MUSCATINE, Iowa–With the start of the 2020-2021 school year here, Muscatine High School has opened their new STEM wing. A long anticipated project, the district originally released plans for the new wing during the 2018-2019 school year and had it constructed over the course of the 2019-2020 school year.
The addition features a variety of labs designed specifically for chemistry and physics classes, as well as spaces for more general labs and cross-curricular activities. “It has a very college feel to it,” said Muscatine Community School District Director of Facilities Jeff Miller. In keeping with Muscatine High Schools other recent additions, such as the distinctive M atrium on the opposite side of the building, the STEM wing features many open spaces and natural lighting. These welcoming gathering spots promote collaboration between math, science, and engineering classes.
This common seating area provides a larger space for guest speakers to lecture or student groups to present. 
A green roof on the second floor doubles as an outdoor classroom. 
Each hallway in the STEM wing features bright murals relating to different branches of science. 
Chemistry labs have stations with built in stands for hanging items from. 
Fume hoods in each chemistry lab make dealing with chemicals safer. 
The teacher work room benefits from natural light and a beautiful view of the rest of the school. 
Physics labs include a trolley system on the ceiling for labs with moving parts. 
General labs contain equipment and space for various types of experiments. 
A large engineering classroom includes two smaller virtual reality stations for students.
