presentation at design futures council, 2011 final

5

How do I use this manual?

Learn more ~ Learning environment refers to a classroom, but it can mean a library, lab, gym, theater or playground. It is where your stu-dents learn.

The guide is intended to help identify unique facility needs related to Early Childhood (EC) and Elementary Schools learning environ-ments, to assist and empower the design and development of facilities that support your school’s mission, and to address facility con-siderations both at an early, visionary stage and a more detailed facility planning stage.

This guide will help you to make informed fa-cility decisions and guide your ability to com-municate with design teams; please feel free to share this resource with members of your design team.

Additionally, this guide is also intended to raise awareness that it is never to early too think about how the design of the learning environ-ment can advance a student’s ability to learn.

This document is divided into three core sec-tions: 1. Design your school, prompts to gener-ate broad ideas and set goals with space con-siderations in mind | 2. Develop a facility, the nuts & bolts you need to determine needs and to achieve your goals | 3. Best Practices, best practices to help frame your decisions.

Why us? Why now?

How are KIPP schools different?

Prologue


4

Prologue

that staffing capacity, processes, and decision rights vary across the network, it is written to be accessible to the various audiences – busi-ness operations staff, school leaders, execu-tive directors, board members – that work together to solve the real estate questions and we hope that you will share this resource with your design team. Also, recognizing the range of project types and sizes that are undertaken, there is no step-by-step process description to achieve your goals. Instead, we highlight the facility-related questions and issues that should be raised and provide general guide-lines and identify resources to help your team to arrive at the solution that best meets your local needs. You are encouraged to pick and choose amongst the topics and apply what is most relevant and useful for your particular situation.

- Liz Obgu & Carolyn Choy / KIPP Real Estate & Public Architecture (&cannon?)

Across the country, you are tackling a wide range of real estate issues, from pounding the pavement to find a site, to accommodating enrollment growth within your current facil-ity, or renovating an existing building to better meet your needs. Each local environment has its own special dynamics, and there is no one-size-fits-all KIPP solution that addresses your real estate concerns and your budget. Never-theless, there is no reason to deal with these issues in isolation. For all the differences that exist between one project and another, wheth-er in the same city or on opposite sides of the country, there are strategies and resources that can be borrowed and shared.

This manual is intended to support you in making informed decisions concerning your Early Childhood and Elementary School facilities. As KIPP grows and begins to serve more students at younger ages it is important to gather general best practices employed by KIPP middle schools and high schools, to understand lessons learned from pioneer-ing KIPP elementary schools and to tailor this information to help KIPP schools in the future.

KIPP’s universal design philosophy is ground-ed in flexibility. From its early days in church basements to today, when many schools are thriving and able to build their own facilities, flexibility has ensured that KIPP students' education always comes first. This manual has been designed to be flexible. Knowing

Prologue


Why us? Why now?


6

Why Early Childhood/Elementary? Who can help?

Public Architecture is a nonprofit that lever-ages the resources of our nation’s design professionals to improve communities in need. The organization is proud to be able to assist KIPP with building comprehensive design and facility development tools, helping to insure that each school’s built environment reinforces the success of KIPP’s educational model.

CanonOWP/P is honored to participate in the growth and evolution of the KIPP school net-work. When Cannon Design first opened its doors in 1945, its initial client was a school. Today, more than half a century later, Cannon Design is proud of the national and internation-al reputation it has built by working with more than 150 school clients to support their educa-tional vision. The evolution of Cannon Design's K-12 studio has followed an upward trajectory as it continues to ambitiously pursue quality in design environments that promote learning excellence and outstanding service to clients.

Since the opening of the first KIPP elementary school in 2004, the number of Early Childhood (EC) and Elementary schools in the network has expanded dramatically. There are 24 KIPP EC and Elementary schools in operation dur-ing the 2010-11 school year, and there will be 30 by the summer of 2011. The strong perfor-mance of the early elementary schools sup-ports KIPP's belief that starting earlier will make a long-term positive impact on the ability of students to make it to and through college.

Whereas KIPP middle schools developed typical space needs as they grew and learned from experience, the KIPP network has ex-pressed a need for more upfront guidance in the development of EC and Elementary school facilities. Growing bodies of research highlight the critical importance of a child’s physical environment in their intellectual development. The physical environment should support and facilitate the great teaching and dedicated learning that is expected in a KIPP school.



Prologue

Why us? Why now?

11

School Design Plan Alignment

Learn more ~ The Fisher Fellowship is a one-year school leadership training program run by the KIPP Foundation. Fisher Fellows experi-ence an intensive summer program of coursework, followed by residen-cies at high-performing schools, and training conferences to prepare for opening new schools in their respective communities. Fisher Fellows come together as a cohort in order to develop and finalize their School Design Plans, articulating their school's vision. This includes the development of a Commitment to Excellence and a plan for how it will be used.

in the sample list above could be addressed with a variety of solutions. Thirty minutes of exercise could take place in a gym, an outdoor play space, or the cafeteria, once all the tables and chairs have been moved aside. Ultimately, your job is to get creative and figure out how to best provide your non-negotiables in the space that is available to you.

Some examples of how goals may translate into physical space follow.

KIpp DC: Leap, WashIngton D.C.KIPP DC: LEAP's school leader, Laura Bowen, valued a safe, outdoor play space for her stu-dents. It was a clear goal outlined in her Fisher Fellow School Design Plan in 2007. From past experiences in muddy fields, KIPP DC teach-ers knew this space needed to be usable year-round and shared this need with their architect. The architect developed an inter-nal courtyard with all-weather ground cover where students can play safely, away from the street and out of the mud.

RogeRs paRK MontessoRI sChooL, ChICago, ILAt Rogers Park Montessori students have the right to plenty of exercise a day. This meant the school needed adequate physical activity and play space for all students at all times of year. Their preK-3 and preK-4 student population was a strong part of their school, so they con-sidered a facility with a smaller scaled play-room that more adequately supports activities

SCHOOL LEADERS | There is so much to tackle in your school's early years. Stay focused on what is most important for your students.

You will have to make many tough decisions as you plan and open your school. You may have to sacrifice space or programs that are important to you to secure what you believe will most help your students, especially while your school is growing. To help ensure that you do not sacrifice spaces or programs that con-tribute to your school's culture and learning environment, consider writing a list of non-negotiable elements you promise to provide for your students.

A sample list might read: MY STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO...

· thirty minutes of exercise a day, · a healthy lunch and snacks, · space and time to learn on their own, · feel safe in their classroom, · thermal comfort, · learn to play a musical instrument, · a natural playspace and fresh air, · learn science in a hands-on lab, · read in a well-lit, well-ventilated,

quiet space Obviously cost will be a consideration for all projects, and limited resources mean that you will always have to make tradeoffs. With this in mind, your students' rights should not be tied to specific physical spaces. Note that the items

Prologue

Key Questions to Ask


General space considerations

12


Learn more ~ Green design does not have to cost more. Check out an article in Buildings Magazine: Greg Kats of Capital E on the true costs of building green. Visit the website

for small bodies than a full-size gymnasium. Learn more

Your list of non-negotiable design elements may also help you value first costs over long-term costs. It may be tough to justify spend-ing more upfront, for example, on an energy efficient facility that will pay you back in a few years in energy savings, but if you can begin to establish some baseline goals beyond aca-demic performance, you may have an easier time convincing potential supporters and do-nors that your school planning is responsible and focused.

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This is also a great time to identify the community organizations and members who have goals aligned to yours. Reference NCB's Answer Key for a listing of key players. Learn how you can embrace, col-lect and engage others early on.

— The Answer Key for Charter School Facilities. Visit the resources

Learn more ~ The Hawaii Charter School Administrative Office has published some considerations for sharing school space. Visit the resource

Sharing SpaceDue to space availability/cost considerations, will you be co-locating? What are the keys to making shared space work?Traditional district schools may be too large for your full capacity needs. Are there commu-nity members with goals aligned with yours?

CommunityHow will students and parents enter your site? What will their first experience with and im-pression be of the school?How will you accommodate teacher develop-ment and interaction? Consider: Main office or offices scattered throughout the building, indi-vidual teacher's offices or teachers workroom.

Health /SustainabilityHow can you ensure that your students remain healthy, even if you are teaching in a modular classroom? Know your building's air quality. Ask the build-ing engineer about the air-filtration level, the quantity of outside air intake and whether or not the windows can be opened. All of these af-fect the air quality in classrooms. The EPA provides information on nonattain-ment areas (a locality where air-pollution lev-els persistently exceed National Ambient Air Quality Standards). Visit the website

LocationAre you locating in or are you easily accessible to the community that you want to serve? Is it important to you and your school's goals that students are able to walk to school?How can you "enlarge" your campus by tak-ing advantage of neighborhood amenities like parks and community centers? How does the climate affect your pedagogy and operations? Consider: Coat or rain-gear stor-age, outdoor play space, natural ventilation.

PedagogyIs there anything unique about your School Design Plan and pedagogy that should be re-flected in the school environment?Does your school require specialized space to support your pedagogy? Consider: Art, dance, group learning, music, play, science, outdoor learning.

Growing into your schoolWhat aspects of your school vision can merge and share spaces for the first few years while you grow?Do your spaces need to be agile to accommo-date many activities? Consider: Wheeled-stor-age systems, folding or stackable furniture. How long will you occupy your space? Will your facility be permanent and able to provide for future growth or is it fulfilling temporary space needs?

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18

General Space Considerations

Quick and Easy ~ Several major carpet manufacturers, including Interface and Milliken, will sell or donate carpeting that has been reclaimed from other businesses and institutions, cleaned, and/or restored. Reclaimed carpet might also be available from indepen-dent carpet vendors. To learn more about Interface’s program. Visit the

Quick and Easy ~ Developing a sus-tainable purchasing policy can help you make informed decisions about safe and healthy products (from surface finishes to green cleaning products) to use in your schools. Groups like the Responsible Purchasing Network have policy standards and purchasing guides. CHPS has launched a sustain-able materials database. Visit the

concrete and wood. Each of these materials provides a different aesthetic feel, cost, clean-ing requirement and performance aspects. Vinyl products can come with or without a fin-ish, perform well in wet messy conditions and are easily cleaned. Where possible, rubber is preferable to vinyl. Rubber products have the similar attributes but do not need to be waxed, are comfortable to stand on and absorb some sound. Grouted floor tiles are highly durable, easily cleaned with minimal if any chemicals, but can be noisy. Terrazzo is easily cleaned, can be patched if needed and, if maintained prop-erly, can last the lifetime of the building. Wood flooring provides comfort but needs to be used in areas away from water usage.

WaLLs

Walls are often covered in a finish of paint. Paint technology has improved recently so that products with low environmental impact can also have good performance. There are several manufacturers that make scrubbable paints. Your maintenance staff needs to deter-mine if money spent on a high-performance paint is warranted or if it is easier to maintain by touch up painting throughout the school year. Display surfaces can be integral to a wall and include magnetic surfaces, markerboard surfaces and tack surfaces. Using a partition as a surface to communicate and celebrate student achievements can contribute much to the culture of the school. All of these sur-faces should be easily cleaned and repaired.

2.2 Finish selection and cleaningProper maintenance of interior finishes will lead to a longer life for the material as well as contribute to a safe and healthy environ-ment. Knowledge of your long-term operating budget will assist in making decisions on the initial material selections, as the total cost of a product is the initial installation plus the on-going required maintenance. Operational and maintenance staff should come up with a plan and budget for yearly replacement and repair of products, as well as a monthly, weekly and daily maintenance protocol.

FLooRs

The surface that takes the most abuse in a facility is usually the flooring. Additionally, ap-propriate floor material will contribute greatly to the functionality of a space. These two fac-tors should lead the decision making process for flooring type.

Carpeted floors provide thermal warmth and comfort to a space. Carpet can also help soften noise levels. Carpet can also soil easily if used in a space with exposure to water and food if the cleaning regiment is not regular. Carpet should be vacuumed daily, spot-treated on a regular basis and cleaned with a hot wa-ter extraction process on a yearly or biyearly basis depending upon location in the building.

Hard flooring includes many different products including vinyl tile, rubber tile, tile, terrazzo,

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Learn more ~ In a 1999 study completed for Pacific Gas and Electric, Daylighting in Schools: An Investigation into the Relationship between Daylighting and Human Performance, the Heschong Mahone Group established a statistically compelling connection between day-lighting and student performance, finding that students in classrooms with the most daylighting had 7% to 18% higher scores on end-of-year testing than those with the least. Visit the Resources

into hallways and other high traffic areas that are often dimly lit.

Direct sun penetration into classrooms, espe-cially through un-shaded east or south facing windows, was found to be associated with nega-tive student performance in a 2003 Heschong Mahone Group study, Windows and Class-rooms: A Study of Student Performance and the Indoor Environment, most likely because of glare and thermal discomfort. Glare has been found to negatively impact student learning, especially in math, where instruction is often vi-sually demonstrated on the front teaching wall. Ask an architect or designer to study the appro-priate devices to bounce light into the interior on appropriate facades.

Light should be able to create shadows for contrast and diversity. Allowing students and teachers the ability to vary the light intensity and color will enhance their ability to focus in a variety of teaching and learning settings. This can be achieved by providing dimmable light fixtures or a few smaller lamps and task lights.

In addition to bringing in appropriate amounts of natural light, providing views to the outside can also improve occupant well-being, produc-tivity and performance. Students with access to exterior views will feel a sense of connectiv-ity to their surroundings, encouraging them to take what they are learning in the class-

As these surfaces will likely take more abuse than a standard painted wall, replacement cost should be factored into the long term budget.

2.3 Daylight & viewsThe visual environment is very important for learning. Increasing natural light in the class-room, as well as views to the outside, has been found to increase student performance and productivity. If a student is actively engaged in learning, views to their surroundings beyond the classroom walls can serve as an inspira-tion for participation and thought, not as a distraction. In addition, if light fixtures can be dimmed or turned off during the day, this can result in significant energy savings, as evi-denced in the Capital E report Greening Amer-ica's Schools: Costs and Benefits, resulting in operating cost savings as well.

Consider lower light levels away from windows to encourage napping and quiet play. Many states require nap time spaces to incorporate near black-out conditions. Focus larger group areas closer to windows where children gain energy and alertness. In general, it is a good practice to provide a bright, sunny side of a room for play and a softer, quieter side for nap time and storytelling. Architectural features such as clerestory windows and angled ceilings can bring light further into large classrooms. Ask your architect or facilities team to design or look for buildings that put windows along interior classroom walls in order to bring light

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Learn more ~ According to the American National Standard, Acoustical Performance Criteria "The reading scores of 2nd to 6th grade children in a school exposed to noise from a nearby elevated urban train track were compared in quieter and noisier classrooms. The students, comparable in all respects, were receiving the same type of instruction. However, the children in the lower grades and noisier classrooms were three to four months behind in read-ing scores relative to those in the quieter classrooms and as much as 11 months behind for the higher grades." Visit the Resources to learn more

sounD IsoLatIon

Classroom environments should be located, when possible, away from inherently noisy spaces such as music rooms, gymnasiums and cafeterias. Separating a classroom from adjacent classrooms and corridors can be achieved by selecting wall materials that achieve the proper sound transmission class (STC). STC rates the amount that sound is re-duced by passing through a partition such as a wall, roof, or door. A higher STC rating indicates more sound is being reduced. Ask your design team to aim for classroom walls with an STC rating of 50. Music rooms and gyms should have an STC of 60. If your facility is a multi-level building, acoustical separation between levels achieved through the floor and ceiling construction should also be taken into consideration.

sounD ReveRBeRatIon

Students need to hear their instructor, peers, as well as themselves clearly. When sound bounces, or reverberates, around a room to too high a degree, the resulting echo can jeopardize the ability to hear. Many elements in the room can contribute positively and negatively to rever-beration. In general, in early childhood learning spaces the instructor does not have a fixed loca-tion and is freely presenting from different parts of the room. Absorptive materials where pos-sible, such as carpeting for the floor and sound absorptive wall panels at higher portions of the walls should be used. The most important sur-

room and apply it to the community and world around them. Discuss with your architect or facilities team important considerations like providing views to include building orientation, window size, glass and window covering mate-rial selection, and access to views from typi-cally interior spaces such as hallways, offices and gymnasiums.

2.4 AcousticsAn essential element to the success of stu-dents is their ability to communicate in the classroom effectively. Amongst the younger student population, approximately 15% of students have some hearing loss (www.quiet-classroom.org). In addition, a student learn-ing English as a second language or suffering from an attention deficit disorder is at a signifi-cant disadvantage in a noisy classroom. Young students have smaller vocabularies and are less able to piece together missing words in a sentence. All of these factors can contribute to lower speech intelligibility even in the most ideal environment. Ensuring a proper acousti-cal environment to counteract these issues is critical.

There are three main factors to address when creating an optimal acoustical classroom environment: sound isolation, sound rever-beration and background noise. Consult an acoustician or an architect familiar with these issues, as well as the resources at the end of this document, for more information.

Quick and Easy ~ Acoustics is an issue that can addressed at the start of a project. Before choos-ing an existing building to move to, bring along a purchased (less than $50) or borrowed sound level meter to check the effect of the site (traffic, neighbors, etc.) and exist-ing mechanical systems on the acoustic capabilities in the class-room. Potential classrooms spaces should have a reading of 45 dBa or

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25

Prologue

You have a clear picture of how students will learn, how teachers will inspire and how the school will feel; but how do you turn this vision into a realized learning environment? How do you provide the best possible space to help the school accomplish its goals?

This section aims to arm you with nuts & bolts guidance on facility planning and development.

Get project stakeholders, particularly the design team, involved in discussions early. Go through the following section with them to begin a dialogue on design decisions together and build consensus.

Prologue

Phases of Development

Program Checklist

Space Flashcards

RentaL / MInoR BuILD-out

You are renting a portion of a building , often for temporary use (1-2 years), which may require minor renovations such as moving a few walls, painting or laying carpeting to accommodate your needs. You may also be using modulars to house a portion or all of your school.

Renovate exIstIng BuILDIng You are moving semi-permanently or permanently into. Since your stay here may be an extended stay, you might need to do a more extensive renovation to accommodate your learning goals. Work back from your target move-in date; ideally you would allow 1 year of planning and design work with an architect and an additional 6 to 12 months for construction.

BuILD out neW BuILDIng

Your school is ready to move into its own permanent facility, which will require new construction (or extensive renovation of an existing structure). Here you should allow at least 1 year of planning and design work and an additional 1 year for construction.

FuLL-sCaLe sChooL New Orleans, KIPP McDonogh Houston, KIPP Sharp Houston, KIPP ShineDC, KIPP Leap

gRoWIng sChooL Houston, KIPP DreamGalveston, KIPP Coastal VillageNew York, KIPP Academy ElementarBaltimore, KIPP HarmonyHouston, KIPP Zenith Academy

New Orleans, KIPP Central CityLA, KIPP Raices DAC, KIPP Discover Academy

Helena, KIPP DeltaDC, KIPP PromiseHouston, KIPP Explore Academy

neW sChooL Chicago, KIPP Ascend PrimaryLA, KIPP Comienza Community PrepPrimaryLA, KIPP Empower AcademyNYC, KIPP Infinity Elementary SchoolPhiladelphia, KIPP Philadelphia Elementary Academy

Austin, KIPP Austin ComunidadDC, KIPP DC: Grow AcademyHouston, KIPP Legacy Preparatory School

26

Phases of development

Learn more ~ You can visit KIPP.org for a current list of leaders at each school. The Appendix lists leaders referenced for this guide.

This diagram shows current KIPP EC and El-ementary schools organized by their stage of growth and type of facility. Notice the increasing complexity of the scope of the facility project un-dertaken from Rental / Minor Build-Out to Exist-ing Building Renovation and New Construction as schools grow and mature over time.

While all schools may not follow this precise path, try to identify where your school resides and how much time you need to plan for a shift to a different facility type. Also, please reach out to regions that have tackled the type of project upon which you wish to embark to learn from their experiences.

All data is current for the 2010-11 school year

Program Checklist

Space Flashcards


Prologue

27

Program Checklist

The following four pages are checklists, in-tended to assist school leaders and regional staff in determining how much space is rec-ommended to address the goals and needs of your school. The checklists should be helpful to both schools that are thinking about new construction as well as those schools that are trying to identify an existing space that will meet their needs.

The first checklist is to be used as a template and guide when discussing space needs for your EC/ Elementary School. Listed are various types of typical spaces found in schools. This list is not comprehensive, but should give you a good mix to begin a dialogue between project stakeholders, which includes school leaders, regional staff and architectural and construc-tion design teams.

The three checklists that follow are examples of programs for schools at various phases of development: a NEW SCHOOL, a GrOWiNG SCHOOL, and a FuLL-SCALE SCHOOL. Each school or region has local constraints to work within to achieve its own unique goals and pro-grams, so the checklist and programs should be used as a benchmark and not as absolute requirements.

Be sure to talk to an architect about state and local codes specific to your location.

Core Academics

Shared Academics

Shared Community

Academic Support

Facility Maintenance


Space Flashcards

Prologue

Program checklist

3

INTRODUCTION

Prologue


Why us? Why now?


9

DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL

Prologue




24

PLAN A FACILITY

Prologue


Program checklist

Space flashcards

42

BEST PRACTIC-ES

Prologue

School profiles

50

APPENDIX

Acknowledgments

Resources

Matt McGrane

Jill Bergman

Ashley Marsh

Lala Matties

John Syvertsen

James Wu

Gregory Fischer

Chris Lambert

Jennifer Alexander

Karin Santiago

Sara Schonour

Mary Waz

Michele CohenIdoine

Tom Bergmann TAPROOT

Kent Turner

We are . We try not to fall in love with our

partners. Rather, we like to fall in love with outcomes and results.

We believe that critical engagement in community based

work can lead to a generative, outcome focused practice and

advance our business. We work with honesty, integrity,

fairness and courage. We aim to inspire a practice where

profit is measured via critically engaged professionals.

And Open Hand Studio makes this vision robust by creating

sustainable social change for a global society’s most

under-served and disadvantaged.

The purpose of a company will be to create shared value, where business and society achieve success together.

Michael E. PorterHarvard Business School

HIGH-IMPACTETHICS

HUMAN-CENTRIC

Focus on people, ensuring efforts are first a source of opportunity, innovation and advancement of our practice rather than a cost, a constraint or a charitable deed.

HUMAN-CENTRIC

Move beyond isolated acts of service to focus on high-impact strategic initiatives.

HIGH-IMPACT

We will work with honesty, integrity, fairness and courage.

ETHICS

100% OF THE

1,000,000 ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN PROFESSIONALS IN THE U.S. IS A

1,000,000 PERSON FIRM WORKING FULL-TIME FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.

ERIC CESAL ‘08 ASHLEY MARSH ‘07 SARA WEISSMAN ‘08

BLAME IT ON BRUCE LINDSEY?Washington University in St. Louis

Open Hand drivers are inherent in the DNA.

Audience: Education Experts » Leaders in the field of education » Parents » Interested Public

One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade. ~ Chinese Proverb

Strawberry RoadHeart and mind » Rewarding » Visionary »Explorative » Poignant » Personal » Inspirational

Audience: Education experts » Educators » Librarians » Parents » General readers » Children

All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them ~ Galileo Galilei

Cabinet of WonderBright thoughts » Sense of wonder » Delight » Curated » Theatre of ideas » Curiosity » Explore » Learn » Discover » Collection

Audience: Parents » Students » Educators » Policy makers » Superintendents

Challenge everything,assume nothing. ~ Sergio Zyman

The CatalystPowerful » Compelling » Reform » Gutsy » No-nonsense » Challenging » Galvanizing

>

>

>

wHy us wHy nowwHy THis

Strawberry Road » Who you are and what you are saying “One generation plants the trees, another gets the shade”

» Focus on the children and their tomorrow

» Touch on the past to illuminate the future and remember that a designer’s past is a user’s present and future

» Develop a sense of stewardship for learning environments

» Choose local stories with global impact and universal appeal

» Relate stories from the point of view of people

» Design and describe places and objects as experiences

» Unite hearts and minds — be intellectual and emotional

This is your perspective and your internal motivation Cabinet of Wonder » How you are saying it “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them”

» Model the aphorism that curiosity is the mother of intelligence

» Curate in order to create

» Collect stories, artifacts, ideas — and ultimately, experiences — about the past, present, and future

» Model a great learning environment

» Design it to engage, fascinate, and reveal

» Engineer it to be hooky, concrete, and sticky

» Open it anywhere and be inspired

» Tell true stories with literary tools

This is the organizational structure and storytelling armature

The Catalyst » Why you are saying it “We must be the change that we wish to see in the world”

» Function like a great lesson by inspiring on an individual level

» Influence the influencers

» Call to inspiration rather than action

» Issue an invitation to participate in a theater of ideas

» Motivate by touching hearts and moving minds

» Be prophetic, progressive, visionary

» Be credible, clear-eyed, pragmatic

» Give everyone the tools to become an ambassador

This is your ambition for the book

Product Development

Curriculum Design

Professional Development

Event Design/Planning, Exhibit Curation Youth Design Labs

Future Trending

Strategy/Visioning

Planning/Design/Architecture

The Third Teacher + is an education design consultancy within Cannon Design that helps learning communities better serve 21st century learners.

With an eye on the future of learning, the multidisciplinary team collaborates with these communities to formulate systemic strategies for pedagogical, curricular, and environmental change.

Finally, to perpetuate these changes, we design the physical environment - “the third teacher” – that houses and facilitates the new ecology of learning.

MISSION

5


Learn more ~ Learning environment refers to a classroom, but it can mean a library, lab, gym, theater or playground. It is where your stu-dents learn.

The guide is intended to help identify unique facility needs related to Early Childhood (EC) and Elementary Schools learning environ-ments, to assist and empower the design and development of facilities that support your school’s mission, and to address facility con-siderations both at an early, visionary stage and a more detailed facility planning stage.

This guide will help you to make informed fa-cility decisions and guide your ability to com-municate with design teams; please feel free to share this resource with members of your design team.

Additionally, this guide is also intended to raise awareness that it is never to early too think about how the design of the learning environ-ment can advance a student’s ability to learn.

This document is divided into three core sec-tions: 1. Design your school, prompts to gener-ate broad ideas and set goals with space con-siderations in mind | 2. Develop a facility, the nuts & bolts you need to determine needs and to achieve your goals | 3. Best Practices, best practices to help frame your decisions.

Why us? Why now?


Prologue


2

Table of Contents

2. Design your school encourages big-picture thinking about your school’s facility needs and alignment between physical environment and the goals stated in the School Design Plan | 3. Plan a facility provides facility plan-ning tools to help determine needs and create a learning environment | 4. Best practices presents ideas and best prac-tices concerning facility planning and design that have been successful within the KIPP network and similar schools.

Navigation Tip ~ Use the embedded links to move back and forth through the document.

This guide is licensed by KIPP, Cannon Design, and Public Architecture under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Prologue

Prologue Resources

Prologue Prologue




School Design Plan Alignment Phases of Development

Acknowledgments

Program Checklist


School Profiles

Space Flashcards

Why KIPP Elementary? Who can help?

3

INTRODUCTION

Prologue


Why us? Why now?


Facility Guide forEarly Childhood and Elementary Schools Facilities

55pages | 340MB | 2011

4

Prologue

that staffing capacity, processes, and decision rights vary across the network, it is written to be accessible to the various audiences – busi-ness operations staff, school leaders, execu-tive directors, board members – that work together to solve the real estate questions and we hope that you will share this resource with your design team. Also, recognizing the range of project types and sizes that are undertaken, there is no step-by-step process description to achieve your goals. Instead, we highlight the facility-related questions and issues that should be raised and provide general guide-lines and identify resources to help your team to arrive at the solution that best meets your local needs. You are encouraged to pick and choose amongst the topics and apply what is most relevant and useful for your particular situation.

- Liz Obgu & Carolyn Choy / KIPP Real Estate & Public Architecture (&cannon?)

Across the country, you are tackling a wide range of real estate issues, from pounding the pavement to find a site, to accommodating enrollment growth within your current facil-ity, or renovating an existing building to better meet your needs. Each local environment has its own special dynamics, and there is no one-size-fits-all KIPP solution that addresses your real estate concerns and your budget. Never-theless, there is no reason to deal with these issues in isolation. For all the differences that exist between one project and another, wheth-er in the same city or on opposite sides of the country, there are strategies and resources that can be borrowed and shared.

This manual is intended to support you in making informed decisions concerning your Early Childhood and Elementary School facilities. As KIPP grows and begins to serve more students at younger ages it is important to gather general best practices employed by KIPP middle schools and high schools, to understand lessons learned from pioneer-ing KIPP elementary schools and to tailor this information to help KIPP schools in the future.

KIPP’s universal design philosophy is ground-ed in flexibility. From its early days in church basements to today, when many schools are thriving and able to build their own facilities, flexibility has ensured that KIPP students' education always comes first. This manual has been designed to be flexible. Knowing

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Why Early Childhood/Elementary? Who can help?

Public Architecture is a nonprofit that lever-ages the resources of our nation’s design professionals to improve communities in need. The organization is proud to be able to assist KIPP with building comprehensive design and facility development tools, helping to insure that each school’s built environment reinforces the success of KIPP’s educational model.

CanonOWP/P is honored to participate in the growth and evolution of the KIPP school net-work. When Cannon Design first opened its doors in 1945, its initial client was a school. Today, more than half a century later, Cannon Design is proud of the national and internation-al reputation it has built by working with more than 150 school clients to support their educa-tional vision. The evolution of Cannon Design's K-12 studio has followed an upward trajectory as it continues to ambitiously pursue quality in design environments that promote learning excellence and outstanding service to clients.

Since the opening of the first KIPP elementary school in 2004, the number of Early Childhood (EC) and Elementary schools in the network has expanded dramatically. There are 24 KIPP EC and Elementary schools in operation dur-ing the 2010-11 school year, and there will be 30 by the summer of 2011. The strong perfor-mance of the early elementary schools sup-ports KIPP's belief that starting earlier will make a long-term positive impact on the ability of students to make it to and through college.

Whereas KIPP middle schools developed typical space needs as they grew and learned from experience, the KIPP network has ex-pressed a need for more upfront guidance in the development of EC and Elementary school facilities. Growing bodies of research highlight the critical importance of a child’s physical environment in their intellectual development. The physical environment should support and facilitate the great teaching and dedicated learning that is expected in a KIPP school.



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Quick and Easy ~ With KIPP stu-dents spending more time in the classroom, taking advantage of day-lighting will create a more dynamic and less static learning space.


wide variety of choice in learning environments and tools to support their achievement goals?

• How is commitment displayed within the school facility?

• Will your facility provide space and opportunity to allow students, teachers, parents and the surrounding community to build or show their commitment?

3. More TimeKIPP schools know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics and life. With an extended school day, week and year, students have more time in the class-room to acquire the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare them for competitive high schools and colleges, as well as more op-portunities to engage in diverse extracurricu-lar experiences.

• How does your facility impact each young child who spends a longer day inside?

• Will your facility provide areas to learn in differ-ent ways throughout the day?

4. Power to LeadKIPP School Leaders and Executive Directors represent effective academic and organization-al leaders who understand that great schools require great leaders. There is control over the school budget and personnel. There is freedom to swiftly move dollars or make staffing chang-es, allowing maximum effectiveness in helping students learn.

• How will your facility express your point of view?

KIPP schools share a core set of operating principles known as the Five Pillars that often distinguish a KIPP school. Content in this guide considers how each pillar relates to a school’s physical learning environment. We have out-lined a few big picture ideas related to those pillars.

1. High ExpectationsKIPP schools have clearly defined and mea-surable high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that make no ex-cuses based on the students’ backgrounds. Students, parents, teachers and staff create and reinforce a culture of achievement and support through a range of formal and infor-mal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior.

• How are your high expectations supported by the physical environments where your students learn?

• How are you maintaining high expectations for your physical space itself, despite facilities that may not be ideal or in the best of conditions?

2. Choice & CommitmentStudents, their parents, and the faculty of each KIPP school choose to participate in the pro-gram. No one is assigned or forced to attend a KIPP school. Everyone must make and uphold a commitment to the school and to each other to put in the time and effort required to achieve success.

• How will your facility provide students with a


Why us? Why now?


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Quick and Easy ~ New ways of learning include using the building as a teaching tool. From showcas-ing metering to teach about energy or setting up worm bins to teach about waste and lifecycle, a school's physical environment can provide easy and tangible connections to is-sues such as sustainability.

"Learning is far more complicated than once thought. Complications arise because learning involves more than just school, curriculum and test results. It is, rather, the result of the complex interplay be-tween the child’s body, diet, family life, security, neighborhood, teach-ers, school, peers, access to infor-mation, and a great deal more."

—David Orr, Professor of Environ-mental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College in his foreword to The Third Teacher.

• How will your design decisions allow flexibil-ity for future leaders to express their points of view?

5. Focus on Results

KIPP schools relentlessly focus on high stu-dent performance on standardized tests and other objective measures. Just as there are no shortcuts, there are no excuses. Students are expected to achieve a level of academic perfor-mance that will enable them to succeed at the nation’s best high schools and colleges.

• Look at your learning space with 21st-century eyes: Does it work for what we know about learning today and how a KIPP school educates a child, or just for what we knew about learning in the past?


Why us? Why now?


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DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL

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Take a step back from the concerns of where the school will be located, how many children it will educate and the cost of the facility. Cre-ating a joyful and healthy place to learn is criti-cal and the physical environment of the school can help accomplish the school's goals.

It’s often easy to think of a building as simply a structure to house a school’s function. But in this section, you will see that a well designed facility or space can transform that structure from a hindrance or a passive container of educational activities to a meaningful tool in the arsenal of the school’s leader and faculty. The following suggestions and examples dem-onstrate how classrooms with better daylight can lead to improved test scores, and how sustainable purchasing and practices can lead to reduced energy costs and healthier envi-ronments. Creative partnerships and design can increase access to more affordable and engaging places that can better support the learning process.

Programmatic solutions are best when con-sidered holistically. The same is true of the design strategies presented here. Use them as launching points for discussions with your design and property development team about how your facility can support learning.




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Learn more ~ The Fisher Fellowship is a one-year school leadership training program run by the KIPP Foundation. Fisher Fellows experi-ence an intensive summer program of coursework, followed by residen-cies at high-performing schools, and training conferences to prepare for opening new schools in their respective communities. Fisher Fellows come together as a cohort in order to develop and finalize their School Design Plans, articulating their school's vision. This includes the development of a Commitment to Excellence and a plan for how it will be used.

in the sample list above could be addressed with a variety of solutions. Thirty minutes of exercise could take place in a gym, an outdoor play space, or the cafeteria, once all the tables and chairs have been moved aside. Ultimately, your job is to get creative and figure out how to best provide your non-negotiables in the space that is available to you.

Some examples of how goals may translate into physical space follow.

KIpp DC: Leap, WashIngton D.C.KIPP DC: LEAP's school leader, Laura Bowen, valued a safe, outdoor play space for her stu-dents. It was a clear goal outlined in her Fisher Fellow School Design Plan in 2007. From past experiences in muddy fields, KIPP DC teach-ers knew this space needed to be usable year-round and shared this need with their architect. The architect developed an inter-nal courtyard with all-weather ground cover where students can play safely, away from the street and out of the mud.

RogeRs paRK MontessoRI sChooL, ChICago, ILAt Rogers Park Montessori students have the right to plenty of exercise a day. This meant the school needed adequate physical activity and play space for all students at all times of year. Their preK-3 and preK-4 student population was a strong part of their school, so they con-sidered a facility with a smaller scaled play-room that more adequately supports activities

SCHOOL LEADERS | There is so much to tackle in your school's early years. Stay focused on what is most important for your students.

You will have to make many tough decisions as you plan and open your school. You may have to sacrifice space or programs that are important to you to secure what you believe will most help your students, especially while your school is growing. To help ensure that you do not sacrifice spaces or programs that con-tribute to your school's culture and learning environment, consider writing a list of non-negotiable elements you promise to provide for your students.

A sample list might read: MY STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO...

· thirty minutes of exercise a day, · a healthy lunch and snacks, · space and time to learn on their own, · feel safe in their classroom, · thermal comfort, · learn to play a musical instrument, · a natural playspace and fresh air, · learn science in a hands-on lab, · read in a well-lit, well-ventilated,

quiet space Obviously cost will be a consideration for all projects, and limited resources mean that you will always have to make tradeoffs. With this in mind, your students' rights should not be tied to specific physical spaces. Note that the items

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Learn more ~ Green design does not have to cost more. Check out an article in Buildings Magazine: Greg Kats of Capital E on the true costs of building green. Visit the website

for small bodies than a full-size gymnasium. Learn more

Your list of non-negotiable design elements may also help you value first costs over long-term costs. It may be tough to justify spend-ing more upfront, for example, on an energy efficient facility that will pay you back in a few years in energy savings, but if you can begin to establish some baseline goals beyond aca-demic performance, you may have an easier time convincing potential supporters and do-nors that your school planning is responsible and focused.

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This is also a great time to identify the community organizations and members who have goals aligned to yours. Reference NCB's Answer Key for a listing of key players. Learn how you can embrace, col-lect and engage others early on.

— The Answer Key for Charter School Facilities. Visit the resources

Learn more ~ The Hawaii Charter School Administrative Office has published some considerations for sharing school space. Visit the resource

Sharing SpaceDue to space availability/cost considerations, will you be co-locating? What are the keys to making shared space work?Traditional district schools may be too large for your full capacity needs. Are there commu-nity members with goals aligned with yours?

CommunityHow will students and parents enter your site? What will their first experience with and im-pression be of the school?How will you accommodate teacher develop-ment and interaction? Consider: Main office or offices scattered throughout the building, indi-vidual teacher's offices or teachers workroom.

Health /SustainabilityHow can you ensure that your students remain healthy, even if you are teaching in a modular classroom? Know your building's air quality. Ask the build-ing engineer about the air-filtration level, the quantity of outside air intake and whether or not the windows can be opened. All of these af-fect the air quality in classrooms. The EPA provides information on nonattain-ment areas (a locality where air-pollution lev-els persistently exceed National Ambient Air Quality Standards). Visit the website

LocationAre you locating in or are you easily accessible to the community that you want to serve? Is it important to you and your school's goals that students are able to walk to school?How can you "enlarge" your campus by tak-ing advantage of neighborhood amenities like parks and community centers? How does the climate affect your pedagogy and operations? Consider: Coat or rain-gear stor-age, outdoor play space, natural ventilation.

PedagogyIs there anything unique about your School Design Plan and pedagogy that should be re-flected in the school environment?Does your school require specialized space to support your pedagogy? Consider: Art, dance, group learning, music, play, science, outdoor learning.

Growing into your schoolWhat aspects of your school vision can merge and share spaces for the first few years while you grow?Do your spaces need to be agile to accommo-date many activities? Consider: Wheeled-stor-age systems, folding or stackable furniture. How long will you occupy your space? Will your facility be permanent and able to provide for future growth or is it fulfilling temporary space needs?

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Learn more ~ Tap into Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like LISC, IFF and NCB. Find out how to contact them in the Appendix under Funding.

Learn more ~ Are you facing the complex task of implementing a new facilities development project or a renovation to include features that will save energy, reduce costs and be more environmentally friendly? Consult NCB Capital Impact's guide to building a sus-tainable, high-performance char-ter school facility, The Sustainable Answer Key. Visit the website

Learn more ~ Look into local grant opportunities for sustain-able learning components: Adding photovoltaic panels to your facil-ity can be a great learning tool for the students and it absorbs expensive energy consumption at the peak period of your school day. Research programs that provide financial assistance for energy ef-ficiency retrofits, such as the State of California's Savings by Design program that offers design as-sistance and incentives to create energy-efficient buildings. Visit the

Funding/FinancingHow will you work with your design team to establish a project or facilities budget?How do you value first costs over long-term costs? Do you have a strategy for reaching out to fi-nancial institutions?Have you made connections with community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that focus on providing loans to nonprofit organiza-tions in your area?Are there any grants or funding opportunities available in your area that are specific to sus-tainable design strategies?

Can your students walk or bike to school?Is a municipal recycling service available in this location?

Operations/ProcurementWhere will furniture and technology come from? Regional support center? School district? Can you influence the furniture selection process to align with your vision for the educational spaces?How will you handle facility operations? Do you have the ability to invest in safe cleaning prod-ucts for young children?

Design and planning teamAssembling a project team at the beginning of the project is crucial to ensure that the team is working together holistically from beginning to end in relation to design, budget, and the overall charter school mission. What existing expertise (staff and board members) can you tap and in what areas do you need to supple-ment with outside advisors/consultants?Who are your critical partners? Local busi-nesses? Education groups? Board of Realtors? Local school district? Neighborhood groups? Parents? Local newspaper? Who is responsible for determining the state or municipality specific code requirements for your schools? Consider: Operations staff, de-sign team.KIPP makes decisions quickly. How are you working with your design team to ensure that communication is effective?

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Visit this website to see more about the CHPS Classroom


· Increased student attendance · Improved teacher retention · Financial savings · Environmentally friendly · Hands-on learning

Highly sustainable learning environments can often be defined by several characteris-tics. The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS, pronounced “chips”) has iden-tified some of the most critical elements:

· Healthy · Comfortable · Energy and Material Efficient · Easy to Maintain and Operate · Safe and Secure · Adaptable to Changing Needs · Community Resource

Creating a school with these characteristics is best achieved with an integrated, "whole building" approach to the design process. That is, key systems and technologies should be considered together from the beginning of the design process and optimized based on their combined impact on the comfort and produc-tivity of students and teachers. At the end of the process the entire facility should be opti-mized for long-term performance, to the ex-tent allowed by the specific constraints of each school’s local physical, budgetary, and political environment. Sustainable or 'green' design strategies touch on many factors, ranging from energy use to

The following outlines a series of general and sustainable space considerations that should be applied to the overall vision of your facil-ity. Each of these considerations should be thought of as launch points for a dialogue with your design and facilities team, with the over-arching goal of developing your schools as places for enhanced teaching and learning.

1. SuStainabilityKIPP students and teachers have been able to prevail over inadequate facilities and perform at a high level, but a well-designed facility can truly enhance performance and make the experience healthier and even more reward-ing. Considerations of a facility’s impact on the health of its occupants are especially important given the extended time that KIPP students and teachers spend in the school building. Sustain-ability provides a vehicle through which to cre-ate a school facility that is an enduring asset to its community: one that enhances teaching and learning, reduces operating costs, and protects the environment.

According to the U.S. Green Building Coun-cil (USGBC), a sustainable or “green” school is school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learn-ing while saving energy, resources and money

The USGBC has also highlighted the primary benefits of green schools:

· A healthy, productive learning environment

Learn more ~ Interested in finding out more about a particular strat-egy listed in this section? You or your architect should check out the Resources section at the back of this guide.

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Quick and Easy ~ All schools can save energy by turning off lights, computers and equipment at night. Rio Rancho Public Schools saved an estimated $40,000 over a 10-day winter break by unplugging lights, computers and other unused de-vices. They continue to “unplug” for long weekends and vacations, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars each year on energy. Source: USGBC Center for Green Schools

the associated absenteeism rates related to asthma nationwide is estimated at 20 million. If possible, choose a building or place your classrooms in areas with operable windows. Letting fresh air in will decrease the amount of harmful toxins and particulates in the air. Your design team, including the engineer, can also help suggest different strategies to increase ventilation.

The materials you bring into your classrooms, including paints, carpets, finishes and furnish-ings all contribute to your schools’ indoor air quality.

1.2 EnergyEnergy costs are another significant place where schools could save tremendous amounts of money to reinvest in the education of a young child. According to the U.S. Depart-ment of Education, in year, it is estimated that schools spend $166 per student per year on energy expenditures. In total, that is often more per child than what is spent for comput-ers and textbooks.

According to the 2006 report Greening Amer-ica’s Schools, the average energy reduction of a green school compared with conventional design is 33%. Imagine the possibilities with less energy cost burdens. Young schools are increasingly able to apply for grant money to offset the first costs associated with installing energy reducing systems.

paint selection. This guide focuses on sustain-able and simple design strategies that most schools can implement. Use it to help you understand what strategies might be most aligned with your pedagogical goals. Discuss with your design and facilities team, who can provide the expertise to turn these concepts into reality.

1.1 Indoor-Air qualityYoung children are extremely vulnerable to harmful toxins and particulates because of their narrow airways, fast metabolism, and ongoing physical development. Because they are shorter, children breathe air closer to the floor and since they often play on the floor, they are exposed to cleaning chemicals in much higher concentra-tions. In addition, metals such as lead and mer-cury and gases such as radon settle close to the floor.

Increasingly, states, such as Illinois, are pass-ing laws requiring every school to have a green cleaning policy in place. Any school, regardless of location or budget, can make purchases and be cleaned sustainably and responsibly.

Indoor-air quality (IAQ) is inextricably linked to the increased percentage of young students with asthma. Asthma is a condition that dis-proportionately affects low income communi-ties, as exposure to high levels of indoor and outdoor pollution increases the risk for illness. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation notes that

Learn more ~ Cleaning products can have a significant impact on indoor air quality. The Healthy Schools Campaign releases an annual "Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools, provid-ing simple strategies, tools, and a product directory to help schools implement effective green clean-ing programs. Visit the Resources section at the back of this guide to learn more.

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Avoid placing the brightest colors at the teach-ing wall. The contrast from the whiteboard to the wall will hinder student’s ability to focus. Classrooms should feel stimulating and moti-vating, but not in ways that discourage concen-tration.

Use warm colors in muted tones. Too much green, yellow and blue will make the space seem cooler and will reflect fluorescent light to make people look pale. Use color to warm and brighten the library space. In areas that contain computers, remember to select col-ors that help reduce glare and eyestrain. You want eyes to have a break from the brightness of the screen, but not a huge contrast. Avoid having black or pure white directly behind a monitor. Preferred colors can vary but try to choose one that has a Light Reflectance Value Range (LRV) between 70-30. (In addition to color, think about placing computers in areas that allow the ability to look up from the moni-tor and look away to view long distances. This can relax the eye muscles after they’ve been focusing up close for long durations.

It is helpful to break up large expanses of color in spaces like auditoriums, gymnasiums and cafeterias; it keeps the spaces from being too overwhelming. Use lighter warm tones or neu-trals with brightly colored accents to invigo-rate the room.

When purchasing new computers or applianc-es, look for ENERGY STAR qualified products. ENERGY STAR products are rated for energy efficiency. Many states offer rebates for pur-chasing ENERGY STAR appliances and equip-ment.

2. SEnSES You should think carefully about classroom aesthetics as they support a young child’s abil-ity to learn. Children have fascinating multi-sensory capabilities that typically are lost as they grow into adulthood.

Their environment is an everyday workshop and an integral part of learning, especially for a young child. The following sections on 2.1 Color, 2.2 Finishes, 2.3 Daylighting, and 2.4 Acoustics will help you create a learning environment that is ideal for multi-sensory learning. Create a laboratory for the senses!

2.1 ColorUse a subtle chromatic range with many shades. Aim to include colors similar to each other, tone-upon-tone, that can generate vigor and variety, and colors that contrast with one another.

Soft color and lighter floors make rooms feel larger, however, dark colors and rich tones mask soiling, which is desirable in EC spaces. Light white or cream colors on ceilings will make low ceilings seem higher.

“While we allow preschoolers to use their bodies, their hands, their noses, their ears and sometimes even their tongues to explore their worlds, but primary school stu-dents are sentenced to spend their school days in settings that are either bland or chaotic, a setting where little thought has been given to sensory education and the adja-cent learning environment.”

—Denis Diderot, The Third Teacher

“We can’t knowingly sell a poisonous batch of milk in stores. Why then can we tolerate putting poisonous, toxic flooring into a facility where young children will play on the floor?”

—Denis Diderot, The Third Teacher

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Quick and Easy ~ Several major carpet manufacturers, including Interface and Milliken, will sell or donate carpeting that has been reclaimed from other businesses and institutions, cleaned, and/or restored. Reclaimed carpet might also be available from indepen-dent carpet vendors. To learn more about Interface’s program. Visit the

Quick and Easy ~ Developing a sus-tainable purchasing policy can help you make informed decisions about safe and healthy products (from surface finishes to green cleaning products) to use in your schools. Groups like the Responsible Purchasing Network have policy standards and purchasing guides. CHPS has launched a sustain-able materials database. Visit the

concrete and wood. Each of these materials provides a different aesthetic feel, cost, clean-ing requirement and performance aspects. Vinyl products can come with or without a fin-ish, perform well in wet messy conditions and are easily cleaned. Where possible, rubber is preferable to vinyl. Rubber products have the similar attributes but do not need to be waxed, are comfortable to stand on and absorb some sound. Grouted floor tiles are highly durable, easily cleaned with minimal if any chemicals, but can be noisy. Terrazzo is easily cleaned, can be patched if needed and, if maintained prop-erly, can last the lifetime of the building. Wood flooring provides comfort but needs to be used in areas away from water usage.

WaLLs

Walls are often covered in a finish of paint. Paint technology has improved recently so that products with low environmental impact can also have good performance. There are several manufacturers that make scrubbable paints. Your maintenance staff needs to deter-mine if money spent on a high-performance paint is warranted or if it is easier to maintain by touch up painting throughout the school year. Display surfaces can be integral to a wall and include magnetic surfaces, markerboard surfaces and tack surfaces. Using a partition as a surface to communicate and celebrate student achievements can contribute much to the culture of the school. All of these sur-faces should be easily cleaned and repaired.

2.2 Finish selection and cleaningProper maintenance of interior finishes will lead to a longer life for the material as well as contribute to a safe and healthy environ-ment. Knowledge of your long-term operating budget will assist in making decisions on the initial material selections, as the total cost of a product is the initial installation plus the on-going required maintenance. Operational and maintenance staff should come up with a plan and budget for yearly replacement and repair of products, as well as a monthly, weekly and daily maintenance protocol.

FLooRs

The surface that takes the most abuse in a facility is usually the flooring. Additionally, ap-propriate floor material will contribute greatly to the functionality of a space. These two fac-tors should lead the decision making process for flooring type.

Carpeted floors provide thermal warmth and comfort to a space. Carpet can also help soften noise levels. Carpet can also soil easily if used in a space with exposure to water and food if the cleaning regiment is not regular. Carpet should be vacuumed daily, spot-treated on a regular basis and cleaned with a hot wa-ter extraction process on a yearly or biyearly basis depending upon location in the building.

Hard flooring includes many different products including vinyl tile, rubber tile, tile, terrazzo,

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Learn more ~ In a 1999 study completed for Pacific Gas and Electric, Daylighting in Schools: An Investigation into the Relationship between Daylighting and Human Performance, the Heschong Mahone Group established a statistically compelling connection between day-lighting and student performance, finding that students in classrooms with the most daylighting had 7% to 18% higher scores on end-of-year testing than those with the least. Visit the Resources

into hallways and other high traffic areas that are often dimly lit.

Direct sun penetration into classrooms, espe-cially through un-shaded east or south facing windows, was found to be associated with nega-tive student performance in a 2003 Heschong Mahone Group study, Windows and Class-rooms: A Study of Student Performance and the Indoor Environment, most likely because of glare and thermal discomfort. Glare has been found to negatively impact student learning, especially in math, where instruction is often vi-sually demonstrated on the front teaching wall. Ask an architect or designer to study the appro-priate devices to bounce light into the interior on appropriate facades.

Light should be able to create shadows for contrast and diversity. Allowing students and teachers the ability to vary the light intensity and color will enhance their ability to focus in a variety of teaching and learning settings. This can be achieved by providing dimmable light fixtures or a few smaller lamps and task lights.

In addition to bringing in appropriate amounts of natural light, providing views to the outside can also improve occupant well-being, produc-tivity and performance. Students with access to exterior views will feel a sense of connectiv-ity to their surroundings, encouraging them to take what they are learning in the class-

As these surfaces will likely take more abuse than a standard painted wall, replacement cost should be factored into the long term budget.

2.3 Daylight & viewsThe visual environment is very important for learning. Increasing natural light in the class-room, as well as views to the outside, has been found to increase student performance and productivity. If a student is actively engaged in learning, views to their surroundings beyond the classroom walls can serve as an inspira-tion for participation and thought, not as a distraction. In addition, if light fixtures can be dimmed or turned off during the day, this can result in significant energy savings, as evi-denced in the Capital E report Greening Amer-ica's Schools: Costs and Benefits, resulting in operating cost savings as well.

Consider lower light levels away from windows to encourage napping and quiet play. Many states require nap time spaces to incorporate near black-out conditions. Focus larger group areas closer to windows where children gain energy and alertness. In general, it is a good practice to provide a bright, sunny side of a room for play and a softer, quieter side for nap time and storytelling. Architectural features such as clerestory windows and angled ceilings can bring light further into large classrooms. Ask your architect or facilities team to design or look for buildings that put windows along interior classroom walls in order to bring light

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Learn more ~ According to the American National Standard, Acoustical Performance Criteria "The reading scores of 2nd to 6th grade children in a school exposed to noise from a nearby elevated urban train track were compared in quieter and noisier classrooms. The students, comparable in all respects, were receiving the same type of instruction. However, the children in the lower grades and noisier classrooms were three to four months behind in read-ing scores relative to those in the quieter classrooms and as much as 11 months behind for the higher grades." Visit the Resources to learn more

sounD IsoLatIon

Classroom environments should be located, when possible, away from inherently noisy spaces such as music rooms, gymnasiums and cafeterias. Separating a classroom from adjacent classrooms and corridors can be achieved by selecting wall materials that achieve the proper sound transmission class (STC). STC rates the amount that sound is re-duced by passing through a partition such as a wall, roof, or door. A higher STC rating indicates more sound is being reduced. Ask your design team to aim for classroom walls with an STC rating of 50. Music rooms and gyms should have an STC of 60. If your facility is a multi-level building, acoustical separation between levels achieved through the floor and ceiling construction should also be taken into consideration.

sounD ReveRBeRatIon

Students need to hear their instructor, peers, as well as themselves clearly. When sound bounces, or reverberates, around a room to too high a degree, the resulting echo can jeopardize the ability to hear. Many elements in the room can contribute positively and negatively to rever-beration. In general, in early childhood learning spaces the instructor does not have a fixed loca-tion and is freely presenting from different parts of the room. Absorptive materials where pos-sible, such as carpeting for the floor and sound absorptive wall panels at higher portions of the walls should be used. The most important sur-

room and apply it to the community and world around them. Discuss with your architect or facilities team important considerations like providing views to include building orientation, window size, glass and window covering mate-rial selection, and access to views from typi-cally interior spaces such as hallways, offices and gymnasiums.

2.4 AcousticsAn essential element to the success of stu-dents is their ability to communicate in the classroom effectively. Amongst the younger student population, approximately 15% of students have some hearing loss (www.quiet-classroom.org). In addition, a student learn-ing English as a second language or suffering from an attention deficit disorder is at a signifi-cant disadvantage in a noisy classroom. Young students have smaller vocabularies and are less able to piece together missing words in a sentence. All of these factors can contribute to lower speech intelligibility even in the most ideal environment. Ensuring a proper acousti-cal environment to counteract these issues is critical.

There are three main factors to address when creating an optimal acoustical classroom environment: sound isolation, sound rever-beration and background noise. Consult an acoustician or an architect familiar with these issues, as well as the resources at the end of this document, for more information.

Quick and Easy ~ Acoustics is an issue that can addressed at the start of a project. Before choos-ing an existing building to move to, bring along a purchased (less than $50) or borrowed sound level meter to check the effect of the site (traffic, neighbors, etc.) and exist-ing mechanical systems on the acoustic capabilities in the class-room. Potential classrooms spaces should have a reading of 45 dBa or

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100%

TypicalElementary Classroom

130-145%

TypicalEarly Childhood

Classroom

Your EC students are much smaller than Elemen-tary or Middle school students, but that does not mean your EC classrooms should be smaller. In fact, an EC room needs to be much larger, 400-500 square feet (sf) more, on average, than a typical classroom space for 1st to 4th grade students.

The total number of square feet allocated for a classroom will depend on local regulations. Al-lowing just enough space to meet guidelines is not always ideal. Often times this will limit your ability to teach in a variety of learning settings.

Always consider, in addition to the base square footage required by local regulation, the space needed for secondary spaces such as cabinets, cubbies, closets and toilets, which is typically an additional 20 sf/student and accounted for in the recommendations in this document.

face that can contribute to better sound control in an open flexible classroom environment is the ceiling. Many interior construction materials are prescribed a noise reduction coefficient (NRC). The NRC rates the sound-absorptive proper-ties of a material. Your design or facilities team should consider ceiling tiles which have a noise reducing coefficient of .70 or higher, depending on the size of your classrooms.

BaCKgRounD noIse

Background noise can come from many sourc-es including outdoor traffic, adjacent program spaces, electrical equipment, plumbing and HVAC equipment. Electrical light fixtures can be outfitted with low noise ballasts or ballasts can be located in remote enclosed spaces. When possible, classrooms should not share a common wall with a bathroom. Plumbing lines will impact the class less if they are run through corridor spaces. Classroom equip-ment can contribute to noise levels as well. Projectors and computers should be selected for lowest noise level fans and when these items are not in use, they should be turned off.

2.5 Size of spaceThe following outlines a series of general space considerations that should be applied to the overall vision of your facility. Each of these considerations should be thought of as launch points for a dialogue with your design and facili-ties team.

Quick and Easy ~ As you're look-ing for furniture to place in your schools, consider buying used furniture as an affordable and envi-ronmentally conscious strategy for purchasing high quality furniture. A number of companies, such as IRN and Habitat for Humanity ReStores, are good sources for such products.

Quick and Easy ~ Throw pillows can provide a quick and easy way to pro-vide a flexible learning environment. Use them to create a reading envi-ronment or group work area away from the student's everyday desk.

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2.7 PlayKIPP students and teachers have a much lon-ger school day than most students. Play and a place for play is therefore even more crucial for the KIPP student. An inherently critical space for young learners, the space where young students can play should be considered beyond the classroom and the playground. Al-low grasses and leafy plants to grow outside the walls of the school. Children will be pro-vided with endless opportunities for play and discovery when nature appears in unexpected places.

Ideally the play space will be outdoors (as space and safety allow). The act of play will give the students a much needed stress re-lease, and will provide an opportunity for physical activity. The play space can provide another bridge to the surrounding community.

Steer clear of playground materials that include pressure treated wood because of harmful chemicals. Ensure that children are playing in a pesticide free environment. Integrated pest management systems can aid with this.

2.8 MoveBefore they started KIPP, co-founders Dave Levin and Mike Feinberg were inspired by the way an experienced master teacher, Harriet Ball, kept her students attentive during the school day. Ms. Ball shared with KIPP's found-ers her method of using songs, chants, move-

KiNDEr-gArTEN

grADES 1-2

grADES 3-4

CHAir 10-12” 12-14” 14-16”

TABLE 18-20” 20-22” 23-25”

CouNTErToP 24-26” 26-28” 30-32”

Table: Appropriate furniture heights

2.6 Spatial characterKIPP students spend more time at school. The longer day affords more flexibility for the teachers. The classrooms should likewise al-low for greater flexibility.

EC spaces need to accommodate varied learn-ing and play activities. Some of these accom-modations include: wet space (ideally located near the entrance and the room’s sink) and space for large projects to be built and stay erected without inhibiting circulation. Ex-tended school days require additional time for snacks.The KIPP program's emphasis on reading actively engages students with books at every opportunity. Providing students with cozy read-ing nooks with adequate lighting will enhance a student’s ability to absorb the content they are reading throughout the day. EC classrooms need adequate space for these various activities to occur seamlessly and simultaneously.

Learn more ~ imagination Playground and KaBoom! In New York City, Rockwell Group, an ar-chitecture firm, compiled years of research to develop the Imagination Playground Initiative. (Playground in a box). KaBOOM!, the nation's leading not-for-profit dedicated to bringing play back into the lives of children, has partnered with Rockwell Group to carry these ideas to playgrounds across the country. KIPP Central City Academy in New Orleans, LA was a recipient of a KaBOOM! Playground in a Box in 2008. Visit the Resources section

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wise not be feasible to provide during certain stages of a KIPP school's development such as a playground, gymnasium, auditorium, and li-brary. The key to sharing space successfully is making sure all parties understand clear rules and expectations.

Many organizations would benefit from hav-ing meeting or classroom space in the eve-nings and weekends when the KIPP schools are not in session.

If you plan on sharing space with another school, consider equal and prominent signage to promote pride and ownership of the facility. With arrangements where there is sharing of space make sure to have a clear understand-ing around issues of building access.

ments and dances to help the students engage with material and remember lessons.

The key is to make learning fun, to engage young students' bodies and minds and to keep plenty of blood pumping and oxygen flowing to the brain.

Allow movement to occur throughout the school day by investing in furniture that moves with children. Let the furniture absorb, rather than restrict, the movement of growing bod-ies. Furniture should flex, adjust, roll and tilt safely.

An attention endurance experiment at Per-spectives Charter School in Chicago showed that giving students increased opportunity to move while seated triggered above-average levels of concentration during test taking.

Especially given KIPP's longer school day, stu-dents need space to move around, both in their classroom and larger spaces like dance stu-dios or gymnasiums, to prevent mental fatigue and distraction.

2.9 Sharing spaceSharing space with another school or com-munity organization can provide a number of benefits and should be considered as a poten-tially valuable opportunity. Sharing space can reduce operations and maintenance expense and provide access to spaces that might other-

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PLAN A FACILITY

Prologue


Program checklist

Space flashcards

25

Prologue

You have a clear picture of how students will learn, how teachers will inspire and how the school will feel; but how do you turn this vision into a realized learning environment? How do you provide the best possible space to help the school accomplish its goals?

This section aims to arm you with nuts & bolts guidance on facility planning and development.

Get project stakeholders, particularly the design team, involved in discussions early. Go through the following section with them to begin a dialogue on design decisions together and build consensus.

Prologue


Program Checklist

Space Flashcards

RentaL / MInoR BuILD-out

You are renting a portion of a building , often for temporary use (1-2 years), which may require minor renovations such as moving a few walls, painting or laying carpeting to accommodate your needs. You may also be using modulars to house a portion or all of your school.

Renovate exIstIng BuILDIng You are moving semi-permanently or permanently into. Since your stay here may be an extended stay, you might need to do a more extensive renovation to accommodate your learning goals. Work back from your target move-in date; ideally you would allow 1 year of planning and design work with an architect and an additional 6 to 12 months for construction.

BuILD out neW BuILDIng

Your school is ready to move into its own permanent facility, which will require new construction (or extensive renovation of an existing structure). Here you should allow at least 1 year of planning and design work and an additional 1 year for construction.

FuLL-sCaLe sChooL New Orleans, KIPP McDonogh Houston, KIPP Sharp Houston, KIPP ShineDC, KIPP Leap

gRoWIng sChooL Houston, KIPP DreamGalveston, KIPP Coastal VillageNew York, KIPP Academy ElementarBaltimore, KIPP HarmonyHouston, KIPP Zenith Academy

New Orleans, KIPP Central CityLA, KIPP Raices DAC, KIPP Discover Academy

Helena, KIPP DeltaDC, KIPP PromiseHouston, KIPP Explore Academy

neW sChooL Chicago, KIPP Ascend PrimaryLA, KIPP Comienza Community PrepPrimaryLA, KIPP Empower AcademyNYC, KIPP Infinity Elementary SchoolPhiladelphia, KIPP Philadelphia Elementary Academy

Austin, KIPP Austin ComunidadDC, KIPP DC: Grow AcademyHouston, KIPP Legacy Preparatory School

26


Learn more ~ You can visit KIPP.org for a current list of leaders at each school. The Appendix lists leaders referenced for this guide.

This diagram shows current KIPP EC and El-ementary schools organized by their stage of growth and type of facility. Notice the increasing complexity of the scope of the facility project un-dertaken from Rental / Minor Build-Out to Exist-ing Building Renovation and New Construction as schools grow and mature over time.

While all schools may not follow this precise path, try to identify where your school resides and how much time you need to plan for a shift to a different facility type. Also, please reach out to regions that have tackled the type of project upon which you wish to embark to learn from their experiences.

All data is current for the 2010-11 school year

Program Checklist

Space Flashcards


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Program Checklist

The following four pages are checklists, in-tended to assist school leaders and regional staff in determining how much space is rec-ommended to address the goals and needs of your school. The checklists should be helpful to both schools that are thinking about new construction as well as those schools that are trying to identify an existing space that will meet their needs.

The first checklist is to be used as a template and guide when discussing space needs for your EC/ Elementary School. Listed are various types of typical spaces found in schools. This list is not comprehensive, but should give you a good mix to begin a dialogue between project stakeholders, which includes school leaders, regional staff and architectural and construc-tion design teams.

The three checklists that follow are examples of programs for schools at various phases of development: a NEW SCHOOL, a GrOWiNG SCHOOL, and a FuLL-SCALE SCHOOL. Each school or region has local constraints to work within to achieve its own unique goals and pro-grams, so the checklist and programs should be used as a benchmark and not as absolute requirements.

Be sure to talk to an architect about state and local codes specific to your location.

Core Academics

Shared Academics

Shared Community

Academic Support

Facility Maintenance


Space Flashcards

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1. Space

Core AcademicsPreK-4 w/toilet (25 students)Kindergarten w/toilet (25 students)Ist grade (25 students)2nd Grade (25 students)3rd Grade (25 students)4th Grade (25 students)Project Area

Shared AcademicsComputer LabArt MusicArt/Music Flex Space1

LibraryScience Lab/DemonstrationShared Breakout Areas

Shared CommunityMotor Skills/Small PEGymnasiumCafeteria2

Cafeteria2

Cafeteria2

Cafeteria ServeryCafeteria Table and Chair StorageCafeteria Raised Presentation AreaCafeteria/Gymnasium Flex Space1

Entry Lobby

Academic SupportSchool Leader/Principal's OfficeTeacher's WorkroomIndividual Teacher OfficeSpecialists OfficesMain Office Waiting and SecretaryMain Office Storage ClosetConference RoomCopy/WorkroomNurse w/toiletParents' Room

Facility/Maintenance3

Janitor's ClosetsStaff ToiletsStudent ToiletsTechnology Closets

Square Footage per Space

1,200 1,200 750 750 750 750 600

750 1,200 1,000 1,200 2,000 900 125

1,800 4,000 2,250 3,750 4,500 600 400 600 4,500 400

200 800 200 250 500 100 250 250 500 400

50 100 225 50

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Notes:1. Schools that are new or

growing may want to consider choosing flexible spaces to maximize the types of activities their space can accommodate. Flex Spaces are designed to accommodate more than one use.

2. Cafeteria space is calculated by assigning 15 sf per students. Two lunch periods are assumed.

3. Talk with your architect about building support spaces such as Receiving Areas, Mechanical and Electrical Rooms and Recycling and Trash Rooms.

Subtotal

4. Circulation (35%)Total

5. Square footage per student

2. Quantity 3. Area Subtotal

Sample checklist ~ Your School to grade students

1. Check the spaces that your school needs to accomplish its goals.

2. Write in the quantities that you need for each space.

3. Calculate the area subtotal by multiplying the square footage by the quantity for each space.

4. Include circulation (hallways) by multiplying the subtotal by 35%.

5. Calculate the square footage per student. 100 sf per student is average for KIPP elementary schools.

25 students is used as the average class size. For spaces needed to accommodate larger groups, provide 50sf/student for Pre-K-K and 30sf/student for grades 1-4.


Space Flashcards

Prologue

Program checklist

Click here to download Excel file of spreadsheet

29


1,200 1,200 750 750 750 750 600

750 1,200 1,000 1,200 2,000 900 125

1,800 4,000 2,250 3,750 4,500 600 400 600 4,500 400

200 800 200 250 500 100 250 250 500 400

50 100 225 50

Subtotal



checklist ~ A new School to grade students

1. Space


Shared AcademicsComputer LabArt MusicArt/Music Flex SpaceLibraryScience Lab/DemonstrationShared Breakout Areas

Shared CommunityMotor Skills/Small PEGymnasiumCafeteriaCafeteriaCafeteriaCafeteria ServeryCafeteria Table and Chair StorageCafeteria Raised Presentation AreaCafeteria/Gymnasium Flex SpaceEntry Lobby


Facility/MaintenanceJanitor's ClosetsStaff ToiletsStudent ToiletsTechnology Closets

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3. Area Subtotal

4,8004,800 3,000

1,200

600400

4,500

200

400 500

100 250 250

100100 450

2. Quantity

44 4

1

1 1 1

1

2 2

1 1 1

2 12

21,650

7,57829,228

97

A

B

C

K K 100

C. Academic support space may need to be limited at this stage of the school's growth. Teacher offices can be scattered throughout the school for increased visibility and accessibility. However, consider how much space you need for private staff and development meetings.

A. New school leaders may want to consider Art/Music Flex Space, so their students can benefit from both activities without adding more space.

B. Similarly, new school leaders may want to consider Cafeteria/Gymnasium Flex space. If this option is desirable, it is recommended that additional space is programmed for table and chair storage during physical education activities.


Space Flashcards

Prologue

Program checklist


30


1,200 1,200 750 750 750 750 600

750 1,200 1,000 1,200 2,000 900 125

1,800 4,000 2,250 3,750 4,500 600 400 600 4,500 400

200 800 200 250 500 100 250 250 500 400

50 100 225 50

Subtotal



1. Space






checklist ~ A growing School to grade students

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3. Area Subtotal

4,8004,800 3,000

1,200

600 400

4,500

200

400500

100250250

100100450

2. Quantity

444

1

1

11

1 22 1 11

212

21,650

7,57829,228

97

PreK 1st 300


Space Flashcards

Prologue

Program checklist


31


1,200 1,200 750 750 750 750 600

750 1,200 1,000 1,200 2,000 900 125

1,800 4,000 2,250 3,750 4,500 600 400 600 4,500 400

200 800 200 250 500 100 250 250 500 400

50 100 225 50

Subtotal



1. Space






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A. Prepare your students for middle school and beyond with space for science labs and demonstrations. This space can also serve as a computer lab.

3. Area Subtotal

4,8004,800 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 1,800

1,2001,000

2,000900250

4,000

4,500 600

400

200 800

500 500 100 250 250 500 400

200 400

1,800 100

2. Quantity

444 4 4 4 3

11

112

1 1 1

1

1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

44 8 2

44,250

15,48859,738

100

A

checklist ~ A Full-Scale School to grade students PreK 4st 600


Space Flashcards

Prologue

Program checklist


32

Space flashcards

These flashcards aim to empower you, the user of this space, with the ability to choose from the checklist of spaces and develop an inspiring and productive learning environment.

Combine, morph and modify spaces to meet your school's needs. Merge two spaces (for example art and science) in your early years or provide a space not specifically outlined in this guide. When you combine spaces, be sure to use the basic and best practice considerations to inform each new space that you create.

Blank cards are provided for you to copy as you develop spaces that fit your vision and goals. Think critically about what types of activi-ties your space will need to support. Gather images of activities that support your goals and include these in the flashcards. We have provided some images to inspire you, discuss and design ideas with your facilities or design team.


Program Checklist

Prologue

Space flashcards

CLASSROOM FOR PRE-K & KGeneral learning, art and play space, storytelling, wetspace, naptime

BASIC NEEDS · 45 sf per student · Unisex toilets in the classroom · Easy-to-clean surfaces · Located on the ground floor

(check your local regulations) · Accoustically

BEST PRACTICES · 50 sf per student · Cubbies and coathooks for clothing and supplies · Dimmer switches for nap/quiet time · Carpet, beanbags and soft seating for storytelling · Hard, easy-to-clean surfaces for art, science or play · Easy access to outdoor playspace · Smart wall · Agile/ergonomic furniture

3333

Space flashcards

BASIC NEEDS · Flexible space · 30 sf per student · Small group tables or individual desks · Adequate "line-up" space for class dismissal · Plenty of natural daylight

BEST PRACTICES · 35 sf per student · Consider wet space and computing needs · Smart wall · Agile/ergonomic furniture · Cubbies and coathooks for clothing and supplies · Dimmer switches for nap or quiet time

CLASSROOM GRADES 1-4Typical lecture-style teaching, small-group learning/activities

Core Academics Shared Academics Shared Community Academic Support Facility Maintenance

Space flashcards

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34

Space flashcards Core Academics Shared Academics Shared Community Academic Support Facility Maintenance

ARTIndividual or group projects

BASIC NEEDS · Acoustic separation from other learning areas · Stationary, appropriately-sized chairs · Instrument storage space

BEST PRACTICES · Risers for ideal visibility · Wall coverings to absorb rather than reflect sound · Higher spatial volumes for better acoustics · Smart wall

BASIC NEEDS · Hard, easy-to-clean surfaces · Appropriately-sized table or counter workspace

heights · Stainless steel art sinks for easy clean-up

BEST PRACTICES · Group tables so students can work together · and share supplies · Natural daylight with task-lighting for work areas · Close to science or project areas for collaboration · Kiln

MUSICGroup instrumental or vocal exploration

Prologue

Space Flashcards


Program Checklist

35

Space flashcards

BASIC NEEDS · Hard, easy-to-clean surfaces · Group tables or work benches · Multiple stainless steel work sinks · Well-ventilated space

BEST PRACTICES · Project space · Outdoor science labratory · Technology and media rich

SCIENCE LAB / DEMOSmall labs, project space, group learning

BASIC NEEDS · Low height (36") bookcases · Work and read tables · Ample light to avoid eye strain

BEST PRACTICES · Technology and media connectivity · Soft furniture · Varied and visually interesting uses of daylight · Collaboration space with technology

LIBRARYQuiet reading, inde-pendent learning, small-group projects, large-group discus-sions, storytelling

Core Academics Shared Academics Shared Community Academic Support Facility Maintenance


Program checklist

Space flashcards

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36


BASIC NEEDS · Well-lit space · Storable and moveable furniture · Supply storage

BEST PRACTICES · Mix of hard and soft spaces · Adjacent and central to classroom space · Smart wall · Technology and media rich · Ergonomic, agile furniture

PROJECT AREALong-term team projects, drop-in computer use

BASIC NEEDS · Develop small nooks and gathering spaces in

existing corridors or entryways · Soft, agile furniture

BEST PRACTICES · Specific task-lighting · Smart wall for collaboration and project work

BREAKOUT SPACEInformal learning

Prologue

Space Flashcards


Program Checklist

37


BASIC NEEDS · Flexible space · Located near entry or other community spaces

BEST PRACTICES · Boards or cases to display student work · Near main office · Scaled to hold the entire community either alone,

or when opened up to a shared space such as the cafeteria

COMMUNITY GATHERINGPresentation & gathering, entry lobby

BASIC NEEDS · Mobile or folding chairs if space is used in many ways · Hard, nonporous surfaces · Healthy lunches and vending machines · Near kitchen and receiving

BEST PRACTICES · Recycling and compost areas · Gardening or greenroof space · Raised area for presentations · Plenty of natural daylight · Circular tables and detached chairs

CAFETERIABreakfast, lunch, community gathering

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Space Flashcards


Program Checklist

38


BASIC NEEDS · Think beyond wood. Provide flooring for multiple

activities - from basketball to roller skating · Equipment and space scaled to fit a young child's

body size and ability

BEST PRACTICES · Partitions or curtains to split the gym for multiple

classes · Space and equipment to support multiple activities

HEALTH & FITNESSPhysical education, group activities,community gathering, gymnasium

BASIC NEEDS · Compliance with occupancy, inspections

and fire codes · Well-lit and maintained exits and exit signs · Avoid positioning learning spaces near noisy

parts of the building such as the loading dock, gymnasium, cafeteria or entrance

BEST PRACTICES · Signage to promote school spirit and message · Temperature controls for each room · Teacher workroom, parent or volunteer meeting

space or workroom

WHOLE SCHOOLRENAME

Prologue

Space Flashcards


Program Checklist

39


TECHNO- LOGYSmart walls, mobile stations, computer labs

BASIC NEEDS · Wireless internet connectivity throughout the school · Security measures to protect computers in class-

rooms and mobile carts · Secure data closet (Must be kept at less than 75° have

at least 1 dedicated 20 amp electric unit, and allow for equipment to be kept several feet off the ground)

BEST PRACTICES · Computer to student ratio should be at least 3:1 · Wired and wireless connection options in every

classroom · Install data closet in a central location where addi-

tional cooling or exhaust to exterior could be provided · Every classroom equipped with an interactive

whiteboard · Varied light controls to allow for partially dimming

the room when needed

BASIC NEEDS · Front entrance should allow a direct line of sight for

a staff member or be monitored by video · Parking area or street drop-off that is well-lit · Secure campus with controlled access

BEST PRACTICES · An open and welcoming entry point/lobby · A reception desk with intercom and door access

control

SAFETY / SECURITY

Space flashcards

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Space Flashcards


Program Checklist

40


BASIC NEEDS · Parking area or street drop-off capable of accom-

moding drop-off/dismisall traffic pressures · Ample space for safe bus drop-off and parking · Access and clearance for maintenance and

garbage trucks · Avoid choosing a site near noisy or dangerous

areas such as near railroads, interstates, airports aor flood plains

BEST PRACTICES · Outdoor space for students to play, garden, learn · Community connection to parks and gathering places

SITE

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Space Flashcards


Program Checklist

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Sample

Sample


Program Checklist

Space flashcards

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BEST PRACTIC-ES

Prologue

School profiles

43

Prologue

In 1993, KIPP was an idea. In 1994, KIPP was a school for 50 fifth-grade students in Houston. In 2010-11, KIPP educates over 27,000 students in 99 schools across 20 states and the District of Columbia.

The first schools were trailblazers, challeng-ing the rules and learning from their mistakes. Today, you have the opportunity to learn from schools that have succeeded. The following section includes case studies, highlighting in-novative or recommended facilities practices at KIPP schools and other schools.

You should not feel that facility planning is a burden you must shoulder alone. You should reach out to local architects, local banks and community members and plan and construct together. The resources presented at the end of this section and throughout this document aim to give you the resources to start a dialogue with people who will help you build KIPP's to-morrow.

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School profiles

44

TImELINE

School Profiles KIPP DC LEAP Washington DC

School metrics·…· 300 students

·…· 30,000 sf of new con-struction

·…· Pre-K3 through Kinder-garten

·…· 4 Pre-K3 950 sf class-rooms with bathrooms

·…· 8 Pre-K and K 900 sf classrooms with bath-rooms

KIPP:DC LEAP moves to its new and permanent home. Spends one year growing into space, has classrooms wait-ing for rising Kinder-garten students

KIPP:DC LEAP is establishedTemporarily locat-ed–4 classrooms in a church basement

Funding & Planning:Design work was completed in Winter 2007. KIPP DC obtained interim & con-struction financing through a commercial bank loan that closed in Spring 2007, later refinanced through tax exempt bond issuance.

2008-092007-08

KIPP DC: LEAP Academy’s mission is to nur-ture and guide its students’ creativity, knowl-edge, and sense of self as it prepares them with the academic, intellectual, and character skills necessary for success in excellent mid-dle schools, high schools, colleges, and in the competitive world beyond.

When the time came to build a new facility, the goals from the school leader Laura Bowen’s original planning process during her Fisher Fellowship were taken into account:

· Classroom space that can accommodate room for multiple student play centers, cubbies, sand/water tables, shelving for supplies, and activity tables

· Hallways and classrooms that are filled with natural light

· Bathrooms in each room with sinks and toilets that are size appropriate for the ages served

· A safe playground space: padded surface, en-closed and not accessible to the street

· Hallways and classrooms that are bright, warm and inviting

· A central lobby and office space that is acces-sible to all visitors, grade levels and wings of the building

· Classroom space that accommodates pull-out Early Intervention services and specials class-es (art, PE, and music)

School profiles

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School Profiles KIPP DC LEAP Washington DC

Facility’s unique attributes·…· Classroom space surrounds a court-yard which provides a safe place for students to play year round.

·…· The facility is LEED certified equivalent.

·…· The use of different colors on the walls, floors and ceilings help organize the students and create spaces for different activities.

·…· Shares gym, cafeteria, multipurpose room and outdoor play space with Elementary school, KIPP DC: Promise Academy.

"The vision of what LEAP Academy should be was an integral part of the design process as 4801 Benning Rd was planned from the ground up. For our first year, LEAP was in a temporary location with very small classrooms and lim-ited space, so careful consideration was taken when ordering supplies (for example: furniture on wheels, containers to store learning tools in when not in use, no cubbies). Spending a year in a temporary location that did not meet all of our expectations made the design process even more informative!

The permanent LEAP facility accommodates all of the aforementioned school goals in terms of facilities. The hallways and classrooms are painted in bright colors – the floor tiles in the hallway represent each of the four school colors. This designation is helpful to the young students as they learn their classroom and their team colors. The building has large and ample windows, allowing natural sunlight to pour into the building at all times of the day. This natural light is crucial for brain develop-ment. There is a size appropriate restroom in every classroom. There is an art classroom, a music classroom, a multipurpose room that is used for PE, and an enclosed courtyard space that allows for safe play during recess. The careful and purposeful design of the building is felt the moment you walk into the space and well worth the effort. It is a building that all teachers, students and parents can feel com-fortable in, inspired by and proud of." – Laura Bowen, School leader

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School profiles

46

TImELINEFunding & Planning:Aaron Brenner led the de-velopment of the first KIPP Early Childhood / Elemen-tary School. This campus, the Southwest campus, is shared with KIPP Academy middle School and KIPP Houston High School.


·…· 65,000 square feet of new construction

·…· Pre-K3 through 4th grade

·…· 800 square foot class-rooms

·…· 2,000 square foot library

·…· Dedicated Art, Science and Special Ed rooms at 1,000+ square feet per room

As the first EC and Elementary KIPP school, the 114 pre-K SHINEsters were welcomed into the new school.

KIPP SHINE expands to include pre-k3 through 4th graders to become KIPP's first fully grown EC and Elem School in the nation.

20092004

Shine's mission is to nurture an strengthen our students’ creativity, knowledge, character, and thinking skills preparing them to excel academi-cally, physically, socially, and spiritually in the nation’s finest secondary schools, colleges, and in life.

KIPP SHINE Prep is rooted in the principles that spell its name:

· Children Seeking knowledge through exploration

· Honoring each other and themselves through sharing stories, thoughts, and support in the excitement of learning reading and writing skills; using their imagination to create sto-ries, paint pictures, act out tales, and perform songs as part of the growth process

· Never giving up as they build confidence daily in a program which has seen nothing but success

· Every day, since this is a daily commitment.

School Profiles KIPP SHINE Houston

School profiles

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School Profiles KIPP SHINE Houston

The development of KIPP SHINE was guided by Aaron Brenner in the years leading up to the 2004 opening. Following that, Aaron suc-cessfully led SHINE to new heights for 4 years before transitioning into his current role as the Head of Primary Schools for KIPP Houston. As the first KIPP school for younger children, the idea that this facility would become an exam-ple for KIPP schools to come was an important factor during the planning process. Aaron's extensive experience working with Early Child-hood facilities helped him envision a school that could meet the needs of a long school day and which supported the unique pillars that define a KIPP school.

Aaron knew first-hand that it is important for KIPP Early Childhood (EC) and Elementary schools to have significant space built in for learning materials, temporary furniture needs and art/project materials. On a daily basis, students are exposed to sustainable principles through recycling and green power purchas-ing. Large EC classrooms accommodate the variety of activities young children need to engage in over the course of a long day. It was also important to have dedicated science, art and music spaces where students could carry out experiments or practice their instruments outside of class. A lesson Aaron learned in the process of designing a school from the ground up would be to ensure that when you are de-signing and planning the school, you are con-scious of the mission of the school versus the

Facility’s unique attributes·…· Shine is colorful with bright blues, oranges and yellows.

·…· Cafeteria is the health/fitness space with an indoor soccer track painted on the floor.

·…· Each 4th grader spends 90 mins in science each day

·…· Shared space with KIPP Academy Middle School and KIPP Houston High School allows greater space efficiency.

·…· An interactive wall engages students will daily activities

opinion of the school leader. Aaron emphasizes that sometimes it is important to envision how the space will operate when you are no longer leading. How will your successor utilize this great facility?

Prologue

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Rogers Park Montessori School has grown with the Chicago community for over 40 years. Starting initially as a storefront preschool and day care for 3 and 4 year olds, it expanded to toddler care and eventually early elementary school and middle school grades. Rogers Park Montessori School was having difficulty keep-ing children in the school system, as parents were continually thinking their children would need to transition to different schools for Junior High anyway. RPMS wanted to expand to 8th grade to provide a continuous learning path, rather than one broken by moves to and from various schools.

Early use of church facilities was cost effective but posed problems. The churches were often short on cash and should a boiler break, the church often did not have money to repair the boiler. RPMS would have to pay to fix the boiler then deduct the cost from their rent. Their goal for a new facility was to have spaces which en-couraged casual interaction. Dedicated parents were known to hang around the school and talk with teachers at pick up and drop off. The new space would encourage this to continue by pro-viding a play pit at the entry for younger siblings to be entertained.

In Chicago, the school could not reside in a commercial building due to zoning laws, and often found themselves competing for residen-tially-zoned land against for-profit residential developers who could afford to pay more for

Started an Elemen-tary School program located in a rented facility

Added a 3rd through 6th grade program located in a rented facility

Added 7th and 8th grade programs and transitioned to its new-construction owned facility

TImELINE 1991 1994Funding & Planning:A dedicated parent coor-dinated parent volunteers fundraising efforts. In 2004 RPmS purchased land and started construction.


·…· 47,000 square feet of new construction

·…· Serves ages 2 - 14

·…· Average classroom is 1,000 square feet

School Profiles Rogers Park Montessori School Chicago

2001

School profiles

Prologue

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APPENDIX

Acknowledgments

Resources

51

Resources

FACILITy DESIGN

Design Sharewww.designshare.com

This site is a facilitator of ideas and resources about best practices and innovation in schools from early childhood to the university level.

Great Schools by Designwww.greatschoolsbydesign.com

This site is a national initiative of the American Architectural Foundation to improve the quality of America’s schools and the communities they serve by prompting collaboration, excellence and innovation in school design.

National Clearinghouse For Educational Facilities (NCEF)www.edfacilities.org

Created by the U.S. Department of Education, NCEF provides information on planning, designing, funding, building, improving, and maintaining safe healthy, high performing schools.

SUSTAINABILITy: GENERAL

Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)www.chps.net

The CHPS is a non-profit organization dedicated to making schools better places to learn through creating healthier learning environments. It pro-vides resources – often free – to schools, school districts and professionals about all aspects of high performance school design, construction and operation. Resources include a best practices manual, training and conferences, and a high per-formance building rating and recognition program.

LEED for Schools, Center for Green Schoolswww.greenbuildingschools.org,

www.centerforgreenschools.org

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools is a national benchmark for high-performance schools. The program’s web-site, created by the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), assists in the creation of environmen-tally conscious school buildings by providing facts on the benefits of green schools, project profiles, news, videos and guidance publications. Addi-tionally, the USGBC has launched the Center for Green Schools. This resource provides additional insight about guiding, programming, and devel-oping green schools.

Healthy Schools Campaignwww.healthyschoolscampaign.org/

Healthy Schools Campaign, an independent not-for-profit organization, is a leading authority and advocate on healthy school environments. The organization has a variety of programs and publi-cations that provide tools to school stakeholders facilitate the creation of such environments.

SUSTAINABILITy: ASSESSmENT TOOLS

EPA's Healthy Seatwww.epa.gov/schools/healthyseat/

EPA has developed a free, downloadable software tool to help school districts evaluate and man-age their school facilities for key environmental, safety and health issues. The Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySE-ATv2) is designed to be customized and used by district-level staff to conduct completely voluntary self-assessments of their schools. The guidance included in can improve the health of students and

staff by ensuring that potential environmental and safety hazards in schools, such as flaking lead paint and mold, are being properly and economi-cally managed.

SUSTAINABILITy: COST ANALySIS

Greening America's Schools: Costs & Benefits, Greg Kats (a Capital E report)www.cap-e.com/ewebeditpro/items/O59F12807.pdf

This document is a study on the financial and environmetal costs and benefits of using green technology in our schools.

High Performance Schools: Affordable Green Design for k-12 schools.www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/34967.pdf

P. Plympton, J. Brown and K. Stevens. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

SUSTAINABILITy: DAyLIGHTING

Windows and Classrooms: A Study of Student Performancehttp://www.h-m-g.com/projects/daylighting/summaries%20on%20daylighting.htm

The study analyzes whether indoor environmen-tal elements in the elemetary school setting such as daylighting have an impact on student performance as measured by test scores over an academic year.

Daylighting in Schoolshttp://www.h-m-g.com/projects/daylighting/summaries%20on%20daylighting.htm

This study looks at three elementary school districts and examines the correlation between

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Resources

the amount of daylight in the classroom and the students' performance.

SUSTAINABILITy: ENVIRONmENTALLy PREF-ERABLE PURCHASING (EPP)

CHPS High Performing Products Databasehttps://www.chpsregistry.com/live/

The sustainable materials database helps in the identification and selection of products that can create a safe and healthy school environment. It includes information around green construction.

EPA’s Environmental Preferable Purchasinghttp://www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/index.htm

EPA’s EPP website was initially geared at federal government purchasing but can easily be used by the general public. Most useful to a broader audience are the links under Finding and Evaluat-ing Green Product and Services and the Hands On Tools for Green Purchasing.

Green Purchasing Policy and Programwww.responsiblepurchasing.org

The Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN) is an international network of buyers dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustain-able purchasing

Green Guardwww.greenguard.org

The Greenguard Certification Program is an industry-independent, third-party testing pro-gram for low-emitting products and materials. Contains an online list whose products have met indoor air quality standards.

SUSTAINABILITy: ENERGy

Energy Starwww.energystar.gov

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency and the U.S. De-partment of Energy that aims to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Habitat for Humanity ReStorehttp://www.habitat.org/restores/default.aspx

Habitat for Humanity ReStores sell reusable and surplus building materials to the public. In addi-tion to building materials, some stores also sell furniture and appliances.

Interface Flooring Systems: ReEntry Reclamation Programhttp://www.interfaceinc.com/us/services/recla-mation/Register/

A leading manufacturer of flooring systems, Interface will donate refurbished carpet tiles to nonprofits and charities through its ReEntry program.

IRN Surplus Property managementhttp://www.irnsurplus.com/consumers.html

IRN works with charitable organizations to rede-ploy surplus furniture, office and school furnish-ings, and building materials.

SUSTAINABILITy: GREEN CLEANING

The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schoolshttp://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/pro-

grams/gcs/

An electronic guide developed by the Healthy Schools Campaign that includes information and resources related to green cleaning such as infection control, food service, laundry care, and surface cleaning. The guide also includes a purchasing directory with over 600 products that meet the organization’s environmental standards for schools.

SUSTAINABILITy: INDOOR AIR QUALITy

Indoor-Air Quality (IAQ) EPA Tools for Schoolswww.epa.gov/iaq/schools/actionkit.html

The IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit shows how to carry out a practical plan to improve indoor-air problems at little- or no-cost using straightfor-ward activities and in-house staff. The Kit provides best practices, industry guidelines, sample poli-cies and a sample IAQ management plan.

SUSTAINABILITy: NATURE

Kids Gardeningwww.kidsgardening.org

An initiative of the National Gardening Associa-tion, this site provides a wide range of K-12 plant-based educational materials and programs.

ACOUSTICS

Classroom Design for Good Hearingwww.quietclassrooms.org/

Quiet Classroom is an alliance of non-profit organi-zations working to create better learning environ-ments in schools by reducing noise.

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Resources

Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Require-ments and Guidelines for Schools,

Parts 1 and 2http://asastore.aip.org/shop.do?pID=594, http://asastore.aip.org/shop.do?pID=581

This standard provides acoustical performance criteria, design requirements and design guide-lines for new school classrooms and other learn-ing spaces.

ERGONOmICS

Ergonomics for Childrenwww.iea.cc/ergonomics4children

Ergonomics for Children and Educational Envi-ronments provides a forum for the international exchange of scientific and technical ergonomics information related to children and educational environments.

PLAy

Beyond Accesswww.beyondaccess.org/

Beyond Access provides technical assistance and information to educate communities about the diverse play needs of children with disabilities.

KaBOOm! www.kaboom.org/

KaBOOM! is a national non-profit dedicated to bringing play back into the lives of children.

Imagination Playgroundhttp://www.imaginationplayground.org/

Imagination Playground in a Box is a kit of parts

intended to offer a cost effective and easy to in-stall means for children to have open-ended, free play.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank our contacts from within the sustain-ability and education communities for their invaluable insight during the guide’s development process. We are also grateful to members of the KIPP network and supporters who participated in interviews and provided key research information.

Advisory CommitteeJoanna Belcher, SPARK Academy, TEAM Schools

Aaron Brenner, Head of Primary Schools, KIPP Houston

Mike Kerr, KIPP Empower Academy, KIPP LA Schools

Justin Scott, KIPP Austin Comunidad, KIPP Austin Public Schools

Alexander Shawe, Director of Real Estate, KIPP DC

Bill Orr, Executive Director, Collaborative for High Performance Schools

Kim Dempsey, Director of Strategy and Innovation, NCB Capital Impact

KIPP Network

ChicagoApril Goble, Executive Director, KIPP Chicago

GalvestonLynne Barnes, KIPP Coastal Village Lower School

GaryBraden Kay, Former Director of Facilities, KIPP LEAD College Prep

Glenn Davis, KIPP LEAD High School

HoustonJohn Murphy, COO, PHILO Finance Corporation (former CFO of KIPP Houston)

Aaron Brenner, Head of Primary Schools

NewarkJoanna Belcher, SPARK Academy

Hannah Richman, Director of Friends of TEAM

New OrleansBebe Ryan, Former Director of Growth Initiatives

Washington DCAlexander Shawe, Director of Real Estate

Laura Bowen, KIPP DC: LEAP Academy

Architects of KIPP Projects

KIPP DCJohn Burke, Studio 27, Washington DC

KIPP HoustonRob Bradford and Barry Moore, Gensler, Houston

TEAm Schools, a KIPP RegionMerilee Meacock, KSS Architects, Princeton

U.S. Green Building CouncilEmily Knupp

KIPP FoundationCarolyn Choy

Public ArchitectureLiz Ogbu John Peterson John Cary Brad Leibin Cynthia Garcia Cali Pfaff

Cannon Design Trung Le Carolyn Aler Ashley Marsh Kerry Leonard Rick Dewar Maura Crisham Wendy Watts Ron Harrison

Acknowledgments

Resources

thanK You

“BEFORE THIS GUIDEBOOK, THE PRINCIPALS AND OTHER EDUCATORS WOULD BE FLYING BLIND – ESPECIALLY WITH NO PRIOR DESIGN EXPERIENCE. NOW THEY CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR PROGRAMMATIC GOALS AND HOW DESIGN INTERSECTS WITH THOSE GOALS.”

– LIZ OGBU, PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE

2011

Facility Guidefor Early Childhood and

Elementary Schools

PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE Education

Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elem

entary Schools

49

Facility’s unique attributes·…· Every classroom has access to an exterior patio or balcony

·…· Classrooms feature 'L'-shaped config-urations to maximize perimeter wall area to accommodate small group learning activity stations

·…· Pre-school includes a padded motor activity room

·…· Lobby has a recessed play pit filled with activities to keep younger siblings and waiting children occupied while parents and caregivers drop-off and pick-up their children and interact with school staff

School Profiles Rogers Park Montessori School Chicago

A big, traditional gym may not be necessary for your young students. Rogers Park Montessori School has a traditional gym, with high ceil-ings to accommodate basketball and volleyball for older students, and a smaller PE space for younger students. Think about your students’ physical education activities; creating an ap-propriately scaled, well-lit and beautiful space may help you save on square footage.

OWP/P|Cannon Design helped the school find a long narrow site along commuter railroad tracks that was zoned for industrial/manufac-turing. It was not desirable for industrial/man-ufacturing use due to its size and shape and therefore was not desirable land for many for-profit developers. The neighbors did not want the site re-zoned for residential use because of density, traffic, and gentrification issues. The City wanted to maintain the industrial/manu-facturing zoning to promote industry and jobs, but recognized that the site was not desirable for that use. The site was re-zoned as resi-dential with neighborhood and City support to allow for the school use only.

Rogers Park Montessori School saved money to fund their facility development for many years through fund-raisers and tuition. Their planning paid off, as now they have a facility that serves and educates children from age 2 until they are ready to move on to high school.

Prologue

School profiles

HAVING AN ADEQUATELY PROFITABLE BUSINESS IS THE MEANS, BUILDING A REAL COMMUNITY OF HUMAN BEINGS IS THE END.//ALAN WEBBER

presentation at design futures council, 2011 final

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