The Wayne Board of Education recently approved a $455,000 renovation for three science classrooms at Wayne Hills High School and Wayne Valley High School.

This is only the first phase of a multi-step project in order to restore all science labs over the next three years.

The project will begin in Life Science room 241 at Wayne Hills and in Physics rooms 203 and 205 at Wayne Valley, with reconstruction allowing brighter and more spacious work areas for students. Two flat screen interactive touch screens will also be added to each lab station in order to enhance student learning.

In addition to technology, when finished, the rooms will have new ceilings, new flooring, and a new fume hood to meet updated requirements.

According to the Wayne Board of Education, they feel it is the “utmost importance students be afforded access to learning environments that simulate strong growth in scientific thinking and understanding through hands-on learning opportunities.”

These three rooms will act as a pilot in the renovation, done as an experiment or test before introducing it more widely, and will allow the Board of Ed. to evaluate and make changes for future modernization plans.

When told about future improvements, teachers were optimistic.

Linda Bakelmun, physics teacher at Wayne Hills, says the project can be “potentially exciting” and looks forward to “better equipment and extra storage space.”

On the other hand, when asked how they felt about this makeover, many students shared negative opinions.

Some feel as if the new advancements are a waste of money and that the Wayne Board of Education should be spending our tax money on other problems and not these unnecessary luxury items.

“It’s kind of a waste. I’d rather have air conditioning than this,” says Kaleigh Conroy, a student currently taking Physics Enriched.

Muhaddisa Alidina, Chemistry Enriched student, is in agreement with Conroy, proposing that “they should use the money for more useful things, like giving Chromebooks to all students. It’s unfair that only freshman and sophomores have them. Also the bathrooms, it would be nice if they all had locks.

Despite student opinion, the reconstruction of science classrooms will begin soon, however an exact date has not been confirmed. The construction will be done by Parette Somjen Architects P.C. of Rockaway, New Jersey.