With seasons at Morgan starting to change, a new course is being introduced next year that’s grabbed the school’s interest. Jake Rowe, a science teacher within the school is teaching a new Meteorology class, which plans to be his most in depth course yet.

The idea for having a Meteorology class at Morgan first came up when Rowe, who teaches Forensics and Chemistry, was discussing potential courses for next year with the science department chair, Emily Lisy.

Since Rowe already had a background in Meteorology from his university studies and this course (at least at a college level) wasn’t offered before, it felt like a good offer for the student body.

Rowe believes the course will give students the ability to work with more hands on science and data. And he believes he is the man for the job. “This is the first time this class will be offered in Connecticut,” Rowe explained. “I’m the only instructor they have in their department right now that can teach this in high school.”

Rowe has had an affinity for Meteorology since he was young. Rowe remembers being fascinated by weather systems and how things like climate and temperature are able to change many different functions in the weather. Rowe took this fascination into college, where he spent four years studying and working with the atmosphere to hone his interest and skills with the weather; earning him a master’s degree in meteorology at Penn. State University by the time he was finished.

His dream to work in Meteorology was put on the back burner, however, as he started getting a new enjoyment from working with students while being a teaching assistant in his college years. This new opportunity made him move back to Connecticut, where he started getting into teaching programs.

“I thought I was going to pursue a career in atmospheric research, but I was still drawn back to that teaching position I had,” said Rowe. “So I left with a master’s degree and came back to Connecticut to get into the teaching program.”

Rowes’ experience in working with meteorology and with students in college programs gave him the idea to create the ECE Meteorology class; which allowed him to combine both of his passions into one. He was able to use his teaching skills and love for meteorology to help students learn about weather systems and how they affect the environment.

“We all relate to the weather every day; we check it on our phones and what not. But a lot of society doesn’t always have the understanding of how our atmosphere works, so I thought that would be beneficial to show to high school students,” Rowe said.

Rowe’s Meteorology class allows for students to work hands-on with global and local weather systems. They will be using data and charts to determine how certain weather conditions and changes can dramatically affect how the weather is seen in one way or another.

The main component of the class he wants to represent is the unpredictability of the weather, since many different variables can affect whether it rains one day or snows another. With this, he wants to allow for students to pick apart and work through problems in atmospheric readings to get more consistent information about them, while also working on their problem-solving skills when met with a challenge.
“I think back to that problem solving application and also just like being willing to think outside the box,” Rowe said. “It is really what that class is going to be drawn towards, so it’s really gonna force you to think.”

Rowe also sees the class as a way for all elements of science to be blended together, thinking of it as a sort of cap off to the science we learned throughout high school. Rowe said, “It takes some chemistry; it takes a lot of psychics; it takes some mathematics, even a little bit of biology too. It starts blending that all into one kind of unique system.” Rowe mainly talks about how the class can also fill in for information we learned through integrated Science with the weather and atmosphere, wanting Meteorology to be an extension of that information but much more in depth.

Due to Meteorology being a new class for not only Morgan, but also for the state in general, there’s wonder about how it will end up doing among the staff and student body. If the class doesn’t end up getting enough members, it may not be able to be taught next year, which is a worry that’s been brought up.

Even with that, however, Rowe is still excited about the future of the class and is hoping to see it do well among the student body. “Pick what you’re interested in and find something new,” Rowe said. “And if meteorology is that something new for you, I would love to have you in class and have you as a student.”