Category: Academic
West View Elementary School Completes Construction Topping-Off Milestone of New Addition
The construction team at North Hills School District’s West View Elementary recently installed the final steel beam, advancing the progress of its new addition. The installation of the final beam represents the hard work and dedication all the teams have put forward, furthering the construction process. Built in 1925, West View originally served as the first junior high school in the nation, now housing upwards of four hundred students as an elementary school.
The school’s new addition, designed by SCHRADERGROUP (SG), will be 113,000 SF and feature administrative, nursing, and classroom spaces on the first floor, with additional classrooms and an expanded library equipped with a STEAM classroom on the second floor. This added space will provide ample room for students to grow and succeed in their education.
Team members and school administrators signed the steel beams with pride and well wishes for the future of the students and the school. The addition’s projected finish date is January 2024, while additional renovations are set to coincide with West View’s centennial anniversary in 2025.
West View’s topping-off ceremony represents tangible progress toward the future of learning. SG proudly worked with the school district and the leadership of the elementary school on this new addition. We are honored to create a practical and essential space where students can further their knowledge and achieve their academic goals. SG considered the best technology, sustainable features, and updates to streamline the way students move, collaborate, and learn within the space.
To learn more about our K-12 projects, click here.
Photos c/o North Hills School District – Facebook
Keith Valley Middle School Recognized as an Outstanding Project in Learning By Design’s Fall 2023 Awards of Excellence Magazine
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is proud to announce that our ongoing project, Hatboro-Horsham School District’s Keith Valley Middle School, has been recognized as an Outstanding Project in Learning By Design’s Fall 2023 Awards of Excellence magazine.
Learning By Design is a prestigious publication that recognizes outstanding educational design and construction projects. They evaluate facilities based on innovation, community needs, interior design, sustainability, functional design, and next-generation learning. Published three times a year, the magazine showcases top K-12 and higher education projects and architecture firms.
Keith Valley Middle School is a three-story educational building that accommodates students from grades 6 to 8, featuring flexible learning studios, small group instruction areas, and larger learning commons for student gathering and project-based instruction.
The new facility will prioritize flexibility and connectivity within the school and community, fostering hands-on and multimodal learning approaches to inspire and engage students. A central learning resource area connects the educational areas to the shared public spaces, which include the dining commons, auditorium, and library.
You can view the Fall 2023 issue of Learning By Design here. You can find Keith Valley Middle School on page 94!
To learn more about Keith Valley Middle School, please click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the DVASBO Four County Business Managers Conference at Sky Top Lodge
School district business managers, representing the four counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery, held their annual conference at the Sky Top Lodge from October 4-6, 2023.
At the DVASBO Four County Conference, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) sponsored one of the evening events and spoke at one of the morning sessions. David Schrader and Danielle Hoffer presented “Life after PlanCon,” which outlined the evolution of the role of the public school architect since the 2016 Pennsylvania Commonwealth moratorium on school construction funding.
The session highlighted the changes in the processes and types of projects districts conducted under the PlanCon process, compared to those initiated since the 2016 moratorium. As a result of reduced school funding, elimination of construction reimbursement by the Commonwealth, and the higher likelihood of being faced with a referendum for major construction projects, SG reviewed a variety of case studies, procurement methodologies, and resources the team has utilized to continue to maintain and upgrade district assets.
The SG team is grateful for this opportunity to share our experiences with our school district colleagues.
To see some of SG’s K-12 Projects, please click here.
SCHRADERGROUP will be at the 2023 PASA PSBA School Leadership Conference
From October 16th-17th, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) will be actively participating in the PASA PSBA School Leadership Conference, which will be held at the Kalahari Resort in Pennsylvania.
SG attendees include Managing Partner David Schrader, Partner Tom Forsberg, Principal Matt Wittemann, Principal Devin Bradbury, Associate Danielle Hoffer, Associate Thomas Wippenbeck, and Associate Charlotte Stoudt.
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association is a non-profit, statewide organization representing public school boards, committed to upholding the highest standards of local community leadership for the public schools throughout the Commonwealth.
Drop by our Booth #719 and say hello! We’re looking forward to meeting you!
To see more related academic SG projects, please visit our website here.
SCHRADERGROUP Exhibiting at the PASBO Facilities, Transportation, & Safety Conference
October 9th, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) will be participating in the PASBO Facilities Transportation Safety Conference at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College, PA. We are pleased to announce that representing SG will include SG Partner Harry Pettoni, Associate Thomas Wippenbeck, and Principal Matt Wittemann.
Please come visit us at booth #32! We look forward to interacting and meeting everyone there!
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 see more of SG’s K-12 Projects, please visit our website here.
SCHRADERGROUP Facilitates North Penn High School’s Additions and Renovation Planning Workshop
The North Penn School District (NPSD) held the first of three Community Workshops on July 17, 2023, for the proposed renovations and additions to the North Penn High School. SCHRADERGROUP facilitated the Workshop attended by over 50 individuals including Board members, District administration, staff, parents, students, community members, and Township officials.
Involving the key stakeholders is an integral part of SG’s collaborative design process. What is unique to this particular planning workshop is it is an important step in developing a design for the referendum for the taxpayers of NPSD to approve electoral debt for the project in January 2024.
The design process to date has included virtual and actual building tours of local, regional and national “Next Generation” schools. David Schrader began the Workshop with an overview of the building tours and program of the spaces. Building blocks representing each of the spaces were provided to each of the 6 teams to begin the conversation of room adjacencies and relationships of the building to the site. This is the first step to begin developing concepts that will continue to be refined over the next several months.
SG’s mission is to design educational facilities that precisely meet clients’ needs, with a strong emphasis on collaborative decision-making involving key stakeholders. Their client-driven approach begins with a thorough assessment of existing conditions and relies on a consensus-based planning process, fostering creative and effective solutions. They prioritize inclusive workshops to ensure input and information sharing from all parties, resulting in designs that exceed user expectations.
Please click the photo above to see the entire process of the workshop, with full commentary and transcripts.
“The main takeaway of this workshop was to get some big picture ideas that we can take away and turn into a facility concept to move towards (North Penn High School’s) referendum concept.” – David Schrader
To see more K-12 projects done by SCHRADERGROUP, please visit our website here.
HHSD Keith Valley Construction Update!
Exciting times are upon us as we witness Hatboro-Horsham School District’s NEW Keith Valley Middle School rise out of the ground. Incredible progress has been made over the first summer of construction and the new state-of-the-art facility beginning to take shape. Ongoing work includes foundations, concrete slabs, concrete retaining walls, and the erection of structural steel.
Photography by D’Huy Engineering, Inc
The NEW Keith Valley Middle School is being constructed in the foreground while the old Keith Valley Middle School remains in operation in the background.
The foundation work for Keith Valley Middle School commenced about three weeks ago. These vital structures are the bedrock of our future, ensuring the stability and longevity of the building. As each day passes, we see the foundations grow stronger, laying the groundwork for a new era in education at Keith Valley Middle School.
The classroom wings are rising from the ground while new underground stormwater basins are excavated.
The site is buzzing with activity on a daily basis with earthwork underway to install stormwater basins and crush the massive field of rock that was unearthed during construction. Foundations and massive retaining walls are nearly complete. Concrete slabs have been poured for the classroom pods and administrative wing. Most impressive is the structural steel that has been erected for the four 3-story classroom pods.
Photography by D’Huy Engineering, Inc
Starting in the Fall of 2025, the impressive 275,000 square foot facility will house up to 1,200 students in grades 6 through 8 with innovative and flexible learning spaces throughout the school. The students and staff of Hatboro-Horsham school district eagerly await the opportunity to utilize their new facility, which will take learning to a new level within the District. Until then, they have the best seat in the house to watch their new home be built one day at a time.
Perhaps the most striking sight on the construction site is the soaring steel framework. With three of the four educational wings already erected, it’s awe-inspiring to witness the structure reaching toward the sky.
Please click the image above to see a drone view of the construction site.
Videography shot by D’huy Engineering, Inc.
The transformation of Keith Valley Middle School’s renovation is a testament to progress, determination, and vision. As we continue this exciting journey, we invite you to stay tuned for more updates.
To see more K-12 projects done by SCHRADERGROUP, please visit our website here.
SCHRADERGROUP attends Franklin County 9-1-1 Ribbon Cutting
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) had the pleasure of attending the Franklin County Ribbon Cutting event in North Carolina on Tuesday, September 12th, 2023, in celebration of opening its new 9-1-1 communication center.
The 911 communication center, recognized as a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), holds a pivotal role in emergency response and public safety. Its core mission revolves around efficiently and effectively receiving, processing, and dispatching emergency calls and services.
The new 911 communication center also serves as the crucial liaison between the general public and emergency response agencies across Franklin County. The County received approximately $4 million through the NC911 Grant program to develop an advanced emergency communication center covering 5,300 square feet. This cutting-edge facility is located on a 3.90-acre site adjacent to the current public safety and detention center.
SG served as both the architect and structural engineering firm for the new emergency communication center. We are delighted to have engaged the expertise of the SG team, comprised of seasoned professionals, to design this essential infrastructure facility. It is instrumental in managing emergency calls, deploying the requisite resources, and ensuring a well-coordinated response to emergencies. Ultimately, this effort contributes to the preservation of lives and the enhancement of public safety across Franklin County.
Among those present was Kimberly Denton, Franklin County Manager, who welcomed and commenced the ceremony. Speeches were delivered by Michael S. Schriver, Chairman of the Franklin County Commissioners, Pokey Harris, Executive Director of the NC 911 Board, and Kimberly Denton herself. Christy Shearin, FC 911 Director, presided over both the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the closing remarks.
To see more projects we’ve worked on, please visit our website here.
SCHRADERGROUP: Enhancing Your Community with Next Generation Learning Environments
WE BELIEVE ACADEMIC DESIGN TRULY IS THE DESIGN FOR THE FUTURE
Over 19 years as a firm, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) completed over 200 projects in design for education and devoted the majority of its practice to learning environments. We are focused on creating learning environments specific to your vision for developing the leaders and thinkers for tomorrow.
Our Partners and Associates have over three decades of experience in academic facility design and are involved with school associations locally, nationally, and internationally (PASBO, DVASBO, NSBA, PSBA, A4LE, and others.) With this experience, the SG leadership continues to be committed to academic design to ensure the best experience for you.
SG employs 40+ full-time professional staff and is a full-service architecture firm offering planning and design services in the areas of architecture, structural engineering, planning, interior design, and construction administration. SG has the capacity to design over $400 million in construction projects per year.
The SG team works diligently to deliver projects in the most timely and cost effective manner and offers solutions that will satisfy programming standards of facilities nationally. With this effort, the stage is set for a design that will be entirely appropriate to its setting while satisfying the ergonomic needs of the using agencies.
Check out our a few of our K-12 Projects here.
Downloads of our K-12 flyer, brochure, and SOQ are available here.
And downloads of our tour book and brochure on our star project, Upper Merion Area High School, are available here.
SCHRADERGROUP: Next-Generation Learning Environments Presented at A4LE NE Region Conference Talk & Tours
The A4LE Northeast Region Conference is an annual event bringing together professionals from the education and design communities to discuss innovative ideas, research, and best practice to create effective learning environments. The conference typically features keynote presentations, workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. This year, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) had the pleasure of attending and presenting our latest project, Upper Merion Area High School. SG also gave tours of UMAHS as well as other projects; Springfield High School, Enfield Elementary School, Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center/Manavon Elementary School.
David Schrader, SG’s managing partner, along with Superintendent of Schools, Dr. John Toleno and Building Principal Johnathan Bauer, presented a session titled “This is so meant for us! Student Focused Design to Inspire Personal Achievement, The Next Generation High School”. This session profiled a very unique learning environment constructed in King of Prussia, PA to support 21st Century learning styles. The building was designed to reflect current business model practices and provides opportunities across multiple grade levels for advanced course offerings and unique learning styles. The presentation also offered a comparison of students’ reflection on their learning experience in traditional post-industrial environments versus the learning spaces designed in the new facility centered around self-directed learning environments.
In addition to the presentation, SG provided tours of 4 of our schools for A4LE attendees. The schools that were toured included: Upper Merion Area High School, Springfield High School, Enfield Elementary School, Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center/Manavon Elementary School. You can read more about each school below.
Photography By Halkin Mason
Upper Merion Area High School offers students dedicated spaces for career exploration and advanced education, promoting 21st-century learning activities such as research, development, and presentation. The school is committed to providing students with state-of-the-art facilities and resources that support their academic and professional growth. These purpose-built spaces are specifically designed to facilitate research, encourage innovation and creativity, and enable students to effectively present their findings and projects. UMAHS recognizes the importance of preparing students for the evolving demands of the modern world, and its design reflects this commitment to fostering a dynamic learning environment.
Check out more information about Upper Merion Area High School here.
Photography By Halkin Mason
Springfield High School is strategically located within proximity to a significant portion of the town, thanks to the dense nature of this community. This intentional placement enables many residents to conveniently walk to the school. Furthermore, the design of the school reflects deep consideration for the community it serves. Every aspect of the school’s architecture and layout has been thoughtfully planned to align with the needs and values of the surrounding community. By keeping the community in mind throughout the design process, Springfield High School aims to foster a strong sense of connection and collaboration between the school and its residents. This facility was designed in partnership with Perkins and Will Architects.
Check out more information about Springfield High School here.
Photography By Halkin Mason
Enfield Elementary School is thoughtfully designed to cater to the needs of young learners, creating a welcoming community atmosphere that focuses on both public and academic spaces. The school’s layout revolves around a serene courtyard, symbolically embracing the children and fostering an optimal outdoor learning environment. Surrounding this peaceful central area, classroom wings are strategically placed to enhance the overall learning experience.
Check out more information about Enfield Elementary School here.
Photography By Matt Wargo
Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center and Manavon Elementary School have been purposefully designed to accommodate two distinct grade structures, following a unique “school within a school” format. The ELC is dedicated to nurturing and educating students in grades K-1, providing them with a specialized learning environment tailored to their early educational needs. On the other hand, the ES focuses on grades 2-5, offering a comprehensive curriculum and resources specifically designed to meet the developmental requirements of older elementary students. This innovative design ensures that each grade structure receives the appropriate educational support and fosters an optimal learning experience for all students.
Check out more information about Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center and Manavon Elementary School here.
If you want to learn more about SG, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To see our latest projects, please visit our website sgarc.com