By Siddarth Tumu ’18, Commentary Editor

Students returning to school for the second half of the spring semester are generally greeted by warm weather and the bittersweet knowledge of the hard work ahead of them. However, this year, students were also greeted by the incessant noise and presence of construction, specifically in the upstairs science laboratories. While the faculty and staff are excited about the introduction of the new science labs at the start of the 2016-2017 school year and the possibilities they bring, students tend to be more vocal in voicing their complaints with the changes around the school.

According to Dr. Dibianca, Upper School principal, as part of the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan, the updates to the science labs have been a long time coming. Dr. D believes that it is time to update the science facilities to honor the high quality of the science program. Originally constructed in 1964 when the Newark Academy campus was initially built, the science labs were outdated and generally were unable to fully meet the needs of students for quite some time. When asked why the renovation of the science facilities took this long to happen, Dr. D cited the availability of funding as the key component in addition to the decision-making process of the members of the Board of Trustees, who ultimately finalizes the strategic plans. Past strategic plans have included the creation of a ‘dynamic learning space’, which eventually became the new wing, and the creation of the Immersion Program. Dr. D attributes the initial success of the construction project to the flexibility and positive outlook of the inconvenienced students and teachers. Dr. D also notes that the science teachers aren’t the only faculty members being inconvenienced; there have been non-science teachers who have been displaced due to the re-assignment of science classes into various parts of the building.

Ms. Celente, head of the science department, noted that the NA science program has been driven by the facilities or lack thereof. The renovated spaces will support the future goals of the science department in addition to significantly enhancing the student experience. She explained that teachers flipped their curriculums so that the more lab-intensive work was completed before spring break and the demolition of the labs, so that the second half of the spring term can be used to teach more theoretical concepts. Ms. Celente believes that the most important components of ensuring that the science program still runs at a high level despite the inconveniences are the proactive nature of the teachers and the flexibility of the students.

While faculty and students alike are excited for the prospects the new science labs bring, several parties are being inconvenienced in the process. Firstly, students cannot use the stairwell next to the library to get to the second floor and no longer have access to the airlock connecting the arts wing to the back hallway of the library leading to the new wing. Furthermore, access to the arts wing courtyard is now limited. Students have been quick to voice their discontent with the temporary inconvenience the construction brings without necessarily appreciating the larger picture. As one of the premier private schools in New Jersey and the east coast, it is long overdue that the science labs be updated to meet the excellence of Newark Academy as an institution. Another aspect of the strategic plan dictates that the construction is to be completed within a six-year span. This means that there will be some students who will spend the majority of their time at a Newark Academy under construction without being able to appreciate all the facilities the academy has to offer. Despite these significant disruptions occurring in the short term, the fruits of labor and patience will undoubtedly lead to a more robust and productive science program and overall upper school.