Tag: David Schrader

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 Managing Partner David Schrader Receives the A4LE Lifetime Achievement Award!

The SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team is proud to announce that the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) has awarded the 2022 A4LE Lifetime Achievement Award to SG Managing Partner David Schrader!

The Lifetime Achievement Award is the most distinguished professional award bestowed to an A4LE member. This award is intended to honor an individual who has distinguished him or herself by making significant lasting contributions to the educational facility planning industry throughout their career.

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David was nominated for the award by Larry Levato, immediate Past President of A4LE’s Northeast Region. His nomination was based on his extensive career of engaging clients and communities in the development of next generation learning spaces, for leading the Association for Learning Environments at each stage of his career, for inspiring a design team in the mid-Atlantic region to create academic environments that support future educational initiatives, and for involving students in the formation of their future learning environments.

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David received this prestigious award at the 2022 LearningSCAPES Conference in San Antonio, Texas in October. Winners of this award receive a special insignia lapel pin and extensive news media coverage focused on the educational facility planning and construction industry.

To learn more about A4LE, please click here.

To learn more about SG, our team, and the work we do, please click here.

SCHRADERGROUP Participates in the GAF Marketing Summit Panel

SCHRADERGROUP’s (SG) Managing Partner David Schrader attended the GAF Marketing Summit at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia on September 14th, 2022. David participated in the “Transforming our Future” Panel Discussion, which was attended by over 120 attendees and considered a highlight of the conference.

This panel engaged GAF leadership in the discussion of what is happening in the building industry today, and what the industry is expecting for tomorrow. The panel was led by a dynamic moderator who engaged both the panel and audience.

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To learn more about GAF, please click here.

To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP, please click here.

Be sure to follow SG on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on all things SCHRADERGROUP!

SCHRADERGROUP Sponsors and Attends the Annual Community College of Philadelphia Black & Gold Gala

SCHRADERGOUP (SG) attended the Community College of Philadelphia’s annual Black & Gold Gala at the Vie by Cescaphe in Philadelphia on June 1st. Managing Partner David Schrader was joined by Partner Bruce Bachtle, Interior Designer Charlotte Stoudt, and Architects Eric Weiss and Paige Geldrich for the signature fundraising event for the Community College of Philadelphia Foundation and one of greater Philadelphia’s premier social occasions.

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The Black and Gold Gala is a premier charity event that recognizes outstanding service of individuals and organizations that demonstrate involvement in community growth in the areas of education, business, social services, and health. This recognition is awarded to those who exemplify leadership and are active in community initiatives in Philadelphia. Event proceeds benefit the 50th Anniversary Promise Scholarship and other scholarships for Community College of Philadelphia students. Last year, the Community College of Philadelphia Foundation provided over $1 million in scholarship support to students. SCHRADERGROUP was proud to be a sponsor for this event as part of our continued relationship with the College.

As part of its mission to build a better and brighter future for Philadelphia, the College selected SCHRADERGROUP, in partnership with Lavallee Brensinger Architects, to transform the college’s West Philadelphia Regional Center into a new Career and Advanced Technology Center. The center will provide high-quality academic, career, and technical programs for student’s entering the region’s workforce. The main goal of the project was to create a dynamic, identity-focused center that provides students with programs that concentrate on career readiness and to generate a thriving workforce in Philadelphia’s transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare fields.

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The new 75,000 SF facility includes state-of-the-art advanced and adaptive technologies for instructional space and study areas, laboratory service bays for automobiles and small engine equipment, and spaces for diesel technology. Programs offered include transportation and logistics technology training, advanced manufacturing training, entry-level healthcare career training, and an innovation hub for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Other notable features of the facility include LEED certification, energy efficient design utilizing copious amounts of natural daylight, green rooftops for students and community members, a second-floor patio and adjoining room for events, and a learning commons and multiple conference rooms for student collaboration. The facility just recently opened this August.

SG is thrilled to continue our work with the Community College of Philadelphia in bringing career training and community building to the forefront of our neighborhoods through state-of-the-art facilities, support for local entrepreneurship, and hands-on learning experiences for fields that are in demand. To learn more about this exciting project, click here.

To learn more about the Community College of Philadelphia, click here.

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SCHRADERGROUP Attends A4LE Northeast’s 2022 Annual Regional Conference

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently attended the annual Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) 2022 Northeast Region Conference from April 6th to the 9th in Washington, D.C.

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The conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill and was attended by SG Managing Partner David Schrader, Principal Harry Pettoni, Associate Danielle Hoffer, Interior Designer Charlotte Stoudt, and Project Architect Christopher Farmer.

In addition to our firm’s presence at this great event, SG’s own David Schrader and Danie Hoffer presented a special session along with the School District of Springfield Township’s (SDST) Director of Student Affairs, Dr. Catherine Van Vooren.

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The session, titled “Enhanced Critical Thinking – For 5 Year Olds?” profiled how SDST and the community worked together to inspire the design of a new K-2 early learning center: the Enfield Elementary School located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The session dove into how SG’s community-based workshop process and the resulting school design promotes critical thinking, student movement, collaboration, socialization, and communication through the principles of project-based learning for these very young and influential minds.

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The theme for this year’s conference was “Blossoming Minds… A Time for Renewal and Optimism.” The event gathered school facility managers, architects, educators, school planners, engineers, and maintenance and industry experts to share in new conversations about the need for adapting our learning environments to new levels of mindfulness, as well as personalized comfort found in equality, inclusion, and the community. The conference focused on a strong understanding of the student experience and how designing with empathy allows for school planning to be driven by a focus on the future of learning, while still supporting capital needs, growth, and other logistical considerations of school systems.

The SG team would like to thank the dedicated staff of A4LE for organizing this great event and to all who attended our session, and we look forward to attending another A4LE conference very soon!

The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) is a professional non-profit association dedicated to improving the places where children learn. The A4LE Northeast Region consists of Chapters that service the Northeast Region of the United States as well as nearby Canadian Provinces. To learn more about the A4LE Northeast Region, please click here.

To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s commitment to design for education, please click here.

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SCHRADERGROUP to Speak at A4LE’s Northeast Conference!

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is thrilled to announce that the team will be presenting at this year’s A4LE Northeast 2022 Annual Regional Conference! SG Managing Partner David Schrader and Associate Danie Hoffer will be presenting alongside the School District of Springfield Township (SDST) Director of Student Services, Dr. Catherine Van Vooren.

Please join us on April 7th at 10am at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington DC to hear this exciting session and to say hello!

The session, “Enhanced Critical Thinking – For 5 Year Olds?”, will profile how a community and school district worked together to inspire the design of a new K-2 early learning center: the Enfield Elementary School located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The session will delve into how the community-based workshop process and the resulting school design promotes critical thinking, student movement, collaboration, socialization, and communication through the principals of project-based learning for these very young and influential minds.

The overarching theme of this year’s conference, “Blossoming Minds… A Time for Renewal and Optimism,” will gather school facility managers, architects, educators, school planners, engineers, and maintenance and industry experts to share new conversations in the need for adapting our learning environments to new levels of mindfulness, as well as personalized comfort found in equality, inclusion, and the community. The conference will focus on a strong understanding of the student experience and how designing with empathy allows for school planning to be driven by a focus on the future of learning, while still supporting capital needs, growth, and other logistical considerations of school systems. The conference will run from April 6th to April 9th.

The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) is a professional non-profit association dedicated to improving the places where children learn. The A4LE Northeast Region consists of Chapters that service the Northeast Region of the United States as well as nearby Canadian Provinces. To learn more about A4LE’s Northeast 2022 Annual Regional Conference and to register for this great event, please click here.

To learn more about SG’s speaking session with the SDST at the A4LE Northeast 2022 Annual Regional Conference, please click here.

To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s commitment to design for education, please click here.

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SCHRADERGROUP Managing Partner Speaks at Professional Education Seminar

In late October, Managing Partner David Schrader attended and spoke at Pennsylvania State University’s College of Arts and Architecture’s first Professional Education Seminar in State College, PA. The seminar was organized by the Stuckeman School and was chaired by Shwetanc Bothra, a fifth-year student. David and three other panelists, Linda O’Gwynn, President at Purdy O’Gwynn Architects in Philadelphia, Andrew Phillips, Chair of the School of Design at String Theory Schools in Philadelphia, and Carson Parr, Partner at RLPS Architects of Lancaster, PA, served as panelists.

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The seminar, the first of an upcoming series of educational seminars geared towards the different aspects and industries of architecture, was focused on the design of educational facilities and museums, and was titled, “How can Architecture Implement Better Learning?”

To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’S commitment to design for education, click here.

Be sure to follow SG on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on all things SCHRADERGROUP!

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SCHRADERGROUP Attends the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for East Pennsboro Area School District’s District Administration Center

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the District Administration Center for the East Pennsboro Area School District (EPASD) in Enola, PA on last month. The event celebrated the opening of the renovated and newly expanded district administration building that was completed this summer.

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The ceremony almost went down without a hitch, but was slightly interrupted by a storm front that required the attendees to move the podium and tent inside for the ribbon cutting.

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This project completes a three-year long construction plan to upgrade all of East Pennsboro Area School District facilities, including additions to the two elementary schools and renovations to the middle school and high school. With the mantra “warm, safe and dry“, this achievement well positions the district to serve the community for the next several decades, providing the required capacity for the projected enrollments, and healthy and safe environments for the students for many years to come.

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SCHRADERGROUP is honored to be working with a great school district like EPASD. SG would also like to express our gratitude to the entire team, including SitelogIQ, for their contributions to the design and construction of this project.

Learn more about the East Pennsboro Area School District here.

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SCHRADERGROUP Team Participates in PSU’s Architectural Alumni Group’s Summer Seminar Series Panel

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently participated in a virtual seminar panel for Pennsylvania State University’s College of Arts and Architecture’s Architectural Alumni Group (AAG) and the Stuckeman School of Architecture. The School sponsors several summer seminars each year in order to help architecture students and recent alumni understand all aspects of the business of architecture and profession.

The second installment of this year’s summer seminar series was focused on “The Practice of Architecture.” Managing Partner David Schrader was a panelist for the event, joined by other notable fellow PSU Architecture Alumni. Attendees included our summer interns Dan Pawluczyk and Leah Balderson.

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The seminar dealt with topics such as licensure, maintaining a practice, non-traditional career paths, and handling a work/life balance. SG is proud to continue supporting the schools and organizations that helped us become who we are. We are thrilled to have participated in this discussion for rising architects, and we look forward to the next seminar series event.

To learn more about Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School, please click here.

To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP, please click here.

Be sure to follow SG on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on all things SCHRADERGROUP!

SCHRADERGROUP Attends the Enfield Elementary School Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the School District of Springfield Township

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Enfield Elementary School for the School District of Springfield Township (SDST) in Erdenheim, PA on May 21st. The event commemorated the completion of the school district’s newest facility. Enfield Elementary School is a state-of-the-art K-2 Early Learning Center designed to support the school’s unique learning curriculum specifically designed for this young age group.

Several design team members represented the SG team at the event, joining SDST staff, faculty, students, local community members, and D’Huy Engineering Construction Managers, all of whom were gathered to celebrate the new facility’s completion.

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The morning’s events began with reflections on the project from former Superintendent Dr. Nancy Hacker and former Principal Dr. Catherine Van Vooren, both of whom were instrumental in formulating the vision and in working with the design team from the early project conception and throughout the design. David Schrader presented Dr. Hacker, the School Board, and the School District of Springfield Township with the Spring 2021 Learning by Design Award for Outstanding Project, further recognizing this achievement.

Current Superintendent Dr. MaryJo Yannacone provided comments and then current Principal Dr. Meghan Markle noted that this new facility will help nurture the students to be “creative, caring and curious” young learners. She then proudly introduced a representative from each Enfield Elementary School grade level to say a few words on what they liked about their school. One young man from first grade remarked that the best thing about the school is that his older sister was jealous that he was able to attend the school and that she couldn’t, followed by the second-grade representative who closed her comments noting the school was “Spectacular!”. The ceremony concluded with the ribbon cutting pictured below to officially dedicate the opening of the school.

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Following the ceremony, a library dedication and tree dedication were held, both dedicating plaques to community members involved with the District. An outdoor luncheon finished off the festivities for the day.

SG is honored to be a part of such a significant project for the District. We are grateful to have the opportunity to support the School District of Springfield Township and are proud of this new facility dedicated to the District’s youngest learners.

SG would also like to express our gratitude to the entire team for their contributions to the design and construction of this amazing school. Thank you to D’Huy Engineering, Snyder Hoffman Associates, Renew Design Group, Lobar Inc., Boro Construction, Philips Brothers, and Stan-Roch Plumbing.

Learn more about this exciting project here.

Learn more about the School District of Springfield Township here.