiet study. There has been an occasional card game as well in there. These were sort of bonus spaces--so it is great to see them get used so extensively.
7. High school kids want to touch everything. Therefore the new Touch Screen monitor in the front entry has been a big hit. It really has a lot of neat features and so far we have not entirely built up the photo libraries that can be housed there. Once we do there will be a world of CA information available at the user's fingertips.
8. Because it is a highly complex lab space full of sophisticated and expensive--not to mention dangerous--equipment, we are easing into the new Innovation Lab slowly. Thus far there has been much interest but not too much action in the lab. New equipment will arrive next week and within just a few school days, Mr. Chris Roads will be bringing his Innovation classes (and occasionally Physics students as well). Mrs. Kimberly Jans will also be bringing over her students in the Robotics elective. Other teachers will take students to the space over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, the Engineering club will begin its work in there as well, gearing up for at least one regional contest this year.
9. Natural light makes a huge difference!
10. One could write a very interesting sociology thesis on human behavior in a new shared building. Some people take to new spaces quickly, adapting easily and excitedly; others need more time to take in their surroundings and feel comfortable there. Obviously, with 400 people inhabiting the school on a daily basis, reactions run a spectrum. But everyone I have encountered feels fortunate to be there and expresses gratitude to the many donors who made this new building a reality on such a speedy timeline.
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