A Saugus High School teacher is reaching out to the Santa Clarita Valley community to help provide her classroom and current seating arrangement with a more modern update.

Ms. Megan Botton, an English teacher and speech and debate coach at Saugus High, is hoping to incorporate more of an open and collaborative work environment through updated classroom furniture.

“With changes in both teaching and technology over the years, classroom environments haven’t been touched on,” said Botton. “The shape of my classroom now is very limiting… It’s round (and) has six walls, so my seating arrangement opportunities are limited.”

The goal of new classroom furniture is to help increase student engagement and connections while also adapting to the curved classroom, according to Botton.

“The student desks we have now have been used for centuries,” said Botton. “The furniture I’ve found online include futuristic-looking desks that are easy to move and are good for both left- and right-handed students.”

Botton also hopes to replace her projector with a big screen television since not all of her students have a good view during lessons in what she called the “awkward” classroom.

Donations of goods and services to the school’s annual Open House Auction in March can be made in support of Botton’s classroom. Monetary donations of all amounts are also welcome and are tax deductible.

“Students would be able to make different kinds of interactions a lot more easily with this arrangement” said Botton. “My hope is that they will be more willing to engage more.”

To learn more about Ms. Megan Botton’s “21st Century Classroom” or to donate, click here.