By Ryan Chalk/ RChalk@TheReporter.com
Article Launched: 12/22/2008 01:04:14 AM PST
The new math and science wing at Will C. Wood High School is nearly complete. Work crews will begin moving classrooms over to the new building during the winter break so that they are ready conduct classes there when they return on Jan. 5. (Ryan Chalk/The Reporter, Vacaville)
William Christopher Wood would be proud -- the school that bears his name is taking a giant leap toward improving education as a new high-tech wing prepares to open.
Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on the two-story math and science wing at Will C. Wood High School and now that staff and students are out on winter break, the move-in begins. When students come back on Jan. 5, they will have state-of-the-art classrooms for biology, chemistry, physics, environmental sciences and math -- along with the possibility of having to climb a flight of stairs between classes.
"This is very much like a college-level building. Students are going to get a feel for the college setting here," said Daniel Banowetz, project coordinator for the district.
Will C. Wood High School chemistry instructor Becky Baclig stands in her new classromm in the school's new math and science wing. Work crews will use the winter break to begin moving instructional materials in so that classes can be held in the building when they come back to school on Jan. 5. (Ryan Chalk/The Reporter, Vacaville)
The math and science wing is the second part of the school's three phase modernization process. It is part of a $35 million project funded by the Measure V bond initiative passed in 2003.
Highlights of the new building include spacious classrooms with updated technology such as overhead projectors and interactive whiteboards. The bottom floor consists of two chemistry classrooms, four biology classrooms and a physics lab.
Beneficial to everyone is a central prep area. The shared corridor sits between the classrooms on the first floor and allows teachers a safe place to store materials and prepare for experiments. The second floor includes nine classrooms, some of which will be used for math and science.
Banowetz said that technology is a big part of the new building. For example, desks in the upstairs environmental sciences classrooms can be moved toward outlying counterspace where there is not only power outlets, but data ports for Internet connectivity.
"The teachers are so excited. It was hard keeping them out of here while we were building it," added Banowetz.
One of those teachers was Becky Baclig, a chemistry instructor at Wood.
Baclig said she was happy to have more space in the classroom, allowing students to spread out when working on experiments and to accommodate those with disabilities.
Classrooms inside Will C. Wood High School's new math and science wing offer more space and state-of-the-art technology. Work crews will begin moving the teacher's belongings in over the winter break. (Ryan Chalk/The Reporter, Vacaville)
The fact that teachers were involved in the design is another thing that impresses the veteran teacher.
"It's neat to see some of the ideas we had actually come through. You fell like you really had some ownership in designing the building," added Baclig.
Principal Chris Strong said that recent improvements to the school and the addition of the new math and science wing are important to not only the school but surrounding community.
"We feel that the school finally matches the level of education we provide here," said Strong. "And we really want to stress how much we appreciate the community for passing the bond to make this possible. You can really see that the money was well spent."
