Opinion
The left behind
More classrooms need updates like this
By Taylor Crotty
Published March 23, 2017
The classrooms in Aitkin High school are a little outdated, being the last major renovation was in 1976 when the old school was demolished and only the west wing was left standing. The school has had some new additions since then, including a new band area in 2000, a new weight room in 2005, a new LED sign as well as a better security system in 2007, and the new parking lot in 2009. In the summer of 2016 the third floor science rooms received a needed renovation due to rain damage from severe storms. This is the first time in 41 years that the everyday classrooms have undergone an extensive refurbishment. But, the other science rooms AHS have been left behind.
In room 212 there are problems that pose as distractions and impede students’ learning as well as the instructor's ability to teach: Drafty windows, leaking and eroded plumbing pipes, pipes not having hot water capabilities, faulty electrical outlets, asbestos in the countertop materials, and an inadequate amount of lecture space. All of these issues may seem like they are another thing to add on the honey-do list, but they restrict professionals from doing their jobs.
“All of these factors mean that I have to modify lessons and labs to ‘make it work’ rather than teach my students what other science teachers are able to do with more up-to-date facilitates,” science teacher Ms. Kenna Grater said. Grater, who teaches Biology 10, Human Biology, and Forensic Science at Aitkin High, said her prep sink is not large enough for washing her lab equipment from experiments and dissections. It also does not have a plugging mechanism, so she has to wash her equipment in a bucket to hold the soapy water that she has to get from another location in order to for it to be hot. She has to continually reset electrical outlets on her back table because they are constantly blowing GSI fuses during labs. She is also nervous for her students to turn on the gas pipes for fear of them leaking during an experiment, making it nearly impossible to do any type of lab that includes these pipes.
Many other rooms have similar problems to 212. Our school is a place where educated professionals come to enrich the learning of young minds, but how can they do so with a facility that prohibits them from reaching the full potential of each lesson? That being said, staff and administration are aware of these issues and have been trying to take action for years. According to principal Paul Karelis these problems will be addressed in the near future. We will be seeing some nice renovations in the next two to three years and that’s something that the future generations of Aitkin High student can look forward to.
Published March 23, 2017
The classrooms in Aitkin High school are a little outdated, being the last major renovation was in 1976 when the old school was demolished and only the west wing was left standing. The school has had some new additions since then, including a new band area in 2000, a new weight room in 2005, a new LED sign as well as a better security system in 2007, and the new parking lot in 2009. In the summer of 2016 the third floor science rooms received a needed renovation due to rain damage from severe storms. This is the first time in 41 years that the everyday classrooms have undergone an extensive refurbishment. But, the other science rooms AHS have been left behind.
In room 212 there are problems that pose as distractions and impede students’ learning as well as the instructor's ability to teach: Drafty windows, leaking and eroded plumbing pipes, pipes not having hot water capabilities, faulty electrical outlets, asbestos in the countertop materials, and an inadequate amount of lecture space. All of these issues may seem like they are another thing to add on the honey-do list, but they restrict professionals from doing their jobs.
“All of these factors mean that I have to modify lessons and labs to ‘make it work’ rather than teach my students what other science teachers are able to do with more up-to-date facilitates,” science teacher Ms. Kenna Grater said. Grater, who teaches Biology 10, Human Biology, and Forensic Science at Aitkin High, said her prep sink is not large enough for washing her lab equipment from experiments and dissections. It also does not have a plugging mechanism, so she has to wash her equipment in a bucket to hold the soapy water that she has to get from another location in order to for it to be hot. She has to continually reset electrical outlets on her back table because they are constantly blowing GSI fuses during labs. She is also nervous for her students to turn on the gas pipes for fear of them leaking during an experiment, making it nearly impossible to do any type of lab that includes these pipes.
Many other rooms have similar problems to 212. Our school is a place where educated professionals come to enrich the learning of young minds, but how can they do so with a facility that prohibits them from reaching the full potential of each lesson? That being said, staff and administration are aware of these issues and have been trying to take action for years. According to principal Paul Karelis these problems will be addressed in the near future. We will be seeing some nice renovations in the next two to three years and that’s something that the future generations of Aitkin High student can look forward to.