Faced with outdated and inflexible learning environments, unused spaces, chaotic drop off and pick up, and no central gathering area, doing nothing was not an option for the Jacksonville School District. Not only is the junior high experience a pivotal time in a child’s life, but of all the district facilities, the junior high was positioned to serve every student in the district.
- Safety Features
- Hands On Labs
- Maker Spaces
- Small Group Rooms
- Teacher Planning Areas
- Community Spaces
- Flexible Learning Environments
- Award of Merit, Exhibition of Educational Environments: IASB/IASA/IASBO 2018 Conference
How does the school district transform outdated and inflexible learning environments, unused spaces, chaotic drop-offs and pick-ups, and no central gathering area into an adaptable facility that supports 21st-century education and student development?
Additions and renovations were designed to maximize flexible and adaptive spaces, create clear and comfortable circulation paths, separate bus and parent traffic, and be a center for the community.
The site underwent a major shift in vehicle and pedestrian traffic patterns to increase safety and security. Entrances to the 14-acre site were moved. Parent drop-off areas are now separated from bus traffic, and access to the main entrance is clear and visible.
The facility was designed to be a center for the community and can be used for extended periods during the day and the year. The solution was designed to maximize flexible and adaptive spaces and to welcome the community with a clear entry space. The community commons, at the heart of the building, opens into the auditorium for local theater groups and can be separated from the academic wings as desired. A new gymnasium addition with adjacent fitness center and health lab is easily accessible to the public.
With a building of over 175 years old, Springfield PSD was looking for renovations to bring existing conditions back to its original state of the art facility standards.
The Community Engagement Planning Process with Meridian CUSD #15 resulted in a clear direction, to reduce the number of campuses from four to two and concentrate resources to make these remaining two campuses healthy, safe, and educationally relevant.
With an already thriving program, the planning of this facility and its location needed to be tightly knit into other district programs, such as athletics and general education. A key consideration was also the ability to expand program offerings in the future, through enlarged facilities and features which could include on-site gardens, crops or additional livestock support.