Science department teacher Maurice Bouchard’s freshman biology class is located in room 347 on the third floor of the South Wing. After the move from the Learning Cottage, the freshman class now has its own labs. “It broadens resources to learn more about the topics we are learning, and it’s a good way to get hands-on activities,” freshman Jimena Somilleda said. Photo by Julie Alpaugh.
By CAEDMON CHURCHWELL – Staff Writer
The freshman science department, after being in a Learning Cottages for two years, have gotten fully operational labs in their new classrooms located in the South Wing.
After the transition of the Freshman Academy from the Learning Village to the third floor of the South Wing, the freshman science department is now equipped with fully functioning labs.
“Now, the science teachers, I think they are loving it because they actually have labs, not classrooms. For our biology teachers, they have made a fairly good transition,” Clarke Central High School Principal Marie Yuran said.
Freshman science department teacher Maurice Bouchard has been working at CCHS for four years and believes that the labs are a good addition to the department.
“The classrooms, they are set up for labs. We have a counter-space going on the sides, we have a wash station (and) we have a shower and sinks everywhere, so we are definitely looking to the future preparing for the labs we are going to do since we have the materials for them,” Bouchard said.
Sophomore Elian Infante, who took biology in a Learning Cottage last year, believes the new additions to the freshman science department gives students a more diverse way to learn inside the classroom.
“It’s important for the freshmen to have labs because science is more than physical science and they get to learn more by doing (labs) instead of just reading off of a textbook or writing down notes,” Infante said.
