Tag: educational architecture
Great Valley School District Community Engages in Workshop to Plan for the Future
The Great Valley School District (GVSD) contracted with SCHRADERGROUP (SG) in 2019 to complete an assessment of the current district facilities (six schools plus the district office, district maintenance, bus garage and athletic stadium). That assessment reviewed current building use and examined associated costs for building improvements. In addition, the District commissioned DecisionInsite to prepare a demographic study and projected enrollments based on housing developments and housing turn-over within the district. By comparing current building capacities to the projected enrollments, the team determined the district’s ability to accommodate the anticipated student population for the next five to ten years. A review of that data was presented to the community in October 2019.
In November, the District and SG facilitated a community workshop where participants were asked to comment on what they considered as the main priorities for planning. Positioning the District to offer spaces to deliver 21st Century project-based curriculum, student transportation/travel time and size of schools were ranked as participants’ top priorities. To begin a discussion regarding possible solutions to address capacity issues, specifically at Great Valley Middle School, a series of options were presented that considered the current grade alignment, possible grade realignment and new construction. Participants talked through the options, posed questions and identified concerns related to each, and highlighted the potential benefits. At the close of the session, participants were asked to express their opinion about the options presented.
At the final workshop meeting in December, two questions were posed for discussion considering various grade configurations specific to school centers and the secondary school campus. The results of the workshop process will be instrumental as the District plans for the next five to ten years. The School Board of Directors will consider the findings of the District-wide Facility Study and Master Plan in early 2020 to identify the next planning steps for the Great Valley School District.
SCHRADERGROUP Mentors Springfield High School Students through the ACE Program
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) volunteered to mentor Springfield School District (SSD)’s Springfield High School students as well as students from other school districts through the Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program of Greater Philadelphia. The ACE Mentor Program is an after-school program structured for students to learn about careers in the construction industry directly from professionals in architecture, construction and engineering.
Jeremy Ross, Associate AIA represented SG and led the session by introducing his role as the project architect of SSD’s new Springfield High School. The students were enthusiastic to learn about their school district’s new 25-acre high school campus which is currently under construction. Jeremy presented an overview of the concept, design development and construction process for the new Springfield High School complex. He then answered questions and explained the relationship between architects, engineers and contractors.
SG is appreciative of the ACE program for providing the SSD Springfield High School students with this unique opportunity to see the new Springfield High School project from the architect’s point-of-view.
Learn more about the new Springfield High School project which is being completed in association with Perkins + Will here.
SCHRADERGROUP team attends this year’s DVASBO Trade Show
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) exhibited at this year’s DVASBO Trade Show which was held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA this past week.
The Delaware Valley Association of School Business Officials (DVASBO) is a regional chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO). The Regional Association has over 1,000 members. Its mission is to help develop and support school business operation leaders.
SG experienced another successful event with the DVASBO community at the Annual Trade Show and eagerly anticipates the next opportunity.
Read more about DVASBO and keep an eye out for next year’s Trade Show here.
SCHRADERGROUP Participates in the Penn State Stuckeman School Professional Opportunities Week
SCHRADERGROUP participated in the Stuckeman School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Graphic Design’s Professional Opportunities Week (POW) event this past month at the Pennsylvania State University (PSU).
The Stuckeman School provided its students with another great opportunity to network with Professional Alumni at their POW event. SCHRADERGROUP’s Managing Partner, David Schrader, is the Architecture Alumni Group’s Board President and was fortunate to have been able to participate in the event. Each speaker at this event spoke about their experience at PSU, their career path and firm projects. The goal was to provide students with perspectives from various experience levels and varied professional backgrounds. The evening of discussions was extremely well attended and resulted in provocative conversation.
SCHRADERGROUP looks forward to the next opportunity!
Please check back on the POW website, here, for future events!
Holland Middle School Receives Outstanding Project Recognition in Learning by Design Fall 2019 Issue
Council Rock School District (CRSD)’s Holland Middle School renovation project has been featured in Learning by Design’s Fall 2019 Issue, receiving recognition as an Outstanding Project.
Learning by Design is, “…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 Issue highlights the Holland Middle School project’s renovation and features images of the transformed exterior and interior. Images display it’s dynamic, sustainable features designed to reflect 21st-century learning styles. The renovation project added approximately 44,000 SF to the current building footprint for a total of 184,000 SF.
The Holland Middle School Project has achieved LEED Gold certification.
Learn more about CRSD’s sustainable facility here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the LearningSCAPES 2019 Annual Conference in Anaheim, California
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended the annual Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) LearningSCAPES 2019 Conference on October 3-6, at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Anaheim, California.
The conference offered world-class educational sessions and award-winning speakers supporting best practices to creating efficient educational learning environments. 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.
Themes explored included; public schools and 21st Century Learning Environments, future-focused facilities, co-creating for future generations and many other topics supporting 21st century educational trends.
Information sessions included presentations such as, “The Application of Environmental Psychology to K-12 School Planning and Design,” “Safe, Secure, and Supportive Schools: Creating learning environments that address the well-being of students and staff” and “Visualization to Improve and Enhance the School Design Experience,” to name a few.
The SG team is appreciative of this opportunity to have collaborated with other industry experts. We are, and have been, a proud sponsor of A4LE’s great annual EXPOS.
Learn about SG’s 21st century learning environments here.
Learn more about LearningSCAPES 2019 here, or the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) here.
Visit SCHRADERGROUP at the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference this Fall!
SCHRADERGROUP will be exhibiting Wednesday, October 16th through Friday, October 18th at the 2019 annual PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference which will be held at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.
The School Leadership Conference is the annual Conference for the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) and the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA.) The conference brings school leaders from all over the Commonwealth together to share, inspire, network, inform and equip our educational leaders with opportunities for success.
You can find the SCHRADERGROUP team at booth #411—the team is prepared to discuss dynamic opportunities for your school district!
Learn more about the Conference here.
Council Rock School District’s Holland Middle School Project Achieves LEED Gold & Ace Grant
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded Council Rock School District’s (CRSD) Holland Middle School project a LEED Gold Certification and an Ace Grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. From the very beginning of the planning process, the intent was to transform the existing 1970s building into a contemporary 21st century learning facility. Through the tremendous effort of the CRSD, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) and consultants, and D’Huy Engineering, this amazing transformation is complete.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), is one of the most recognizable green building certification programs worldwide. SG assisted D’Huy Engineering in applying for this two-million-dollar ACE grant for sustainable technologies for use in the Holland Middle School design. With that grant secured, the middle school was designed with creative, viable, cost effective solutions with a goal of achieving LEED Gold Certification. Holland Middle School achieving LEED Gold Certification indicates how the new design features add energy efficiency and sustainability to the facility.
Holland Middle School’s sustainable design features include an introduction of copious daylighting throughout the facility, new windows in the new exterior skin of the building, and increased insulation to the entire building envelope. All general-purpose lighting throughout the facility and on the site is LED, for maximum energy savings, and a photovoltaic system back-feeds into the main service to supplement building energy demands.
With the intent to incorporate the needs of the community into the design, the SG team created new adjacency to allow for community access. The site was modified to create separate bus and parent drop off. The “front” of the building, originally facing a side parking lot, was reoriented to face Holland Road by means of a new front entry and connector lobby sequence. A new Performing Arts Complex was also added to supplement the building program.
SG is proud to have had the opportunity to partner with the Council Rock School District, to design a LEED Gold certified learning environment.
To learn more about Holland Middle School’s sustainable facility, click here.
Gulph Elementary School Receives Outstanding Design Recognition from American School & University’s 2019 Educational Interiors Showcase August Issue
SCHRADERGROUP (SG)’s Gulph Elementary School project has been recognized as an Outstanding Design by the American School & University (AS&U)’s 2019 Educational Interiors Showcase, August Issue.
“The nation’s school and university administrators, as well as education architects, turn to American School & University for how-to features, insight, industry exclusive reports and research on the planning, design, construction, retrofit, operations, maintenance, security and management of education facilities. AS&U’s mission is to continue serving as the voice of the industry – not just reporting events, but also helping to shape the rapidly growing and evolving education facilities and business market. AS&U delivers important insight to today’s decision makers” (AS&U’s official site).
The recognition highlights Gulph’s new technology center showcasing photos of the learning resource center, STE(A)M maker space, art and music instruction areas, and a “learning stair” intended for large group activities proximate to the classrooms. The classroom wings are structured as groupings of grade-appropriate classrooms with learning support, faculty spaces, and team work areas. Each set of grade clusters is oriented around the two-story media center and STE(A)M Center, connecting through the learning stair, which doubles as a mini presentation space for the building.
SG is pleased to receive recognition again from AS&U.
View the Digital Issue featuring Gulph Elementary here.
Learn more about Gulph Elementary here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends Groundbreaking Ceremony for Neidig Elementary School
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended the Groundbreaking Ceremony to mark the beginning of the construction process for Quakertown Community School District’s (QCSD) Neidig Elementary School project on May 29, 2019.
Students, teachers, District Officials, School Directors and members of the community gathered to celebrate the addition and renovation project that will transform the existing 1950’s era building into a state of the art learning environment.
The building will undergo a major addition and renovation designed to house 600 students. The primary wing of the existing facility will remain and will receive a complete renovation while the fifth-grade wing will be demolished and replaced by a new two-story classroom wing. A new gymnasium will be added and the balance of the facility will be gutted and completely renovated. The facility will be completed for fall 2020 occupancy.
The SG team is pleased to partner with QCSD on this highly anticipated educational facility.
Read more about Neidig Elementary School here.
To see other K-12 projects in process, click here.