| FRIDAY | APRIL 28, 2023 | 9:45 – 10:45 am |
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Beyond the Classroom – Design Strategies for the Whole Student |
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Enlisted, and entrusted, to design spaces that not only inspire young minds but address their basic needs, we, as architects, are continually exploring the inherent tension between post war “cells and bells” school organizational patterns and the basic needs of our students. Today’s SEL-based pedagogy has opened up exciting new opportunities for designers to create environments that take learning beyond the classroom. Join us for an engaging exploration of emerging design strategies that nurture Social Emotional Learning. Together we’ll explore how architects and interior designers can respond strategically to SEL: how do you renovate an established “cells and bells” school that nurtures the whole student? What are the critical questions to ask; how do parents and teachers play a role; and what does social and emotional learning look and feel like to a child? We’ll explore these and many other important topics in this 60-minute study of design and planning tools for architects, designers and administrators navigating the role schools play in today’s society.
Learning Objectives:
- Discover ways to engage parents, teachers, administrators and students in learning how to maintain, and even enhance, the school’s inherent nurturing character.
- Understand how to work with administrative personnel and staff to identify and implement social and emotional provisions that marry best practices with your unique project.
- Explore opportunities to bring the students into a conversation about social and emotional learning and space.
- Learn how we’ve used these tools in our own practice, using the Portland Public School’s Elementary School projects as a case study.
Mark Lee, AIA, LEED AP, CEO, Principal
Mark is a passionate designer and leader. He guides new build, renovation, consolidation, and long-range planning for education clients throughout New England. Focused on balancing 21st-century learning environments with durable, long-lasting buildings, Mark works closely with clients to develop spaces are flexible, sustainable, and innovative. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in both civil engineering and architectural engineering from Drexel University and a Master of Architecture from Boston Architectural College.
Lisa Sawin, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Harriman’s Pre K-12 Education Studio
Lisa is a Principal and leads Harriman’s Pre K-12 Education Studio. Passionate about developing learning environments that support educators and students alike, Lisa is a hands-on project leader, working with school leadership, administration, and facilities personnel to provide meaningful solutions to operational and functional challenges. She holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Architecture from Norwich University and brings 15 years of experience to her role.
Angie Taylor, Principal
Angie began her career in education in 2000, after graduating from USM’s ETEP program. She taught 9-12 grade humanities at Portland Regional High School. She then went on to lead Elm Street Elementary School and Baxter Academy for Technology and Science. Engaging in STEM work at Baxter has pushed her to consider ways to integrate STEM at the elementary level. She has been the principal at Presumpscot for several years.
Caron Morse, LMSW
Care and compassion for the needs and wellbeing of children have been the hallmarks of Caron’s professional career. With over 20 years of experience in diverse roles, Caron has made a positive and lasting impact. For the past nine years, she has been a School Social Worker with Portland Public Schools in Maine. She has also been a Resident Clinical at Spurwink, a Clinical Case Worker with Counseling Services Inc, and a Case Manager with Community Counseling Center. Caron earned a MSW in Clinical Social Work from the University of New England and a BA from Colby-Sawyer College. She is also a trauma certified clinician and has piloted 3 years of school based SEL initiatives to better meet the needs of students.
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Success = Luck + Preparation – Discovering a modern high school design that fits and equates to a flexible, collaborative environment exceeding academic technology objectives |
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A case study of Penn Manor High School. The success at Penn Manor High school is the story of a dedicated and visionary administration with Crabtree Rohrbaugh Associates, Architects to explore more ways to develop a student-oriented culture and a collaborative teaching approach within a flexible learning environment that projects well into the future. This session will profile how a school district applied its vision to transform the design of their high school to promote student movement, collaboration, socialization, and communication through the principal of each student having an individual academic schedule and pathway. A 3-year phased, occupied renovation and additions project shifted all the educational spaces to create optimum adjacencies; created a multi-story public lobby to improve safety and developed a STEM core to broaden the educational curriculum through collaborative learning. Balancing district expectations during the pandemic while focusing on the guiding principles further strengthened the communications process established at the planning stages of the project. The District clearly became the champions of the process and the project in every aspect.
Learning Objectives:
- Examine guiding principles and their influence throughout the design and construction process.
- Describe how collaboration and collaborative spaces reconfigure educational facilities.
- Define the impacts that technology has on students and staff.
- Apply practical solutions, techniques, and strategies to plan and create dynamic learning environments.
Lawrence Levato, Principal, Crabtree, Rohrbaugh Architects
Larry is a Principal at Crabtree, Rohrbaugh Architects with over 23 years of experience designing educational facilities in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Within the firm, he is committed to mentoring the next generation of educational planners and designers and takes and active role in staffing as well as leading the efforts in the firm’s motto of “A client-oriented approach to design.” Since 2010, Larry has been an active A4LE member and has participated in numerous initiatives including assisting in the development and planning of the organization’s yearly conferences, involving presentations at conferences as well as serving as juror for various educational planning awards at the regional level and as part of the SchoolsNEXT Design Competition. He is currently serving as the past president of the Northeast Region of A4LE with a focus of enhancing the strategic initiatives of the region. Larry holds a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Rhode Island School of Design and is also a retired Navy Lieutenant after spending 21 years in Naval Intelligence.
Dr. Phil Gale, Superintendent, Penn Manor School District
Dr. Gale serves as the Superintendent of Schools for Penn Manor School District in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. he has 23 years of public school administration in the Penn Manor School District serving as an assistant superintendent, high school principal, and assistant principal. Prior to coming to Penn Manor, Dr. Gale taught Social Studies in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, and Quincy Public Schools in Quincy, Massachusetts. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Social Studies from Elizabethtown College and his master’s in Educational Leadership from Millersville University. Dr. Gale also received a doctorate of education from Immaculata University. Under his leadership Penn Manor completed a $100 million dollar renovation to the high school and was recognized by US News and World Report Magazine eight consecutive years as a Best Public High School.
Charlie Reisinger, Chief Information Officer, Penn Manor School District
Charlie serves as the Chief Information Officer for Penn Manor School District in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His portfolio includes educational technology programs, IT operations, and data information services. Under his leadership Penn Manor launched an internationally recognized one-to-one laptop learning program and unique student help desk. His book, The Open Schoolhouse, chronicles more than 15 years of innovative open source learning programs at Penn Manor School District. Charlie’s academic interests and specialties include academic technology leadership, cybersecurity, and how AI and emerging technologies challenge school leaders to rethink teaching and learning. He currently teaches IT Security, Privacy, and Ethics for the Lombardo College of Business at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. Previously, he was an adjunct graduate program instructor at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and Philadelphia University.
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The ProSocial Learning Environment™ and its Impact on Student Learning |
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Today's students thrive in learning environments where the space fosters building of relationships. This session will provide a road map to creating future ready, liberated learners who own their own learning within a safe environment. Creating a ProSocial Learning Environment™ through design, training, and support is a key component to keeping students socially, emotionally, intellectually, and physically safe. These student-centered learning environments support accelerated engagement and lead to an innovative learning and collaborative culture. The session will focus on creating safe spaces by utilizing expertise in designing as well as training staff to leverage their learning space as a tool for learning.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand how students learn and how the environment is important in this learning process.
- Identify the learning behaviors of today's students.
- Understand how the Global Covid Pandemic has affected students and their learning.
- Understand how designing learning spaces which promote healthy and supportive human interactions can lead to an overall higher quality learning experience.
Michelle Costello, Learning Experience Coordinator
In her 20 years as an educator, Michelle has worked with students, teachers, and administrators in a variety of PreK-12 settings. Her experiences include working as a teacher, Reading Specialist, Interventionist, Instructional Coach, Associate Principal, Principal, Special Education Chairperson, and Educational Consultant. Currently, Michelle works as a Learning Experience Coordinator at Meteor Education. Her goal is to empower teachers and education leaders to create academically engaging learning experiences through an environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, and social well-being. She is certified in Life Space Crisis Intervention and also holds 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. Michelle received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education, and a Master’s Degree in Reading Education from New York College at Cortland. She earned her Certificates of Advanced Study in Leadership Development, Building Level Administration, and District Level Administration from Lemoyne College. With her area of expertise in Multi-Tiered-Systems of Support, her passion is in working within a team-based approach to create effective systems, structures, and strategies to increase student achievement outcomes for all learners.
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Reimagining PK-12 Schools for the 4th Industrial Revolution: A New Design DNA for Schools |
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This session will present the elements of a new programming language to design new PK-12 Schools. For years Education Planners and Architects have discussed and tested design ideas for new schools built in the rapidly unfolding 21st century. But while ideas about transforming the curriculum and expanding the pedagogical toolkit evolved, the notion of how the design of a new school should be organized remained static. As 2023 begins, we look around and realize we are no longer designing schools for the children of tomorrow. We are now in the first years of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. So, architects, planners, educators, and administrators must realign their design ideas for a new era. What is this new era we have entered? How did we get here? What do our children and grandchildren need to be successful in this new era? What hard and soft skills must they master to be happy? How must the learning environment of PK-12 schools evolve to get them there? We now have all the design and pedagogical tools we need to create a learning environment to support truly liberated learners. Let’s get to it! The Presentation Overview If you threw out the traditional design rules for a PK-12 school, the government-mandated directives on how to design a school, and started from scratch, what would it look like? What would emerge if you started with a blank sheet of paper and considered the child's needs first? It's been evident for many years now to all of us in this rarified design field that the antiquated "Cells and Bells” school model can no longer support the development of the human skills, competencies, and behaviors essential for young adults at this time in our history and in the coming decades. To succeed in the rapidly developing, AI-Driven digital world of the mid-21st century, a school’s learning environment must prepare students to thrive in the fourth industrial revolution. For this presentation, I will focus on the new Garden City Elementary School, one of the first schools in the northeast to be conceived using a new programming language or “Design DNA.” The old rulebooks were thrown out at Garden City. There are no corridors with rows of self-contained classrooms. The entire school is designed around the design concept of a Learning Community model. A Learning Community is a powerful ensemble of spaces. At its heart is a shared "Learning Commons," a social hub and central venue for teaching and student-directed learning. Surrounding this agile and flexible learning hub is a collection of learning studios, smaller than the traditional classroom and in assorted sizes, plus a collection of small group rooms and seminar spaces. The result is rather liberating for the students and teachers. This new programming approach is focused on the needs of the student first rather than a pre-conceived architectural design idea, where the needs of the student come in second. With the elimination of corridors and autonomous classrooms, new freedom in the Language of School Design has occurred. In reaction to this shift in pedagogical programming, the fundamental morphology “School” building design has shifted away from the rectilinear factory or office building form to something more organic. New schools must be far more than a place to work and learn. It is also where we build relationships with others, find out how we work collaboratively, develop a sense of ourselves, and discover how we fit into our world and society. We believe that it takes an entire community to educate a child. Learning Community design strategies are grounded in best practices for cognitive development and learning while proactively focused on wellness and well-being, digital innovation, and problem-solving.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn the program elements of the new Learning Community model.
- Introduce the difference between student wellness and well-being and how they support one another in the design of a school.
- Review various technical and sustainability goals implicit in this new type of school design.
Including, but not limited to, Acoustics, exceeding ASHRAE standards for fresh air, ventilation, filtration, and new lighting standards.
- Discuss improvements to school security with this new model and the ALICE protocols.
Jay Litman, AIA, NCARB Founder
Jay has been a studio head and a partner with Fielding International (FKA FNI) for the past 17 years. Beginning in April 2021, Jay will be leaving Fielding International to form an independent consulting group that will offer design consultation and tackle the many facets of changes necessary to continue the global momentum of school reform. For 43 years, Jay has planned and designed schools in the US and over 20 countries. He has spoken before many school organizations, including the A4LE, Ed Spaces, the AAIE, and NEOCON, and participated in panel discussions in Russia and Indonesia.
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| FRIDAY | APRIL 28, 2023 | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm |
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Creating Future Ready Career and Tech Ed Educational Spaces |
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CTE isn’t just the old school vocational program anymore. How does a school keep up with the demanding changes and fast paced environment of CTE? Come hear some tips on starting or expanding your program, the elements to consider in your program, and see some great new environments for students.
Learning Objectives:
- Learners will define career and technical education.
- Learners will understand the pathways in CTE.
- Learners will be able to describe planning for future CTE.
- Learners will be able to describe designs fitting for CTE.
Sue Ann Highland, PhD, National Education Strategist, School Specialty
Dr. Sue Ann Highland is the National Education Strategist for School Specialty. She is a retired building and district administrator with over 25 years’ experience working with schools and districts across the country. As a growth and improvement expert and Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, she has extensive experience in developing professional development and systemic change initiatives. She has held positions such as consultant, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Principal, Federal Programs Director, and CTE Director with a specialty in turn around and improvement. She has worked with public, private, and charter organizations throughout her career. As an Industrial Organizational Psychologist, her passion is helping people and processes come together. She has provided coaching and consulting for districts in the areas of recovery from crisis, brain-focused instruction, collaborative learning, high risk instruction, Career and Tech Education programs, writing, and reading instruction among other topics. Over the last five years, she has had the opportunity to marry that district experience with work in instructional environments. She has the expertise to bring a district’s vision for teaching and learning and the physical environment together to create the most impactful spaces for students.
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Achieving Learning Between (Class)(Rooms) – Setting the bar high for hybrid learning environments |
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While faced with stiff obstacles and yet remaining good stewards of county funding, Goochland County Public Schools (GCPS) harnessed creativity in educational planning and a disciplined approach to building design to preserve their vision for fostering next generation learning focused on student growth. During the visioning sessions of 2021, stakeholders across the community focused their attention on four principles to guide the design of a new Pre-K through 5th Grade Elementary School. The new school will be flexible and adaptable, collaborative and engaging, student-centered and age-appropriate, and connected to the site and nature. While many projects start out with early “blue-sky” discussions but struggle to retain their aspirations through the design, this group was passionate about setting a course which would bring this vision into reality—and our team was honored to support the initiative with a rigorous approach to design. It's about more than a colorful space—it’s about how students discover. Contemporary research continues to flourish describing how people overcome boundaries to broaden their awareness and their growth. Spaces which promote learning on display, crossing paths with people with different experiences, and interconnected routines help us gently pull away from the initial appeal of surrounding ourselves with people who are just like us, and instead help transform our lives by reducing barriers to discovery and learning. These efforts are uncomfortable at first and yet exciting and transformative once we know how the journey opens our eyes. Applying this model to GCPS’s vision, instructors can employ a variety of shared resources spaces, ranging from enclosed to partially enclosed to open—each differentiated to support student development. As student responsibility and independence grows, students can partner with teachers to leverage the appropriate range of freedom and independence to use those spaces for focus work or team projects. Experiences which allow us to cross paths with and interact with people who are different from helps us grow and flourish--the antidote to homophily (birds of a feather stick together), is in-fact interconnected experiences. Ultimately, the team coalesced around this core theme—the interior character of the space must directly augment and promote interconnection between students—and much like a geode conceals its spectacular unique center, the exterior would calmly and humbly hint at the content within. In this presentation, we will hear from the design team in a session to equip the audience to nurture their project vision by applying a disciplined approach to topics which could have detracted from the place, but were leveraged for multiple benefits. Topics include evaluating the following: the construction type to provide the highest & best balance of cost and place-making by eliminating water storage tanks and fire walls resulting in more integrated learning environments; accounting for security coiling door to address lockdown procedures and after hours public use; careful implementation of the building code in relation to spatial organization to avoid needing enclosed stairs allowing for space and cost savings while also providing a more engaging means of movement and learning on display; visualizing a simple wayfinding strategy for both students and first responders navigate the building with the assistance of the finishes; and critical single moves with multiple benefits, such as a clerestory zone which provides natural light and character while functioning as the zoning-required mechanical screening. We’re excited to share how these disciplined approaches upheld the aspirations for of a concept of a next generation heart-of-the-school which supports students learning in a hybrid collection of age-appropriate and engaging spaces.
Learning Objectives:
- Be able to identify opportunities to leverage different building construction types to accomplish project goals with cost-saving potential impacts.
- Develop a deeper awareness of how reviewing applicable building code stair requirements in parallel with early building planning strategies may open-up opportunities rather than add constraints.
- Become equipped with strategies for coordinating building systems which augment the learning environment.
- Deepen knowledge of the impact of the impact of good wayfinding and visibility for students learning and for supporting needs of first-responders.
Gabriel Hohag, AIA, Associate and Sr. Project Architect, Stantec
Gabriel is an architect and critical-thinking advocate. Curiosity for him began as a young artist and continued through studies and teaching at Cornell University. In 13 years of architectural practice, his teams synthesized stakeholder goals into transformative built environments across K-12 and higher education. At Stantec, he is intent on empowering designers to engage diverse perspectives, cultivate design acumen, and sketch with the rigor of building science and building codes at the ready.
Jax Nemitz, Project Designer
Jax brings 7 years of architectural design to positively impact spaces meant for human flourishing. She likes to explore the visualization of place-making, including leveraging augmented reality tools to support informed client decisions.
Bill Bradley, PhD, AIA, ALEP, LEED AP, Principal | Practice Leader
Bill is a planner and architect with 25 years' experience working with school districts across the country to leverage design in service of education. In addition to his work with districts, Dr. Bradley is a former professor of education, Stantec's practice leader in the Mid-Atlantic, an ALEP, and Past Chair of the A4LE's international board of directors. He was the principal in charge of the new Goochland Elementary School and led the visioning and programming effort.
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”This is so meant for us!” Student-Focused Design to Inspire Personal Achievement – the Next Generation High School |
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This session will profile how local business and industry inspired the design of the new Upper Merion Area High School (UMAHS) in King of Prussia, a suburb of Philadelphia. Speakers will include Upper Merion Area School District representatives and the architectural firm SCHRADERGROUP to discuss the educational limitations of the existing traditional high school designed in the 1960s as compared to the design of the new high school. The panel will discuss how adapting a college/work environment at the high school level will prepare UMASD students as they transition to higher education and the work environment. The new facility will provide higher education level spaces to engage in interactive learning activities of research, develop, and present. Hi-tech industry workspaces; a core curriculum academic wing, with a STEAM-based central core, is connected by 3-story learning stairs; and multi-project and team-based spaces integrated throughout the school offer collaborative and research-based learning opportunities in flexible spaces to complement how students learn in a variety of learning environments. The two-story student commons at the heart of the facility is a mixed-use space with dining/café opportunities throughout the day and for events. The school will offer other opportunities to students at the secondary level. The new 9-12 high school was deliberately designed to provide a physical connection to the existing 6-8 middle school for shared resources as part of this “secondary campus.” The direct access to the high school provides the opportunity for middle school students to take courses relevant to their interests across the grade structures as opposed to within their grade and age-specific learning spaces. The athletic venues including the competition gym, pool and fitness areas improve wellness and promote physical activity for all.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will obtain an understanding of how learning environments have an impactful influence on students' various learning styles and unique needs.
- Participants will be introduced to a design process that evolved into a facility that embraced inclusivity and provides more opportunities for the students and community.
- Participants will be able to compare students' experience with traditional post-industrial learning environments versus learning environments that offer flexibility, collaboration-promoting, research-based learning-focused spaces needed to prepare students for higher education programs and real-world trends in the workforce.
- Participants will learn how to adapt next-generation learning concepts into their instructional model.
David Schrader, FAIA, A4LE Fellow, LEED AP, Principal in Charge and Academic Programmer, Planner, and Designer
For three decades, David has dedicated his career to designing educational facilities. Actively involved in the A4LE organization since 2010 (formally CEFPI), he has served as the Northeast Regional Chair and International Chair for the organization. As the Managing Partner of the SCHRADERGROUP, David leads the design team throughout the project to develop and execute design solutions that inspire lifelong learners
Dr. John Toleno, EdD, Superintendent of Schools
Dr. John Toleno has been a Superintendent for over 21 years and has served in that capacity at the Upper Merion Area School District for the past seven. He has been in education for over 39 years and was a teacher of industrial arts and technology education for six years prior to becoming an administrator. Dr. Toleno has been directly involved in over 400 million dollars in construction projects related directly to educational facilities.
Jonathan Bauer, Principal, Upper Merion Area High School
Jonathan has been the principal of Upper Merion Area High School in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania since 2005. In his 27 years in education, he has spent over 22 years as a school administrator and 5 years as a mathematics teacher. Currently, Jonathan serves as the Pennsylvania State Coordinator for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).
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Teacher First Design: Decentering learning environments to promote healthy workplaces |
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This 90-minute workshop session will illuminate the importance of healing teachers to encourage healthy learning environments for students through public health and education research. Although students spend 15,000 hours in a school by the time they graduate, the average tenure for a K-12 teacher is more than 14 years. When we design only for learners, we limit the opportunity for optimizing a critical workplace and reducing adverse occupational exposures that impact body and mind. Early in the design phase, we have the opportunity to engage and integrate the voice of educators. This is not a like to have, but a must have, especially for teachers of color who disproportionately experience marginalization, discrimination, and the burden of additional responsibilities. With the rates of teacher turnover climbing, we need to prioritize designing spaces where teachers experience belonging, restoration, and the desire to work. Led by the Founder and Executive Director of Healing Schools Project, this session will be held as a community circle to model and highlight anti-racist, trauma-informed practices. These conversations will dive into the specific need for intentional design that serves the most marginalized teachers and staff. We will share existing solutions and collectively identify potential solutions to improve the physical environment to promote psychological well-being. Research from the Human Experience Lab at Perkins&Will highlights a holistic health framework that reduces harmful occupational exposures, improves teacher efficiency and flexibility, and promotes teachers health overall.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the importance of incorporating educator voice in school design to promote emotional and physical health.
- Engage in Healing Schools Project’s experiential process of elevating stakeholder voice in school design by participating in a circle.
- Apply intentional design principles applied by two organizations that design schools with teachers.
- Identify at least two opportunities to implement intentional design practices that center teachers in their work.
Wenimo Okoya, EdD, MPH, Founder and Executive Director
Wenimo (she/her) is a healing-centered educator, program developer, and researcher who has spent her career advocating for and partnering with communities of color. She started her career as a middle school teacher in Newark, NJ and after seeing that both education and health disparities were affecting her students and their families, she decided that good teaching was not enough. This realization pushed her to pursue a Master of Public Health at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and a Doctor of Education in Health Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Erika Eitland, ScD, MPH, Director, Human Experience Research Lab, Perkins&Will
Dr. Erika Eitland is the Director of the Human Experience Lab at Perkins&Will. Erika received her doctorate from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health in Environmental Health where she authored the ‘Schools for Health: Foundations for Student Success’ report that examined the association between building quality and student health and performance. Erika advises on national policy for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as a member of the Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee.
Brooke Trivas, Principal, NE K-12 Practice Leader
Brooke is the Northeast Practice Leader for K-12 at Perkins&Will. After more than 30 years of experience, Brooke started Boston’s PK-12 practice. Building on the firm’s legacy of designing for schools, Brooke has nurtured the growth of this practice, bringing sustainable, inspiring, and inclusive spaces to students and teachers. Her award winning designs are a result of an equitable process that takes all users into consideration.
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| FRIDAY | APRIL 28, 2023 | 12:30 – 2:00 pm |
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Lunch Panel Discussion |
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On Friday, April 28 during the lunch break, A4LE will facilitate a discussion panel of educators of different backgrounds.
The focus of the discussion will be 5 content areas which include:
- Social Emotional Health
- Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Fostering Student Agency
- Inspiring love of learning
Participants will share relevant experiences on these general ideas and how each may affect student experience, curriculum, and facilities themselves.
Dr. Marie Hubley Alcock
Dr. Alcock is an educational consultant, speaker, and author who specializes in the fields of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. She has worked with schools and organizations both national and internationally to implement the best practices in education. Dr. Alcock is the president of Learning Systems Associates, a consulting group that supports schools and districts as they transition to contemporary learning models. She is the founder of Tomorrow’s Education Network – a nonprofit dedicated to promoting student literacy.
Dr. Alcock’s work in education focuses on areas such as curriculum mapping, formative assessment, and differentiated instruction. She has collaborated with notable educational experts, including Heidi Hayes Jacobs, to support schools and educators in their efforts to create a more effective and modern learning environment for their students. She has also written or co-authored several books on education-related topics.
Erin Little, Public School Clinician, Spurwink Services
Every person possesses natural creativity, and this creativity is an innate support system for the human experience. Erin is an expressive arts therapist who combines visual art, dance/movement, music, and dramatics to offer children and adolescents space to explore, process, and discover through their creativity. She works for Spurwink Services as a public school clinician in an urban middle school in Southern Maine. Following years of working with children, teens, and adults, Erin recognizes the importance of mental wellness as an integral part of every individual, school, community, and society.
Chris Lehmann, Founding Principal, Science Leadership Academy, CEO of SLA Schools
Chris is the founding principal and CEO of the Science Leadership Academy and the Science Leadership Academy Schools network, a network of three progressive schools inside the School District of Philadelphia, PA. The Science Leadership Academy Schools are an inquiry-driven, project-based, 1:1 laptop schools that are considered to be one of the pioneers of the School 2.0 movement nationally and internationally. The Science Leadership Academy is the Dell Computing Center of Excellence for Technology in Education. The school was recognized by Ladies Home Journal as one of the Ten Most Amazing Schools in the US, was recognized as a “Breaking Ranks” Model School by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and is recognized as the Dell Computing Center of Excellence in Education. SLA has been written about in many publications including Edutopia Magazine, EdWeek and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
In 2013, Chris co-founded the non-profit Inquiry Schools with Diana Laufenberg to help more schools create more empowering, modern learning experiences for students. In partnership with Inquiry Schools, Chris co-founded Science Leadership Academy @ Beeber campus, the second campus in the SLA model in 2013, and in 2016, Chris co-founded Science Leadership Academy Middle School. Before returning to his native Philadelphia to open SLA, Chris spent nine years as an English Teacher, Technology Coordinator, Girls Basketball Coach and Ultimate Frisbee coach at the Beacon School in New York City.
Chris is the 2014 winner of the McGraw Prize in Education. In 2022, Metro Philadelphia named Chris the Best Principal in Philadelphia. In 2019, the National Association of Secondary School Principals recognized Chris as the Digital Principal of the Year. During 2016 and 2017, Chris served on Scholastic’s National Advisory Council. Chris was recognized by the Philly Geek Awards for being the 2016 Mission Leader of the Year. In June 2013, Chris was named Outstanding Leader of the Year by the International Society of Technology in Education. In November of 2012, Chris was named one of Dell’s #Inspire100 – one of the 100 people changing the world using Social Media. In April of 2012, Chris won the Lindback Award for Excellence in Principal Leadership in the School District of Philadelphia. In September of 2011, Chris was honored by the White House as a Champion of Change for his work in education reform. In June 2010, Chris was named as one of the “30 Most Influential People in EdTech” by Technology & Learning Magazine. In 2009, Chris was a honoree for the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development’s Outstanding Young Educator Award. Chris was named as one of “40 Under 40” by Philadelphia Business Journal in 2009. In 2006, the National School Board Association named Chris one of “20 to Watch” among American administrators. In 2001, Chris was honored by MOUSE as a Champion of Technology and Education for his work on building the portal at the Beacon School.
Chris has written for such education publications as Principal Leadership Magazine, Learning and Leading with Technology Magazine, and the School Library Journal. Chris has spoken at conferences all over the world, including TEDxPhilly, TEDxNYED, the National Principals Conference, SXSW, SXSWedu, the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Building Learning Communities conference, the International Society of Technology in Education, the Philadelphia Area Educational Technology Conference, The Florida Educational Technology Conference, the Innovative Learning Conference, The Council of Educational Facilities Planners Regional Conference, the K12-Online Conference, the International Conference on Technology and Education and at the Central and Eastern European Schools Association Conference, and he has worked with many schools and districts all over the world as a consultant.
Chris currently serves on the board of the Philadelphia Learning Collaborative, the Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance and on the Advisory board of the Drexel School of Education.
Chris received his B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania and his M.A. in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Chris is co-author of Building School 2.0: How to Create the Schools We Need, co-editor of What School Leaders Need to Know about Digital Technologies and Social Media, the author of the education blog Practical Theory and is father to Jakob and Theo who both go to SLA schools.
Kate Lubrano, Director of Knowledge Management and Credentialing, A4LE
Kate recently joined A4LE as the Director of Knowledge Management and Credentialing. Before joining A4LE, she was a professional school counselor for 16 years in Title I elementary schools in Virginia. She has served as an adjunct professor in Counselor Education at the College of William and Mary and has worked in private practice counseling with adolescents. She believes in the value of empowering school communities, and building genuine relationships and connection with the students, families, and community.
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| FRIDAY | APRIL 28, 2023 | 2:00 – 3:00 pm |
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Beliefs, Pedagogy, and Equitable Classroom Design |
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During this session, participants will explore a 5-year project in which teachers of the Brighton Central School District, a suburb of Rochester, NY, explore the limits of the traditional 1950 classroom layout to break patterns of inequity by redesigning their classroom through new furniture layouts. The District's buildings were built in the 60s. The project challenges teachers to break old patterns of behavior sustained by buildings designed for a standardized and individualistic model that does not meet the demands of today's student-centered pedagogies. Participants will engage with the theory guiding the design process and see the classroom patterns that have emerged over the five years of teachers' work to find coherence between beliefs, behavior, and design.
Learning Objectives:
- Explore the operation of the classroom and its impact on learning.
- Understand the latest pedagogical practices and how the curriculum is enacted in the classroom.
- Unpack how patterns of inequity emerge for the way classrooms environments might be envisioned by both designers and educators.
Maria Murillo, Director for Professional Development, Brighton Central School District
Maria is the Director of Professional Development in the Brighton Central School District, supporting professional growth opportunities for the Brighton community. She received her bachelor's of Architecture from the Pontificia Bolivarian University in Medellin, Colombia. Eventually, she became a faculty member teaching History of Art and Architecture and serving as a member of the curriculum council for the school of architecture. After her seven-year career as an architect, Maria moved to the United States and started a new career in K-12 public education, completing her master's in educational administration. Since 2012, her focus has been exploring educational learning environments that support cultures of thinking, curiosity, and creativity, which led her to study the school classroom as an architectural and conceptual learning environment. In 2020, Maria became an Accredited Learning Environments Planner (ALEP).
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Hobbs Career Technical Education Center: A Vision for a Community Realized |
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How does a small community in Southeast New Mexico create a new CTECH Facility that will positively impact the local school district, city, and region for decades to come? We will show how the “vision” was born, developed, and funded by engaging their partners and inspiring their community. We will discuss the innovative planning and design strategies to support advanced industry equipment, technology and training curriculum – while providing long-term adaptability with collaborative and cross-disciplinary spaces. In addition, we will present how the Hobbs Municipal Schools worked with their industry partners to secure teaching and administrative staff for this "gateway facility" and how the project continues to inspire students, parents, and teachers with a continuing community involvement. Finally, we will share how a new integrated "branding" program strategy was developed for client, based on design concept and approach that is now the basis of the marketing, public relations and social media platforms for their programs.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn how to begin the Visioning Process for a CTE Project.
- Learn how to determine the best CTE Pathways and Programs for a Community.
- Learn how to engage community, partners on local governments.
- Learn about CTE design Innovation and Integrated Design Process.
- Learn about future-ready approaches to flexible planning to ensure adaptability.
- Learn about the construction process and coordination and accommodation of specialty equipment and technology.
- Learn how to develop and coordinate “Branding” for CTE Projects and Programs.
Theodore Pappas AIA, ALEP, NCARB, LEED AP, Senior Planner for Education | CTE Specialist
Theo has over 35 years of experience in the programming, planning and design of educational facilities, with a specialization in Career Technical Education. Theo earned his BS in Architecture in 1978 and Master of Architecture in 1980 from the University of Michigan School of Architecture. He is a licensed architect, Accredited Learning Environment Planner, NCARB Certified and has planned and designed several award-winning projects including the Genesee Career Institute, the Saline County CTE Center, the Romeo Engineering and Technology Center, and recently completed comprehensive CTE Master Plan for the Austin ISD. Theo has served on the AIA Board and AIA Committee on Architecture for Education as co-chair of its 2015 National Conference in Detroit. He has also been a regional board member of the A4LE and was chair for its 2010 Conference on Education in Grand Rapids. Mr. Pappas has published and presented at numerous conferences and events.
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Removing the Restraints to Healthy Learning Environments |
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The International Well Building Institute launched it's WELL building standard in October of 2014. Unlike other sustainable building standards, WELL is solely focused on the Health and Wellbeing of the people who use our built environments. Yet, there remains very few schools that have taken advantage of the WELL building standard. Just like other preceding groundbreaking standards, such as the LEED standard, there are many perceived "restraints" as to why using this holistic, science-based approach to creating healthy environments is so hard to achieve. In our session we look to free educators, planners, and designers, from these thoughts of how difficult it may seem to apply this standard; thereby liberating our learners and school communities from the existing conditions of our nation's schools. We wish to hear about your perceived obstacles to using this standard and seeking certification. We also wish to share insight on strategies that can help employ the WELL concepts, features, and optimizations into your Visioning, Planning, Design, and Construction process....as well as your budgets and schedules. Considering that over time other certification & verification programs have led many of our schools towards a very important sustainable future, once we free ourselves from the unknown or assumed obstacles, WELL may become the most important approach to planning our learning environments.
Learning Objectives:
- Learning about WELL Concepts, Preconditions, Features, and Optimizations.
- Learning how WELL can inform the learning environment's visioning, planning and programming process.
- Learning strategies on how to employ the WELL standard into the design and construction process.
Ron Lamarre AIA, ALEP, ALA, LEED-WELL AP, Architect | Accredited Learning Environment Planner
As a planner and architect focused on the vision, planning, and design of inspiring, meaningful, and healthy environments that encourage life-long learning, Ron's success has always been attributed to listening to clients, colleagues, industry partners, and all members of our community. He believes leading the process that creates memorable places and spaces is an honor; requiring constant innovation found in continuous research to understand and implement evolving technologies that enable long-lasting value and a sustainable future.
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TechEd as Cornerstone of an Innovative High School Program: Not Your Parents’ Woodshop |
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The incorporation of career and technical-based education as a foundational curricular element of a comprehensive secondary school program is an evolving strategy in public education. In this session, this trend will be explored by an architect and representatives from two school districts that recently opened new high school facilities. While both districts similarly prioritized the elevation and expansion of their technical education programs as part of the facility projects, its expression varied considerably due to fundamental differences in programmatic priorities, community profiles, and site contexts. The reimagined Altoona Area High School in the industrial center of Blair County PA opened in 2020 for 2,800 students in grades 9-12. Composed of several discrete buildings in an urban grid linked by pedestrian bridges, the modernized facility was constructed over several phases and influenced by the necessity to maintain uninterrupted school occupancy. A robust retooled technical education program includes specialized spaces for robotics, engineering, CNC milling, materials production, business education, media studies, textiles and fashion, culinary arts, and graphic arts. The new Avon Grove High School in the historic farming community of southern Chester County PA opened in 2022 for 1,750 students in grades 9-12. Constructed on a previously vacant, sprawling 153-acre tract, the project included development of a comprehensive new campus including a full gamut of indoor and outdoor community and athletics facilities. Many new spaces were incorporated to support an enhanced technical education program in fields such as digital arts and graphic design, jewelry design, business, computer science, media studies, textiles and fashion, culinary arts, and advanced materials. The session will be led by Mr. Andrew Neely, Principal of Altoona Area High School; Dr. Scott DeShong, Assistant Superintendent of Avon Grove School District; and Michael Kelly, AIA, ALEP, LEED AP, principal architect for both projects. Some background information on influences shaping this trend will be provided followed by an introduction to both projects and discussion of the challenges and opportunities navigated to achieve their shared goal of advancing technical education.
Learning Objectives:
- Enumerate the programmatic shift occurring in technical education programs in comprehensive public schools.
- Understand evolving student needs and expectations for technical education.
- Identify the facility parameters required to support technical education.
- Recognize challenges and opportunities associated with expanding a technical education program in a comprehensive public school.
Michael Kelly, AIA, ALEP, LEED AP, Principal, KCBA Architects
Michael is a Principal of KCBA Architects and leads the firm’s primary focus of educational facility planning and design. In this role, he has acted as principal architect for over 25 major K-12 and higher education initiatives. A graduate of Syracuse University, Mike currently serves as the architectural representative to the PA School Safety and Security Committee and as a member of the AIA Pennsylvania Sub-Committee for Education.
Andrew Neely, M.Ed., Principal, Altoona Area High School
Andrew is the Principal of Altoona Area High School in Altoona PA, a comprehensive regional public school serving 2,800 students. He was elevated to this position in 2016 after having served as Assistant Principal for four years. Prior to that he spent time as a classroom teacher and technology coach as well as an electronics technician in the US Navy. Andy holds an M.Ed. from Saint Francis University and B.S. from Penn State.
Scott DeShong, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent, Avon Grove School District
Scott is an Assistant Superintendent in the Avon Grove School District, a K-12 district serving approximately 5,100 students in Chester County PA. Previously, as the high school principal at Avon Grove, Scott was very involved in the development of the instructional program and the design of the new high school building. Prior to Avon Grove, Scott’s career has included stints as a school administrator and educator in the State College Area School District. He holds an Ed.D. from California University of Pennsylvania, an M. Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh, and a B.S. from Penn State University.
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| FRIDAY | APRIL 28, 2023 | 3:00 – 4:00 pm |
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The Socially & Emotionally Responsive Environment: Aligning Space and Practice Where Learners Thrive |
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If you plant a seed in the proper environment and care for it based on its needs, it will likely grow. The same can be said for students, who enter schools with trauma, stress, and growing academic and social demands from everyone around them, including themselves. How do we create the proper environment where students feel liberated to find their voice, take academic and social risks, and thrive? Come learn as we explore the topics of teaching, learning, social/emotional wellness, and space through an integration of two perspectives: One perspective focused on teaching, learning, and social/emotional wellness from a 25+ year educator; and, One perspective focused on the impacts of educational planning and space on teaching and learning from a 17-year educator turned educational planner. As educational consultants, planners, and educators with over 25-years classroom experience, we will use our deep knowledge and experience with students to define ways in which space and practice (pedagogy) can be aligned to build community, minimize behavioral dysregulation, increase trauma sensitivity, and ultimately create an environment where learners thrive! Our presentation will take an integrated approach where we weave in research and anecdotal evidence while modeling best practices in teaching, learning, and space design. Participation will include direct instruction and tabletop work as participants are asked to play the roles of students, teachers, and planners/designers. Through hands-on work and discussion, participants will be challenged to examine student liberation from a 4-point intersection where curriculum, instruction, learning, and the learning environment collide.
Learning Objectives:
- Gain an understanding of how teaching, learning, and space (each separately and combined) can impact student learning and social/emotional wellness.
- Gain an understanding of best practices in educational planning and space design to support student well-being.
- Learn how programming conversations between architects and educators (and the resulting design and layout of a classroom) can elevate the teaching and learning experience for end users
- Learn about ways in which educators establish community within a classroom and school and how the planning and design of the building itself can help support that practice.
Mike Pirollo, ALEP, Owner, Educational Design Principal, My Learning Place (MLP) Integrated Design
Mike, owner and Educational Design Principal of My Learning Place (MLP) Integrated Design; Mike is an Accredited Learning Environment Planner as designated by the Association for Learning Environment and has been a public-school teacher for nearly 20 years holding positions including middle school English/drama teacher, English Department Chair, high school TV production teacher, and elementary technology integrator/media specialist. As a current licensed educator, consultant, and educational planner, Mike brings a unique, on-the-ground passion and integrated perspective for all things teaching and learning.
Paul White, M.Ed., Teacher & Educational Consultant
Paul is a licensed PK-2 early childhood educator in the state of Massachusetts and PK-8 licensed educator in Maine. He is also a certified Responsive Classroom (RC) consultant. Paul has served as a public-school educator since 1997 and has experience teaching kindergarten through third grade in a variety of diverse academic settings. In addition to his work at MLP, Paul is a kindergarten teacher at the Francis T. Bresnahan Elementary School in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
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Career and Tech ED Space Designs – Creating Innovative Spaces for the Future |
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Are you creating or renovating CTE spaces like Agriculture, Robotics, Medical, Esports, hospitality, and others? How can you design these spaces to ensure they are flexible and future ready? Let us share elements of learning environment design that will help think out of the box on these new designs.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the requirements of a CTE program.
- Identify how to best design elements of a CTE learning environment.
- Discuss examples of CTE environments.
- Understand the connection to standards and instruction.
Sue Ann Highland, PhD, National Education Strategist, School Specialty
Dr. Sue Ann Highland is the National Education Strategist for School Specialty. She is a retired building and district administrator with over 25 years’ experience working with schools and districts across the country. As a growth and improvement expert and Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, she has extensive experience in developing professional development and systemic change initiatives. She has held positions such as consultant, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Principal, Federal Programs Director, and CTE Director with a specialty in turn around and improvement. She has worked with public, private, and charter organizations throughout her career. As an Industrial Organizational Psychologist, her passion is helping people and processes come together. She has provided coaching and consulting for districts in the areas of recovery from crisis, brain-focused instruction, collaborative learning, high risk instruction, Career and Tech Education programs, writing, and reading instruction among other topics. Over the last five years, she has had the opportunity to marry that district experience with work in instructional environments. She has the expertise to bring a district’s vision for teaching and learning and the physical environment together to create the most impactful spaces for students.
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Breaking Down the Walls to the 21st Century: A Holistic Approach to Progressive Facilities |
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K12 and Higher Education institutions frequently grapple with how to deal with aging facilities that no longer reflect current pedagogical approaches and are in conflict with broader institutional goals regarding sustainability. An opportunity exists to liberate the end-users from the limitations that past modes instruction and their architectural implementations impose on students and faculty while also improving access to daylight and views and aligning with their institutions’ values of a more sustainable future. This session will share two projects where a holistic approach was taken to facility modernization that resulted in a total recladding of the existing facility along with a dramatic shift in how the interior learning environment has been reshaped to enhance the learning environment and reflect a move away from mid-century instructional models to reflect a more collaborative approach to learning. We will explore the parallels between Binghamton University’s Science IV facility as well as Westhill (NY) CSD’s High School, which both underwent dramatic transformations to bring an iconic community facility out of the mid-20th Century to be positioned for the future, through high-performance approaches to envelope retrofits and substantial stakeholder involvement in crafting and defining the learning environments. This session will also speak to how post-occupancy evaluations of phased projects allow for a data-driven approach to future phases that shows the value of continual refinement from engagement with end-users.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn about best practices to improve the environmental health of existing school facilities through the envelope improvements to existing facilities.
- Identify how to increase staff and student well being through a holistic approach to facility modernization.
- Learn about evidence based approaches to assess student health and satisfaction.
- Learn best practices for sustainable façade improvements.
Nicholas Williams, AIA, Principal, Ashley McGraw Architects
Nicholas is a Principal of Ashley McGraw Architects. Nick brings a unique perspective – both as the former Director of Facility Planning and Design for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and a school designer. With over 11 years of design experience, Nick has learned the challenges that school districts face daily and brings that perspective to Ashley McGraw’s pursuit of highly sustainable and pedagogically progressive K-12 work.
Susanne Angarano, ASID, CID, WELL AP, Principal, Vaysen Studio
Susanne is the Owner of Vaysen Studio. Her extensive experience includes a focus on higher education projects and holistic sustainable design work. Committed to environmentally sound design, she works to achieve design excellence through a process of stakeholder engagement to create spaces that connect with culture and context. Susanne is the recipient of the 2019 ASID Ones to Watch award, and her interior design work on MacArthur Elementary school was awarded the 2019 ASID Design Impacts Lives honorable mention.
Kelvin Wang
Kelvin will share a student perspective via Zoom. He is a sophomore at Dalton Academy, the boutique project-based learning school within the Affiliated High School of Peking University, China’s most prestigious public high school. He is engaged in biophysics research and engineering, developing prosthetic devices to assist people with muscular deficiencies. His work embraces mechanics, musculoskeletal anatomy, material science, CAD modeling and 3D printing in the creation of exoskeletons. https://www.theexolab.com. Kelvin is currently exploring how AI can boost his research capabilities.
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The Counterintuitive Middle School: Doing the “Right Thing” by Doing “Everything Wrong” |
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This consolidated regional middle school project challenges so many traditional middle school assumptions it is difficult to categorize. It integrates “specials” with core learning while maintaining the integrity of both. It seeks the common element among divergent curriculums rather that extolling uniqueness. It values agility and flexibility in meeting educational needs rather that specificity and exclusiveness. It facilitates teacher teaming for an integrated curriculum. This is a student-centered school that will bring identity and agency to students but also agency through autonomy for teachers since they control all aspects of their domains, independent and perhaps opposite of what others are doing. This includes the schedule, which intentionally reduces student movement by bringing the learning experience to the student instead of the other way around, and in doing so has resulted in a building plan where more than 75% of building area is dedicated to education, and less that 10% is dedicated to circulation. RSU 14, Windham and Raymond, ME is doing that and more in its design for a new middle school, name TBD. Created through engagement of multiple educator/community stakeholder groups over three years while a secession initiative loomed over the district, the school enrollment grew during the process by consolidating both existing schools and by adding the fifth grade, thus aligning elementary enrollments with capacity and resulting in the largest school in the regional school district. Simultaneously an essential educational concept evolved that is the antithesis of current middle school “best practices.” Instead of slicing each student’s day into multiple unrelated subjects taught separately by specialist teachers in different places and expecting each student to integrate the whole, this school is based the concept of curricular integration within self-sufficient small learning communities that include art, STEM and world language. Much like the iconic one-room schoolhouse “specials” are integrated in the core to the greatest extent possible, which promotes interdisciplinary teacher collaboration, and requires minimal movement of students outside their learning community. Simply put, educators come to the student; the student experience is integrated, holistic, flexible, dynamic, with learning that promotes in-depth relationships and greater knowing of students. Students in kind experience full immersion in these subject areas for 1/3 of each year. This scheduling model was so different from the classic middle school model the state funding agency required a scheduling model to be developed as a requisite in the concept submission. Unheard of. In this workshop the lead educators and the educational planner will share process, concept and schedule. The architects will show the building planning strategies that facilitate both concept and schedule. The presentation will pause at intervals and participants will have the opportunity to explore and challenge the planning concepts being presented. The presenters expect to learn from the participants.
Learning Objectives:
- Middle school learners in RSU 14 will be liberated, but so will their teachers.
- This will be demonstrated though four workshop components: Process: this workshop will demonstrate how a carefully orchestrated planning process based on community and educator engagement in a politically charged context can result in more than a peaceful resolution, but an inspired innovative educational concept and very smart building plan. Schedule: this workshop will show how traditional middle school scheduling assumptions constrain holistic thinking, and how “breaking the rules” can lead to unprecedented learning opportunities Design: this workshop will demonstrate the student-centered design opportunities of four “one-room schoolhouses,” each holistic and autonomous Efficiency: this workshop will share the math related to circulation, demonstrating how our traditional planning assumptions waste space that could otherwise be used for learning.
Fran Locker, PhD, President
A former A4LE (CEFPI) Planner of the Year and regular presenter at A4LE conferences, Fran has been the educational planner on a MacConnell Award winner and a finalist, a Lighthouse Award winner, and a Kirkbride Award winner. She consults to schools and architects across the USA and around the world. Currently developing a school on the Amazon River in Leticia, Colombia in conjunction with an eco-hotel, with all learning themed around saving the Amazon ecosystem.
Christopher Howell, Superintendent of Schools
Christopher, Superintendent of Schools, has worked in Maine public schools for 29 years, starting as a classroom teacher, and progressing through assistant principal, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, elementary school principal, high school principal, district Assistant Superintendent, and now, Superintendent. Honored by the New England Secondary School Consortium as a Champion for Public Education in Maine, he was the 2022 Maine School Superintendent of the Year of the Maine School Superintendents Association.
Drew Patin, Principal, Windham Middle School
Drew, principal of Windham Middle School has been an educator and administrator at the middle level for the past 21 years. Initially science teacher, he became assistant principal at Sanford Middle School in 2009, and then in 2012 was promoted to principal. In 2015, Drew became principal of Windham Middle School. He completed his degree in biology at Ripon College, Ripon, WI and his master’s in educational leadership at the University of Southern Maine.
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| SATURDAY | APRIL 29, 2023 | 9:00 – 10:00 am |
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Rejuvenating the Historic Westtown School Auditorium to Enhance the Learning Experience |
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Westtown School is a Quaker, co-educational, college-preparatory boarding school founded in 1799. The existing arts center building was completed in 1968, featuring a main 532-seat auditorium and stage totaling 7,000 square feet. The school utilizes the auditorium for a wide variety of activities, including school plays, musical performances, and public speaking, to name a few, but it is first and foremost a teaching tool for the school’s arts program. The assembled design team had to develop a renovation strategy to enhance its most crucial function as a teaching laboratory for students. Improvements were not only required aesthetically to update the acoustics, theater lighting, and HVAC systems but also to incorporate a new suspended catwalk to provide additional hands-on practical experience for students engaged in theatrical production. The renovated design provides an enhanced performance experience for students, educators, and patrons and greatly expanded the educational experience for student producers. In this session, we will present the planning process, solutions, and results of the auditorium renovation.
Learning Objectives:
- Review the needs, feasibility studies, stakeholder involvement, budgeting, and critical decisions reached during the planning process.
- Describe how the context and requirements for the art building changed over 50 years and how the unmet needs were addressed.
- Describe the design interventions, related issues, and how they addressed the needs.
- Discuss the acoustical solutions that were essential to the programmatic and performance success of the theater.
Chris Wills, Dean of Faculty and Innovation, Westtown School
Chris is responsible for managing the educational program and faculty of this Quaker boarding school. He has served in various roles at a variety of independent schools in the U.S. and has advised on educational trends and programs at the national level. With a background in visual art and arts education, Chris finds creative solutions that balance the needs and aspirations of students and school communities.
John Keene, AIA, Senior Associate, WRT Design
John is a Senior Associate at WRT Design LLC, an architectural practice based in Philadelphia. He has over 20 years of architectural experience in the planning and design of new and adaptive reuse projects in the private and public sectors. John has led significant educational and cultural projects, including The Fraser Centre at Penn State, the Stevens Institute of Technology Academic Gateway, a new performance facility for the Philadelphia Fringe Arts, and the new Lower School building at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.
Terence Tyson, PE, INCE Bd. Cert, Principal, Acentech
Terry is a Principal at Acentech, a world-class acoustics, technology, and vibration consulting firm. He is a versatile acoustic engineer with 20+ years of experience in architectural acoustics and control of noise from HVAC and other systems in sound-critical facilities such as concert halls, performing arts centers, classrooms, and lecture halls. He is Board Certified with the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE), a licensed professional engineer, and a member of the AIA Philadelphia Chapter and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Museums.
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Re-Imagined Comprehensive High Schools as Engines of Inclusion |
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The two Massachusetts communities of Somerville and Waltham have many things in common. From a cultural perspective - the most pertinent similarity is that these diverse cities welcome and support citizens and families of many different backgrounds, and are committed to providing educational environments that allow all learners to thrive. Both have recently re-imagined what their flagship learning environments can be, by realizing the full potential of a comprehensive high school. Historically a comprehensive high school, which is comprised of both traditional academic and vocational or career and technical education (CTE) curricula, provided two educational paths that were siloed and exclusionary. CTE programs were located in a remote wing or on a basement level, and as a result the students who enrolled in these programs were sometimes viewed pejoratively by the school community at large. This segregation of educational tracks had larger societal implications, where hands on learning was de-valued in comparison to exclusive heads on learning. To bridge this divide and realize the concept of "Liberated Learners", a new vision of a comprehensive high school that cross-pollinates academic and CTE programs physically and pedagogically was conceived to provide a holistic learning environment. Project based learning was seen as a fulcrum to pull together the two educational tracks, leveraging the rich collection of CTE spaces to provide a wide variety of learning laboratories to support more integrated project work. Outdated CTE programs were suspended and new CTE programs were unfurled to better connect to the needs of the local community and better align with jobs of the future. And a focus was placed on making sure that all of the programs were accessible to all. Ninth graders were given increased access to exploratory programs for a glimpse and invitation into different opportunities. Student support systems were put in place to allow special education students, ELL students, and students with interrupted formal education (SIFE) - often marginalized groups - improved access to a broad array of educational opportunities that best suited their individualized learning styles. Manifesting these aspirations, both Somerville and Waltham High School are creating re-imagined comprehensive school communities that are focused on inclusion and unity, and celebrating the successes of all students rather than their bi-furcated pasts. This presentation will provide a detailed narrative of the educational plans that guided the designs of the two schools, the complexity of their design processes, as well as the tangible positive outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the key differences and opportunities of a comprehensive high school when compared to a typical academic only or vocational only high school.
- Recognize the manner in which a comprehensive high school can provide an inclusive educational environment that responds to the needs of a diverse student body and community at large.
- List strategies to leverage the full potential of CTE (Career Technical Education) spaces for all learners, regardless of learning modality.
- Identify methods for CTE programs to connect to and enrich communities and local businesses.
Matthew Rice, AIA, ALEP, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, SMMA
Matthew is a Principal and K-12 Market Leader at SMMA. He specializes in large and complex projects in the institutional market. He brings a broad range of experience in educational design to all projects and works to meet the design goals of each client. Mr. Rice is especially known for his thoughtful, community-oriented approach. Utilizing digital technology, he enhances client visions with programming, visualization, and information modeling to help inform and guide the design process.
Lorraine Finnegan, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal / Vice President, SMMA
Lorraine is a Vice President and K-12 Market Leader at SMMA. Her experience in the design and management of institutional projects informs her proven approach to balance scope, budget, and schedule without compromising beauty, functionality, or quality.
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Artificial Intelligence: Hero or Villain in Education? |
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Since its breakout into easy public access in November 2022, ChatGPT, the most visible Artificial Intelligence (AI) robot has become the most controversial technology tool since peanut butter and jelly. Recent public narratives through the news (Today Show, NBC News, New York Times, Meet the Press, others) have focused on AI as a tool for cheating, but they are missing the point. AI has been cast as a villain, but is that fair? One thing is for certain: AI will not go away. Should we hide AI from school like we have done with cell phones? Or…shall we harness it for good? AI can liberate learners from lower-level learning, looking up facts, memorizing them, taking the test, and then forgetting them. AI can be the backbone of sophisticated project-based learning. AI can save teachers time in preparing lesson plans. AI can become a personal research assistant for both teachers and students. AI can support students in Deeper Learning. Thus liberating learners. And teachers as well. If only we let it. This workshop will start with a quick tutorial on AI development and controversies to date (which will have increased by the end of April than they are now, at the end of January). Workshop participants will work collaboratively to explore the possibilities of AI integration in the classroom and uncover the challenge of its limitations. Small groups will brainstorm issues of concern, then pose interview questions for the workshop robot, ChatGPT. This will be followed by a collective discussion with one person “channeling” tough questions to the robot. Participants will collectively construct a learning model that will embrace AI, elevate the depth and reach of student learning, and give agency to students. In short, liberating learners. Participants will identify and articulate how AI enhances teachers lesson plan preparation, thus liberating teachers as well as learners. Classroom practices might not look the same, but all for the better. Participants will collaborate in small groups to integrate their elevated understandings of AI into their Visioning process and extend those outcomes into facilities planning and technology design. Participants will walk out the door empowered with a powerful new tool in their arsenal and will cheer the villain as their new hero. They will have vanquished the villainous reputation of AI.
Each participant should bring a laptop.
Learning Objectives:
- FAMILIARIZATION: Familiarize themselves with the capabilities of the AI tool and shed any negative preconceptions they held from controversies in the press.
- LIBERATE LEARNERS AND TEACHERS: Understand how AI can be used to deeply enhance teacher’s work and identify educational practices that embrace AI to benefit student work. AI can elevate the level of enquiry, problem solving, of creativity, and of meaningful accomplishment.
- VISIONING OPPORTUNITIES: Develop concepts for engaging the educator and public communities in their districts by developing understanding about how AI can improve learning and teaching.
- FACILITIES IMPLICATIONS: Explore the implications that AI has for facilities.
Fran Locker, PhD, ALEP
A former A4LE (CEFPI) Planner of the Year and regular presenter at A4LE conferences, Fran has been the educational planner on a MacConnell Award winner and a finalist, a Lighthouse Award winner, and a Kirkbride Award winner. She consults to schools and architects across the USA and around the world. Currently developing a school on the Amazon River in Leticia, Colombia in conjunction with an eco-hotel, with all learning themed around saving the Amazon ecosystem.
Kate Jessup, AIA, ALEP, Architect and Planner
Kate is an Architect and Accredited Learning Environment Planner whose work includes K-12 projects of varying size and scope. As an Educational Planner, Kate engages in active listening and facilitates rich discussions with teachers, students, school administrators and community members to reach conclusions that consider best practices. She brings a deep understanding that the built environment has a profound impact on physical, cognitive and social-emotional development of our students. She collaborates with clients, school and community leadership and contractors to deliver architectural solutions that exceed clients’ educational goals and accommodate innovative 21st century teaching and learning practices.
Kelvin Wang
Kelvin will share a student perspective via Zoom. He is a sophomore at Dalton Academy, the boutique project-based learning school within the Affiliated High School of Peking University, China’s most prestigious public high school. He is engaged in biophysics research and engineering, developing prosthetic devices to assist people with muscular deficiencies. His work embraces mechanics, musculoskeletal anatomy, material science, CAD modeling and 3D printing in the creation of exoskeletons. https://www.theexolab.com. Kelvin is currently exploring how AI can boost his research capabilities.
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| SATURDAY | APRIL 29, 2023 | 10:15 – 11:15 am |
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Agency and Aegis: The Importance of Community Engagement in School Design |
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It may be a cliché, but schools are the heart of the community. We entrust them to nurture and cradle our youth. They are essential spaces that fulfill ideals, foster education, and cultivate a sense of community. Schools that truly embody the ethos of a community transcend bricks and mortar and create an authentic and exuberant experience. In order for an educational environment to be successful it is critical that we understand what the community’s priorities are and what fosters that sense of place for them. How do you obtain an authentic understanding of the values of a community? You engage the community in defining it. Architects Mark Lee and Lisa Sawin and School Board and community member Emily Figdor, examine the essential elements that connect a school and its occupants to place. How is this defined? What are the outcomes? We will guide participants through a process that results in a common language and understanding as the team progresses through design. Crafting the lens for the design team to use as a guide to align the built environment with pedagogy and place. Creating a building and site that enhances well-being through the connections one makes with their surroundings. The result is a learning environment that fosters a sense of well-being and connection to their surroundings. We will explore these and many other important topics in this 60-mintue study of design and planning tools for architects, designers and the community navigating this important community dialogue.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the value and importance of a robust community engagement process in advancing key project outcomes.
- Identify opportunities to engage key constituencies (the public, the school community, etc.) in a process aimed at forming a shared language that will express common values and goals.
- Discover ways to engage parents, teachers, administrators and students in learning how to maintain, and even enhance, the school’s inherent character.
- Learn how we’ve used these tools in our own practice, using the Portland Public School’s Lyseth Elementary School project as a case study.
Mark Lee, AIA, LEED AP, CEO, Principal
Mark is a passionate designer and leader. He guides new build, renovation, consolidation, and long-range planning for education clients throughout New England. Focused on balancing 21st-century learning environments with durable, long-lasting buildings, Mark works closely with clients to develop spaces are flexible, sustainable, and innovative. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in both civil engineering and architectural engineering from Drexel University and a Master of Architecture from Boston Architectural College.
Lisa Sawin, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Harriman’s Pre K-12 Education Studio
Lisa is a Principal and leads Harriman’s Pre K-12 Education Studio. Passionate about developing learning environments that support educators and students alike, Lisa is a hands-on project leader, working with school leadership, administration, and facilities personnel to provide meaningful solutions to operational and functional challenges. She holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Architecture from Norwich University and brings over 15 years of experience to her role.
Emily Figdor, School Board Member
Emily has a 25-year career in public policy and organizing. Prior to being elected to the Portland Board of Education in 2018, Emily was involved in education issues as a parent. She co-founded and directed Protect Our Neighborhood Schools (now Equity in Portland Schools). In 2021, Emily became the only openly LGBTQ+ member of the school board. She earned a B.A. from Stanford University and a Master of Public Health from Columbia University.
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Liberating Learners: A Journey Towards Excellence and Equity |
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The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) leadership believes that education is the key to fostering equity in society, and that education itself must be equitable. Driven by an urgent commitment to shepherd systemic change, SDP and DLR Group created a framework to guide new construction or renovation of its schools. This framework, encompassing new Educational Specifications and Design Guidelines, represents a groundbreaking shift in how the District and its principals, teachers, staff, administration, and students view their built environments. By way of meaningful collaboration, these new standards reflect a clear vision for planning, designing, and constructing urban schools of the future - facilities that align with the District’s commitment to educating and graduating generations of thought leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, and change makers. The eighth largest school system in the nation, SDP encompasses more than 203,000 students, 19,000 employees, and 326 schools. Delivered in a panel format, comprising School District representatives as well as a member of the DLR Group project team, the discussion will cover how:
- the Design Guidelines and Educational Specifications were developed simultaneously as a “how to” guide, setting the District up for major capital investment.
- the Educational Specifications address the realities of large class sizes, while also aiming for high quality and equity to liberate learners throughout their educational journey.
- the Educational Specifications support innovative space use to support student choice and to allow for evolution as teaching and learning modalities change over time.
- the Educational Specifications and Design Guidelines reflect consensus around thoughtful innovation.
- the “Program Generator” is a tool to customize space programs, while also supporting equity across the system.
Learning Objectives:
- Examine educational spaces to determine how to accommodate an evolving educational pedagogy that gives students the freedom to make choices to best support their learning style.
- Describe how concern for flexibility is driving the need to redefine and reconfigure educational facilities.
- Apply practical solutions, techniques, and strategies to plan and create dynamic learning environments that support all learn styles and abilities.
- Define and explain what is required to make new and renovated facilities learning centers while embracing changes to educational delivery models and taking into consideration quality of space and occupants.
Troy Glover, ALEP, LE Fellow, Educational Planner
Troy is an educational planner with more than 20 years’ experience. He has served some the nation’s largest educational communities including school districts in Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; New Orleans, LA; Long Beach, CA; Baltimore, MD; Providence, RI; and Pittsburgh, PA. Troy serves on the Morris College Board of Trustees and the A4LE International Board of Directors. He is a graduate of Morris College and The Ohio State University.
Mary Lee, ALEP, Educational Facilities Planner, Office of Capital Programs, School District of Philadelphia
Mary is an Educational Facilities Planner for the School District of Philadelphia, Office of Capital Programs. Over the past 18 years, she has been involved in nearly 100 PK-12 projects, including renovations, modernizations, additions and new construction, from Pre-Design through Construction Close Out. Recently, she was the lead in the development of the Educational Specifications document for the School District of Philadelphia.
Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson, Interim Chief of Curriculum and Instruction
Dr. Francis-Thompson currently serves as the Interim Chief of Curriculum and Instruction for the Office of Curriculum and Instruction for the School District of Philadelphia, where she is touted as a visionary educational leader. She led the district Curriculum Equity Initiative and the development and implementation of the Culturally and Linguistically Inclusive Curriculum. Dr. Francis-Thompson holds her doctorate in Education Leadership & Administration from St. Joseph’s University.
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Learning from the BIPOC Experience in Designing Educational Spaces |
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Think about a place where you felt you did not belong. How did it impact your feeling of safety? Now, imagine that place is your school which you attend every day. Do you feel that you can share your feelings with someone? Do you think anyone would listen? Safety and belonging in educational spaces play an essential role in the lives of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students. Yet when it comes to designing learning spaces, these students often do not have enough of a voice. Is designer thinking part of the problem? It is essential for designers to understand how students perceive education spaces to build schools that feel inclusive and safe. Our discourse is in response to a survey our team conducted in spring of 2021 titled, “Education and the BIPOC Experience” with a mission to amplify student voices and develop a framework for creating safe inclusive spaces. The conversation will address issues of safety and belonging in educational spaces and the impact of the built environment on the student experience. In this interactive session, we will share our research which led to the development of our framework. We will highlight the student voices that helped create this process from a series of student engagement programs. Audience members will have the option to share personal insights, impressions, and reactions to the research and how they have witnessed inequity in education. An important part of our research process is sharing what we learn from the students. By participating you are helping us amplify their experience and refine the visioning process and will leave with additional resources and insight to support your efforts to improve education.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand how design shapes the educational experience for BIPOC students, and how to implement design practices which increase feelings of safety and performance in students.
- Learn the process by which data is collected and analyzed to uncover latent insights and translate them to design principles to improve the overall safety and welfare of a building solution.
- Understand and be able to apply the principles of human welfare by quantifying the impact of design through ethnographic study across retail, workplace, educational, and multi-use projects.
- Apply technical innovation principles to projects by reading case stories of technological and sustainable design practices highlighted on client projects, measuring and analyzing the outcomes
Margot Kleinman, Architect
Margot is an architect and educator, focusing on education spaces with experience on international airports, city master plans, and health and wellness projects. She is interested in creating community-based spaces and is passionate about the engagement process with clients, the public, and her students, to understand the user experience and needs.
Phillip Redpath, Designer
Phillip is an architectural designer with experience working in educational and cultural institutions. His interests are centered on creating public facing projects that bring communities together. Through collaborative research and design, he hopes to work toward cultivating education spaces that are safe, inclusive, and equitable.
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| SATURDAY | APRIL 29, 2023 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm |
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Safety and Security Summit |
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Ensuring the safety of our children is at the forefront of thought for every parent, teacher, and school administrator. The topic of school safety and security becomes elevated with tragic events that seem to occur too frequently. When these events occur, there is often discussion about hardening of school facilities in an effort to create fortresses to protect our children. While the sentiment is certainly understandable, this course of action creates an environment that encourages prison-like behavior and promotes disciplinary and behavioral problems. According to internationally recognized school security expert Michael Dorn, the best indicator of a safe, secure school is a connected community, one in which learners feel that they are celebrated and that they belong.
But what about learners who are on the fringe that may be neurodivergent, cognitive outliers, racial or ethnic minorities, LGBTQ or otherwise marginalized? These learners often are not celebrated, and they don’t often feel as if they fit in. How do we create a connected community for all, and what questions should we ask to ensure safety and security for all learners?
Our committee has assembled a panel of experts to explore and discuss these issues:
- Maria Murillo, Director for Professional Development, Brighton Central School District
- John Chadwick, Principal, DLR Group and former Assistant Superintendent of Facilities and Operations at Arlington Public Schools
- Michael Nowak, AIA, NCIDQ, ALEP, NCARB, CPHC, Ph.D., Candidate, Department of Architecture, Pennsylvania State University
- Kate Lubrano, Director of Knowledge Management and Credentialing, A4LE, and former school counselor.
This discussion will be a departure from the more traditional dialog surrounding school safety and security. Attendees will depart with actionable takeaways that will assist with creating safer, more secure learning environments.
We invite you to begin the dialog now through the Thought Exchange app. We will use this technology to continue and analyze the conversation.
Maria Murillo, Director for Professional Development, Brighton Central School District
Maria is the Director of Professional Development in the Brighton Central School District, supporting professional growth opportunities for the Brighton community. She received her bachelor's of Architecture from the Pontificia Bolivarian University in Medellin, Colombia. Eventually, she became a faculty member teaching History of Art and Architecture and serving as a member of the curriculum council for the school of architecture. After her seven-year career as an architect, Maria moved to the United States and started a new career in K-12 public education, completing her master's in educational administration. Since 2012, her focus has been exploring educational learning environments that support cultures of thinking, curiosity, and creativity, which led her to study the school classroom as an architectural and conceptual learning environment. In 2020, Maria became an Accredited Learning Environments Planner (ALEP).
John Chadwick, Principal, DLR Group
John leads DLR Group’s K-12 Education practice in the northeast, developing strategies and assembling the best teams of internal and external talent to deliver innovative school projects that push teaching, learning, and sustainability to the next level. He brings a deep understanding of school facility planning, design, and operations, having been both a client and an architect. For nearly a decade, John served as Assistant Superintendent of Facilities and Operations at Arlington Public Schools and oversaw four capital improvement plans, along with design and construction of more than ten major school facility projects. Moreover, his commitment to environmental stewardship is exemplary, as he oversaw delivery of three Zero Energy schools during his tenure as Assistant Superintendent, and the school division’s first solar Power Purchase Agreement, under which power was provided for the second and third zero energy schools, in addition to several other existing schools. John also served on the committee that developed the ASHRAE, “Advanced Energy Design Guide for Zero Energy K-12 Schools.” With each project, John discovers new ways to address equity and elevate the student and teacher experience with abundant opportunities for authentic learning. While at Arlington Public Schools John also oversaw safety and security for the school division.
Michael Nowak, Ph.D., Candidate, Department of Architecture, Pennsylvania State University
Michael is a registered architect, NCARB certificate holder, NCIDQ Interior Designer, Accredited Learning Environment Planner (ALEP), and Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC). Additionally, he is a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Certified Practitioner and California Office of Emergency Services Safety Assessor.
Michael holds a Master of Architecture degree and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in architecture where his research is focused on the performance of small learning community design. He is interested in understanding how design can improve social interaction to create safer learning environments and develop social cohesion among occupants. Michael also holds a Master’s degree in Homeland Security and is interested in critical infrastructure protection of the K-12 sub-sector.
Michael’s professional career began in K-12 design and then moved into the commercial and higher education markets where his work was focused on research laboratories and campus housing. He later opened a practice in rural PA producing commercial and residential work. Prior to his research pursuits he was an adjunct instructor of interior design at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).
He currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife and two children.
Kate Lubrano, Director of Knowledge Management and Credentialing, A4LE
Kate recently joined A4LE as the Director of Knowledge Management and Credentialing. Before joining A4LE, she was a professional school counselor for 16 years in Title I elementary schools in Virginia. She has served as an adjunct professor in Counselor Education at the College of William and Mary and has worked in private practice counseling with adolescents. She believes in the value of empowering school communities, and building genuine relationships and connection with the students, families, and community.
Drue Schwartz
Drue is a fine artist based in Brooklyn, New York. Their current practice focuses on restructuring their idea of safety through large scale color pencil drawings and monoprints. Drue works as a teaching artist through Studio in a School and Pratt Institute. They currently teach elementary school students throughout Brooklyn and Queens, NY. They develop curriculum for students aged three to ten years old of varying mental, emotional, and physical abilities. Drue received their BFA (2019) and MS (2020) in Art and Design Education at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn with a focus on printmaking practices. They extended their training through Community Word’s Teaching Artist Projects program (2021).
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