Estimated to be completed by the end of the 2023-2024 school year, the Center for Innovation is one of the biggest construction projects currently taking place on the Bolles campus. The new building will house all math and science classes, as well as tech-related classes such as robotics and computer modeling. The introduction of a dedicated building for technology and laboratory-based classes promises major advancements to the entire STEM program at Bolles.

The Center for Innovation will not only allow the Math and Science departments at Bolles to expand, but also revolutionize their classes with advanced technology. “It will have dedicated maker spaces and labs to facilitate student interactions and cross-curricular instruction, incorporating the latest in technology and STEM advancements,” Mrs. Hazzard said.

Science teachers at Bolles look forward to the addition of advanced classroom labs. As not every science classroom currently has a lab, conducting labs can be difficult to arrange. “For physics, it means that we can do a lot more lab based activities. And we might even be able to flip the entire style from lecture to lab more,” said Dr. Lieb. With increased lab space, science classes will have the chance to become more interactive and problem-based.

“It will have dedicated maker spaces and labs to facilitate student interactions and cross-curricular instruction, incorporating the latest in technology and STEM advancements.” — Mrs. Hazzard

Another benefit of the Center for Innovation is the close proximity of all STEM classes. With the disciplines of math and science being so closely related, gathering these classes into one building was the move that made sense. “If you had a question about statistics and your biology class, it would be annoying to have to walk all the way across campus, and then you have all the certain distractions on the way, but if you just had to go upstairs to ask your statistics teacher a question about statistics, then that would be much easier,” Mr. Bullington explained.

The construction of the Center for Innovation has sparked one specific question: what will happen to all of the current math and science classrooms? “My understanding is that it will be the English department. Yeah, they’ll be able to expand English classrooms,” said Dr. Lieb. While not officially confirmed, it is likely that Schultz will allow for the expansion of the English department and classrooms.

Overall, the Center for Innovation is a promising addition to the Bolles campus that aims to increase student involvement in scientific research and engage more students in different kinds of STEM classes, as Mr. Bullington explained. “It’s gonna make for greater participation and in science research. And we’re also going to be able to offer more science electives. So the students will be able to fine tune their science experience at Bolles to better fit their interests.”