District teachers construct Corsi Boxes for Galena Primary School Classrooms
GUSD #120 superintendent, Tim Vincent makes a Corsi box on Monday, Sept. 6. Several high school teachers with primart school students got togeher in the primary school parking lot to make the boxes for the GPS classrooms. The teachers get to use the Corsi boxes in their classroom to keep the students healthy. Keith Thraen -Borowski brought the idea to Vincent. “This was a great opportunity for the GHS teachers to help the school district,” said Lisa Watson teacher at GHS. “I had a lot of fun with my fellow teachers making the Corsi boxes.”
On Monday, Sept. 6, GUSD Superintendent Tim Vincent, GHS teacher parents and Keith Thraen-Borowski, husband of GHS Art teacher Ms. TB, met in the primary school parking lot to construct air purifiers for GPS students.
Vincent said, “The process actually started when Mr. Thraen-Borowski, who is a scientist at Loras College, reached out to see if we were interested in making Corsi Boxes, a self-assembled air purifier. Obviously, this was significantly cheaper than any industrial air filter, so I ordered the materials. Then we set up an assembly line with parent/staff volunteers to put these together and deliver them to the classrooms.
The Corsi boxes were very well-received at the Primary School, which has significant air quality issues due to poor ventilation.
”After the staff finished the air purifiers they gave them to the teachers at the school.
“It was really fun to deliver the boxes to the GPS classrooms,” said Katie McIntyre, GHS teacher and parent to Ruby in kindergarten and Hallie in 2nd grade. “We did the work on a day when there was no school, and we left the boxes in their rooms. I felt like Santa Claus.”
Thraen-Borowski has been studying the pandemic since it started. The primary school doesn’t have separate distinct spaces, so the virus is easier to spread. He came up with an idea to make Corsi Boxes, which is basically an air purifier.
“I want all the kids at the primary school to be as safe as possible,” said Sarah Rosenthal, GHS teacher and parent to Drake in 4th grade. “This was something so simple I could do that would help all the students and teachers stay in person this year.”
After the Corsi Boxes were installed, teachers were excited about the addition to their classrooms. “I feel like it’s too early to tell [if this is going to help] as I’ve only had it for a few days!” said GPS teacher, Sarah Hesslebacher. “I’m hopeful that we will see it’s benefits as they are run consistently this fall and winter during the typical flu season.”
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