Tag: functional design
SCHRADERGROUP Attends PASBO Facilities, Transportation, & Safety Conference & Exhibits
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently attended the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) Facilities, Transportation, & Safety Conference & Exhibits in Lancaster, PA on November 4, 2021. This was the first time this conference was held in Lancaster.
The conference was held at the Lancaster Marriot & Convention Center, which is only a couple blocks away from our Lancaster office on King Street. SG exhibited at the conference in the convention hall and was honored to be a Bronze Sponsor for the event. SG team members Danielle Hoffer, Charlotte Stoudt, and Denis Brennan attended the trade show to connect once again with familiar faces and to meet many more.

This year’s conference dialed the focus down to three key areas important to school business officials: facility management, student transportation, and school safety. School facility management affects teaching and learning, student and staff health, day-to-day building operations, and the long-range fiscal health of the district. Attendees included facilities directors and personnel, school safety personnel, business managers, and superintendents.
The SG team would like to thank the dedicated staff of PASBO for organizing this great event and to all attendees who stopped by our booth to chat and ask questions. We look forward to the annual conference that will be held from March 8-11, 2022 in Hershey, PA. Come find us at Booth 410 to chat about your projects and ideas for your school district’s needs.

PASBO is a Pennsylvania-based, state-wide association with over 3,000 members. They are devoted to providing members with the education, training, professional development and timely access to legislation and policy news needed to run a school district smoothly and successfully. While their membership base varies greatly, the association has a common goal of supporting classroom learning through smart business practices. To learn more about PASBO and the work that they do, click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s work with K-12 schools, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the A4LE LearningSCAPES 2021 Conference in Denver, Colorado
Members of the SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team recently traveled to Denver, Colorado to attend the annual Association for Leaning Environments (A4LE) LearningSCAPES Conference from October 14th to the 17th at the Colorado Convention Center.
For decades, the LearningSCAPES conference has allowed educators, policymakers, planners, and design professionals from across the globe to experience the cutting edge of new educational design. The conference offers world-class educational sessions and inspiring keynote speakers who dive into best practices for creating effective learning environments for future generations.
Themes explored during the conference included the recent disruptive forces surrounding the global pandemic, social injustice, and economic stresses that have made the need for holistic and radical change more visible.

This year’s conference explored the idea of “Disruptive Optimism” and delved into the disruptive forces at play around the world, the positive opportunities they represent, and the actions we must take to create an optimistic and more effective future. 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.
The first day of the conference included six tours of various Pre-K to Higher Education schools and facilities in the areas surrounding Denver. Each facility offered attendees the chance to experience the latest and greatest in educational facility design. We would like to thank Boulder Valley School District, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Denver, Cherry Creek School District, Douglas County School District, and Littleton Public Schools for welcoming us into their wonderful schools and facilities!

Information sessions included presentations such as “Social/Emotional Learning through Curriculum and School Design,” “Designing Schools for Parental Engagement,” and “Engineering the Future Leaders of Our Community,” just to name a few.
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.
SCHRADERGROUP exhibited the new Upper Merion Area High School project in the exhibition hall during the conference. The team is proud to have had this opportunity to showcase this project amongst the other incredible work on display.

SCHRADERGROUP was also proud to be a Pewter 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. To learn more about A4LE, click here. To learn more about the LearningSCAPES Conference, click here.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s commitment to creating 21st Century learning environments, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes 2021 Summer Architectural Interns!
This year, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is pleased to welcome two summer architectural interns, Leah Balderson and Dan Pawluczyk. We are very excited to have these enthusiastic young professionals join the SG family!
Leah Balderson
Undergraduate Student
Pennsylvania State University – Bachelor of Architecture
Leah will be a 5th year student at Pennsylvania State University and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in architecture. She is an active member of AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students) and is an architecture mentor for incoming first year architecture students. Leah is also on the Rules and Regulations Committee for THON.
Leah is very passionate about art and design. She has always had a love of drawing and painting, and in recent years has become very interested in graphic design. In her free time, she loves to snowboard and is a member of the PSU Snowboarding Club.
Looking to the future, Leah’s first goal is to become a licensed architect. She strives to design buildings that positively affect people’s daily lives. Leah’s thesis is focused on environmental psychology, the study of transactions between people and their physical settings, and she hopes to continue studying that over the course of her career.
“I hope for people to walk into a space that I designed and feel as though they are benefiting from the atmosphere I created.”
Dan Pawluczyk
Undergraduate Student
Pennsylvania State University – Bachelor of Architecture
Dan will be a 5th year architecture student at Pennsylvania State University. He is an active participant in THON, spending his first two years volunteering on hospitality committees. This past year, he danced virtually at THON with his fraternity, the top fundraising general organization for the fifth year in a row.
Dan’s favorite activities are those that he can do with family and friends. He enjoys golfing, snowboarding, basketball and hiking. Dan is looking forward to hitting the golf course with his SG coworkers this summer!
After spending multiple summers working at a construction company, Dan was propelled into the world of design production. His favorite part of architecture is the challenge of marrying the freedom of design with the practical realities of how something is built.
Looking to the future, Dan sees an open world of possibilities. He takes inspiration from documentaries and magazines dealing with design and architecture. His goal is to one day work on projects featured in Dezeen and ArchDaily.
“I think having the ability to shape your own career path and follow your interests is one of the most valuable aspects of architecture and design.”

As architects, we realize that the heart of our practice is its people, and we are always looking for ways to promote and foster emerging talent. At SG, we recognize the importance of an internship in the field of architecture and design and we offer hands-on experience as well as a mentorship component in order to create an environment that leads to understanding and success for all. The SG team looks forward to sharing our company culture and practice with our architectural interns and is excited to follow their journey this summer as they gain the experience necessary for future success.
Interested in working with us? Visit our Careers page to see what opportunities are available at SG here.
SCHRADERGROUP to Attend PSU’s Stuckeman School Virtual Career Day
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) will be attending the Pennsylvania State University’s Annual Stuckeman School Career Day on March 3, 2021. Managing Partner David Schrader will be joined by fellow Penn State alumni and SG employees, Paige Geldrich and Eric Weiss, at the SCHRADERGROUP Virtual Booth from 11am – 4pm. Come visit and meet the team!
This exciting event encourages student engagement and networking with alumni and professionals across the architecture, landscape architecture and graphic design professions. SG is honored to interact with the Stuckeman School’s high caliber students once again. Although the event is not held in person this year, SG is proud to continuously be a part of this impactful Career Day. We look forward to virtually speaking with and meeting these new thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.
Are you a PSU Stuckeman School student that would like to join the event? Register for free here.
Interested in joining the SG team? Check out what opportunities are available for you here.
Quakertown Community School District’s Neidig Elementary School has been Transformed
Quakertown Community School District’s Neidig Elementary School is one of our best examples of how alterations and additions can transform a 1950s era building into a state-of-the-art learning environment. Originally constructed in 1958, the school opened this fall with a new look, increased capacity to accommodate 600 students to support the District’s enrollment, and spaces designed to enhance the educational program.
The existing classroom wing was renovated to serve the primary grade levels with new cabinetry, finishes and toilet room renovations. A two-story classroom wing expansion for the intermediate grade levels features a centralized large group instruction area on each floor level for interactive and collaborative learning. Building circulation is captured for program space with areas provided for small group instruction and a learning stair at the main entrance lobby adjacent to the expanded administration area. The variety of spaces offer opportunities for student research, development and presentation as part of the next generation of learning.
Building updates in the specials wing of the building includes complete interior renovations to the library, art and music classrooms, as well as the addition of a gymnasium with a stage for physical education and school performances. Other renovations include new HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, updated technology, a new kitchen, new roof and new windows. In addition to the building improvements, site improvements include improved circulation to separate the parent and bus loops, expanded parking and new play areas.
SCHRADERGROUP is proud to have been a part of this building transformation and contributors to Quakertown Community School District’s vision for excellence in education.
To learn more about Quakertown Community School District, click here.
To learn more about QCSD’s Neidig Elementary School, here.