On the Move: Teachers to relocate over summer
As part of the classroom rearrangement this summer, the math and social studies departments will move to the third floor. World language will move to the second floor, and communication arts will be located on the first.
May 7, 2010 • Justin Ewald, Section Editor
Filed under News
When students return to school in August, the exterior of the building will look the same, but some surprises may be in store on the interior. This summer, BV West will become “departmentalized” like the other four high schools.
“Our school improvement model involves teachers working on content teams,” Dr. Tony Lake, principal, said. “Originally, these rooms were not grouped by department, but once they are, it will be easier for departments to collaborate.”
These content teams meet on Thursday mornings while the average BV West student is sleeping in. Arranging the school by departments – that is, grouping instructors by the subject they teach – will make those meetings more efficient and productive. Additionally, students will be able to find their classes more easily. Still, some teachers are hesitant to change.
“It’s like anything, change is tough, and having to pack things up may be a hassle,” Lake said. “They may like their view or something, but this will be better for the kids.”
In the new set-up, all the communication arts teachers will be moved to the first floor. The second floor will be mainly foreign language, and the third floor will be devoted to math and social studies. In addition, each department will have its own lab designated for them to use during class. Most science rooms will remain the same, with the exception of 310 and 314, which will become math and social studies rooms respectively.
“It will be much easier to direct parents to certain teachers as they come into the school,” receptionist Maureen Miller said. “Sure, I’ll still have to look up the room number, but if someone comes in looking for CA, I can direct them to the first floor.”
Most of the electives will remain unmoved, including industrial technology and mass communication. They will all remain in their current locations on the second floor. So will the special education rooms across from the Fixed Forum. Performing and visual arts classrooms will also remain unchanged.
On the opposite end of the building, however, changes are coming to the gym once again. The 500 classrooms will be remodeled to provide a new home for the fitness center, now located in a windowless room on the lower level of the gym.
“I think it will be a little more open with windows,” physical education teacher Mark Hanson said. “Everyone in the department is pretty excited to be up there and have light.”
Lake said the new fitness center concept was inspired by BV West’s newest sister school.
“I got the idea from BV Southwest,” he said. “It will be above the weight room and have a nice open, health club feel to it… All that needs to be done is moving the equipment from the current fitness center and adding some T.V. drops.”
The new fitness center will be around 300 square feet more than the current one. Lake also plans to have a projector removed from one of 500 classrooms and put it in the commons. Other schools in the district have already done this, allowing students to watch news and other programs during lunch.
The changes might seem minor to most students, but administrators hope the classroom re-arrangement and the new fitness center will make BV West a more efficient and pleasant learning environment.
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