**Originally written on Friday, September 11, 2015. Just a slight delay in posting.**

It’s the end of our first week back at school after summer break and we have jumped back into things here in the Learning Commons at Trudeau.  I have been looking forward to sharing the redesigned space with our students.  They are certainly the focus of all we have been doing.

Junior and intermediate classes have been visiting this week to tour the redesigned space, reset passwords (an annual September task), and select library books.  The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.  From gasps as they enter, to wide eyes when they walk through the new Maker Space, it’s hard not to be excited about the possibilities when our students are in the space.  Here are some of the things I have heard said:

“I’m ready!” Show me the new and improved.”

“I feel sorry for last year’s grade 8s.  They missed all of this.”

“Green screen? You mean we can make awesome movies?”

“Are you sure the teachers are ready for this?”

Our students are certainly ready to embrace the changes and are looking forward to exploring the possibilities. It could be a bumpy road, but no matter how many times we need to step back, examine our plan, change direction and start again, our students will be ready to give it a try.

This coming week we are hoping to release our draft schedule and sign out plans for the space.  It really has been the stumbling block for myself and our focus group.  How do we ensure that the space is being used to it’s maximum potential?  What can we do to support teachers so that the new design isn’t used in the old way?

Looking forward to reflecting on this next step.