By: Molly Mahoney ’18

An Edgar Allan Poe action figure mounts the bulletin board. Green and purple chairs scatter the floor. Posters of historical and literary legends line the walls. Inviting floor lamps and a variety of Trader Joes snacks beckon newcomers. Nestled in between the social studies department offices and the corner of the second floor’s interior, this is room 2037: the Literacy Lounge.

Doubling as Literacy Coach Rebecca Marsick’s office and a dynamic workspace for students and teachers to collaborate, the Literacy Lounge is considered by frequent visitors to be one of the most underappreciated spaces in all of Staples High School.

When asked her opinion on the room, Sophie Gaspel ’18 responded with essentially the same statement as every other interviewee: “I have no idea what that is.”

Inside, the comfortable seats are matched by both a white noise that facilitates productive work and an openness that allows for groups of students to put their minds together with the help of staff.

“It’s a great place to collaborate with teachers and students. It has a fun vibe about it,” mused Drew Coyne, a social studies teacher at Staples.

Marsick says that the Literacy Lounge was created “as a space where we could have a classroom library and more flexible seating for small group instruction”. The room, which is adaptable in regards to seating and purpose, is mostly used for staff development and conferences.

Marsick encourages students to use the Literacy Lounge for productive activities during extra time in the school day, but asks that they check in with her first.