Illustrates policies and strategies at all levels of government that are increasingly associating educational outcomes with community planning and housing. The research developed seven steps to link education and planning policy at the local level, drawn from a national scan of model activities, interviews with key experts and agency staff members, and the authors' experience working with local governing bodies. The report identifies practical solutions that encompass assessing the current educational environment, engaging the community, strategic planning and implementation of investment, and institutionalizing successful innovations. 63p.

Details what mayors, superintendents, and other local leaders can do to advance the movement for environmentally friendly schools. Its recommendations include becoming involved with the local green-schools movement; raising awareness about the benefits of green buildings by creating a task force or hosting a summit; tracking the energy use of existing schools; passing a green cleaning policy; and advancing green school construction bonds. 46p.

Proper planning of school facilities is critical for all school districts no matter how large or small. When school districts properly plan for their school facilities they have better schools, more public use and higher value for public spending. This evaluation guide was designed for superintendents and school boards that are called on to sign off on plans presented by facility professionals and consultants, but who generally do not have experience with educational facility planning. It can also be used by community members to advocate for high quality educational facility planning. 13p.

This is the story of a community placed in an enviable position of receiving funding to build a new campus and the technology to transform learning. What is discovered very early on, is that no one had considered the human impact of such a project. This book seeks to do exactly that. The process of community engagement is addressed as well as the psychology of human behaviors that emerge in such a context. Written through the perspective of a senior leader, with many amusing and bizarre stories, the book describes how the struggle and effort required to keep sound educational principles at the heart of a project is worth it. What came out of the process was a building that had a variety of learning spaces, fully trained staff, modern ICT and a transition curriculum. It was the only school building in the country to be delivered on time, within budget, with a ground breaking CPD program. 216p

Provides a toolkit for teachers to help make the most of the learning opportunities created by building a new school or refurbishing an existing one. The resource provides ideas for exploiting the whole process The teaching activities are organized in five stages: getting started, looking closely, development and design, construction, and moving in. On the way schools will encounter a crash course in architecture and a range of other activities that respect the creativity of teachers as well as providing some stimulating material directly linked to the curriculum. 28p.

Narrate the author's experience on a school planning task force developed in response to a failed bond referendum. The public demanded more say in the future planning for the community's schools. The board of education solicited participation of community members for the project. A matrix representing all segments of the community was created. As people submitted letters of interest the matrix was filled. Once it was filled the project began. The board of education and superintendent needed to be as far away from this project as possible. The committee members had to have the ability to speak freely without the board's influence. This writer, the business administrator, along with a professional facilitator was chosen to facilitate this committee. The case study that follows documents this task force's journey and the resulting school referendum. As a result of the task force process the community members had their say in shaping the future of their school facilities and the district gained allies of what used to be their most outspoken critics. [author's abstract] 271

Provides communities with tools to protect their children’s health by organizing for the passage of safe school siting policies. This toolkit is based on the lessons learned over the past 28 years of working with communities to fight back polluting facilities, build relationships with elected officials, and run successful local, regional, and national campaigns to end toxic chemical exposure. Sections of the toolkit cover children's health and school siting, a model school siting policy, principles for safe school siting, a sample school siting resolution, how to pass a school siting policy, a sample community presentation, and getting successful media coverage. 58p.

Provides a workshop resource to support people who are thinking about, or currently undertaking school renovation or rebuilding projects. It includes a set of activities, tools and techniques that can be used to facilitate workshop sessions to help people in the visioning and pre-engagement phases of projects. It specifically aims to engage practitioners with activities to support critical and creative thinking about the future of education, related practices, approaches, relationships and technologies, and the implications these might have on future educational spaces. It also offers a set of workshop activities that can be undertaken with pupils as part of a wider commitment to actively engage and involve them in the redesign process. 122p.

This publication explores what school principals should know when construction takes place in or near a school while it is in session. It covers pre-construction preparation, including how to work with architects/engineers and other school staff; actions to take during construction, including proper information dissemination and safeguarding students and property; and post-construction activities, including custodial and maintenance staff training and post-occupancy evaluations. 4p.

Outlines key elements of organizing to save a school from closure. Based on the efforts of a community of parents, educators, students and volunteers who mounted an effective and passionate nine-month campaign to keep open E.M. Stanton Elementary School, a neighborhood public school in Philadelphia.

Describes how the Charleston County School District participated in the transformation of an older neighborhood into a successful, sustainable community. CCSD engaged both the community and local government leaders, creating its own school master plan to construct facilities designed to attract young families and foster local neighborhood development. Details the design of the new 330,000-square-foot Center of Arts and Academics, located on a 55-acre abandoned school site in North Charleston, that is now a state-of-the-art arts facility and a community asset.

Young people know and understand that more traditional group teaching in formal layouts is necessary at times, but these are moments and should not be the whole approach. Extols the importance of including students in the design of their learning environments.

The design of a major new school is a rare event in the life of a community. In many places, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Describes how the community and educators in Westbrook, Maine took to heart the task of creating a junior high school that would serve as an educational magnet for students and a community/performing arts center for residents for years to come.

Describes strategic planning initiatives that can save money in school construction and renovation. In spite of a weak economy, school systems are still required to maintain and expand their facilities as necessary. Engaging all stakeholders to prioritize projects, transparent working sessions, facility benchmarking, adherence to curriculum needs, and attention to demographics are recommended.

Summarizes the steps involved in creating and educational specification, and the elements that the final document should contain. Community involvement is emphasized at every step, with members working on sections of the specification that utilize their particular expertise.

Describes an intensive effort of stakeholder involvement in the designing of this Richmond, British Columbia, school. Creating a vision, partnering with the community, and involving the students are addressed.

This article encourages everyone to become active in the conversation about how what one knows about emerging technologies can inform the design of new schools and classrooms. It presents some helpful resources to learn more about the importance of appropriate learning space, and offers suggestions for classroom teachers, school leaders and community members how they can help change the school learning environment.

The study presents a phenomenologically based research procedure, whose intent is to examine people's school experience and the meaning they ascribe to "school." Participants in this investigative endeavor are instructed to sketch an "ideal school," present their plan in a visual-schematic manner, and provide an oral and written description of their design. Proposals are presented through a Location Task--a tool originally intended for use by architects in their routine work with clients. We discuss the rationale behind this procedure and describe the research tool and its application potential. Finally, we illustrate the data processing via the analysis of one proposal designed by a 17-year-old male student.[Authors' abstract]

Describes New Orleans' plans for rebuilding its schools. Many of the school sites will become a "nexus" for their neighborhoods, surrounded by retail, social service, health, and cultural facilities. Over 10,000 citizens were involved in the planning.

Explores the relationship between school design and teaching. The American Architectural Foundation visited seven schools that have been recognized nationally for their innovative design, turning to the educators who work in them for insight. Describes two trends in particular revolutionizing the design of the learning environment: 1.the shift from the teacher as a “sole practitioner” to interactive team teaching and 2.the recognition that students have a variety of learning styles requiring varied and flexible learning situations.

Profiles this prototype school that was built on an infill site by virtue of its small footprint and its proximity to public facilities. The site selection, community participation, building design, "green" features, and use of the building as a teaching tool are described.

Sets out a strategy and plan to involve all constituencies for planning green schools. A summary "Top Tips for Developing an Energy Conservation Plan with Ease" is included. The authors'priorities are: create a dedicated team; identify where you are, where you are going; collaborate with experienced ESCO experts; identify roles and responsibilities; implement an action plan; measure, share, recognize; and remember to involve the students.

Makes the case for significant community in-put on creating school facilities and for a district-wide plan that coordinates education and world-class facilities. The author believes that process is as important as the product where the master plan is concerned. With the inevitable need to accommodate new technology in the classroom, buildings must be designed with flexibility for future adaptation in mind.

Describes how school leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Bibb County, Georgia, confronted community resistance and dissatisfaction with the capital program. Reforms to project management, procurement, improved design quality, and thoughtful prioritization of projects are addressed.

Introduces 21st Century Skills Initiative, which advocates interdisciplinary learning and project-based learning. This is achieved through teacher collaboration, team teaching, RTIs (response to interventions), small learning communities, student cooperative learning, multi-age instruction and student internships. Charts are incorporated to demonstrate how stakeholders can convene to provide input.

Describes a consultation that was undertaken in a British secondary school as part of a participatory design process centered on the rebuilding of the school. A range of visual methods, based on photographs and maps, was used to investigate the views of a diverse sample of school users, including students, teachers, technical and support staff and the wider community. This article documents the experience of using these tools, considering the success of different visually-based methods in engaging a broad cross section of the school community and revealing useful information. The study, therefore, contributes to knowledge about specific visual research methods, appreciation of the relationship between tools, and a general methodological understanding of visual methods' utility for developing understanding of the learning environment. 46 references are included.

Advises on use focus groups to determine opinion on school facility issues. Populating the group with the correct mix of stakeholders, developing the line of questioning, the proper role of the moderator, and analysis of the responses are addressed.