AMSA’s newest building was introduced at the start of the school year, but how does it contribute to the school? What has been moved? What do teachers and students think? In the end, is it worth a price tag in the neighborhood of $30 million?
The structure, which has been dubbed the Main Building, offers a variety of science classes, as well as a few world language, art, and math classes. The classrooms are much larger than those located in the other three buildings, mainly to equip science classes with larger lab spaces.
The building also hosts the main office, where students are required to sign in at the start of the day if they’re late and where they go to be dismissed early. Principal Mike Nawrocki’s office is located in the new building as well.
The general feeling among teachers seems to be positive overall.
“Absolutely a good change,” biology teacher Stephen Scerra said. “We get to do way more labs than last year in freshman biology. We’ve made it work well.”
His room moved from the Upper School to the new building. Mr. Scerra’s new room has a lot of open space and equipment for labs. The room is surrounded by sinks that students can and often do use during lab work.
But with just about anything new, however, some problems are bound to occur. The upstairs hallways are seen by some as empty and lifeless.
“We’re already talking about some ways we can bring some life to the hallways,” Mr. Nawrocki said. “I think it will really start to come to life by the end of the school year.”
The new building has perhaps had its greatest impact in providing more rooms and more space in general. Teachers are happy about their rooms and many students feel better about having more variety in their classrooms.
“I’m enjoying this room,” math teacher Madhavi Marathe said. “Definitely a lot bigger, spacious, well lit. It feels like the kind of setup you have in college.”
Overall, the new building has been viewed as a success by administration and the science department, with some students seeing it as great for other reasons.
“I love the inclusion of nice bathrooms on every floor,” freshman Thatcher Miller said.
