A new Elementary School has been built to replace the outdated, non-functional, and rigid elementary spaces previously housed at Lincoln (3-5) and Washington (PK-2). The unified PK-5 facility implements best-practice education design in an approximately 65,000 s.f. building, creating 15%-20% square footage efficiencies for the district.
The building is divided into two main zones. The first comprises public and shared use areas, including the administrative office, art rooms, food service, commons, and gym on the first level. The second floor features a secondary administrative area near the 3-5 classrooms, as well as music, library/media center, and STEM areas.
The educational zone is organized with PK-2 classrooms on the first floor and 3rd-5th grades on the second floor. K-2 and 3-5 classrooms are conveniently located around the East, South, and West sides of the central gym, providing quick access to and from that area.
- Public and shared use spaces
- Educational zones
- STEM
- Library/media center
- Commons
- Gymnasium
- Environmental Branding
The outdated and non-functional buildings of Pana's Lincoln Elementary (3-5) and Washington Elementary (PK-2) were a roadblock to the growth of the educational program.
The shared PK-5 environment fosters greater efficiency in both learning and shared spaces across the district. This flexible new space also positions the district for future program growth.
Faced with outdated high school facilities, an extensive community engagement planning process identified and assisted in prioritizing needs; ensuring a successful plan.
Despite facing significant obstacles, including a flood-prone location and limitations on modifying existing structures, the district persevered, eventually resulting in a groundbreaking new building addition that redefined the school’s entrance and functionality.
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.