Parkhill, Smith & Cooper, Inc.

A replacement school was needed at a 60-year old campus in a mature neighborhood. Attendance zones would change with the project and attention focused on an educational delivery to serve a campus where 71% of its students are classified as economically disadvantaged. “Keep it Unique” was the community’s charge. The campus embraced a differentiated learning model, rich in technology but without a centralized library. After community dialogue, it became the first 21C school in the District.

This 79,874 s.f. new elementary school is designed to offer educators and 660 students spaces that respond to their diverse educational needs. The students are separated into 6 learning neighborhoods: Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades in one “community” and 3rd, 4th and 5th grades detached but in another community. Each community is designed to give younger and older age groups a sense of place. Flexible and adaptable classroom arrangements surround a collaborative hub.

The elementary school is a point of pride for the community. The school district was visionary & insistent on introducing interactive collaborative and student-owned learning at the early stages of their students’ educational experience. The school was designed as a 21st Century learning environment, including flexible, multi-functional, interactive, and efficient spaces. The school houses 6 learning neighborhoods for K-5, commons, kitchen, administrative offices, and the gymnasium.

Construction of a new elementary school on a previously undeveloped, rugged site was undertaken with teacher and public input. The old school is fifteen miles away from the JHS\HS campus. Locating the elementary closer to the high school was a community priority for safety, economics and instructional reasons. A plan with flexible learning HUBs was developed to allow co-teaching, multiple educational deliveries and adequate space for the school’s robust, parent volunteer reading program.

“New space added approximately 40,000 s.f. to the existing campus. New main gym, library, science labs, computer labs, kitchen, culinary arts room, Metal Shop, & locker room space. Renovations include the administrative areas & classrooms, & wood shop. Science labs, computer labs & adjacent corridors were also constructed to serve as a storm shelter. Two, new tennis courts were included. The new building replaced approx. 25,000 s.f. of existing building that was demolished.”

Addition of new competition gym and accessory locker rooms, coaches offices, and storage areas. Adjacent gymnasiums, locker rooms, restrooms, and auditorium received accessibility and finish upgrades.

This District realized the need to reach students in a different way that their old building could not support . A majority of these students face socioeconomic challenges. The drive for a new building was student centered – to get a school that both facilitated and celebrated engagement in the learning process. The new classrooms are focused on student discovery, collaboration and experimentation, and a sharp focus on critical thinking and problem solving.

The Performing Arts Center (PAC) project is primarily the addition of a 935-seat auditorium along with a black box theater, scene shop, band hall and music practice rooms. Serving a small community with a population just over 7,000 – the size and scope of the PAC has had a profound impact on the community and serves as a true landmark gateway. The project also included a classroom addition and renovation.

The school district planned for a rapid growing population. A 70-acre site was master planned to design various phases. The first three phases included academic & core spaces for a 9th grade center. Phase IV was the final stage for converting the school into a high school. Phase IV included four major components – a 3-story academic wing, detached Career & Technology building, and fine arts and athletic departments. Final phase added 291,130 SF for 535,000 SF total of educational spaces.