Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools by Public Architecture

PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE

Education

Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Client

A collaboration by

2011

2 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL

PLAN A FACILITY

BEST PRACTICES

APPENDIX

Prologue

School design plan alignment

Key questions to ask

General space considerations

Prologue

Phases of development

Program checklist

Space flashcards

Prologue

School Profiles

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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 facility, or renovating an existing building to better meet your needs. Each local environment has its own special dynamics, and there is no one-size-fitsall KIPP solution that addresses your real estate concerns and your budget. Nevertheless, there is no reason to deal with these issues in isolation. For all the differences that exist between one project and another, whether 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 pioneering KIPP elementary schools and to tailor this information to help KIPP schools in the future.

KIPP’s universal design philosophy is grounded 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 that staffing capacity, processes, and decision rights vary across the network, it is written to be accessible to the various audiences – business operations staff, school leaders, executive 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 stepby-step process description to achieve your goals. Instead, we highlight the facility-related questions and issues that should be raised and provide general guidelines 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. Public Architecture Carolyn Choy. KIPP Foundation Carolyn Aler and Ashley Marsh, Cannon Design

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INTRODUCTION

How do I use this manual?

Why us? Why now?

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

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 during the 2010-11 school year, and there will be 30 by the summer of 2011. The strong performance of the early elementary schools supports 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.

This guide will help you to make informed facility decisions and guide your ability to communicate 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 too early to think about how the design of the learning environment can advance a student’s ability to learn. This document is divided into three core sections: 1. Design your school, prompts to generate broad ideas and set goals with space considerations 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. If you have questions or comments about this guide, please feel free to contact the KIPP Foundation Network Services Team at networksupportsteam@kipp.org

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Whereas KIPP middle schools developed typical space needs as they grew and learned from experience, the KIPP network has expressed 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.

Guide Partners Public Architecture is a nonprofit that leverages 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.

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

CanonDesign is honored to participate in the growth and evolution of the KIPP school network. 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 international reputation it has built by working with more than 150 school clients to support their educational 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.

Introduction

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How are KIPP schools different? 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 outlined a few big picture ideas related to those pillars.

A. High Expectations

KIPP schools have clearly defined and measurable high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that make no excuses 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 informal 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?

B. Choice & Commitment

Students, their parents, and the faculty of each KIPP school choose to participate in the program. 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 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?

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C. More Time

KIPP 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 classroom to acquire the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare them for competitive high schools and colleges, as well as more opportunities to engage in diverse extracurricular experiences. How does your facility impact each young child who spends a longer day inside? Will your facility provide areas to learn in different ways throughout the day?

D. Power to Lead

KIPP School Leaders and Executive Directors represent effective academic and organizational 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 changes, allowing maximum effectiveness in helping students learn. How will your facility express your point of view? How will your design decisions allow flexibility for future leaders to express their points of view?

E. Focus on Results

KIPP schools relentlessly focus on high student 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 performance 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?

“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 between the child’s body, diet, family life, security, neighborhood, teachers, school, peers, access to information, and a great deal more.” David Orr, Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College in his foreword to The Third Teacher.

Quick and Easy ~ With KIPP students spending more time in the classroom, taking advantage of daylighting will create a more dynamic and less static learning space. Quick and Easy ~ New ways of learning include using the building as a teaching tool. From showcasing 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 issues such as sustainability.

Introduction

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DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL Prologue

School design plan alignment

Key questions to ask

General space considerations

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Prologue

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. Creating a joyful and healthy place to learn is critical and the physical environment of the school can help accomplish the school’s goals.

Programmatic solutions are best when considered 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.

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 leader and faculty. The following suggestions and examples demonstrate 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 environments. Creative partnerships and design can increase access to more affordable and engaging places that can better support the learning process.

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School Design Plan Alignment

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 contribute 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 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.

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Some examples of how goals may translate into physical space follow. KIPP DC: LEAP, Washington D.C. LEAP’s school leader, Laura Bowen, valued a safe, outdoor play space for her students. It was a clear goal outlined in her Fisher Fellow School Design Plan in 2007. From past experiences in muddy fields, KIPP DC teachers knew this space needed to be usable year-round and shared this need with their architect. The architect developed an internal courtyard with allweather ground cover where students can play safely, away from the street and out of the mud. Rogers Park Montessori School, Chicago, IL At 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 considered a facility with a smaller scaled playroom that more adequately supports activities for small bodies than a full-size gymnasium. Learn more

Learn more ~ The Fisher Fellowship is a oneyear school leadership training program run by the KIPP Foundation. Fisher Fellows experience an intensive summer program of coursework, followed by residencies at highperforming 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. 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 Appendix.

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

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Key questions to ask

Location Are 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 taking advantage of neighborhood amenities like parks and community centers? How does the climate affect your pedagogy and operations? Consider: Coat or rain-gear storage, outdoor play space, natural ventilation.

Pedagogy Is there anything unique about your School Design Plan and pedagogy that should be reflected 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 school What 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 accommodate many activities? Consider: Wheeled-storage 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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Sharing Space Due 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 community members with goals aligned with yours?

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, collect and engage others early on. The Answer Key for Charter School Facilities.

Community How will students and parents enter your site? What will their first experience with and impression be of the school? How will you accommodate teacher development and interaction? Consider: Main office or offices scattered throughout the building, individual teacher’s offices or teachers workroom.

Health /Sustainability How can you ensure that your students remain healthy, even if you are teaching in a modular classroom? Can your students walk or bike to school?

Learn more ~ The Hawaii Charter School Administrative Office has published some considerations for sharing school space. Visit the Appendix. Learn more ~ Know your building’s air quality. Ask the building engineer about the airfiltration level, the quantity of outside air intake and whether or not the windows can be opened. All of these affect the air quality in classrooms. The EPA provides information on nonattainment areas (a locality where airpollution levels persistently exceed National Ambient Air Quality Standards). Visit the website.

Is a municipal recycling service available in this location?

Operations/Procurement Where 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 products for young children?

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Design and planning team Assembling 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 supplement with outside advisors/consultants? Who are your critical partners? Local businesses? Education groups? Board of Realtors? Local school district? Neighborhood groups? Parents? Who is responsible for determining the state or municipality specific code requirements for your schools? Consider: Operations staff, design team. KIPP makes decisions quickly. How are you working with your design team to ensure that communication is effective?

Funding/Financing How 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 financial institutions? Have you made connections with community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that focus on providing loans to nonprofit organizations in your area? Are there any grants or funding opportunities available in your area that are specific to sustainable design strategies?

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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 sustainable, high-performance charter school facility, The Sustainable Answer Key. Visit the Appendix. Learn more ~ Tap into Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like LISC, IFF and NCB. Visit the Appendix. Learn more ~ Look into local grant opportunities for sustainable learning components: Adding photovoltaic panels to your facility 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 efficiency retrofits, such as the State of California’s Savings by Design program that offers design assistance and incentives to create energy-efficient buildings. Visit the Appendix.

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General Space Considerations The following outlines a series of general and sustainable 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 facilities team, with the overarching goal of developing your schools as places for enhanced teaching and learning.

1. Sustainability KIPP 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 rewarding. 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. Sustainability provides a vehicle through which to create 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 Council (USGBC), a sustainable or “green” school is school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money The USGBC has also highlighted the primary benefits of green schools: A healthy, productive learning environment Increased student attendance Improved teacher retention Financial savings Environmentally friendly Hands-on learning

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

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

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 productivity of students and teachers. At the end of the process the entire facility should be optimized for long-term performance, to the extent 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 paint selection. This guide focuses on sustainable and simple design strategies that most schools can implement. Use it to help you understand which 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.

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1.1 Indoor Air Quality

1.2 Energy

Young 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 concentrations. In addition, metals such as lead and mercury and gases such as radon settle close to the floor.

Energy costs are another significant place where schools could save tremendous amounts of money to reinvest in the education of a young child. According to a 2003 U.S. Department of Education survey, it was estimated that schools were spending $166 per student per year on energy expenditures. In total, that is often more per child than what is spent for computers and textbooks.

Increasingly, states, such as Illinois, are passing 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 disproportionately affects low income communities, as exposure to high levels of indoor and outdoor pollution increases the risk for illness. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation notes that the associated absenteeism related to asthma nationwide is estimated at 20 million. If possible, choose a building, or place your classrooms in areas with operable windows. Letting in fresh air 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 furnishings all contribute to your schools indoor air quality.

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According to the 2006 report Greening Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Schools, the average energy reduction of a green school compared with conventional design is 33%. Imagine the possibilities with a smaller energy cost burden. Young schools are increasingly able to apply for grant money to offset the first costs associated with installing energy reducing systems. When purchasing new computers or appliances, look for ENERGY STAR qualified products. ENERGY STAR products are rated for energy efficiency. Many states offer rebates for purchasing ENERGY STAR appliances and equipment.

2. Spatial quality You should think carefully about classroom aesthetics as they support a young child’s ability to learn. Children have fascinating multisensory capabilities that typically are lost as they grow into adulthood. The surrounding 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 Finish Selection & Maintenance, 2.3 Daylighting & Views, and 2.4 Acoustics will help you create a learning environment that is ideal for multi-sensory learning. Create a laboratory for the senses!

“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 students 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 adjacent 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

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 devices. 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

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, providing simple strategies, tools, and a product directory to help schools implement effective green cleaning programs.the Appendix. Design your school

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2.1 Color

2.2 Finish Selection & Maintenance

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

Proper maintenance of interior finishes will lead to a longer life for the material as well as contribute to a safe and healthy environment. 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 ongoing 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.

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. Avoid placing the brightest colors at the teaching wall. The contrast from the whiteboard to the wall will hinder student’s ability to focus. Classrooms should feel stimulating and motivating, but not in ways that discourage concentration. 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 colors 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 monitor 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 neutrals with brightly colored accents to invigorate the room.

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Floors

The surface that takes the most abuse in a facility is usually the flooring. Additionally, appropriate floor material will contribute greatly to the functionality of a space. These two factors 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 there is no regular cleaning regiment. Carpet should be vacuumed daily, spot-treated on a regular basis and cleaned with a hot water 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, concrete and wood. Each of these materials provides a different aesthetic feel, cost, cleaning requirement and performance aspects. Vinyl products can come with or without a finish, 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 properly, 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 determine 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 surfaces should be easily cleaned and repaired. As these surfaces will likely take more abuse than a standard painted wall, replacement cost should be factored into the long term budget.

Design your school

Quick and Easy ~ Developing a sustainable 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 sustainable materials database. Visit the Appendix.

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 independent carpet vendors. To learn more about Interfaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program. Visit the Appendix.

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2.3 Daylighting & Views The visual environment is very important for learning. Increasing natural light in the classroom, 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 inspiration 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 evidenced in the Capital E report Greening Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 into hallways and other high traffic areas that are often dimly lit. Direct sun penetration into classrooms, especially through un-shaded east or south facing windows, was found to be associated with negative student performance in a 2003 Heschong Mahone Group study, Windows and Classrooms: 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 visually demonstrated on the front teaching wall.Â Ask an architect or designer to study the appropriate devices to bounce light into the interior on appropriate facades. 30 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

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, productivity and performance. Students with access to exterior views will feel a sense of connectivity to their surroundings, encouraging them to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it to the community and world around them. Discuss with your architect or facilities team important considerations like providing views, building orientation, window size, glass and window covering material selection, and access to views from typically interior spaces such as hallways, offices and gymnasiums.

2.4 Acoustics An essential element to the success of students is their ability to communicate in the classroom effectively. Amongst the younger student population, approximately 15% of students have some hearing loss (www.quietclassroom.org). In addition, a student learning English as a second language or suffering from an attention deficit disorder is at a significant 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 acoustical environment to counteract these issues is critical. There are three main factors to address when creating an optimal acoustical classroom environment: sound isolation, sound reverberation 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.

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 reduced 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.

Design your school

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 daylighting 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 Appendix. 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 reading scores relative to those in the quieter classrooms and as much as 11 months behind for the higher grades." Visit the Appendix. Quick and Easy ~ Acoustics is an issue that can addressed at the start of a project. Before choosing 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 existing mechanical systems on the acoustic capabilities in the classroom. Potential classrooms spaces should have a reading of 45 dBa or less.

â&#x201D;&#x201A; 31

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 reverberation. In general, in early childhood learning spaces the instructor does not have a fixed location and is freely presenting from different parts of the room. Absorptive materials where possible, such as carpeting for the floor and sound absorptive wall panels at higher portions of the walls should be used. The most important surface 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 properties 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 sources 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 equipment 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.

32 │ KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

2.5 Size of Space The 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 facilities team. Your EC students are much smaller than Elementary 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. Allowing 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.

100%

Typical Elementary Classroom

135-140%

Typical Early Childhood Classroom

Kindergarten

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 Character KIPP students spend more time at school. The longer day affords more flexibility for the teachers. The classrooms should likewise allow for greater flexibility. EC spaces need to accommodate varied learning and play activities. Some of these accommodations 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. Extended 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 reading 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.

Design your school

Quick and Easy ~ As you’re looking for furniture to place in your schools, consider buying used furniture as an affordable and environmentally 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 provide a flexible learning environment. Use them to create a reading environment or group work area away from the student’s everyday desk.

│ 33

2.7 Play

2.8 Move

KIPP students and teachers have a much longer 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, a space where young students can play should be considered beyond the classroom and the playground. Allow grasses and leafy plants to grow outside the walls of the school. Children will be provided with endless opportunities for play and discovery when nature appears in unexpected places.

Before 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 founders her method of using songs, chants, movements and dances to help the students engage with material and remember lessons.

Ideally the play space will be outdoors (as space and safety allow). The act of play will give the students a much needed stress release, 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 the health hazards and environmental degradation related to the harmful chemicals used in the treatment process. Ensure that children are playing in a pesticide-free environment. Integrated pest management systems can aid with this.

34 │ KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

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 bodies. Furniture should flex, adjust, roll and tilt safely. An attention endurance experiment at Perspectives 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, students need space to move around, both in their classroom and larger spaces like dance studios or gymnasiums, to prevent mental fatigue and distraction.

2.9 Sharing Space Sharing space with another school or community organization can provide a number of benefits and should be considered as a potentially valuable opportunity. Sharing space can reduce operations and maintenance expense and provide access to spaces that might otherwise not be feasible to provide during certain stages of a KIPP school’s development such as a playground, gymnasium, auditorium, and library. The key to sharing space successfully is making sure all parties understand clear rules and expectations.

Learn more ~ Imagination Playground and KaBoom! In New York City, Rockwell Group, an architecture firm, compiled years of research to develop the Imagination Playground Initiative. 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 Appendix.

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

Design your school

│ 35

36 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

PLAN A FACILITY Prologue

Phases of development

Program checklist

Space flashcards

38 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

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 and build consensus.

Plan a facility

â&#x201D;&#x201A; 39

Rental / Minor Build-Out1

Existing Building Renovation2

New Construction3

Full-scale School

New Orleans, KIPP McDonogh 15 Primary

Houston, KIPP SHARP College Prep Lower School

Houston, KIPP SHINE Prep DC, KIPP DC: LEAP Academy

Growing School

Houston, KIPP Dream Prep Galveston, KIPP Coastal Village Lower School New York, KIPP Academy Elementary Baltimore, KIPP Harmony Academy Houston, KIPP Zenith Academy

New Orleans, KIPP Central City Primary LA, KIPP Raices Academy DC, KIPP DC:Discover Academy

Helena, KIPP Delta Elementary Literacy Academy DC, KIPP DC: Promise Academy Houston, KIPP Explore Academy

New School

Chicago, KIPP Ascend Primary LA, KIPP Comienza Community Prep LA, KIPP Empower Academy NYC, KIPP Infinity Elementary School Philadelphia, KIPP Philadelphia Elementary Academy

Austin, KIPP Austin Comunidad DC, KIPP DC: Grow Academy Houston, KIPP Legacy Preparatory School

All data is current for the 2010-11 school year

40 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Phases of Development The diagram (on your left) shows current KIPP EC and Elementary schools organized by their stage of growth and type of facility. Notice the increasing complexity of the scope of the facility project undertaken from Rental / Minor BuildOut to Existing 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.

Learn more ~ You can visit KIPP.org for a current list of leaders at each school. The Appendix lists leaders referenced for this guide. Table notes ~ 1. 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. 2. Existing Building Renovation You are moving semi-permanently or permanently into an existing building. 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. 3. New Construction 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.

Plan a facility

â&#x201D;&#x201A; 41

42 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Program checklist The following four pages are checklists, intended to assist school and regional staff in determining how much space is recommended 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 and regional staff and architectural and construction 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 programs, so the checklist and programs should be used as a benchmark and not as absolute requirements.

Program key ~ Use these icons to visually navigate through this chapter and quickly identify guidelines and recommendations associated with the categories of interest.

Core Academics Non-Core Academics

Community/Shared Spaces

Student Services/Administration

Facility Maintenance

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

Plan a facility

â&#x201D;&#x201A; 43

Checklist notes ~ 1.Based on the interviews conducted with the KIPP network, 25 students is considered the maximum desired class size. The suggested size of the space is based on this number. If larger group accomodation is needed, provide 50sf/ student for Pre-K-K and 30sf/student for grades 1-4 2. 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. 3. Cafeteria space is calculated by assigning 15 sf per student. Assuming two lunch periods, in general 3,750 sf works for a growing school and 4,500 sf works for a school at full enrollment. 2,250 sf can work for a new school with a separate gym. It can also work for a full enrollment school with 4 lunch periods. 4. 800 sf could accommodate 6-8 teachers using the space at one time, and could be converted to a classroom down the road if space gets tight 5. The teachers office can accommodate 2-3 people working simultaneously 6. Talk with your architect about building support spaces such as Receiving Areas, Mechanical and Electrical Rooms and Recycling and Trash Rooms.

44 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Your School

grade

students Subtotal 4. Circulation (35%) Total

––––––– ––––––– –––––––

5. Square footage per student

–––––––

1. Space

Square Footage per Space

2. Quantity

3. Area Subtotal

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

1,200 1,200 750 750 750 750 600

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

–––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

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

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

1,800 4,000 15sf x no of students 600 600 400 600 4,500 400

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

–––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

200 800 200 250 500 100 250 250 500 400

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

–––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

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

50 100 225 50

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

–––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

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

Core Academics

PreK-4 w/toilet (25 students)1 Kindergarten w/toilet (25 students) Ist grade (25 students) 2nd Grade (25 students) 3rd Grade (25 students) 4th Grade (25 students) Project Area

Non-Core Academics oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

Computer Lab Art Music Art/Music Flex Space2 Library Science Lab/Demonstration Shared Breakout Areas

Community/Shared Spaces oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

Motor Skills/Small PE Gymnasium Cafeteria3 Cafeteria Servery Cafeteria Table and Chair Storage Cafeteria Raised Presentation Area Cafeteria/Gymnasium Flex Space2 Entry Lobby

Student Services/Administration oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

School Leader/Principal’s Office Teachers Workroom/Flex Space 4 Teachers Office5 Specialists Office and Workspace Main Office Waiting and Secretary Main Office Storage Closet Conference Room Copy/Workroom Nurse w/toilet Family Meeting Room

Facility/Maintenance6 oo oo oo oo

Janitor’s Closets Staff Toilets Student Toilets Technology Closets

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

C. Calculate the area subtotal by multiplying the square footage by the quantity for each space D. Include circulation (hallways) by multiplying the subtotal by 35%.

46 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Your School

grade

100

students

1. Space

Square Footage per Space

2. Quantity

3. Area Subtotal

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

1,200 1,200 750 750 750 750 600

––––––– 4 ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

–––––––––– 4 .800 –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

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

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

–––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– 1,200 –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

1,800 4,000 15sf x no of students 600 600 400 600 4,500 400

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– –––––––

–––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– 600 –––––––––– 400 –––––––––– –––––––––– 4,500 –––––––––– ––––––––––

200 800 200 250 500 100 250 250 500 400

1 ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

200 –––––––––– –––––––––– 200 –––––––––– 250 –––––––––– –––––––––– 100 –––––––––– 250 –––––––––– 250 –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

50 100 225 50

1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 2 ––––––– –––––––

50 –––––––––– 100 –––––––––– 450 –––––––––– ––––––––––

Core Academics

PreK-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

Non-Core Academics

oo oo A oo oo oo oo oo

Computer Lab Art Music Art/Music Flex Space Library Science Lab/Demonstration Shared Breakout Areas

Community/Shared Spaces

oo oo oo oo oo oo B oo oo

Motor Skills/Small PE Gymnasium Cafeteria Cafeteria Servery Cafeteria Table and Chair Storage Cafeteria Raised Presentation Area Cafeteria/Gymnasium Flex Space Entry Lobby

Student Services/Administration

oo oo C oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

School Leader/Principal’s Office Teachers Workroom/Flex Space Teachers Office Specialists Office and Workspace Main Office Waiting and Secretary Main Office Storage Closet Conference Room Copy/Workroom Nurse w/toilet Family Meeting Room

Facility/Maintenance oo oo oo oo

Janitor’s Closets Staff Toilets Student Toilets Technology Closets

Subtotal 4. Circulation (35%) Total 5. Square footage per student

13,350 ––––––– 4,673 ––––––– 18,023 ––––––– 180 –––––––

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. 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.

48 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Your School Prek to

1st

grade

300

students

1. Space

Square Footage per Space

2. Quantity

3. Area Subtotal

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

1,200 1,200 750 750 750 750 600

4 ––––––– 4 ––––––– 4 ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

4,800 –––––––––– 4 .800 –––––––––– 3,000 –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

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

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

1,800 4,000 15sf x no of students 600 600 400 600 4,500 400

––––––– ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– –––––––

200 800 200 250 500 100 250 250 500 400

1 ––––––– ––––––– 2 ––––––– 2 ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– –––––––

200 –––––––––– –––––––––– 400 –––––––––– 500 –––––––––– –––––––––– 100 –––––––––– 250 –––––––––– 250 –––––––––– –––––––––– ––––––––––

50 100 225 50

2 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 2 ––––––– –––––––

100 –––––––––– 100 –––––––––– 450 –––––––––– ––––––––––

Core Academics

PreK-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

Non-Core Academics oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

Computer Lab Art Music Art/Music Flex Space Library Science Lab/Demonstration Shared Breakout Areas

Community/Shared Spaces oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

Motor Skills/Small PE Gymnasium Cafeteria Cafeteria Servery Cafeteria Table and Chair Storage Cafeteria Raised Presentation Area Cafeteria/Gymnasium Flex Space Entry Lobby

Student Services/Administration oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

Facility/Maintenance oo oo oo oo

Janitor’s Closets Staff Toilets Student Toilets Technology Closets

Subtotal 4. Circulation (35%) Total 5. Square footage per student

21,650 ––––––– 7,578 ––––––– 29,228 ––––––– 97 –––––––

50 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Your School PreK to

4th

grade

600

students

1. Space

Square Footage per Space

2. Quantity

3. Area Subtotal

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

1,200 1,200 750 750 750 750 600

4 ––––––– 4 ––––––– 4 ––––––– 4 ––––––– 4 ––––––– 4 ––––––– 3 –––––––

4,800 –––––––––– 4,800 –––––––––– 3,000 –––––––––– 3,000 –––––––––– 3,000 –––––––––– 3,000 –––––––––– 1,800 ––––––––––

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

––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 2 –––––––

–––––––––– 1,200 –––––––––– 1,000 –––––––––– –––––––––– 2,00 –––––––––– 900 –––––––––– 250 ––––––––––

1,800 4,000 15sf x no of students 600 600 400 600 4,500 400

––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– ––––––– 1 –––––––

–––––––––– 4,000 –––––––––– –––––––––– 600 –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– –––––––––– 400 ––––––––––

200 800 200 250 500 100 250 250 500 400

1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– ––––––– 2 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 ––––––– 1 –––––––

200 –––––––––– 800 –––––––––– –––––––––– 500 –––––––––– 500 –––––––––– 100 –––––––––– 250 –––––––––– 250 –––––––––– 500 –––––––––– 400 ––––––––––

Core Academics

PreK-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

Non-Core Academics

oo oo oo oo oo A oo oo

Computer Lab Art Music Art/Music Flex Space Library Science Lab/Demonstration Shared Breakout Areas

Community/Shared Spaces oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

Motor Skills/Small PE Gymnasium Cafeteria Cafeteria Servery Cafeteria Table and Chair Storage Cafeteria Raised Presentation Area Cafeteria/Gymnasium Flex Space Entry Lobby

Student Services/Administration oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

Facility/Maintenance oo oo oo oo

Janitor’s Closets Staff Toilets Student Toilets Technology Closets

50 100 225 50

4 ––––––– 4 ––––––– 8 ––––––– 2 –––––––

200 –––––––––– 400 –––––––––– 1,800 –––––––––– 100 ––––––––––

Subtotal 4. Circulation (35%) Total

39,750 ––––––– 13,913 ––––––– 53,663 –––––––

5. Square footage per student

89 –––––––

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.

52 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

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 schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 activities 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.

Plan a facility

â&#x201D;&#x201A; 53

54 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

BASIC NEEDS

45 sf per student Unisex toilets in the classroom

CLASSROOM FOR PRE-K & K

Easy-to-clean surfaces ocated on the ground floor L (check your local regulations)

General learning, art and play space

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

BASIC NEEDS Flexible space

30 sf per student

CLASSROOM GRADES 1-4

Small group tables or individual desks Adequate “line-up” space for class dismissal Plenty of natural daylight

Typical lecture-style

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

Space flashcards

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56 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

BASIC NEEDS

Hard, easy-to-clean surfaces A ppropriately-sized table or counter workspace

ART

Stainless steel art sinks for easy clean-up

Individual or group projects

BEST PRACTICES

roup tables so students can work together and G share supplies Natural daylight with task-lighting for work areas Cl ose to science or project areas for collaboration Kiln

BASIC NEEDS

Acoustic separation from other learning areas Stationary, appropriately-sized chairs

MUSIC

Instrument storage space

Group instrumental or vocal exploration

BEST PRACTICES

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

Space flashcards

â&#x201D;&#x201A; 57

58 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

BASIC NEEDS

Low height (36”) bookcases Work and read tables

LIBRARY

Ample light to avoid eye strain

Quiet reading, independent learning, small-group projects, large-group discussions, storytelling

BEST PRACTICES

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

BASIC NEEDS

Hard, easy-to-clean surfaces Group tables or work benches

SCIENCE LAB / DEMO

Multiple stainless steel work sinks Well-ventilated space

Small labs, project space, group learning

BEST PRACTICES Project space

Outdoor science labratory Technology and media rich

Space flashcards

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60 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

BASIC NEEDS

Soft, agile furniture Small nooks and gathering spaces in existing corridors or entryways

BREAKOUT SPACE

BEST PRACTICES

Informal learning

Specific task-lighting Smart wall for collaboration and project work

BASIC NEEDS Well-lit space

Storable and moveable furniture

PROJECT AREA

Supply storage

Long-term team projects, drop-in computer use

BEST PRACTICES

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

Space flashcards

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62 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

BASIC NEEDS

obile or folding chairs if space is used M in many ways

CAFETERIA

Hard, nonporous surfaces Healthy lunches and vending machines

Breakfast, lunch, community gathering

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

BASIC NEEDS Flexible space

Located near entry or other community spaces

COMMUNITY GATHERING

BEST PRACTICES

Signage to promote school spirit and message Boards or cases to display student work

Presentation &

Near main office

gathering, entry lobby

caled to hold the entire community either alone, S â&#x20AC;&#x2030; or when opened up to a shared space such as the cafeteria

Space flashcards

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64 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

BASIC NEEDS

hink beyond wood. Provide flooring for multiple T activities - from basketball to roller skating

HEALTH & FITNESS

quipment and space scaled to fit a young childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s E body size and ability

Physical education, group activities, community gathering, gymnasium

BEST PRACTICES

artitions or curtains to split the gym for P multiple classes Space and equipment to support multiple activities

BASIC NEEDS

Wireless internet connectivity throughout the school ecurity measures to protect computers in classS rooms and mobile carts

TECHNOLOGY

ecure data closet (Must be kept at less than 75Â° have S at least 1 dedicated 20 amp electric unit, and allow for equipment to be kept several feet off the ground)

Smart walls, mobile stations, computer labs

BEST PRACTICES

Computer to student ratio should be at least 3:1 ired and wireless connection options in every W classroom I nstall data closet in a central location where additional cooling or exhaust to exterior could be provided very classroom equipped with an interactive E whiteboard Varied light controls to allow for partially dimming the room when needed

Space flashcards

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BASIC NEEDS

ompliance with occupancy, inspections C and fire codes

SAFETY / SECURITY

ront entrance should allow a direct line of sight for F 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 reception desk with intercom and door A access control

BASIC NEEDS

Well-lit and maintained exits and exit signs void positioning learning spaces near noisy A parts of the building such as the loading dock, gymnasium, cafeteria or entrance

FACILITY OPERATIONS & PLANNING

se materials and products that are durable and U nontoxic Use energy efficient light fixtures and products

BEST PRACTICES

emperature and dimmable light controls for T each room eacher workroom, parent or volunteer meeting T space or workroom “ Owner’s Manual” that contains information needed to maintain school and equipment Alcoves and furniture in hallways

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BASIC NEEDS

arking area or street drop-off capable of accomP modating drop-off/dismissal traffic pressures

SITE

Ample space for safe bus drop-off and parking ccess and clearance for maintenance and A garbage trucks void choosing a site near noisy or dangerous A areas such as near railroads, interstates, airports aor flood plains

BEST PRACTICES

Outdoor space for students to play, garden, learn ommunity connection to parks and gathering C places

BASIC NEEDS

BEST PRACTICES

Your sample

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BEST PRACTICES Prologue

School profiles

72 â&#x201D;&#x201A; KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

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, challenging 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 innovative 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 KIPPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tomorrow.

Best Practices

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Case Study Rogers Park Montessori School Chicago

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 keeping 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 encouraged casual interaction. Dedicated parents 74 │ KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

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 providing 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 residentiallyzoned land against for-profit residential developers who could afford to pay more for property in the economic boom of the 90’s and early 2000’s.

Faciliy’s unique attributes

very classroom has access to an exterior patio E or balcony lassrooms feature ‘L’-shaped configurations to C maximize perimeter wall area to accommodate small group learning activity stations Pre-school includes a padded motor activity room obby has a recessed play pit filled with activities to L keep younger siblings and waiting children occupied while parents and caregivers drop-off and pick-up their children and interact with school staff

School Metrics 375 students

47,000 square feet of new construction Serves ages 2 - 14 Average classroom is 1,000 square feet

Funding & Planning

A dedicated parent coordinated parent volunteers fundraising efforts. In 2004 RPMS purchased land and started construction.

1991

Started an Elementary School program located in a rented facility

A big, traditional gym may not be necessary for your young students. Rogers Park Montessori School has a traditional gym, with high ceilings 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 appropriately scaled, well-lit and beautiful space may help you save on square footage. Cannon Design helped the school find a long narrow site along commuter railroad tracks that was zoned for industrial/manufacturing. It was not desirable for industrial/manufacturing 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/manufacturing zoning to promote industry and jobs, but recognized that the site was not desirable for that use. The site was re-zoned as residential 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.

1994

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

2001

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

Best practices

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Case Study KIPP DC LEAP Washington DC

KIPP DC: LEAP Academy’s mission is to nurture and guide its students’ creativity, knowledge, and sense of self as it prepares them with the academic, intellectual, and character skills necessary for success in excellent middle 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: lassroom space that can accommodate room C for multiple student play centers, cubbies, sand/water tables, shelving for supplies, and activity tables Hallways and classrooms that are filled with natural light athrooms in each room with sinks and toilets B that are size appropriate for the ages served 76 │ KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

safe playground space: padded surface, enA closed and not accessible to the street Hallways and classrooms that are bright, warm and inviting central lobby and office space that is accesA sible to all visitors, grade levels and wings of the building Classroom space that accommodates pull-out Early Intervention services and specials classes (art, PE, and music)

Faciliy’s unique attributes

Classroom space surrounds a courtyard which provides a safe place for students to play year round The facility is LEED certified equivalent he use of different colors on the walls, floors T 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

School Metrics 300 students

30,000 sf of new construction Pre-K3 through Kindergarten 4 Pre-K3 950 sf classrooms with bathrooms 8 Pre-K and K 900 sf classrooms with bathrooms

Funding & Planning

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

2007-08

KIPP:DC LEAP is established. Temporarily located–4 classrooms in a church basement

2008-09

“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 limited space, so careful consideration was taken when ordering supplies (for example: furniture on wheels, containers to store learning tools 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 development. 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 comfortable in, inspired by and proud of.” – Laura Bowen, School leader

KIPP:DC LEAP moves to its new and permanent home. Spends one year growing into space, has classrooms waiting for rising Kindergarten students

Best practices

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Case Study KIPP SHINE Houston

SHINE’s mission is to nurture and strengthen our students’ creativity, knowledge, character, and thinking skills preparing them to excel academically, 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 onoring each other and themselves through H sharing stories, thoughts, and support in the excitement of learning reading and writing skills; using their Imagination to create stories, paint pictures, act out tales, and perform songs as part of the growth process ever giving up as they build confidence daily in N a program which has seen nothing but success

78 │ KIPP Facility Guide for Early Childhood and Elementary Schools

Every day, since this is a daily commitment. The development of KIPP SHINE was guided by Aaron Brenner in the years leading up to the 2004 opening. Following that, Aaron successfully 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 example for KIPP schools to come was an important factor during the planning process. Aaron’s extensive experience working with Early Childhood 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.

Faciliy’s unique attributes

hine is colorful with bright blues, oranges S and yellows. afeteria is the health/fitness space with an C indoor soccer track painted on the floor. ach 4th grader spends 90 mins in science E each day hared space with KIPP Academy Middle School S and KIPP Houston High School allows greater space efficiency. n interactive wall engages students will daily A activities

School Metrics

800 students

65,000 square feet of new construction Pre-K3 through 4th grade

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 purchasing. 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 designing and planning the school, you are conscious of the mission of the school versus the 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?

800 square foot classrooms 2,000 square foot library Dedicated Art, Science and Special Ed rooms at 1,000+ square feet per room

Funding & Planning

Aaron Brenner led the development of the first KIPP Early Childhood / Elementary School. This campus, the Southwest campus, is shared with KIPP Academy Middle School and KIPP Houston High School.

2004

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

2009

KIPP SHINE expands to include Pre-K3 through 4th graders to become KIPP’s first fully grown EC and Elementary School in the nation.

Best practices

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APPENDIX

FACILITY DESIGN Design Share

www.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 Design

www.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)

Healthy Schools Campaign

www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/ Healthy Schools Campaign, an independent not-forprofit organization, is a leading authority and advocate on healthy school environments. The organization has a variety of programs and publications that provide tools to school stakeholders to facilitate the creation of such environments.

SUSTAINABILITY: ASSESSMENT TOOLS EPA’s Healthy Seat

www.epa.gov/schools/healthyseat/ EPA has developed a free, downloadable software tool to help school districts evaluate and manage their school facilities for key environmental, safety and health issues. The Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEATv2) is designed to be customized and used by district-level staff to conduct completely voluntary self-assessments of their schools. The guidance included 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 economically managed.

www.chps.net CHPS is a non-profit organization dedicated to making schools better places to learn through creating healthier learning environments. It provides 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 performance building rating and recognition program.

SUSTAINABILITY: COST ANALYSIS Greening America’s Schools: Costs & Benefits, Greg Kats (a Capital E report)

LEED for Schools, Center for Green Schools

www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/34967.pdf P. Plympton, J. Brown and K. Stevens. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

www.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 website, created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC), assists in the creation of environmentally conscious school buildings by providing facts on the benefits of green schools, project profiles, news, videos and guidance publications. Additionally, the USGBC has launched the Center for Green Schools. This resource provides additional insight about guiding, programming, and developing green schools.

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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.

SUSTAINABILITY: DAYLIGHTING Windows and Classrooms: A Study of Student Performance

http://www.h-m-g.com/projects/daylighting/summaries%20on%20daylighting.htm The study analyzes whether indoor environmental 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 Schools

http://www.h-m-g.com/projects/daylighting/summaries%20on%20daylighting.htm This study looks at three elementary school districts and examines the correlation between the amount of daylight in the classroom and the students’ performance.

SUSTAINABILITY: ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASING (EPP) CHPS High Performing Products Database

https://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 Purchasing

http://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 Evaluating Green Product and Services and the Hands On Tools for Green Purchasing.

Green Purchasing Policy and Program

www.responsiblepurchasing.org The Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN) is an international network of buyers dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable purchasing.

Green Guard

www.greenguard.org The Greenguard Certification Program is an industry-independent, third-party testing program for low-emitting products and materials. Contains an online list of products that have met indoor air quality standards.

SUSTAINABILITY: ENERGY Energy Star

www.energystar.gov ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that aims to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Appendix

Habitat for Humanity ReStore

http://www.habitat.org/restores/default.aspx Habitat for Humanity ReStores sell reusable and surplus building materials to the public. In addition to building materials, some stores also sell furniture and appliances.

Interface Flooring Systems: ReEntry Reclamation Program

http://www.interfaceinc.com/us/services/reclamation/Register/ A leading manufacturer of flooring systems, Interface will donate refurbished carpet tiles to nonprofits and charities through its ReEntry program.

IRN Surplus Property Management

http://www.irnsurplus.com/consumers.html IRN works with charitable organizations to redeploy surplus furniture, office and school furnishings, and building materials.

SUSTAINABILITY: GREEN CLEANING The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools

http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/programs/ 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 Schools

www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/actionkit.html The IAQ Tools for Sch ools Action Kit shows how to carry out a practical plan to improve indoor air problems at little or no cost using straightforward activities and in-house staff. The Kit provides best practices, industry guidelines, sample policies and a sample IAQ management plan.

SUSTAINABILITY: NATURE Kids Gardening

www.kidsgardening.org An initiative of the National Gardening Association, this site provides a wide range of K-12 plant-based educational materials and programs.

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ACOUSTICS Classroom Design for Good Hearing

www.quietclassrooms.org/ Quiet Classroom is an alliance of non-profit organizations working to create better learning environments in schools by reducing noise.

Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements and Guidelines for Schools, Parts 1 and 2

http://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 guidelines for new school classrooms and other learning spaces.

ERGONOMICS Ergonomics for Children

www.iea.cc/ergonomics4children Ergonomics for Children and Educational Environments provides a forum for the international exchange of scientific and technical ergonomics information related to children and educational environments.

PLAY Beyond Access

www.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 Playground

http://www.imaginationplayground.org/ Imagination Playground in a Box is a kit of parts intended to offer a cost effective and easy to install means for children to have open-ended, free play.

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We would like to thank our contacts from within the sustainability 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.

KIPP Network Chicago

April Goble, Executive Director, KIPP Chicago

Galveston

Lynne Barnes, KIPP Coastal Village Lower School

Gary

Braden Kay, Former Director of Facilities, KIPP LEAD College Prep Glenn Davis, KIPP LEAD High School

Houston

John Murphy, COO, PHILO Finance Corporation (former CFO of KIPP Houston) Aaron Brenner, Head of Primary Schools

Newark

Joanna Belcher, SPARK Academy Hannah Richman, Director of Friends of TEAM

New Orleans

Bebe Ryan, Former Director of Growth Initiatives

Washington DC

Alexander Shawe, Director of Real Estate Laura Bowen, KIPP DC: LEAP Academy

Architects of KIPP Projects KIPP DC

John Burke, Studio 27, Washington DC

KIPP Houston

Rob Bradford and Barry Moore, Gensler, Houston

TEAM Schools, a KIPP Region

Merilee Meacock, KSS Architects, Princeton

U.S. Green Building Council Emily Knupp, K-12 Associate, Center for Green Schools

Advisory Committee Joanna 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

Appendix

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KIPP Foundation Carolyn Choy Carmen Maldonado

Public Architecture Liz Ogbu John Peterson John Cary Brad Leibin Cali Pfaff

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

Graphic Design Cynthia Garcia

Cover art | Students from KIPP Delta Elementary Literacy Academy (Helena-West Helena, Arkansas)