EARLY LEARNING PORTFOLIO
Huckabee is part of MOREgroup, a family of architecture, design, and engineering brands that collaborate with passion and purpose to serve communities across the nation.
With MOREgroup, we are proud to focus on spaces that make a profound contribution to a strong social infrastructure where generations thrive. Our brands serve civic, education, and healthcare clients to create environments that inspire!
Together, we are more, and we are changing the world one community at a time. To learn more, visit: wearemore.com.
Huckabee is committed to the success of ALL students and the profound impact it has on ALL of us.
We are MORE THAN architects. We are a team of experts, each focused on a unique aspect of education, standing beside you as we work toward a common goal: the success of ALL STUDENTS.
Huckabee opened our doors in 1967. We exclusively serve education and rank among the top educational architecture firms in the nation. Our expertise ranges from early learning to higher education, the arts, athletics, and spaces where learners of all ages can expand their knowledge.
Our education-focused services complement a holistic, human-centric, and evidence-based approach to design. We’re more than architects, because you need more than a building from your trusted advisors.
Our beliefs are also rooted in the concept of more. We believe the best outcomes happen when we are more connected to the work we do and to the people we serve. For us, more is about going beyond expectation to find meaningful connections and experiences that create greater impact for communities. It is about the power to innovate and the passion to serve!
OUR SERVICES
ARCHITECTURE
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
INTERIOR DESIGN
FACILITY ASSESSMENTS
LONG-RANGE PLANNING
MASTER PLANNING
EDUCATIONAL PLANNING
BOND PLANNING
BRANDING, COMMUNICATIONS + PUBLIC RELATIONS
FURNITURE PLANNING
ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS, SIGNAGE + WAYFINDING
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN + LEED / CHPS CONSULTING
QUALITY CONTROL
COST ESTIMATING
CODE + LIFE SAFETY
JURISDICTIONAL REVIEW
PROJECT CLOSE-OUT + WARRANTY
POST OCCUPANCY EVALUATION
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
What is Experiential Learning?
Experiential learning is a research-backed approach that emphasizes the role of direct experience in the learning process, particularly for young minds. It recognizes that students learn best when they are actively engaged in exploration, investigation, and problem-solving in addition to, or replacement of, more traditional methods of instruction.
Experiential Learning + Facility Design
At Huckabee, we’re passionate about fostering young minds through immersive experiences. Our designs reflect evolving pedagogy, creating themed learning environments that serve as vibrant hubs for interaction, igniting curiosity, and encouraging collaboration. Museum-quality classrooms aren’t just spaces; they’re gateways to exploration. Recognizing educators’ pursuit of cognitive growth, we believe that facility design plays a pivotal role in connecting theoretical concepts with real-world experiences.
A TAILORED APPROACH
We understand that every educational organization is as unique as the children and community it serves. Our collaborative approach empowers us to work closely with you to comprehend your vision. We take pride in customizing solutions that not only meet the needs of your educational facilities, but also encapsulate the essence of your instructional and academic goals.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES
YOUR SCHOOL
Rich learning experiences occur at the nexus of great environments and a compelling curriculum.
Source: Learning by Design, Nair & Doctori with Elmore, 2020, pg. 15.
RANGE OF INSTRUCTIONAL + DESIGN APPROACHES FOR EARLY LEARNING
We take pride in customizing solutions that not only meet the needs of your educational facilities, but also encapsulate the essence of your instructional and academic goals.
Traditional Model
The traditional approach makes use of typical classrooms that have been specifically designed to cater to the needs of young children, providing a built environment that is well-suited for them. Classrooms are typically bright and inviting and adorned with colorful decorations and educational displays that capture children’s attention and stimulate their curiosity.
Traditional Classrooms with Experiential Areas
At this level, most of the learning environment follows a traditional classroom layout, focusing on structured academic instruction. However, there are designated experiential areas within the building. These experiential zones may include science corners, art studios, and interactive learning spaces where children can engage in activities that complement the structured curriculum.
Combo Traditional and Experiential Classrooms
These learning environments are thoughtfully crafted to offer a flexible blend of both traditional and experiential approaches. Some classrooms may follow a more structured instructional style, while others create an immersive experience. This dynamic combination ensures that all children have access to a well-rounded and engaging learning experience that caters to their individual needs and learning preferences.
Fully Experiential
At the peak of experiential learning, early learning centers embrace a fully experiential approach. The building’s design stimulates exploration, creativity, and inquiry with interactive learning spaces, child-led investigations, and collaborative projects, creating a living laboratory that fosters curiosity and discovery. This design empowers children to construct knowledge and develop a lifelong love for learning.
Children are born eager to learn ; they take delight in exploring their world and making connections. The degree to which early learning programs support children’s delight and wonder in learning reflects the quality of that setting.
Source: NAEYP, Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs, Fourth Edition
INDIVIDUALLY OWNED ROOMS SHARED IN A PAIR
Individualized teaching practices, traditional structures and timetable, classroom-based community, single teacher classrooms, teacher-directed learning
Pairings within grade, department and/or interdisciplinary, shared unit/lesson design, co-delivery, flexible/dynamic groupings, more varied learning modalities, shared assessment, easier for project-based, more options for breakout
CLASSROOM TYPOLOGIES
Teacher Collaboration
Pedagogy
Teacher Directed
Curriculum Community Individual
Curriculum organized around interdisciplinary themes, distributed democratic leadership, shared student responsibility, co-facilitated cohort scheduling, highest levels of “community” and self-directed learning
Within each model of early learning exists an opportunity to enhance flexibility and adapt the configuration of classrooms to the style of instruction preferred by the school. From the more traditional “Individually Owned Classrooms” to the more organic “Learning Community,” the opportunities are endless and customizable.
“We are setting the stage for success as kids move forward. From the time they walk in to the time they leave, everything is meant for developing the brain and their background knowledge.”
EARLY LEARNING EXPERTISE
PLANNING FOR EARLY LEARNING
Our Planning team supports clients in shaping their early learning vision. From project kick-off, we collaborate with clients to understand their goals, whether that’s an experiential learning style designed to encourage interaction, more traditional teaching methods, or a blend of both approaches. With a vast body of research, we help clients understand how the design of educational spaces can support those goals and guide them in defining baseline requirements, identifying priorities, and developing solutions that reflect their curriculum and vision.
Our approach is highly collaborative, working side-by-side with clients to refine their ideas and dreams for each space. Whether it’s selecting themes for classrooms or adjusting designs to fit budget constraints, we help clients prioritize what’s most important. Our proprietary tools like Educational Guidebook and PlanVue, an AI planning software, help capture, document, and codify the vision as it applies to space—ultimately creating a blueprint for how to achieve instructional and academic goals within a given facility.
INTERIOR DESIGN FOR EARLY LEARNING
Making students feel welcome is key to designing immersive early learning interiors. For many young learners, these facilities are their first time away from home. Every detail expresses to students that their school was made for them to experience. Our interiors are more than just functional—we design with intentionality that reassures and invites exploration. This understanding includes everything from softening the acoustics in high-volume areas, building sensory-rich experiences, or creating simple wayfinding systems for young minds.
We take cues from our clients’ vision and their local cultural and environmental contexts to ground each school in a sense of place. Graphics and other visual cues are accessible from a child’s perspective and reflect their region. Windows are low enough for children to look out of. From drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape to designing with empathy, we make sure our interiors feel familiar and rooted in their communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS FOR EARLY LEARNING
Designing for early learning means crafting wall-sized storytelling and simple wayfinding to go beyond decoration and help students navigate, connect, and feel seen. We focus on where students will look—shifting gazes and guiding them with color blocking, bold imagery, and other playful elements that have the power to communicate across cultures, even before literacy. The designs spark discovery and imagination for little ones who are just beginning their educational journeys.
Our approach is grounded in collaboration and shaped by each school’s vision, curriculum, and unique character. We tailor graphic solutions to bring cohesion, context, and clarity to everything. Whether we’re working with experiential rooms or helping develop brand systems, we create layered environments where students can experience the world. Environmental Graphics in early learning are a foundational piece of what makes experiential spaces feel like vibrant, immersive worlds to get lost in.
ARCHITECTURE FOR EARLY LEARNING
What excites and inspires young minds? This question guides our early learning experts in designing thoughtful architecture that engages young learners, sparks their intrigue, and provides them with a sense of belonging. With an understanding of scale and proportion, we make early learning centers age-appropriate for those just starting on their educational journey. Every aspect of the building can be a learning tool, which is why we appeal to the senses with elements like color, texture, and playful building form, inspiring curiosity, energy, and wonderment.
OUTDOOR FOR EARLY LEARNING
Outside of the building, we put great care and thought into creating a safe, enjoyable, and warm atmosphere. From drop-off and pickup traffic patterns to outdoor learning areas and playgrounds, we consider the efficiency and functionality of each site to ensure safe and manageable daily interaction. Children love the outdoors, and research shows that connection to nature and outdoor play improves their physical and mental health. Natural light is also a primary focus for the architectural design, creating a holistic relationship between building and site.
FURNITURE FOR EARLY LEARNING
Our furniture planning services support the evolving needs of early learning by creating flexible, functional environments that promote active learning and immersive experiences in every area of the school. Tailored to support developing motor skills, our designs help students feel comfortable and engaged as they explore a world bigger than themselves. To inspire play and creativity, we collaborate with educators to customize spaces that encourage movement and interaction. From active seating that promotes physical activity to flexible tables and soft seating, our solutions foster body control, social connections, and growth at every stage of the educational journey—while staying aligned with the goals of educators to keep students active and engaged.
Our expertise extends beyond classrooms to include community spaces, SPED classrooms, and daycare centers. We design interactive environments with sensory furniture pieces that encourage students to touch, feel, and engage with their surroundings. With a focus on color, flexibility, and the diverse needs of young learners, we create spaces that enhance learning and reflect the unique identity of each campus.
“What makes this completely different from any other classroom is the kids are empowered by their learning because it’s absolutely everywhere. This type of experience has helped them see more than any book could show them.”
OUTCOMES
DATA DRIVEN
Experiential Case Study: Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners
According to data from mCLASS, a formative tool that tracks reading progress, the experiential learning environment at Dr. Sarah Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners provides students with exceptional preparation for kindergarten readiness. Measuring student outcomes throughout the school year, Mansfield ISD found that students at Jandrucko outperformed their peers at traditional pre-kindergarten programs
across all of the district’s Title I campuses. Jandrucko students consistently excel, with the most notable gains seen at bilingual campuses. This data highlights the effectiveness of experiential learning, especially for young learners from low-income households or nonEnglish speaking backgrounds, offering evidence-based insight into a replicable educational model.
Student Performance at the Beginning of Kindergarten from Jandrucko vs Others
Percentage of Students “on Target” in Phonological Awareness at Jandrucko Circle Pre-K Assessment
Jandrucko students also demonstrated significant progress in phonological awareness, a crucial component of early literacy that helps children manipulate sounds in words and sentences and predicts future reading success. The Circle Progress Monitoring System by the Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) tracks pre-kindergarten students’ phonological awareness at the start, middle, and end of the year,
measuring foundational skills like syllables, onset-rime, alliteration, and rhyming. Jandrucko students moved from 5-9% proficiency to 80-100% mastery, showing the impact of intentional early education. Jandrucko’s approach—building foundational skills in an engaging, theme-based classroom—proves effective, with midand end-of-year targets consistently met or exceeded.
Syllable
Onset Rime
Alliteration
Rhyming
WE ARE CHANGING THE WORLD, ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME
Early learning is a critical part of our education system. We understand the impact our work has on the communities and school systems we serve and how it helps amplify the even more meaningful work of our educational leaders, teachers, and volunteers. The triumphs inside the classroom illustrate how learning and shared experience can change lives, and witnessing the success of all students drives us to do what we love.
Together, we can change the world, one school and one community at a time! Learn about our vision and impact at wearemore.com.
wearemore.com