Hoover Opens Collaboratory Room
January 13, 2023
Hoover’s long-anticipated Collaboratory room opened on Thursday morning with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Prior to the arrival of this new space at Hoover, many teachers, staff, students and GUSD board members were hard at work preparing and making this decade long dream finally come alive.
Hoovers Principal Jennifer Earl remembered walking into the former library in 2009 and thinking that the place definitely needed some improvements. Fourteen years later, the space is completely renovated to the collaboratory room that promotes learning in a safe, friendly and engaging environment.
“The library is supposed to be the heart of the school especially academically,” said Earl. “So it concerned me that this space needed to be converted into something that can inspire students and staff to think critically and creatively and to think big. This is now a living breathing space that will grow along with the needs of the hoover community.”
Everything in the room, from the tv to the desks to the chairs, are on wheels. The various unique work areas throughout the collaboratory were purposely designed to promote group learning as well as individual.
“It is a place to collaborate, work and is a place that is quiet and reflective. Along with being safe to hangout in,” said GUSD’s Superintendent Vivian Ekchian.
Ann Collard, Hoover’s librarian and head of the collaboratory room, professionally sorted through all the books in the library keeping the relevant and diverse books to make Hoover a more inclusive and safe space through its literature.
“The collaboratory will not only be a place for students and staff to think deeply, collaborate and develop ideas. It will also be a place where there’s a rich assortment of literature to choose from,” said Earl.
Collard, along with the Hoover staff and PTA, is working towards getting more books that are new, exciting and engaging. Currently the library has 5,000 titles and Hoover plans to double it to 10,000 titles through the help of donations from PTA, alumni, community members, and the $1,000 grant from Barnes and Nobles. These titles range from genres of horror, mystery, manga, graphic novels, and comic books.
“Collaboration is really something that we stand for and we’ve been able to advocate students working with one another to build a better future for all of us,not just for the students at hoover but our entire Glendale community,” stated Ekchian. “I also see this as a space where adults can come together and collaborate whether it’s with parents or community or with staff members.”
Some of the many facilities and resources that the collaboratory is designed for and offers includes peer tutoring, charging stations, HTC (Hoover tech center), research assistance, board games, arts/crafts, community board, school supplies and even a snack and drink bar. The Collaboratory is open during lunch, free periods, class visits and after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until 4:30.
