Category: Team
SCHRADERGROUP Attends PASBO Facilities, Transportation, & Safety Conference & Exhibits
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently attended the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) Facilities, Transportation, & Safety Conference & Exhibits in Lancaster, PA on November 4, 2021. This was the first time this conference was held in Lancaster.
The conference was held at the Lancaster Marriot & Convention Center, which is only a couple blocks away from our Lancaster office on King Street. SG exhibited at the conference in the convention hall and was honored to be a Bronze Sponsor for the event. SG team members Danielle Hoffer, Charlotte Stoudt, and Denis Brennan attended the trade show to connect once again with familiar faces and to meet many more.
This year’s conference dialed the focus down to three key areas important to school business officials: facility management, student transportation, and school safety. School facility management affects teaching and learning, student and staff health, day-to-day building operations, and the long-range fiscal health of the district. Attendees included facilities directors and personnel, school safety personnel, business managers, and superintendents.
The SG team would like to thank the dedicated staff of PASBO for organizing this great event and to all attendees who stopped by our booth to chat and ask questions. We look forward to the annual conference that will be held from March 8-11, 2022 in Hershey, PA. Come find us at Booth 410 to chat about your projects and ideas for your school district’s needs.
PASBO is a Pennsylvania-based, state-wide association with over 3,000 members. They are devoted to providing members with the education, training, professional development and timely access to legislation and policy news needed to run a school district smoothly and successfully. While their membership base varies greatly, the association has a common goal of supporting classroom learning through smart business practices. To learn more about PASBO and the work that they do, click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s work with K-12 schools, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes the New Year!
2021 was a great year for SCHRADERGROUP. Our team grew both in number and in professional qualifications, we reconnected with clients and colleagues at conferences and events, our projects were featured in multiple publications, we participated in sponsorships and mentorships, and, most importantly, we inspired our communities with responsive, innovative, and sustainable architecture created through client-driven, collaborative practice.
SCHRADERGROUP would like to thank you all for the support and opportunities that have been afforded to us in 2021. We look forward to our continued relationships and the exciting projects that are planned for 2022.
See below for a recap of some of SG’s most memorable milestones from the past year!
We had yet another exciting year of projects that were either completed or made great progress in 2021.
At the Start of the Year
Additions and renovations to Quakertown Community School District’s Neidig Elementary School completely transformed this elementary school to support project-based learning.
In the Spring
SCHRADERGROUP repurposed four pools and eight libraries at Hazleton Area School District’s K-8 schools to generate additional educational classroom space to accommodate growing enrollments.
Council Rock School District’s newly renovated Rolling Hills Elementary School achieved LEED Gold Certification and received an ACE Grant.
We made progress during spring construction (March, April, May) on a number of projects, including Upper Merion Area School District’s new Upper Merion Area High School, the sitework for Chatham County, North Carolina’s new Emergency Operations Center, the additions and renovations to the School District of Philadelphia’s Anne Frank Elementary School, the additions and renovations to North Penn School District’s Knapp Elementary School, and the construction of PennDOT District 6-0’s new Regional Traffic Management Center, among others.
During the Summer
We celebrated the School District of Springfield Township’s new Early Learning Center’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
We showcased the newly completed Springfield School District’s new High School.
Last summer’s construction progress (part 1, part 2) included updates for the additions and renovations to North Penn School District’s Knapp Elementary School, the demolition and construction of Springfield School District’s Athletic Fields, the construction of PennDOT District 6-0’s new Regional Traffic Management Center, the construction of Upper Merion Area School District’s new Upper Merion Area High School, the additions and renovations to the School District of Philadelphia’s Anne Frank Elementary School and Paul Dunbar School, the construction of the Community College of Philadelphia’s new Career and Advanced Technology Center, the renovations to Bristol Township School District’s Benjamin Franklin Middle School, and the renovations to Council Rock School District’s Hillcrest Elementary School and Sol Feinstone Elementary School.
In the Fall
East Pennsboro Area School District held their ribbon cutting ceremony for their new Administration Center.
SCHRADERGROUP is always committed to becoming fully involved with the communities in which we work and this past year was no different. See below for some of the ways we strived to inspire our communities.
We hosted design workshops for Hatboro-Horsham School District’s new Keith Valley Middle School project and for Great Valley School District’s new 5/6 Grade Center project. SG also hosted a planning workshop for Rose Tree Media School District’s new Elementary School project. It was great to be back in person for our consensus-based planning process for these projects as it is always a great exercise in collaborating with the Community and the School District.
The SCHRADERGROUP team also participated in multiple events that were not project related. Our team’s dedication to mentoring the next generation of designers and professionals include our participation in mentoring programs and Penn State University’s Architectural Alumni Group Seminars.
Although some of our favorite conferences were cancelled or held virtually in 2021, we were happy to see so many of you both virtually and in-person at some of these great annual events. We were excited to have attended the PSU Virtual Career Fair, PASBO’s Virtual Conference, the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association Meeting, A4LE LearningSCAPES Conference in Colorado, Design Philly’s Kick-Off Meeting in Philadelphia at Cherry Street Pier, PASBO’s Facilities and Transportation Safety Conference in Lancaster, PA, and the DVASBO Trade Show in Oaks, PA.
2021 was a year filled with awards and recognitions for SCHRADERGROUP and for some of our projects. A few of the accolades we received included:
SCHRADERGROUP making the Building Design + Construction Magazine’s 2020 Giants 400 report, as well as ranking in Architectural Record’s Top 300 Architecture Firms of 2020.
The School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center earned quite a bit of recognition this year, with Learning by Design’s Spring 2021 Issue’s Outstanding Project, American School & University’s 2021 Educational Interiors Showcase’s Outstanding Design, Learning by Design’s Fall 2021 Issue’s Outstanding Project, and American School & University’s 2021 Architectural Portfolio’s Outstanding Project.
Additionally, we celebrated some great milestones for the impressive individuals on our team—their growth is SCHRADERGROUP’s growth, and we couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments both for themselves and for the firm!
This included welcoming Jillian Kreglow as our newest Architectural Designer and Brianna Smith as our new Office Administrator over the summer and welcoming Hugo Li as our newest Structural Engineer just last month.
Congratulations to our senior Architectural Designers Jeremy Ross and Paige Geldrich, for passing their exams and for becoming registered architects this summer. Congratulations are in order for senior Architectural Designer Chris Farmer as well, who recently passed his WELL AP exam in addition to becoming a registered architect.
We would also like to thank our summer interns, Leah Balderson and Dan Pawluczyk, for their contributions to the firm over the summer and we are excited to see their academic and professional growth in the future!
SG leadership had a great year as well. SG Principal Harry Pettoni recently became the President of A4LE’s Chesapeake Bay/Delaware Valley Chapter. Also, SG Founder and Managing Partner David Schrader was inducted into the College of Fellows for the American Institute of Architects at the Lincoln Center in Washington D.C. in November. Congratulations David and Harry!
And last but not least, we are proud to recognize and celebrate the individuals who devoted so much of their time and expertise directly to the firm, congratulations to Regina Jean-Claude, Danielle V. Hoffer, Dan D’Amico, and Devin Bradbury on becoming SCHRADERGROUP Associates!
The SCHRADERGROUP team remains socially active. Whether we are attending happy hours, work parties, fundraisers, or just simply going out to lunch, the team always has a great time together. But who can forget about golf as the ultimate social activity? It was great to return to the courses in 2021, whether for a charity game, a fundraiser, or just to play with friends and members of the SCHRADERGROUP family.
The team participated in some fantastic events including Council Rock Education Foundation’s 2nd Annual Golf Classic, Springfield Area Educational Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament, Delaware Valley Association of School Business Officials’ Annual Golf Outing, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Education Foundation’s 21st Annual Golf Classic, North Penn School District’s Educational Foundation’s 20th Golf Classic, and the SCHRADERGROUP Team’s Inaugural Golf Outing.
Welcoming 2022
We cannot wait for what may come in the new year! While SCHRADERGROUP has a number of exceptional projects in design, we also have many projects that will be approaching completion and we are eagerly anticipating more ribbon cutting ceremonies. We are very happily looking forward to another year of growth for our team members and for the firm as a whole. SCHRADERGROUP anticipates being able to participate in more conferences and attending more fundraisers where we can connect with our clients and collaborators. We will continue to inspire and mentor our younger generations, and to simply continue the wonderful relationships we have built over the years with all of you–our partners, our supporters, our families, and our friends.
We celebrate with all of you the accomplishments of the previous year and the optimism of the new one we are entering.
Cheers and have a safe, happy, and healthy new year.
From all of us at SCHRADERGROUP.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends Design Philadelphia’s Kickoff Party
Members of the SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team recently attended the Kickoff Party for Design Philadelphia on Wednesday, October 6th at Philly’s Cherry Street Pier. The Kickoff Party gave attendees a first live look at the interactive installations and exhibitions that filled the pier throughout the Design Philadelphia Festival that lasted from October 6th through to October 17th.
SG team members Paige Geldrich, Jillian Kreglow, and Brianna Smith attended the Kickoff Party that began the 10-day festival. The festival is produced by the Center of Architecture and Design and highlights Philadelphia as a hub for design excellence. The event supports economic opportunities for local designers and demonstrates to the public the impact design has on our everyday lives.
SG was proud to be a “Design Advocate” for the Kickoff Party, joining others who donated not only to support the Center for Architecture and Design, but to also help bring equity, diversity, and inclusion in design education to the school children of Philadelphia’s public schools.
Design Philadelphia’s mission is to make Philadelphia a hub for design excellence, to support economic opportunities for local designers, and to demonstrate to the public the impact design has on our everyday lives. Learn more about this organization and event, click here.
To learn more about SG and the work that we do supporting academic, public safety, and mission critical facilities in Philadelphia and the surrounding area, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Announces Newly Registered Architect
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is pleased to announce that another one of our Designers has successfully passed the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) and is now a Registered Architect in the state of New York.
We would like to congratulate Christopher Farmer, AIA, LEED Green Associate, WELL AP on becoming the latest registered architect at SG. Chris is a graduate of Philadelphia University (now known as Jefferson University) and has made considerable strides at the firm working on a variety of projects in the education and public safety sectors. Chris works in the Philadelphia office.
In addition to the valuable work Chris performs in the office, he also helps with mentoring SG summer interns as well undergraduate students through Jefferson University’s Career Services Department. We welcome his architectural registration as another in a line of upcoming accomplishments for this young architect. Chris had recently passed his WELL AP exam as well.
“We are pleased to continue the tradition of moving such talented individuals through the internship process to become registered architects!” said David Schrader, Managing Partner of SCHRADERGROUP.
Interested in joining the SG team? Check out what opportunities are available for you here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends North Penn School District Educational Foundation’s 20th Annual Golf Classic
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently attended the North Penn School District (NPSD) Educational Foundation’s 20th Annual Golf Classic hosted at the Talamore Country Club in Ambler, PA on Tuesday, October 5. The outing helped raise charitable funds for the foundation while participants enjoyed a day on the course with lunch and beverages.
SG was happy to return and proud to be a Metal-level sponsor for this great event that raises money to provide innovative classroom grants to enhance the educational experience of NPSD students.
The SG team was represented by Eric Weiss and Jeremy Ross. The team was honored to support an organization that’s committed to enriching the education and lives of more than 13,000 students in each of the North Penn School District’s eighteen schools.
As educational planners and architects, SG is committed to providing educational facilities that further enrich the learning experience. The success of these events and the continued work of the foundation provides the opportunity to introduce students to new curriculum and innovations in education that give the buildings we design an exciting purpose.
The SG team would like to thank the dedicated members of the NPSD Educational Foundation for organizing this wonderful event. As an example of this funding in action, the North Penn High School will be the first high school in North America that will provide students with a new spatial computing program that will give students a unique opportunity to learn how to design, develop, and publish Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) applications. To learn more about the North Penn School District Educational Foundation, click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s work with K-12 schools, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes a New Structural Engineer to the Team!
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is thrilled to announce the newest member to join our team! Please help us welcome Structural Engineer Hugo Li, PE!
Hugo Li, PE
Structural Engineer
Pennsylvania State University – Bachelor of Architectural Engineering + Integrated Master of Architectural Engineering
Hugo is a Pennsylvania State University graduate with an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree in Architectural Engineering. As a registered engineer with over ten years of experience in structural engineering, Hugo has the ability to lead the design process from start to finish, can handle multiple designs at once, and can set priorities and establish deadlines in order to successfully manage complex projects.
Hugo’s comprehensive code knowledge, expertise in structural forensics, and impressive structural engineering software abilities allow him to develop complex details and drawings. His interpersonal skills working with clients and consultants, combined with his excellent writing and verbal skills, give him the ability to work through all phases of a project while establishing effective working relationships with clients and consultants.
Hugo is passionate about working on interesting projects and looks forward to working with the team using the creative problem solving we at SCHRADERGROUP are known for. Looking to the future, Hugo hopes to grow the engineering sector in our Philadelphia office and hopes to manage a team of engineers one day. In his free time, Hugo enjoys solving puzzles, playing chess, listening to music, and building various things such as furniture and computers.
Welcome Hugo! We are thrilled to have you join the SG team! We look forward to a future of successful projects, and growth both professionally and personally!
Interested in working with us? Visit our Careers page to see what opportunities are available at SG here.
Happy Holidays from SCHRADERGROUP!
Happy Holidays to our Valued Clients, Collaborators, & Friends
The SCHRADERGROUP family would like to extend the warmest season’s greetings to all of our valued clients, collaborators, and friends. As another year draws to a close, we look back and are reminded of the significance of our mission: Inspiring our communities with responsive, innovative, and sustainable architecture created through client-driven, collaborative practice.
We feel both fortunate and thankful for the relationships we have formed over the years with all of our clients, collaborators, and team members. These important relationships are the cornerstone of our work, as it guides our designs toward creating dynamic and functional environments where people can work, grow, and prosper.
As a token of our appreciation for your support, the SG team has developed a recipe book for you to use during the upcoming holiday season and beyond. We hope you share it with your families, friends, and loved ones for years to come.
Please click on the image below to view and download the SG Recipe Book now!
Best wishes and Happy New Year!
Be sure to follow SG on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on all things SCHRADERGROUP!
SCHRADERGROUP Gives Thanks
As we approach the end of another year, Thanksgiving is the perfect time for the SCHRADERGROUP team to reflect upon the continuous support and opportunities given to us by all of you. We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to our partners, clients, peers, friends, families, and communities for the support. You are the reason we do what we do.
For every chance you have given us, we remember and are committed to bringing the value, quality, and inspiration of which every project is worthy. We thank you for helping us prosper in our mission of inspiring communities with responsive, innovative, and sustainable architecture created through client-driven, collaborative practice. So again, the SG team is grateful and gives our thanks to to you all for our continued success.
Everyone here at SCHRADERGROUP would like to thank you for all of the adventures we have shared this year and we wish you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
Best wishes from all of us at,
Be sure to follow SG on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on all things SCHRADERGROUP!
School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center Recognized as an Outstanding Project in Learning By Design’s Fall 2021 Issue
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is happy to announce that our School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center project has received an Outstanding Project Award from Learning By Design Magazine for their Fall 2021 Architectural and Interior Design Awards of Excellence Showcase.
Each year, Learning By Design showcases the very best in the educational design and construction market. The award-winning magazine is published three times a year and regularly recognizes the nation’s top K-12 and higher education projects and architecture firms.
“This early elementary school is warm and welcoming, with a great exterior design to draw children in. Transparency to the outdoors as well as between spaces adds more life and interaction. The overall vibe of the interiors is one of cool and clean simplicity with subtlety rich detailing of naturally hued materials,” said one of the jurors for the panel about Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center.
SG is proud to have another project featured in this prestigious magazine. We would like to thank the School District of Springfield Township (SDST) and all our collaborators and consultants for their help in making this project a reality. We are thrilled to have this great facility featured in this showcase.
Faced with a growing population and following studies of potential options, SDST elected to create a new Early Learning Center for grades K-2 for the district. SCHRADERGROUP worked with the District and community to create this 105,000 SF facility nestled into a sloping site with a courtyard in the center. The learning resource center and STEAM program is located at the core of the facility and the evening public-use spaces are to the front. The academic clusters radiate from the learning resource center around the courtyard. Creative configuration of the classroom clusters allows the building to climb the hillside of the site while including a quiet contemplative courtyard nestled into the classroom clusters. The courtyard is designed to enhance outdoor learning opportunities.
The exterior material and building masses are residential in character to work with the surrounding neighborhood. Colors, building heights and masses, and rooflines are all carefully calibrated to reduce the scale of the facility from all street views.
You can view the Fall 2021 Architectural and Interior Design Awards of Excellence issue of Learning By Design here.
Learn more about the Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center here.
SG is proud to have partnered with Springfield Township School District on this and other great projects. Learn more about this wonderful school district here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the A4LE LearningSCAPES 2021 Conference in Denver, Colorado
Members of the SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team recently traveled to Denver, Colorado to attend the annual Association for Leaning Environments (A4LE) LearningSCAPES Conference from October 14th to the 17th at the Colorado Convention Center.
For decades, the LearningSCAPES conference has allowed educators, policymakers, planners, and design professionals from across the globe to experience the cutting edge of new educational design. The conference offers world-class educational sessions and inspiring keynote speakers who dive into best practices for creating effective learning environments for future generations.
Themes explored during the conference included the recent disruptive forces surrounding the global pandemic, social injustice, and economic stresses that have made the need for holistic and radical change more visible.
This year’s conference explored the idea of “Disruptive Optimism” and delved into the disruptive forces at play around the world, the positive opportunities they represent, and the actions we must take to create an optimistic and more effective future. The conference allowed members from around the world to converse about educational visions, connect through experiences and discoveries, and exchange expertise about next generation learning environments and their evolving needs.
The first day of the conference included six tours of various Pre-K to Higher Education schools and facilities in the areas surrounding Denver. Each facility offered attendees the chance to experience the latest and greatest in educational facility design. We would like to thank Boulder Valley School District, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Denver, Cherry Creek School District, Douglas County School District, and Littleton Public Schools for welcoming us into their wonderful schools and facilities!
Information sessions included presentations such as “Social/Emotional Learning through Curriculum and School Design,” “Designing Schools for Parental Engagement,” and “Engineering the Future Leaders of Our Community,” just to name a few.
Established in 1921, A4LE is a non-profit association whose sole mission is improving the places where children learn. They believe that facilities impact the learning, development, and behavior of the user, the planning process is essential for quality facilities, sharing and networking improves the planning process, and that there is a standard by which to measure this success.
SCHRADERGROUP exhibited the new Upper Merion Area High School project in the exhibition hall during the conference. The team is proud to have had this opportunity to showcase this project amongst the other incredible work on display.
SCHRADERGROUP was also proud to be a Pewter Sponsor for the conference and is always happy to support a great organization like A4LE. We are, and have been, proud sponsors of A4LE’s great annual expositions. To learn more about A4LE, click here. To learn more about the LearningSCAPES Conference, click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s commitment to creating 21st Century learning environments, click here.