Tag: education
SCHRADERGROUP Attends North Hills Elementary School’s First Ever Career Day and Reading Celebration
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is excited to have attended North Hills Elementary School’s first ever Career Day and Celebration of Reading Event in Central York School District. SG’s team members presented information about the architectural interior designing and structural engineering careers to the classroom.
SG’s Interior Designer and Structural Engineer, Charlotte Stoudt and Jeffery Rothermel, shared their professional experience and how literacy and communicative skills impact both of their careers daily. Mr. Rothermel’s presentation emphasized how he is just one of the many entities that help the architect’s vision become a reality. Different classes of students had the chance to see SG’s portfolio of K-12 learning environment projects to get a visual understanding of what architects create.
It was a very exciting day for the students of North Hills Elementary and we hope to have instilled inspiration for the future careers of many children. SG team members look forward to these opportunities to educate future generations about the importance of learning environments and their impact on the community.
Click here to learn more about SG’s involvement within other educational environments.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends Palmyra Area School District’s Dedication Ceremony for Forge Road Elementary and Palmyra Area Middle School
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is honored to have attended Palmyra Area School District’s Dedication Ceremony for the completion of their newly renovated schools, Forge Road Elementary and Palmyra Area Middle School.
Mrs. Brown, the Superintendent of Schools, opened the ceremony by welcoming and extending her appreciation to all individuals involved in the school projects. Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kara Schoessler, discussed the evident changes that have been made to Palmyra Area Middle School while the School Board addressed the energy efficiency of the new buildings. Mrs. Darcy Brenner-Smith, the Director of Business Affairs shared that, “the Guaranteed Energy Savings project will save energy costs for years to come.”
SG is proud that these new learning facilities are examples of how the hybrid GESA project can truly transform a building all while remaining within budget.
SG is grateful to have shared this opportunity with Palmyra Area School District, it’s community and with Reynolds Energy Solutions. We look forward to continuing to work with all parties on projects in the near future.
Find out more about the Palmyra’s new Energy Efficient Middle School here.
SCHRADERGROUP is Exhibiting at the NSBA Conference in Philadelphia
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) will be exhibiting at the 2019 NSBA Conference from March 30th through April 1st.
“The NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition is the one national event that brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future of the students. Join us in Philadelphia for a robust offering of over 250 educational programs, including three inspirational general sessions that will give you new ideas and tools to help drive your district forward.”
The SG team hopes to have the opportunity to meet many of you who will be attending the NSBA conference. We welcome the opportunity to discuss contributions we might make to enhance your communities and to help you develop twenty-first century learning environments.
The conference is located at the Philadelphia Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You can find more information about the conference and can register here. Don’t forget to visit SCHRADERGROUP at booth 526.
You can also read more about our K-12 learning environments here.
Newly Renovated Palmyra Area School District Middle School gets a Facelift and Upgraded Energy-Efficiency Systems
Responding to significant enrollment growth over the past ten years, the Palmyra Area School District is proactively approaching and enhancing the student experience. Addressing numerous facility deficiencies at the Middle School, the District recently finished a two-phase, multi-year addition and renovation process. Much of the process was completed using a GESA process (Guaranteed Energy Savings Act) administered through Reynolds Energy Solutions.
Phase one focused on modernizing all of the energy-consuming systems and equipment within the building. Reynolds Energy Solutions provided new mechanical, plumbing and electrical upgrades with SG providing finish and ADA upgrades to the existing building. By replacing decades-old equipment, fixtures, and lights, the Middle School is now poised for operational efficiency in the coming years.
Other upgrades during phase one included architecturally new or upgraded materials to hallways, classrooms, ADA upgrades, roof replacement, window replacements and exterior restoration throughout the entire school.
Phase two addressed the District’s physical/spatial needs by adding twelve classrooms, small-group instruction space, a faculty room, and new toilet rooms. The cafeteria was modernized and expanded to include an outdoor dining area. Several rooms within the existing building were reconfigured to function programmatically with the District’s current and growing needs. Finally, the Administrative suite received an organizational facelift including a new secure entrance portal.
Renovations to the remainder of the existing School also included: New bleachers for the existing gymnasium, floor leveling of the existing band room to meet ADA, conversion of large group instruction classroom into two new classrooms, replacement of all existing exterior doors, new signage throughout the school, elevator upgrades to meet current codes and new secure front entrance vestibule.
SG is proud of our partnership with the Palmyra Area School District and Reynolds Energy Solutions and excited to continue working with them on several other building modernization projects.
Check out our other K-12 projects here.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes Our Newest Project Architect!
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) welcomes our newest Project Architect, Mark Adamiak.
Mark joins the SG team with experience specializing in academic and healthcare design. His prior experience consists of all phases of the process from design and documentation through construction administration. Mark’s projects have included academic as well as Healthcare projects. Mark participated as a guest instructor for five semesters teaching architecture to high school level students through Architecture in School (AIS) programs with AIA. He exemplifies the SG goal of continuing this cycle of teaching the next generation about good design.
Mark’s passion and dedication to both architecture and education provides SG with new perspectives and solutions so valuable to our projects and our clientele as well.
Mark holds a Master of Architecture and Planning from the Catholic University of America, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering, with a minor in Architecture from Lafayette College. The SG team looks forward to Mark’s contribution to new learning environments.
Interested in joining the SG team? Check out available opportunities here.
SCHRADERGROUP is Exhibiting at the PASBO 64th Annual Conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) will be exhibiting at the 64th Pennsylvania Association of School Business Official (PASBO) Annual Conference this year in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
PASBO is a statewide organization that focuses on sharing learning experiences and promotes networking amongst school business colleagues and business partners that are members of the association. Every year, PASBO has provided an opportunity to come together at their annual conference to present keynote speakers, provide information workshops and sessions and provide opportunities to network with peers and business partners.
At the Conference, there is an opportunity to meet and speak with SG Partners, David Schrader and Bruce Bachtle, Principals, Harry Pettoni and Tom Forsberg, and Senior Educational Planner, Danielle V. Hoffer. The team looks forward to seeing many new and familiar school business colleagues. As experts in Academic design, we want to hear you and to help you with your educational programming, planning and design to enhance your learning facilities.
Come visit us at our booth (413) to chat about your projects and ideas for your school district’s needs.
You can visit Academic Projects on our website here.
You can learn more about the PASBO Conference here.
SCHRADERGROUP participates in an exciting Groundbreaking Ceremony for the New Crooked Billet Elementary School in the Hatboro-Horsham School District
SCHRADERGROUP is excited to have attended the Hatboro-Horsham School District’s Groundbreaking Ceremony for the District’s New Crooked Billet Elementary School.
Marking the beginning of the construction process for the new school, the School District and Community are excited to begin the journey to welcome students to the facility in 2020. The Crooked Billet Elementary School has a special place in the heart of its local community, being a place of history and a home for many.
The proposed facility is exciting in several ways. The Crooked Billet monument and the history rotunda will commemorate the Revolutionary War event that the school is named after. Students will enter the building by passing the monument and then will be immersed in history in the central rotunda. Once in the learning environment clusters, students will be greeted by teachers in 21st century learning environments consisting of team project areas surrounded by classroom and small group spaces. This facility is truly revolutionary in a multitude of ways!
The SG team is pleased to partner with the Hatboro-Horsham School District and the community on this highly anticipated educational facility.
You can watch HHSD’s Groundbreaking Ceremony here.
Congratulations to the Council Rock School District on its Newly Renovated Holland Middle School!
SCHRADERGROUP is excited to have attended Council Rock School District’s Dedication Ceremony for the newly renovated Holland Middle School.
Dr. Robert Fraser, the Superintendent of Schools for Council Rock School District, articulated it best when he welcomed the audience to the “newly renovated, expanded and beautiful”–Holland Middle School… A school that belongs to everyone at the Council Rock Community and a school to be proud of”.
This project represents a tremendous transformation. Many areas of the facility were stripped to the concrete structure and rebuilt as a contemporary facility with 21st Century Learning spaces. Program additions to the current middle school include: an auditorium with balcony seating, new spaces for music, an auxiliary gymnasium, fitness room, additional classrooms and a new administration area. The interior of the building was completely renovated while the exterior of the building was updated with a new, contemporary skin—with new windows that introduce daylight throughout the facility.
SG is proud to have had the opportunity to partner with the Council Rock School District, to design a LEED Gold certified learning environment. The students of the Council Rock School District deserve this facility!
You can watch Dr. Fraser’s speech here.
SCHRADERGROUP Receives an Award of “Outstanding Project” in Learning by Design’s Fall Issue for the Phoenixville Area School District’s Early Learning Center and Manavon Elementary School
Phoenixville Area School District (PASD)’s Early Learning Center and Manavon Elementary School received an Outstanding Project award in Learning by Design’s Fall issue.
“…the premier source for education design and innovation excellence. Published three times each year in April, June and October, this prestigious magazine recognizes the nation’s preeminent architectural firms by publishing outstanding pre-K to 12 and college/university projects.”
The new 152,000 SF Early Learning Center and Elementary School is designed to support two specific grade structures in a “school within a school” format: Grades K-1 in an Early Learning Center, and Elementary grades 2-5. The new building was opened in 2017 and has been very well received by the community.
A primary goal for the facility is to create a focus on literacy and learning in a non-standard learning environment. In response, the design places the media and technology center at the core of the facility with all other functions radiating from it. This balance of the building seeks to minimize circulation space by maximize the use of those areas as learning environment.
SG is proud to have partnered with PASD on this ground breaking project.
Read more and see more photos of the Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center and Manavon Elementary School here.
You can read the Learning by Design Fall issue here.
SCHRADERGROUP Principal Speaks to Arcadia University Doctoral Candidates about Sustainable Learning Environments
SCHRADERGROUP’s Principal, David Schrader, spoke on an expert panel in April about the increasing concerns for our environmental footprint and how academic institutions can participate in sustainability for the future through thoughtful building practices.
Included in that panel was Lorna Rosenburg who currently serves as the Green and Healthy Schools Program manager for US EPA Region 3 Mid-Atlantic and Megan Garner who is the Sustainability Development Manager at the School District of Philadelphia. Ms. Megan Garner provided an in-depth presentation on sustainable design practices currently undertaken by the School District of Philadelphia.
Mr. David Schrader provided a lengthy presentation on the benefits of sustainable design practices for educational facilities. The presentation included descriptions of various techniques for integrating sustainable design as well as the concept of the “School as a Teacher Tool.”
The panel’s presentation was well received. After the presentation, there was open discussion and questions from the Doctoral Candidates about the information provided by the panel.
SCHRADERGROUP has applied many of these sustainability design practices to our projects and approach all new projects with sustainability in mind especially to the degree that the stakeholders would want.
Some examples of sustainable initiatives commonly incorporated includes:
- high efficiency HVAC and control systems including central monitoring and automatic control systems
- ground source heat pumps
- solar hot water heater systems
- optimized energy performance
- gray water systems
- rain gardens (aiding with storm water control)
- storm water quantity/quality control
- reduced impervious coverage
- underground infiltration basins
- stormtech and bioswale recharge system combined with detention basins
- native plant landscaping
- high albedo / reflective roof systems for reduction of heat island effect
- operable windows
- roof monitors (allowing for bilateral daylight within classrooms and greatly reducing the need for artificial lighting)
- interior lighting utilizing automatic controls and occupancy sensors
- night sky-friendly lighting for light pollution reduction
- vegetative roof
- building materials with recycled content
- regional materials
- low emitting materials
- low flow, water saving fixtures
- recycled content materials
- certified wood products
- high insulating values for building envelope
- construction activity pollution protection and waste management
- where appropriate, reuse of existing furniture and equipment
- coordination of building energy commissioning
- acoustical analysis and design
Learn more on some of the projects we have applied sustainability design practices to:
- Bristol Township School District, New Elementary Schools
- Council Rock School District, Middle School Additions and Renovations
- Baltimore City Public Schools, Elementary/Middle School Additions and Renovations
- York Suburban School District, Elementary School New Facility
- State College Area School District, Elementary School Additions and Renovations
- State College Area School District, New Elementary School
- Bucks County Community College, County Campus Expansion and Renovations
- School District of Philadelphia, Engineering and Science High School Additions and Renovations