6/5/08:Planning

agenda/notes

(notes from the session are included in red text)

6:00 – 6:15 Greetings/Guiding Principles

6:15 – 6:45 Focus Group Summaries (from 6/3/08)

Based on the work sessions and focus group discussions to date, a facility space program was drafted. The components of the program were discussed. It was noted that this preliminary draft of the program includes all of the spaces requested to date, and as such is approximately 20-25% larger than budgeted. The next steps will be to identify areas which can accommodate multiple functions, clarify actual space requirements, and begin to distinguish “needs” from “wants”.

6:45 – 7:55 Small Group Break-out Activities & Discussions

Participants selected one of the following program areas to work in small groups and brainstorm ideas during three activities.

Groups:

A Teams

B Explore

C Reading/Library

D Physical Education

E Central Admin

ACTIVITY 1: List 3 ways to support the Guiding Principles

Participants brainstormed ways the facility could support the guiding principles:

Well-Rounded Learners

· Exploratory (Music): The general music room would have 3 main spaces to meet the needs of a well-rounded learner:

- Desk/workshop space

- Open space for physical movement and experience of music and art

- Instrument lab space

· Exploratory (Art): The art room could have specific areas in one large space:

- Wet area with group tables

- Dry area with individual desks (critique area)

- Clay area

- Tech area (computers)

· Reading/Library: Inspires students to develop interests which will encourage further learning

· Central Admin: School space should promote good behavior, academics and be inspiring Central Admin: School is organized (setting example for well-rounded learners)

Experiential Learning

· Exploratory:

- General music room should have space for keyboard, guitar, drumming and direct instruction, as well as learning centers for each instrument

- the choir, music and art rooms should have small practice rooms that the teacher can see into

- Performance spaces and PE should have spots for students to perform jobs during community functions (supports stewardship and community school)

Concessions at games

Lighting and sound at concerts

“Spirit wear” sales at all events

- Art, music and social studies need to have a large collaborative space so that students can make the connections among the disciplines. Large space also allows teachers to collaborate

- Band and chorus rooms: acoustically sound for practicing and listening. Adequate space to accommodate program growth (more students)

- Art room should have room for pictures of famous artworks on the walls to inspire students

- Music room has a computer, copier and printer. The computer would house song sheets, so students can learn to sing and play any songs they want at home

- the music and band space should have a continual storage space allotted for the rental/purchase of used equipment for the students and community. Supports experiential learning by recycling equipment and getting music into the homes of Schiller Park (also fiscal responsibility, sustainability, community)

· Teams:

- Space for “centers”

- Studios share small group room with retractable walls

Accountability

- Art: Students have roles and responsibilities in the art room that help maintain and contribute to the space

- Music: Practice and ensemble rooms with windows to allow for student facilitated rehearsals, yet the teacher can still monitor the students

- Art/Music: Windows in the art room and music rooms between main classroom spaces and lab spaces will help with student accountability

- Reading/Library: Ensures that student achievement is the intended result of all decisions

- Central Admin: Private spaces for conferences to address academic and social needs

Community School

- Exploratory: The community will have access to the fine arts areas for classes (pottery, music, art), shows, local band practice areas

- Exploratory: Performance Platform to support the community school, available to everyone

- Concerts, Assemblies, Community events, LMS graduation

- Requires: seating, stage, sound box, rigging, green room access

- PE: Large enough space to serve community

- Teams: Quiet corners: not necessarily walled off, separated by furniture - To test, To time-out, To read

- Central Admin: Open and cheerful (community school); easy access and welcoming

Stewardship/Sustainability

- Central Admin: Plants, fish tank, green space, skylight (also experiential learners)

- Explore: in the main hallway or main entrance there is a giant planet earth

Fiscal Responsibility

- Exploratory: the art, band and choir rooms can be used for a variety of other uses when class is not in session

- Music: the general music and band space should have a continual storage space allotted for the rental/purchase of used equipment for the students and community

- Music: Storage for uniforms, risers and instruments to preserve and protect the equipment so it lasts longer

- Exploratory: Space needs to be easily accessible to a wide range of people and use a variety of power sources

- Central Admin: Sustainable resources, low maintenance, durable, practical

- Central Admin: Worth the money – because it’s used daily and money used wisely

ACTIVITY 2: List 3 ways your group’s area can interact with teams/pods

Explore:

- Collaborative teaching

- Sharing spaces & conference rooms

- Teams:

- 3 floors open to atrium/central area and are the social commons

PE: Connections between:

- Physics and Phys Ed

- Health/ Fitness and Science

- Phys Ed and Music

Reading/Library:

- Work in conjunction with media specialist to share resources

- Articulation between grades

- Integrate curriculum with core teachers

Central Admin:

- Easy access, in order to be used wisely and become an essential accessory

- Promote togetherness and be welcoming, have rooms for group meetings and teams

- Enough facilities to not only be used by admin, but also teams/pods and communication

- Wired telecommunications, electronic communication

ACTIVITY 3: Suggest programmatic adjacencies to support the above

In addition to the adjacency ideas outlined below, each group also used “puzzle-pieces” of the major programmatic categories to illustrate their thoughts on the overall building organization.

Explore:

- Art room can be entered from the outside.

- Music rooms are all connected so students can work on all the instruments.

- Explore teachers have office above classroom so they can watch all students

PE:

- Centrally located; centralized equipment

Central Admin:

- Accessible to students

- Copy rooms/mail room, reflection room(s), administrative desks

- Individual offices for main administrators, bathrooms

- Smaller conference rooms (but many) that teachers can use freely and are available to everyone