school design institute: winter 2008 report

AAF Great Schools by Design Winter 2008 School Design Institute 2

__________________________________________________________________American Architectural Foundation

The American Architectural Foundation (AAF) is a national nonprofit organization that seeks to educate

individuals and community leaders about the power of architecture to transform lives and improve the

places where we live, learn, work, and play. Through numerous outreach programs, grants, and

educational resources, AAF inspires people to become thoughtful and engaged stewards of the built

environment.

AAF’s Great Schools by Design program aims to improve the quality of America’s schools by promoting

good design, encouraging collaboration in the design process, and providing leading-edge resources that

empower schools and communities to transform themselves. Throughout the country, Great Schools by

Design engages superintendents, architects, teachers, parents, citizens, students, and local government

officials in a far-reaching conversation about what must be done to improve the places where children

and adults learn. At AAF, we strive to help create schools that both support student achievement and

serve as centers of community. For more information, please visit us online at www.archfoundation.org.

1799 New York Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20006

Phone: 202.626.7318

Fax: 202.626.7420


AAF’s school design institutes aim to bring new knowledge to superintendents and other public

officials involved in the construction and renovation of schools in order to help improve the

design of schools in the 21st century. This program offers decision makers an opportunity to

reconsider the setting in which education is delivered. Recent advances in technology,

educational theory, and our understanding of how students learn has led to new ideas about how

our schools should be designed and built.

We welcome your interest in this report of findings from the Winter 2008 School Design Institute which

was held in conjunction with the National Conference on Education hosted by the American Association

of School Administrators. We hope you will find it to be a valuable resource. This document reflects the

comments and recommendations related to specific projects presented by two school districts: Seminole

County Public Schools, FL and Wichita Unified School District 259, KS. The superintendent and two

representatives from the district were invited to participate in a charrette with four national experts

specializing in the field of K–12 design and education. The process was highly collaborative and involved

districts in a discussion about the benefits of good design and planning so that they could lead their

districts in supporting innovative solutions. In the pages ahead, you will read about each major

development project presented by the districts.

This report chronicles each school district’s submission with a project description, demographic

information about the community and the school district, a list of the recommendations resulting from the

design charrette, and biographies for all participants. Embedded in the comments and design

recommendations are best practices regarding a range of issues, such as school size, sustainable

design, technology, trends in learning, siting and location, and public process and community-school

collaboration. It is hoped that the reader will learn from these examples and use this information as a

guide when considering school design challenges.

The American Architectural Foundation appreciates the generous support of Target, our presenting

sponsor for Great Schools by Design. AAF would also like to acknowledge support from its many other

sponsors and, in particular, the contributions of the resource team members and school officials. We look

forward to continuing to contribute to the national discussion about the importance of creating learning

environments that promote student achievement and better serve communities.

Ronald E. Bogle, Hon. AIAPresident and CEOAmerican Architectural Foundation


__________________________________________________________________Table of Contents

Overview Page 5

Seminole County School District, FL

School District Demographics Page 7

Project Summary Page 8

Design Challenge Page 13

The Charrette Page 14

Wichita Unified School District 259, KS

School District Demographics Page 17

Project Summary Page 19

Design Challenge Page 24

The Charrette Page 25

Biographies of Participants Page 27


_____________________________________________________________Overview

Great Schools by Design

Great Schools by Design is a national initiative of the American Architectural Foundation (AAF) that seeks

to improve the quality of America’s schools and the communities they serve by promoting collaboration,

excellence, and innovation in school design. Throughout the country, Great Schools by Design engages

superintendents, architects, teachers, parents, residents, students, local government officials, and other

stakeholders in a far-reaching conversation about what must be done to improve the places where

children and young adults learn. AAF strives to help create schools that both support student

achievement and serve as centers of community.

Each day across the United States, more than 59 million students, teachers, and education employees

spend considerable time in the nation’s 120,000 school buildings. Unfortunately, too many of these

schools are aging, crowded, and in need of repair. These pervasive conditions negatively affect children’s

ability to learn and teachers’ ability to teach. With school enrollment forecast to increase at record levels

through 2013 and spending on school construction, renovation, and maintenance expected to total nearly

$30 billion annually, the need to transform our schools has never been more urgent.

It is essential that the school district interface with the community. Educational facilities should be built for

adults as well as children, to support lifelong learning—and for community residents as well as school

teachers and administrators. The point is to look beyond the school building and the school site and

consider how the facility can provide benefits to the entire community.

AAF brings a variety of school design stakeholders together through such events as the National Summit

on School Design; the Design for Learning Forum; other forums on particular topics; and school design

institutes that help decision makers consider innovative options for school construction. In addition, AAF

is working with its partner, KnowledgeWorks Foundation, to produce a video library of best practices in

school design. The first award-winning video, “Schools as Centers of Community: John A. Johnson

Elementary School,” has received wide national exposure. A second video, “Schools Designed for

Learning: The Denver School of Science and Technology,” was released in December 2006.

The Report of Findings

School districts invited to participate in school design institutes are chosen on the basis of the extent and

cost of construction projects that are funded and scheduled. Since the institute is designed to present


information to superintendents and other public officials about the importance of innovative design, AAF

ensures that the knowledge gained will be transferable to succeeding projects. AAF also expects that the

officials who participate will, in turn, educate others, thus extending the reach of the Great Schools by

Design program.

Each participating school district is presented in a separate section of this report. The information

provided for each district includes some general information about the geographic area, a summary of

data on the school district, and the design challenge as presented by the local team. A discussion of the

design recommendations can be found under the charrette section. Biographies of all participants are

included at the end of the report.


_________________________________________________________________Seminole County School District

William H. Vogel, III, SuperintendentChris Boothe, Project ManagerScott Stegall, Director of Capital Outlay

School District Demographics:

Community Information

Population:

433,108

Government composition:

1 county

7 cities

1 school district

Area facts:

Center of High Tech Corridor in Central

Florida adjoining Orlando

County has 23 parks, a trail system, and more

than 2,000 lakes and waterways

Lake Mary and Winter Springs were listed in

the top 100 of places to live in the nation by

Money magazine.

School District Information

Mission Statement: The mission of the Seminole

County Public Schools is to ensure that all

students acquire the knowledge, skills and

attitudes necessary to be successful in life.

Size of the school district: approximately

10,000,000 square feet

Number of buildings: 59 schools

Grade configuration: Pre-K, K-5, 6-8, 9-12

Number of students: 65,000

Special programs: full range

Graduation rate: 86.7%

Free and reduced lunch: 32.3%

Composition of student population:

White: 58.6%

Hispanic: 17.9%

African American: 13.6%

Other: 9.7%

Changes in student composition:

There has been a declining enrollment of

approximately 1000 students per year over the

last two years. Hispanic population is

increasing, and white population is

decreasing. Current State projections indicate

an increasing growth rate at the elementary

level (2009-2010), at an average rate of 800

elementary students per year through 2017-

2018. Projections for middle and high school

indicate decreasing enrollment through 2014-

2015, followed by increasing enrollment as

elementary student matriculate into middle

and high schools.


Most recent school construction project:

Forest City Elementary School opened in

August 2007. It was a major remodel of a

large open pod classroom building and the

addition of a 2-story Intermediate Center.

Numerous design phase meetings were

conducted with the school principal and staff

to review the master plan, floor plans, furniture

& equipment, and color selections. The

stakeholders consider the project a success.

LEED or sustainable design projects:

Recently-designed facilities incorporate most

LEED credits that provide real cost savings,

with the major exceptions being enhanced

commissioning and administrative

management of LEED submission

documentation. The chilled water system

incorporates ice storage technology to reduce

electrical demand costs.

Project Summary:

Established in 1916, Midway Elementary School

has long been a vital educational institution in

Seminole County. The school settled into its

current site in 1938 in a new six room wooden

structure. The school underwent several additions

and renovations over the next six decades.

Recognizing a strong link between creativity and

academic achievement, the school district

implemented a Fine Arts Magnet program at the

school in 1998.

The new 2-story brick facility for Midway

Elementary School will borrow design standards

from the highly successful 2-story pre-K through 5

magnet school prototype originally developed in

Seminole County in 1996. The administration suite

is located at the “front door” of the school and acts

as the control point for access to the building.

Quadrants of the building are accented with

different colors to provide a means of “way-finding”

for the younger students. Primary grades, the

cafeteria, and media center are located on the first

floor of the building, and intermediate grades are

located on the second floor.

The 15-acre “New Midway Site”, located north of

the existing Midway Elementary School, is a part

of an area zoned as a Planned Development (PD).

The development agreement required the district

to construct the roadways serving the PD and

school site. Unfortunately, right-of-way acquisition

with PD property owners has not been successful.

As of January 2008, the district has decided to use

the “Sandefur Site,” another site within the Midway

community. The “Sandefur Site” was previously

bought by the school district for a future High

School and is 60 acres.

Project Features

Size of Project:

113,000 s.f. on 15 acres

Number of Students and Grade Levels:

Capacity of 750 students

Grades Pre-K through 5

Specialty suites for the magnet programs include:

Ballet Room

Band Room


Orchestra Room

Musical Theater Room (for drama and vocals)

Stage and Dressing Rooms

Art Room for 2D and 3D exploration

Digital Art Computer Lab

Television Production Studio

Outdoor Amphitheater with Stage

Each instructional space will have a large monitor

presentation system and audio enhancement

devices for the teachers. Two computer labs are

also planned for the school.

Construction Schedule:

The project is temporarily on hold until it is re-

engineered and permitted for the new

“Sandefur site.” The project will take one year

to construct, and the district is planning to

open the school in December 2009.

Funding:

“Classroom for Kids” (PECO), Certificates of

Participation, 2 Mil Property Tax, and Gas Tax

Refund

Figure 1: Existing Midway Elementary School, “New Midway Site” and “Sandefur Site.”


Figure 2: Proposed site pan for “New Midway Site” (15 acres).

Figure 3: First floor plan for pre-K through 5 magnet school prototype.


Figure 4: Northeast corner of undeveloped “Sandefur Site.” Located across the street from Midway community.

Figure 5: Property to the north of the “Sandefur Site.”


Figure 6: Southeast corner of “Sandefur Site” along Route 46.

Figure 7: Existing Midway Elementary School in Midway community.


Design Challenge:

The school district defined the following issues to be addressed by the resource team during the institute.

1. For urban districts, what are the trends for vertical design on small sites? How can Seminole County

overcome the DOE requirement to place primary grade classrooms (and any ESE programs that

have kindergarteners or 1st graders) on the first floor?

2. What strategies can Seminole County Public Schools use to master plan for both the “Sandefur Site”

and Midway community?

Once the elementary school moves, what could the existing building and site be used for?

If the “Sandefur Site” is selected and Route 46 is eventually widened to four travel lanes, does

this pose a safety issue for the new school? Is there a possibility to develop along the southern

edge of the “Sandefur Site” (northern side of Route 46) –including mixed-use, commercial, or

residential –to act as a buffer between Route 46 and the school?

How are other school districts dealing with environmental issues on their sites? Are they building

schools on “brownfield” sites? Are they abating? Are they purchasing pollution insurance?

Are there strategies for successfully negotiating the right-of-way from multiple residential

neighbors?

3. What technologies should be considered for the classroom and school of the future? SCPS currently

provides the following technology in elementary school classrooms:

3 computers (one is dedicated to the presentation system)

Ethernet access to the district’s WAN and Internet

37” presentation station monitors (e-readers)

Sound enhancement systems for the teachers

4. What sustainable design strategies are appropriate for this specific project or other projects of the

Seminole County School District? Recent projects in Seminole County meet LEED criteria with the

exception of enhanced commissioning and documentation administration. Beyond obtaining the

LEED certificate, does enhanced commissioning provide significant value?


The Charrette:

Below is a list of strategies and design principles that the district developed along with the resource team

at the school design institute.

The school building should be a focal piece to its community. Through building orientation and

careful site planning, the Midway Elementary School will be a gateway to the Midway community. If

there is future land use along Highway 46, it should be of appropriate scale so that it doesn’t serve as

a barrier to the new school campus.

Creating safe walking routes to schools is essential in neighborhood school development.

This can be achieved through streetscape improvements, traffic calming and well-designed buffers on

streets surrounding the site. A permeable buffer or low fence along Highway 46 could also help with

safety concerns if the highway is expanded. Creating safe and walkable streets throughout the

neighborhood would strengthen a relationship between the school and community.

The magnet arts theme should be emphasized inside the building, and throughout the site and

Midway community. Both site and neighborhood master plans should support a wide-range of

learning opportunities and provide a flexible environment for students, teachers, residents and

visitors. To enhance the magnet theme, there is a great opportunity for students to be involved with

art and design throughout the Midway community through physical installations and/or outdoor

performances.

There should be a strong relationship between school buildings and the outdoors. This can be

achieved by wrapping future buildings around green space and by incorporating the wetlands into the

campus plan. By linking the amphitheater to green space, there will be greater opportunities for

communal gathering and/or different types of learning.

Consider equipping school facilities with wireless networks. The installation of a wireless

network enhances teaching and learning opportunities where the school community can be

connected to the world of information throughout the campus.

Make parking a destination place where people would want to be. Incorporate design features

into the parking lot, like benches and shading devices. For future middle school buildings, perhaps

the parking can be split into smaller destination lots.


Figure 8: Option A –Conceptual site plan for “Sandefur Site.” In this scheme, property along Highway

46 is reserved for commercial use.

Figure 9: Option A –Phase 2 and 3 for “Sandefure Site.” The future middle school is broken into smaller buildings surrounding a courtyard and is linked to the elementary school through a small retaining pond.


Figure 10: Option B –Conceptual site plan for “Sandefur Site” without commercial land use.

Figure 11: Option B –Phase 2 and 3 for “Sandefure Site.” Here the school serves as a gateway to the

community and is oriented to Highway 46. The future middle school is linked to the elementary school

through outdoor green space and the magnet arts amphitheater.


_________________________________________________________________Wichita Unified School District

Winston C. Brooks, Superintendent Kenton Cox, AIA, PrincipalMartin C. Libhart, Chief Operations Officer

School District Demographics:

Community Information

Population:

344,284 in the city of Wichita (In the four-

county Wichita MSA, the population exceeds a

half-million people)

Government composition:

Wichita Public Schools: Seven member Board

of Education.

Wichita City Council: Council/Manager form of

government, seven elected members. The

council appoints the City Manager.

Sedgwick County Commission:

Council/Manager form of government, five

elected members. The commission appoints

the County Manager

State of Kansas: Elected governor; elected

legislature meets annually (Jan-May) to

conduct the state’s business.

Major Employers:

Top 10: Cessna Aircraft, Spirit Aerosystems,

Raytheon Aircraft, U.S. Government, Wichita

Public Schools, State of Kansas, Via Christi

Health System, Boeing Integrated Defense

Systems, City of Wichita, Sedgwick County

Other major employers include: Koch

Industries (world’s second-largest private

company), Wesley Medical Center, Wichita

State University, Coleman Company, Bank of

America

Community Successes:

2007 Money Magazine Top 10 Best Place to

Live (right above New York City)

2007 #2 “Best City for Relocating Families” in

medium-sized markets, Worldwide ERC

2007 #1 ranking for “overall quality of life”

amongst metro areas with a population of

400,000 to 1 million, Expansion Management

Magazine

Economy remains strong, due both to strong

aircraft manufacturing industry, as well as

continuing diversification of Wichita economy

Successful public measures to support

construction of a new downtown arena, major

school improvements

Revitalization of downtown core

Community Challenges:

Workforce development –both finding an

adequate supply of workers to meet future

needs, and training and re-training workers to

meet current needs (aviation/manufacturing,

education, healthcare)

Business retention in an increasingly

competitive national and global market


Ending chronic homelessness

Continuing and completing the downtown

redevelopment effort

Developing the community’s cultural

proficiency in light of changing demographics

in the Wichita area

Community Resources/Possible Partners:

Track-record of partnership with City of

Wichita, Wichita Public Library and Wichita

Parks Department on a variety of initiatives

Collaboration with community agencies such

as United Way of the Plains, American Red

Cross, Communities in Schools, Big Brothers

Big Sisters, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Boys and

Girls Club, and Junior League (plus many

others) support students in the Wichita Public

Schools

Wichita has a rich arts community, and

collaboration exists between the Wichita

Public Schools and organizations such as

CityArts, Wichita Children’s Theater, Music

Theater for Young People, ArtsPartners and

many others

Long-standing relationships with the Wichita

Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Wichita

Independent Business Association have

supported strong connections with Wichita’s

business community. Additionally, the Wichita

Public Schools has noteworthy partnerships

with civic clubs and organizations to benefit

Wichita students.

School District Information

Mission Statement: The mission of the Wichita

Public Schools is to provide a safe learning

environment, where students acquire the skills and

knowledge necessary for success in a global

community, and cultural differences are honored.

Size of the school district: 8,515,100 sq.ft. total

building area

Number of buildings: 101 buildings total (94

are attendance centers)

Grade configuration: K-5 elementary; 6-8

Middle; 9-12 High.

Number of students: 48,705 (September 2007)

Special programs: early childhood; early

childhood developmentally disabled.

Graduation rate: 76.4% (2006-2007)

Composition of student population (Sept, 2007):

White/Other: 39.39%

Hispanic: 23.32%

African American: 20.43%

Multi-racial: 8.97%

Asian: 5.21%

American Indian: 2.68%

Changes in composition:

Since 2003, there has been a declining African

American population (2.5%) and White/Other

population (8%). During the same time, the

Hispanic population has increased (4%).

In the past 10 years, the Hispanic population

has doubled in size (an increase of over 5,000

students), while the White/Other population

declined by 8,000 students.

Most recent school construction project:

The school district is just completing a $285M

bond issue that passed in 2000. This included

92 projects. All completed projects were


completed on schedule and slightly under

budget.

LEED or sustainable design projects:

The district has one new elementary currently

under construction that is the first LEED

project in Wichita Unified.

Project Summary:

Spaght Accelerated Magnet Elementary is an

inner city school in a historically underserved

African American neighborhood. Until recent

years, the surrounding neighborhood was a high

crime area. Currently, the facility holds 336

students in grades pre-k through 5 and is a hybrid

of a 1920’s/1930’s historic structure with wings

that were added in the 1950’s/1960’s.

The district intends to remove the 1927 and 1931

structure and renovate the existing wings with a

$6,100,000 bond. The new project will be

designed to house 450 students and the addition

will include administrative office, a library,

multipurpose room/FEMA shelter, 12 classrooms,

an art room and a music suite.

Project Features

Size of project:

Existing building is 56,126 s.f.; the site is 4.13

acres. The original building was constructed in

1927, with additions in 1931, 1952, and 1962.

The project as currently proposed would

demolish a portion of the existing facility, and

construct new addition of approx. 40,000 s.f.

Number of students and grade levels:

Pre-K thru 5th grades, with a regular education

capacity of 450.

Special considerations:

This project is a key component of the

district’s recent decision to eliminate busing for

desegregation. The busing plan had been in

place for 36 years through an agreement with

the Office of Civil Rights. This project is

located in the heart of a predominantly African

American neighborhood. The district is

committed to upgrading this facility to address

critical needs, and to provide a quality

instructional facility for children that will be

allowed to return to their neighborhood school.

Project constraints:

The district must accomplish this project within

the limits of the existing site.

Funding:

Bond Issue and/or Capital Outlay funds (total

budget = $6.1M)


Figure 12: Spaght Accelerated Magnet Elementary School Site Plan.

Figure 13: Spaght Accelerated Magnet Elementary plan. 1927 and 1931

building facing the courtyard.


Figure 14: Aerial of Spaght Accelerated Magnet Elementary and surrounding neighborhood.


Figure 15: 1950’s wing of Spaght Elementary School along N Grove St.

Figure 16: School playground along N Grove St.


Figure 17: View of Spaght Elementary School from N Grove St.

Figure 18: 1927 historic building from courtyard.


Design Challenge:

The school district defined the following issues to be addressed by the resource team during the institute.

1. How can the school district change the image of Spaght Accelerated Magnet Elementary and create

a facility where students and people want to be? What design features will be most effective in

demonstrating the district’s commitment to this neighborhood, and the students to be served?

2. Given the type of project proposed, what green and sustainable design/construction methods can be

applied?

3. What strategies can the district use to develop a new pre-K through 5 neighborhood magnet on this

urban site? What are the issues to consider when determining cost-effectiveness of a major

demolition/ expansion project as proposed, versus constructing a totally new replacement facility? At

what point does it make the most sense to replace the entire building?

4. The campus and building will need to remain open during renovation. How can the design of the new

facility support this?


The Charrette:

Below is a list of strategies and design principles that the district developed along with the resource team

at the school design institute.

Where possible, restore and celebrate historic neighborhood structures. Unveil the 1920’s

portion of Spaght Accelerated Magnet Elementary by demolishing the existing 1950’s structure. With

this new site plan, the historic promenade to the front entrance is recreated and the entrance

becomes a feature. The historic building will be an icon to the community and city of Wichita.

Created a range of learning and meeting spaces for students, parents and the community. By

offsetting the new structure from the historic building, the site gives way for shade and small

mentoring spaces. The new building can be divided into small learning communities where each

small learning community contains outdoor learning classrooms and a teacher office area. Outdoor

spaces give students an opportunity to take ownership of the school. An additional type of meeting

space could be a wireless welcome center for parents to gather prior to parent/teacher meetings,

located near the front entrance of the historic building.

Develop the magnet theme throughout the site and its community. A multi-media/

communications theme could allow for a variety of partnerships and create excitement around the

school. The recording studio will be a shared-facility with high visibility to the street and to its

community. It will have a separate entrance and could potentially be connected to a multi-purpose

area or gymnasium.

Provide staff training on current design trends and how it affects teaching and learning. Have

principal and staff tour examples of small learning communities as part of their professional

development. In addition hire staff that understands shared learning communities.

Incorporate communal gathering spaces into the overall design. By developing a main street

through the center of the building, a commons area is created that is also connected to each small

learning community. This area can be programmed as a cafeteria and will have the characteristics of

an inside space with an outdoor feel.


Figure 19: Conceptual diagram of new Spaght Accelerated Magnet Elementary site plan

showing historic building to be preserved, and six new small learning communities.

Figure 20: Proposed site plan for Spaght Accelerated Magnet Elementary featuring the historic

building, six new small learning communities, a commons area/cafeteria and a recording studio to the

northeast.

AAF Great Schools by Design Winter 2008 School Design Institute

________________________________________________________________________

Biographies of District Team

Chris Boothe, Project ManagerFacilities Planning DepartmentSeminole County Public SchoolsSanford, FL

Chris Boothe represents the School Board of Seminole County Public Schools as their staff architect.

Raised in Lexington, Kentucky she attended the University of Kentucky and earned a five-year bachelor degree in Architecture in 1981. She spent four months in Europe studying the architectural classics and city planning of London, Paris and Rome, and she was honored by a panel of her professors with the 5th Year Student Design Award.

She is licensed in the State of Florida and holds a certificate with the National Council of Architectural Registration Board. Her professional career includes design work in Kentucky, Hawaii, and Florida. Projects have ranged from commercial, residential, and aviation to educational.

She joined the Facilities Planning staff with Seminole County Public Schools in 1993. She has been instrumental in facilitating design programs for 21 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 8 high schools. Prototypes developed under her direction have been repeated by districts throughout the southeast. Her concept for a K/1 early learning center is noted for providing students with a more gentle entry into the larger elementary school campus.

Chris also writes educational specifications and master plans new sites. She enjoys collaboration and believes bringing the stakeholders together early in the design process leads to the most successful projects. She especially likes working with students and she was recognized for implementing a district-wide design competition titled “If I Could Design My Own School.” Working in the educational environment has been the most satisfying period of her career.

Winston C. Brooks, Superintendent Wichita Unified School District 259Wichita, KS

Winston Brooks became Superintendent of theWichita Public Schools in August 1998. His experience in education includes serving as an elementary teacher, elementary and secondary principal, and central office administrator. Winston has also taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Wichita State University and Kansas Newman University.

Winston has experience in parochial school education and in the private business sector. He served as a principal and Assistant Superintendent for the Catholic Diocese of Wichita from 1977 to 1985. In 1985, Winston left education to be a human resource director for a smallmanufacturing firm in Wichita. However, in 1986 he was drawn back to his first love of education when he was offered a building principalship with the Wichita Public Schools.

Winston has served the Wichita Public Schools as a building principal, director of personnel, chief negotiator for the Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools. During his tenure as Superintendent, the Wichita community has seen continued increases in student achievement, increased enrollment, the passage of a $284.5 million bond issue and increased school safety.

Winston is a Wichita State University Shocker through-and-through. He earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a masters degree in educational administration and an educational specialist degree in educational administration—all from WSU.


Winston recently was elected to the Council of Great City Schools executive committee, as well as selected as a finalist for the Cable Leaders in Learning Award. In 2004, he was named recipient of the Fulbright Program, traveling to Germany’sseminar, as well as the Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications award. A former Kansas Superintendent of the Year in 2002, he serves on the Sedgwick County Homeless Task Force, Wichita Chamber of Commerce board of directors, Boy Scouts of America board of trustees, Rotary, Kaufman Foundation UrbanSuperintendent Forum, McRel Urban Superintendent Network, is 2006-07 president and is on the board of directors for the Kansas Association of School Administrators, in addition to several other civic organizations. Winston and hiswife Ann have four children and have lived in Wichita for nearly 37 years. Winston and Ann are involved in a variety of school and community activities.

Kenton Cox, AIA, PrincipalSchaefer Johnson Cox & FreyWichita, KS

Since joining SJCF in 1970 Kenton Cox has had extensive experience in design and management of projects of all sizes. His careful diligence at the beginning of every job in taking the necessary time to work closely with the owner in determining space needs, scheduling the entire process through construction, and meeting budget parameters pays tangible dividends over the course of the job.

Kenton’s management skills are exemplified in many projects. They include the USD #259 Wichita Schools Bond Issue Plan Management, for which he is Bond Plan Manager responsible for the overall planning and implementation of 92 separate projects. Other leadership roles include Heartspring Campus and Westlink Christian Church. Project Management for school districts such as Maize, Derby, McPherson, Wichita, Mulvane, and Osage City are a few of the more than 30 successful bond issues he has led in the last 12 years, totaling more than $400 Million.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering and a Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University.

Martin C. Libhart, Chief Operations OfficerWichita Public SchoolsWichita, KS

Martin C. Libhart is currently the Chief Operations Officer for the Wichita Public Schools. In that capacity, Mr. Libhart is responsible for all building maintenance and construction, real property management, energy management, environmental services, pupil transportation, district security, food service, purchasing, and supply distribution. He is also responsible for the district’s Emergency Operations Team, managing all emergency operations necessitated by natural or man-made disasters directly affecting the schools.

Mr. Libhart received his Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas Sate University in 1973. Prior to joining the district, Mr. Libhart was in private practice as vice president and partner in an architecture and engineering firm specializing in the design of educational and medical facilities. In addition to his undergraduate studies, he has participated in continuing education in project management and facility evaluation work at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and at Arizona State University. In 1993, due to his role in emergency operations with the school district, Mr. Libhart was invited to participate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute, located in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He is currently a member of the Sedgwick County Emergency Management Council, and serves in the county Emergency Operations Center when activated due to weather or other emergency conditions affecting the community.

Scott Stegall, Director of Capital Outlay Seminole County Public SchoolsSanford, FL

Scott has over 25 years experience in the design, construction and facilities management industry, with much of his career specializing in K-12 public educational facilities programs. As Director of Capital Outlay, Scott is responsible for facilities planning with an annual capital budget of over $100 million, as well as overseeing construction management and code enforcement efforts for all district facilities projects. Scott’s previousexperience includes employment with construction companies in the eastern US. Scott also served as commissioned officer in both active and reserve


assignments with the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps, attaining and retiring at the rank of Commander. Scott received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park with emphasis in structural design and engineering. Scott serves on the Metroplan Orlando Technical Advisory Board as well as many other Florida, school district and community related advisory committees. Scott also holds certification as aBuilding Official by the International Code Council.

William H. Vogel, III, SuperintendentSeminole County Public SchoolsSanford, FL

As superintendent of the Seminole County School District since July 2003, Bill Vogel leads with a passion for public education and a commitment to excellence and equity. After graduating from Rollins college with Bachelors and Masters degrees, his first job was teaching social studies and he has continued his dedication to serving the students of Florida ever since. Bill holds Specialist and Doctoral degrees from Florida Atlantic University, and he believes in lifelong learning. Bill has been a teacher, a school based and district level leader and a superintendent for eleven years. Recognized by his peers, Dr. Vogel was named Florida’s Superintendent of the Year for 2001. In 2002 he received the Lamp of Knowledge Award from the Florida Association of School Administrators and in 2005 received the Bethune-Carver-Dewey Education Legacy Award.

Dr. Vogel sees himself as an instructional leader and believes in a PreK-12 system approach with

reading as the centerpiece of instruction. He visits classrooms on a regular basis to support teachers and students and to encourage integration of the “3 Ts”; Thinking, Teamwork and Technology. Utilizing this approach, student proficiency percentages have increased every year. Seminole County Public Schools is rated an “A” district with 97% of the schools earning an A or B grade. SAT scores continue well above state and national averages and all high schools are ranked in the top 5% nationwide by “Newsweek Magazine.”

Dr. Vogel focuses on relationship building among teachers, parents and the community by serving on various boards. He is a member of the Rotary Club, twice being named a Paul Harris Fellow. He is active in his Superintendent’s organization as a Board Member as well as serving on numerous state advisory committees. He believes that the development of a synergistic collective bargaining environment is essential for organizational success.

He served as a chief negotiator for twelve years and taught a Labor Relations course in the Doctoral Program at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Vogel collaborated with partners to guide the visioning, planning and development of one of the most significant educational public/private sector alliances in the nation. This collaborative between the Disney Development Company, Stetson University, and the Osceola County School District, resulted in the creation and construction of the Celebration School and Teaching Academy, a unique public school and educator training facility.

Dr. Vogel has been recognized by the Conservation Alliance for dedication to conservation and the environment, and received the Medallion of Excellence from Senator Ken Pruitt. He presented at the Covey International Symposium in Salt Lake City, the International Conference of County and City Managers on Intergovernmental Alliances in Cincinnati, Ohio, and numerous local and state gatherings.


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Biographies of Resource Team and AAF

Resource Team:

Lori Cowles, AIA, LEED APSenior Associate, HMFH ArchitectsCambridge, MA

Lori Cowles’ experience since joining HMFH in 1995 includes the design of new facilities, renovation of existing schools, and campus master planning and feasibility studies. Managing master planning efforts for several Massachusetts communities, such as Newton, Hanover and Carlisle, Cowles has sharpened her skills at communicating complex information clearly to garner community understanding and support.

Cowles worked on the master plan for the Carlisle Schools in which she managed the evaluation of the Town’s aging school facilities and developed renovations and expansion recommendations for this approximately 900-student, suburban school district west of Boston. The Hanover Schools master plan led to a feasibility study of the high school and an elementary school. New vs. renovation and addition scenarios were developed to determine what the most educationally and fiscally responsible solutions were to the challenges posed by their aging facilities. She continues her work with the Newton Schools, where 21 school buildings have been assessed for building condition, educational program needs, and population distribution, which has enabled the team to plan for the long-term needs of the school district.

In her capacity as Project Architect for the new East Fairhaven Elementary School, Cowles was involved in the design of this energy-efficient replacement building, which included previously non-existent facilities for art, music cafeteria, and technology. As Project Architect for the new Gann Academy campus, a high school combining academic and Judaic studies located in Waltham, MA, she met the specific program requirements with thoughtful solutions.

Cowles is currently on the Boston Society of Architects’ Membership Committee and is a member of the Cambridge Community Outreach Committee to bring the youth and businesses of Cambridge together. As an ambassador for the

Cambridge Chamber of Commerce she supports the community in which she lives and works.

She holds a B. Arch from Boston Architectural College and a B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Art from Framingham State College.

Tim Dufault, AIA, LEED APPresident, Cuningham Group ArchitectureMinneapolis, MN

As President of Cuningham Group Architecture, P.A. Tim is responsible for the overall operation of the firm and is dedicated to the goal of helping design professionals collaborate to create the best environments for people to live, learn, work, worship and play. Using his more than 20 years of professional experience, Tim is guiding this international award-winning firm to new horizons and continued growth. He is responsible for overseeing the strategic and financial development of the company, building shareholder equity and developing plans to accommodate future growth. Prior to leading the firm, Tim served as the market leader of the Education Studio, working on groundbreaking projects around the country.

Cuningham Group Architecture, P.A. is a 200 person Architecture, Planning and Interior Design firm with offices in Minneapolis Mn, Los Angeles and Bakersfield CA, Las Vegas NV, Biloxi MS, and Madrid Spain. Founded in 1968, the firm works with a diverse mix of clients to create solutions that enhance their communities and create greater value for their owners and users. The firm is organized into a series of smaller studio’s that develop focused expertise built from the best practices in each market. These small “offices within an office” allow for greater flexibility and adaptability in responding to changes in the marketplace as well as a sharing of resources across the entire office to meet short-term staff needs.


Robert J. Kobet, AIA, LEED APPresident, Sustainaissance International Inc.Miami, FL

Robert J. Kobet, AIA, LEED AP, is President of Sustainaissance International Inc., a multidisciplinary architectural firm specializing in sustainable design and development and environmental education with offices in Pittsburgh, Pa., and North Palm Beach, Florida. Over a period of twenty six years Bob has consulted nationally and internationally on projects in nine countries on five continents. He is the Chair of the US Green Building Council’s LEED for Schools, co-author of the LEED for Contractors and Construction Managers Workshop and a USGBC LEED Faculty member. In addition to his professional practice Bob has enjoyed a parallel career in teaching which culminated in his position of Adjunct Professor of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a Masters of Science in Sustainable Systems (MS3) from Slippery Rock University, a degree he was instrumental in creating. Bob wrote the curriculum for the Built Environment track of that program and taught the same for four years before going to CMU. The MS3 program received the first Three Rivers Award for Environmental Education.

Much of Bob’s work involves combining LEED consulting with using the schools as teaching tools. Current work includes two related projects; the first LEED K-12 and Environmental Education Center in Palm Beach County, Florida. He is also consulting to the Department of Energy and the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory on a Kindergarten school that is part of the 2008 Olympic Village in Beijing, China. Other school work includes developing schools as the centers of communities in Eastern Europe and Africa. Bob has lectured widely on the topics of green design and environmental education and has contributed to scores of articles and book chapters on the subject. Mr. Kobet is well known for his expertise in allergy free, non toxic design for people with multiple chemical sensitivities, a part of his practice which is particularly applicable to high performance green schools. He is currently under contract to write Wiley Publishing’s book on High Performance Green Schools. For his life long dedication to sustainable design and development Bob was selected Pittsburgh’s first Green Champion in April, 2005.

Jeffery A Lackney PhD, AIA, REFPPartner, Fielding Nair International Madison, WI

Dr. Jeff Lackney has committed his entire 20-year practice as a licensed architect to creating high-quality visionary learning environments for children and youth around the world. Jeff is dedicated to authentic community involvement in school planning, believing that the best solutions come from working in concert with people to identify desires and expectations for the future of education, and building on the creative potential of the surrounding community culture. Currently he consults nationally with FNI as an educational facility planner advocating innovative vision-driven approaches to planning for education. In addition to working on various projects in the USA, Jeff is actively working on projects in Australia, Thailand, New Zealand and the Cayman Islands.

In addition to his practical experience in school design, Jeff has conducted extensive research, published and presented internationally on the influence of the physical setting on learning, assessing the fit between educational programs and older buildings, community-based planning, action research, planning for small learning communities, the role of the physical setting in mediating school climate and culture, post-occupancy evaluation in schools, and neighborhood schools planning. He is co-author of a new textbook entitled “Educational Facilities Planning: Leadership, Architecture and Management”, published by Allyn and Bacon in 2006. He published a highly proclaimed digest entitled “Thirty-three Educational Design Principles for Schools and Community Learning” for the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF) http://schoolstudio.engr.wisc.edu/33principles.htmlthat outlines innovative strategies and trends in educational design. He work has attracted the attention of media outlets CNN.com, NY Times, BBC Radio, National Educational Association (NEA) and Edutopia.

Prior to joining FNI, Jeff was assistant professor within the Department of Engineering Professional Development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he conducted continuing education courses in architecture and facility management. He manages several websites dedicated to collaborative design and action research at School Design Research Studio. Visit http://schoolstudio.engr.wisc.edu and


http://schoolstudio.typepad.com. From 1998 to 2000, he served as the first director of the Educational Design Institute (EDI) at Mississippi State University, an interdisciplinary collaborative between the College of Education and the School of Architecture that promotes innovative practices in educational facility planning and design. He also worked as educational planning consultant with Hammel Green & Abrahamson, Inc. in Minneapolis, MN from 1997-1998, and served as assistant director of the Johnson Controls Institute for Environmental Quality in Architecture at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1995-1998.

American Architectural Foundation:

Joyce TsepasProgram Manager, AAFWashington, DC

In August 2006, Joyce Tsepas joined the American Architectural Foundation (AAF) as program assistant for the Great Schools by Designprogram. Before AAF, she worked at Urban Studio, a small architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design firm, in Atlanta, Georgia. Her key role at Urban Studio was to develop and manage a master plan and design guidelines for the Cleveland Avenue Corridor Study—a joint effort with the South Fulton Medical Center to revitalize a dilapidated corridor in East Point, Georgia. With Urban Studio, Tsepas also worked on various infill and adaptive reuse projects in the Atlanta region. Other work experience includes interning with the Atlanta Regional Commission, where she co-wrote the annual report for the commission’s Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) by evaluating local policy and physical development progress throughout the Atlanta region.

Before her time in Georgia, Tsepas interned for the environmental planning division of the Monroe County Planning Bureau in Rochester, New York. She also has work experience as a part-time substitute teacher in Wayne County, New York. Tsepas has a Bachelor of Science degree in

architecture and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Georgia Institute of Technology. For her graduate research, Public School Siting and Design; A Call for Community Development in the Atlanta Region, Tsepas explored the implications that Georgia state policy and local practices have on high school siting and development patterns in Fulton County.

Jess Wendover, AICP, LEED APDirector of the Mayors’ Institute on City DesignSenior Program Director, AAFWashington, DC

Jess Wendover is the Director of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design, a 21-year old program that is managed as a partnership of the AmericanArchitectural Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. In this capacity she has worked with over 35 American mayors and cities to help local leaders better understand issues of urban design so that they can advocate for better built environments in their own communities.

Before joining the Mayors’ Institute in 2006, Jess served as the Community Design Director at Urban Ecology in San Francisco, California, providing pro bono community planning and design assistance to low-income neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her primary project was the design and development of a community cultural center in East Oakland. The position at Urban Ecology was made possible by the Frederick P. Rose Architectural Fellowship. Her previous work experience includes architecture, housing, and community development work in New York and Baltimore.

Jess earned a Master of Architecture and Master of City Planning from UC Berkeley and a B.A. in Architecture from Columbia University. During her graduate work, Jess was awarded Berkeley’s Branner Traveling Fellowship, and visited 27 national capitals, researching public use of space in and around parliament buildings. She also received the Architecture Department’s Graduate Instructor of the Year Award.

school design institute: winter 2008 report

Documents

design of schools

design winter

design program

design process

design charrette

design recommendatio

aafs school design institutes

aaf great schools