AP Physics 2 and general physics teacher Keith Callerame and his classes were moved this year from his old classroom in the science building to T-6 in the tech building to make room for a biology class.
This move created an initial problem because T-6 offered no lab space for an AP class that is recommended by the CollegeBoard to spend 25% of class time working on labs.
Principal Demetrius Ball said this change was made because biology uses sinks, which are found in biology classrooms more than physics.
“[Biology] takes priority over physics,” Ball said. “The class is a little bit larger, so we had to change, and they use wet labs more often.”
This change initially hindered Callerame’s students from working on labs easily because they were forced to conduct them on the blacktop near the portables.
“I was told that a new biology teacher needed that room,” Callerame said. “My classes need sinks as well because we do fluid dynamics.”
Callerame’s class also had to switch classrooms with honors physics teacher Fred Wafula during at least one lab activity to utilize the lab space in Wafula’s classroom, which is right next door in the tech building.
“I like sharing my space with my colleagues,” Wafula said. “But it is challenging, especially when I also need to use the same space.”
Callerame tried to alleviate this problem by requesting an order for laboratory equipment using district funds. The district facilities department visited the classrooms to access need for the equipment and ultimately approved the request for $13,855 in new lab tables, according to assistant principal Rhonda Taft and science teacher Kusy Espinoza.
The new lab tables arrived on Sept. 30, allowing Callerame’s student to now stay in their classroom to conduct labs moving forward.
Students expressed frustration with the situation before the new lab equipment was added to the classroom.
“We’ve literally been doing worksheets for our labs on the walls when we should just have tables,” Shivani Shah, a junior in Callerame’s general physics class, said. “I still think they should have another space for labs.”
The lack of laboratory space wasn’t the only issue students faced as Callerame’s classroom experienced problems with the projector as well. Callerame, the projector makes his PowerPoint presentations almost invisible.
“The projector in the room is not of great quality with unclear images,” Inesh Agarwal, a senior in Callerame’s AP Physics 2 class, said.
After the room change was made, some students found it unfair.
“I don’t think it was very fair because […] we have a lot more labs in physics classes,” Avijay Sethi, a senior in Callerame’s general physics class, said. “I think it would be better to have physics laboratory space rather than biology.”
