Tag: Elementary
T&M Associates Infrastructure Case Study Highlights Manavon Elementary School and Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center
T&M Associates, one of SCHRADERGROUP’s go-to consultants for Site and Civil Engineering, recently published an article dealing with how enhanced erosion and sediment control leads to resilient infrastructure.
This informative article uses a SCHRADERGROUP and T&M Associates project favorite, the Phoenixville Area School District’s (PASD) Manavon Elementary School and Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center as a case study for during- and post-construction erosion controls.
Interested in learning more? You can read the full article by clicking here.
Want to learn more about PASD’s Manavon Elementary and Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center? 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 Construction Progress – Summer 2021, Part 2
Now that summer has come to an end, a few SG projects are wrapping up while construction continues on many others. A few of the construction projects currently underway include the additions and renovations to Knapp Elementary School for the North Penn School District, the demolition of the existing Springfield High School and construction of new athletic facilities for the new high school, the new PennDOT District 6.0 Regional Traffic Management Center, the new Upper Merion Area High School, additions and renovations to two School District of Philadelphia Schools, Anne Frank Elementary School and Benjamin Franklin Middle School, the new Career and Advanced Technology Center for the Community College of Philadelphia, and additions and renovations to two Council Rock School District Schools, Hilcrest Elementary School and Sol Feinstone Elementary School, among others.
North Penn School District – Knapp Elementary School, Additions and Renovations
In Lansdale, PA, a phased plan for additions and renovations to Knapp Elementary School is underway. This project has a complex phasing schedule in place so that classes can remain uninterrupted as the school year begins.
The first phases of the project included classroom renovations, many of which are complete. The remaining classroom renovations are underway at various stages.
The renovations to the core of the building, including the new entry, cafeteria, and LGI are ongoing. Steel and glulam beams are fully installed in all of these spaces. An important milestone, the completion of the main entrance, is fast approaching. This addition will act as the connector for the two parts of the school while the renovations to the core are underway. The students will be using the gymnasium as a temporary cafeteria this fall.
Springfield School District – Springfield High School, Existing High School Demolition, Visitor Side Bleacher, and Athletic Fields
In Springfield, PA, demolition work is speeding up. The existing Springfield High School is substantially demolished, the stone retaining wall construction is ongoing, and lot paving has begun for parking. After the completion of the existing high school’s demolition, work will begin on new athletic fields, turf fields, and tennis courts where the original school stood.
The visitor side bleacher construction is progressing and is expected to be completed in time for the first home football game at the new high school and stadium.
Department of General Services – PennDOT District 6.0 Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC)
In King of Prussia, PA, concrete slab placement at the new Regional Traffic Management Center has been completed on each floor. Waterproofing of the concrete footings is complete, the underground plumbing has been installed, and the steel column baseplates are in place.
The site retaining wall is complete, as is the majority of steel and decking. CMU installation in ongoing and interior metal stud framing has begun.
Upper Merion Area School District – New Upper Merion Area High School
Moving on down the road in King of Prussia, construction of the new Upper Merion Area High School continues. Structural steel framing for the major spaces is ongoing while the exterior envelope starts to give the building its form. Masons have been busy with brick work and CMU walls.
As concrete slabs are completed throughout the facility, MEP rough-in work continues closely behind. Activity on site recently picked up as carpenters started on the interior partitions.
Now that the underground tunnel is complete, the gym and pool areas are getting footings and foundations started.
School District of Philadelphia – Anne Frank Elementary School, Additions and Renovation
In Philadelphia, construction has moved quickly at Anne Frank Elementary School, with the addition complete in time for the new school year.
Community College of Philadelphia – New Career and Advanced Technology Center
Staying with construction projects in Philadelphia, the new Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC) for the Community College of Philadelphia is progressing nicely. All building trades have been working diligently on both the exterior and interior of the building, with the next major milestone being the completion of the building enclosure in the next few weeks.
The new CATC will offer excellent views of the Philadelphia Skyline. The project is on track for a February 2022 completion.
Bristol Township School District – Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Additions and Renovations
North of Philadelphia, demolition work at Benjamin Franklin Middle School is complete and interior framing and stud work has started.
Additionally, site work for the new addition is in progress, with concrete footings now installed.
Council Rock School District – Hillcrest Elementary Schools, Additions and Renovations
Heading north towards Council Rock School District, SG has wrapped up interior demolition at the Hillcrest Elementary School, with the kitchen, administration, toilets and library areas completely demolished. Rough in has started throughout for all trades.
During construction, Hillcrest Elementary School students will be temporarily moved to a vacant CRSD school for the upcoming school year. The project is moving ahead quickly with E&S controls and fencing already in place.
Council Rock School District – Sol Feinstone Elementary Schools, Additions and Renovations
Staying in Council Rock School District, SG is working on phased renovations for another elementary school, Sol Feinstone Elementary School. Unlike Hillcrest, which will have students attending classes at a nearby vacant elementary school, Sol Feinstone will be 100% occupied throughout construction. This will result in the construction of temporary classrooms and a temporary egress stair that contains a pathway for students to safely traverse while the addition is underway.
The summer phases for this project are currently under construction, and interior and exterior demolition has recently started. E&S controls are in place and excavation for the new addition is currently underway. Pier footings and foundations at the new classroom addition are ongoing as well.
It is always exciting to watch our design work become reality! We would like to thank our clients, consultants, contractors, and all other team members for your dedication and support of the on-going efforts for these projects!
Learn more about these and other exciting SCHRADERGROUP projects here!
SCHRADERGROUP Hosts Planning Workshop for Rose Tree Media School District’s New Elementary School
At SCHRADERGROUP, we believe academic design truly is the design for the future, as it provides the environment in which today’s students develop into tomorrow’s thinkers and leaders. In order to keep that goal in focus, we strive to develop designs for facilities created by the community, for the community.
Our community-based workshop process for planning and design inspires innovative design solutions that nest serve our client’s needs. Collaboration is key to supporting our client’s dreams and our team’s capabilities assist with getting to the end result. Educational facility design that is initiated by the client results in a project that will serve the community and is grounded in the district’s culture and educational philosophy. As 2021 continues, more projects are becoming realties for SG and our clients. One of these exciting projects is a new elementary school for Rose Tree Media School District (RTMSD) in Media, PA.
SG recently partnered with RTMSD and ICS to host a planning workshop for faculty and administration of RTMSD to learn what priorities the District has for the new facility. SCHRADERGROUP team members led the process geared towards discovering different options for the new school.
The workshop began with a presentation about next generation learning and gave attendees virtual tours of state-of-the-art facilities in the country that exemplify these ideas. Next, the group broke into smaller teams and held individual visioning and building workshops with feedback loops in order to come up with and vote on the best options for the District.
The SG team came away from this workshop event with multiple site concepts and building plans that were reported back to the larger group. From here, designs will continue with refinement workshops until a final design has been reached.
SG is proud to work with Rose Tree Media School District and is looking forward to completing a state-of-the-art facility for the residents of the district’s municipalities.
To learn more about Rose Tree Media School District, click here.
To learn more about the new elementary school for Rose Tree Media School District, click here.
To learn more about ICS, click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s devotion to creating next generation learning environments, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Construction Progress – March 2021
2021 has been off to quite a busy start here at SCHRADERGROUP! The team has been working diligently on multiple projects in both the K-12 and Public Safety markets, including Upper Merion Area High School, Chatham County (NC) Emergency Operations Center, Anne Frank Elementary School, Knapp Elementary School, the East Pennsboro Area School District’s Administration Office, and the PennDOT District 6.0 Regional Traffic Management Center and Parking Structure.
With the weather improving recently, construction progress has been speeding up! See below for details on each of these exciting projects.
Upper Merion Area School District – Upper Merion Area High School
This month, the site finally started to dry out. Structural steel is being erected and the site was buzzing with activity!
Chatham County, North Carolina – Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
Early site work has been moving along on this North Carolina EOC project. The pond construction, on-site water, and rough grading over the culvert are all complete while off-site water and road grading remains ongoing.
The School District of Philadelphia – Anne Frank Elementary School
In Philadelphia, construction continues on the Anne Frank Elementary School. The concrete slabs are completed, and the CMU work is coming close behind. Both interior and exterior metal stud work is in progress.
North Penn School District – Knapp Elementary School
Phase 1 of Knapp Elementary School’s renovations and additions is nearly complete! An 8-classroom addition that includes a new bus entry canopy and vestibule will provide the swing space for the remainder of the renovation work. Demolition is set to start for the next phase, which will create a brand new Dining Commons, Large Group Instruction space, and secure entry.
East Pennsboro Area School District (EPASD) – District Administration Office
Up near Harrisburg, the District Administration Office for EPASD is coming along nicely. The exterior steel for the addition is complete and the concrete slab was poured last week. Interior stud work is currently in progress.
Department of General Services – PennDOT District 6.0 Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC) and Parking Structure
Back in Philly, the PennDOT RTMC building is off and running. The first section of retaining wall footing is being constructed and the grading for the building pad is underway.
The activity at the parking structure is bustling as well. Steel installation at the stair towers is complete and rebar has been installed at the stair landing in preparation for concrete pours. CMU wall installation is underway as well as stud framing, HM door installation, and the sealing of vertical joints.
We are so excited to see these designs finally coming to reality! Thank you to our wonderful consultants and partners, particularly Heim Construction, Bala Consulting Engineers and Alfred Benesch & Company in their great work with PennDOT.
Learn more about these and other exciting SCHRADERGROUP projects here!
Council Rock School District’s Rolling Hills Elementary School Completed with LEED Gold Certification + ACE Grant
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is excited to announce that Council Rock School District’s (CRSD) Rolling Hills Elementary School additions and renovations project is complete. The 12,426 SF addition and 62,695 SF renovation project transformed the facility to support the next generation of learning. The construction phase of this project persevered through the challenges associated with the pandemic through spring and summer of 2020.
Rolling Hills Elementary School is a 75,121 SF single-story elementary school for grades K-6. The existing building floor plan was completely overhauled through to the concrete roof structure to convert the existing old-style open classroom layout to a progressive and functional configuration with natural daylighting.
The design incorporated energy efficient solutions, including solar panels on the roof, and achieved LEED Gold Certification and an ACE Grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The transformation is further exemplified with an identifiable high-volume main entrance that floods the space with natural light. New building façades were constructed with abundant window openings and a variety of exterior finish materials which serve to fragment the horizontality of the one-story classroom wings.
Apart from the Multi-Purpose Room which remained in its previous location, the majority of the other spaces were reconfigured within the parameters of the original building footprint. Additions for an expanded and secure administration area, classrooms and stage were added to support the design program. The building also received all new exterior and interior walls, new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and AV/IT infrastructure systems.
SG is proud of our partnership with the Council Rock School District, D’Huy Engineering, and our many great consultants. We look forward to more projects in the future.
Learn more about Council Rock School District here.
Learn more about Council Rock School District’s Rolling Hills Elementary School project, here.
See previously completed K-12 projects, including other Council Rock School District projects here.
