A Guide for School Boards, Leaders, and Community Design Teams
Whether you are building a new school, adding onto an existing building, or remodeling and making the most of a current building, it is essential that you create explicit links between who you are and where you learn. The most effective schools craft visions, missions, and values that are alive — in that they feed the decision-making around all aspects of the school, including the physical design. Without this alignment, schools can create barriers to excellence. An apparent mismatch between what they say and the spaces they create can generate confusion about their true commitment to their vision and mission, discouraging buy-in from their communities.
This doesn’t have to be the case, though. When thoughtfully designed, the physical spaces within a school can significantly enhance the educational experience, support the wellbeing of students, and foster a sense of belonging and connection. They can also be figurative ambassadors that speak loudly about the excellence of the work happening inside. Through this article, we hope to outline a process for ensuring that future school designs align with the district’s core principles while avoiding the most common potholes.