News Photos by Julie Goldberg Mechatronics is a new class at Alpena High School that combines math and engineering with hands-on training. A wall was taken down so a glass wall could be added allowing teachers to look into both rooms.

ALPENA — Alpena High School has been under construction this summer for new programs that will start this upcoming school year.

One program, Mechatronics and Amp Up, is a two-hour class that combines math and engineering with hands-on training. Students will be able to learn computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing. There are about 20 students enrolled in the course.

Alpena Public Schools received a $400,000 grant in January to purchase the equipment for the mechatronics and design lab. Students will earn credits for both Algebra I and the district’s Career and Technical Education program and the class will be more of a hands-on, project-based course for the students, school officials said.

Principal Thomas Berriman said AHS will be the first school in Michigan to offer Algebra I with manufacturing processes, entrepreneurship, and design.

The mechatronics classroom is divided into two sections: a computer lab and workstation area. There’s a glass wall dividing the sections and Berriman said teachers can look into the workstation area from the computer lab if students are in both sections.

The other program starting at AHS is project-based learning for ninth-graders. Berriman said about 100 freshmen have signed up for the PBL courses. The two PBL classes that will be offered for the ninth-graders are American Perspective and Science in the Sanctuary.

Computer labs and a classroom were converted for the PBL program.

“We’re getting rid of a lot of PCs and there will be Chromebooks for up here,” Berriman said. “It’s going to look amazing when they’re done with it.”

There will be dividers so teachers can divide the room, if needed. Each workstation will have a dry-erase board to use and the school is working on adding a sound system so teachers can have microphones on their lapels, Berriman said.

APS received a $50,000 grant in May to begin implementing competency-based learning in the classrooms, which helped initiate PBL at the high school.

“When a ninth-grader comes into Alpena High School, they have so many options,” Berriman said. “Besides project-based learning, they have traditional high school like we’ve always known, they have blended learning, they have online learning, so they have so many options and they also have CTE education in their junior year.”

Berriman said he’s in favor of the new courses because the goal of AHS is to put the power of choice into the parents and students.

“You really want the kids to have that choice that they’re most comfortable with and how they learn best,” he said.

The construction is on schedule to be completed before school starts on Aug. 27.

Julie Goldberg can be reached at jgoldberg@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5688.