Staff writer
This may be Kelsey Metro’s first year teaching at Marion Middle School, but she is no stranger to room set up.
“This is my sixth year teaching,” she said. “It usually takes a week or so to get rooms set up, but this year it took longer because it was a new room to me.”
This is Metro’s first year as seventh and eighth-grade science as well as eighth-grade technology teacher with MMS. She said science rooms typically take longer to get organized because of lab areas.
“I had to go through and get all the labs set up so students and I could find everything,” she said. “I also designated places for each student to leave things in the class room because with middle school students you tend to get a lot of lost items.”
Metro added two decorated bulletin boards, one with family photos, to her room.
“I spent about $100 on supplies,” she said.
First year teachers typically spend the most to set up their rooms, Metro said. She said she likes to add her own personal touch to the room.
“It’s better than having your cookie cutter room, it’s boring and kids won’t want to learn there,” she said.
USD 408 will pay for most items teachers need for their rooms.
“Totes, posters and those sorts of things the school is more than happy to purchase for me, but I purchase the pretty stuff because I don’t feel like I can justify the school spending money on that,” Metro said.
Metro said she arranged the desks in her room three different times.
“You think about the room and how it will work with students. Often you will get students into the room and find out some things don’t work,” she said.
Metro graduated from Marion High School. She said she is excited to be working with teachers she was taught by.
“It’s exciting to see things from this side,” she said. “You never think of coming back to your alma mater and teaching with teachers who taught you.”
Metro said a few teachers have set up their rooms this early, most will begin this week.