Tag: Enfield
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the A4LE LearningSCAPES 2022 Conference in San Antonio, TX
Members of the SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team traveled to San Antonio, Texas to attend the annual Association for Leaning Environments (A4LE) LearningSCAPES Conference from October 5th to the 9th at the Marriott Rivercenter. SG Managing Partner David Schrader, Principal Harry Pettoni, and Project Architect Chris Farmer represented SG at the conference. Not only was SG a proud sponsor of this great event, but we are also proud to announce that this conference included Managing Partner David Schrader being awarded the A4LE Lifetime Achievement Award!
For decades, the LearningSCAPES conference has allowed educators, policymakers, planners, and design professionals from across the globe to experience cutting edge next generation educational planning. The conference offers world-class educational sessions and inspiring keynote speakers who initiate best practices for creating effective learning environments for future generations.
The conference included six tours of various Pre-K to Higher Education schools and facilities in the areas surrounding San Antonio. Each facility offered attendees the chance to experience the latest and greatest in educational facility design. We would like to thank Alamo Heights Independent School District, Northside Independent School District, and Anne Frank Inspire Academy for welcoming us into their wonderful schools and facilities!
David Schrader, Managing Partner of SCHRADERGROUP, was also awarded the A4LE Lifetime Achievement Award during the conference. The Lifetime Achievement Award is the most distinguished award bestowed to an A4LE member. The award honors an individual who has distinguished him or herself for making significant lasting contributions to the educational facility planning industry throughout their career.
SCHRADERGROUP exhibited the School District of Springfield Township’s new Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center project in the exhibition hall during the conference. The team was proud to have the opportunity to showcase this project amongst the other incredible work on display.
SCHRADERGROUP was also proud to be a Dean’s List Sponsor for the conference and is always happy to support a great organization like A4LE. We are, and have been, proud sponsors of A4LE’s great annual expositions.
Established in 1921, A4LE is a non-profit association whose sole mission is improving the places where children learn. They believe that facilities impact the learning, development, and behavior of the user, the planning process is essential for quality facilities, sharing and networking improves the planning process, and that there is a standard by which to measure this success.
To learn more about A4LE, click here. To learn more about the LearningSCAPES Conference and see additional photos of the conference, click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s commitment to creating 21st Century learning environments, click here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center Recognized as Outstanding Project in American School & University’s Fall Architectural Portfolio
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is proud to announce that our recent project, the School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center, has received an Outstanding Project Award from American School & University for their Fall 2021 Architectural Portfolio.
This is the second recognition Enfield has received from American School & University this year, after the cafeteria was previously awarded an Outstanding Project Award for the Educational Interiors Showcase. SG is excited to have another project featured in this prestigious magazine. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the School District of Springfield Township (SDST) and are honored to have this wonderful facility featured in this issue.
American School and University (AS&U) is a magazine dedicated to the planning, design, construction, retrofit, operations, maintenance, and management of education facilities. It is intended to showcase the latest trends, technologies and strategies that are driving educational facilities and the market.
AS&U honors educational design projects each year through multiple design competitions. One of these competitions is the Architectural Portfolio, the premier showcase celebrating the best in education design. SG is honored to have this school featured in this showcase once again.
Faced with an aging K-1 primary center and a 2-5 elementary center at capacity, the School District of Springfield Township addressed both issues with the design of a new 750 student K-2 Early Learning Center.
The design establishes a hierarchy of the public and private zones. The main entrance adjacent to the administration area anchors the interior street connection to give public access to the gymnasium/stage and cafeteria for after school community events. The street connection leads to the central core of the building, featuring the learning resource/STE(A)M programs and learning stair. The school’s educational areas can be secured to allow the public areas to be used after school hours.
Each grade level wing radiates from the central STEAM core and is designed to create smaller learning communities. Each grade grouping is by floor level with supporting small and large group instruction areas to support a variety of learning environments. The central large group instruction area for that grade level supports collaborative activities. Every two classrooms share a small group instruction room facilitating individualized instruction.
You can view our entry in the Fall 2021 Architectural Portfolio issue of American School & University here.
Learn more about the Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center here.
SG is proud to have partnered with Springfield Township School District. Learn more about this amazing school district 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.
School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center Recognized as an Outstanding Project in Learning By Design’s Fall 2021 Issue
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is happy to announce that our School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center project has received an Outstanding Project Award from Learning By Design Magazine for their Fall 2021 Architectural and Interior Design Awards of Excellence Showcase.
Each year, Learning By Design showcases the very best in the educational design and construction market. The award-winning magazine is published three times a year and regularly recognizes the nation’s top K-12 and higher education projects and architecture firms.
“This early elementary school is warm and welcoming, with a great exterior design to draw children in. Transparency to the outdoors as well as between spaces adds more life and interaction. The overall vibe of the interiors is one of cool and clean simplicity with subtlety rich detailing of naturally hued materials,” said one of the jurors for the panel about Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center.
SG is proud to have another project featured in this prestigious magazine. We would like to thank the School District of Springfield Township (SDST) and all our collaborators and consultants for their help in making this project a reality. We are thrilled to have this great facility featured in this showcase.
Faced with a growing population and following studies of potential options, SDST elected to create a new Early Learning Center for grades K-2 for the district. SCHRADERGROUP worked with the District and community to create this 105,000 SF facility nestled into a sloping site with a courtyard in the center. The learning resource center and STEAM program is located at the core of the facility and the evening public-use spaces are to the front. The academic clusters radiate from the learning resource center around the courtyard. Creative configuration of the classroom clusters allows the building to climb the hillside of the site while including a quiet contemplative courtyard nestled into the classroom clusters. The courtyard is designed to enhance outdoor learning opportunities.
The exterior material and building masses are residential in character to work with the surrounding neighborhood. Colors, building heights and masses, and rooflines are all carefully calibrated to reduce the scale of the facility from all street views.
You can view the Fall 2021 Architectural and Interior Design Awards of Excellence issue of Learning By Design here.
Learn more about the Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center here.
SG is proud to have partnered with Springfield Township School District on this and other great projects. Learn more about this wonderful school district here.
School District of Springfield Township, Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center Recognized as Outstanding Project in Learning By Design’s Spring 2021 Issue
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is proud to announce that our recently completed project, the School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center, has been recognized as an Outstanding Project in Learning By Design’s Spring 2021 issue.
Each year, Learning By Design showcases the very best in the educational design and construction market. The award-winning magazine is published three times a year and regularly recognizes the nation’s top K-12 and higher education projects and architecture firms.
SG is excited to have yet another project featured in this prestigious magazine. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the School District of Springfield Township (SDST) and are honored to have this wonderful facility featured in this issue.
Faced with a growing population and following studies of potential options, SDST elected to create a new Early Learning Center for grades K-2 for their district. SCHRADERGROUP worked with the District and community to create this 105,000 SF facility nestled into a sloping site with a courtyard in the center. The learning resource center and STEAM program is located at the core of the facility and the evening public-use spaces are to the front. The academic clusters radiate from the learning resource center around the courtyard. Creative configuration of the classroom clusters allows the building to climb the hillside of the site while including a quiet contemplative courtyard nestled into the classroom clusters. The courtyard is designed to enhance outdoor learning opportunities.
The exterior material and building masses are residential in character to work with the surrounding neighborhood. Colors, building heights and masses, and rooflines are all carefully calibrated to reduce the scale of the facility from all street views.
You can view the Spring 2021 issue of Learning By Design here.
Learn more about the Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center here. The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new facility will take place later this month!
SG is proud to have partnered with Springfield Township School District. Learn more about this amazing school district here.