May 26, 2015 ROCK CREEK SCHOOL ED SPEC/FEASIBILITY ...
May 26, 2015 ROCK CREEK SCHOOL ED SPEC/FEASIBILITY STUDY ED SPEC TEAM MEETING #4 21513/075
PROJECT INFORMATION: * Before an item in bold face indicates a correction to the meeting notes. [] Indicates an item which occurred subsequent to the meeting. Meeting Notes: SCHEDULE STATUS: 1.
Ed Spec phase is proceeding
OLD BUSINESS: No Old Business NEW BUSINESS: PD4.1
PD4.2
The Consultant Team provided a recap of the previous meetings the group. This includes the addition of a new chapter about experiential learning and sensory based upon last week’s feedback. The discussion regarding communication and communication devices was also recapped. The group started to get into the general building organization and general classroom organization. The Consultants asked Rock Creek School’s administration how they current organize their school. The administration described the students being grouped into 4 general sections • Primary: o There are currently 2 classrooms that house primary school level students, based upon academic needs. One is a classroom with general students, but they will be leaving at the end of the year. The second classroom has 8 special needs students o The classroom with the general students is leaving due to feasibility issues, not by Rock Creek School’s choice. In fact, the teachers, parents, etc. all agree that the inclusion of general students at Rock Creek School is desired. • Elementary: o There are currently 4 classrooms with students based upon academic needs. Sometimes this also includes communication needs, but there tends to be a mixture in each classroom. o In general, the students in this group range from grades Kindergarten to 5th grade, but the grade range can vary based upon student needs. o 2 of the 4 classrooms in this group house physically disabled students with one class being an upper elementary school classroom and the other is a lower elementary school classroom. o The other 2 of 4 classrooms behave like a self-contained classroom o The classroom is somewhat divided into 3 parts. One area is for learning and the other is
CALVERTON / MCLEAN / CHARLOTTESVILLE / BALTIMORE 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 600 / Calverton MD 20705 / Tel 301.595.1000 / Fax 301.595.0089 / grimmandparker.com
Rock Creek School FCPS Ed Spec Team Meeting #4 Page No. 2
for social activities. The third part of the general classroom is the equipment and storage area. o Co-teaching: Teachers are currently co-teaching in the classroom and this is a desired method at Rock Creek School. Right now the teachers rotate within their group of classrooms. Currently upper ES students switch Math and Language. o During the meeting many of the committee members said there is a desire to have multiple classes come together to allow for more co-teaching opportunities. A multipurpose room would help achieve this. The Consultants asked the team what sort of features the room should have: Counter space with a sink Storage that can be locked and secured Rolling demonstration cart Bathroom (with a lift) Room is large enough to hold a maximum of 3 classes, with 2 being average. This would equate to 18-20 students, plus adults This room would need less equipment than a typical classroom since it’s not the student’s home base. Ideally this space would be used 1-2 times per week per team with more coteaching occurring as students get older • Middle: o There are currently 3 classrooms with students based upon academic needs. o This group ranges from 6th grade to 9th grade, but like the elementary group, this grade range can vary. o There are 6-7 students in a classroom and 3-4 adults. There are mobile and non-mobile students. • High: o There are currently 5 classrooms with students based upon academic needs. o In addition to the typical classrooms there are also vocational training program spaces that are used by the High School level students o All 5 of the classrooms rotate. The classes rotate together, the individuals do not rotate. Classrooms change from year to year. • General Organization and Programs o SLIS: On average, 1-3 times a week a student will be pulled out of their classroom for SLIS services or instructors might come to them in the classroom. It was expressed that a mixture of both is preferable. A space should be provided for SLIS services when a student is pulled out of the classroom. o Health Services: The health services should be centralized in order to reach the entire student population. There should be plenty of outlets for health needs, slightly more than what is typically provided. The line between nurses on private duty and health services should stay the same, a Registered Nurse is still needed too. There should also be privacy provided in the Health Suite/Nurses Area for the students. o OT/PT: OT/PT prefers to be integrated with the general classroom, but sometimes needs special space. Because OT/PT prefers to work in the classroom, there should be a lift provided in each room. CALVERTON / MCLEAN / CHARLOTTESVILLE / BALTIMORE 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 600 / Calverton MD 20705 / Tel 301.595.1000 / Fax 301.595.0089 / grimmandparker.com
Rock Creek School FCPS Ed Spec Team Meeting #4 Page No. 3
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o
Toilet Rooms: There should be a toilet room provided in each classroom. Each toilet room should have a lift, one suggestion was to provide a portable lift. There also needs to be accessible showers throughout the school. Building: this building will be a one story school. Inclusion: There was a general consensus from everyone that inclusion is desired. Inclusion can be used in a variety of ways, such as inviting typical peers to a vocational science lab demo. The inclusion should be both social and educational. Flexibility: The group agreed that there should be flexibility within the classroom and between classrooms. Many of the classrooms change from year to year, because the demographics and ages of students fluctuates more than a general school.
PD4.3 The Consultants then started a discussion on flexibility and adaptability of spaces. They shared a power point presentation that showed diagrams. • General classroom organization diagrams: o The Consultants shared a series of diagrams as an idea for organizing the classrooms. The group also discussed that they would like to see the clusters of classrooms close to one another with overlap to address the changes in student ages from year to year. • Responsive/Adaptive Spaces: o The Consultants also shared a series of photographs of academic spaces that all have responsive/adaptive/flexible qualities. Many of these photos had one or many of the following attributes: Include a variety of learning environments Are designed for learning to take place everywhere Allow for flexibility and transparency of space There’s the availability of technology outside the classroom Common areas that serve multiple functions Are open and transparent to support supervision o The Consultants shared 3 special education schools that have been built recently and are good examples of adaptive spaces: St. Colletta of Greater Washington, Galludet University’s Living Learning Residence Hall, and the Forbush School NEXT MEETING: 1. 2.
The next design meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. at Frederick County Public Schools Board of Education Room. Due at next meeting: Meeting Agenda
CALVERTON / MCLEAN / CHARLOTTESVILLE / BALTIMORE 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 600 / Calverton MD 20705 / Tel 301.595.1000 / Fax 301.595.0089 / grimmandparker.com
Rock Creek School FCPS Ed Spec Team Meeting #4 Page No. 4
THESE MEETING NOTES ARE THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE MEETING AND REPRESENT THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE WRITER OF ITEMS DISCUSSED AND DECISIONS MADE DURING THIS MEETING. WE SHALL ASSUME OUR UNDERSTANDING TO BE CORRECT UNLESS WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE CONTRARY IS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION WITHIN SEVEN DAYS. Author: Janice Szymanski JMS/jms
L:\proj\2015\21513.00\Docs\04-Meeting Minutes\21513EdSpecMtg04.doc
CALVERTON / MCLEAN / CHARLOTTESVILLE / BALTIMORE 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 600 / Calverton MD 20705 / Tel 301.595.1000 / Fax 301.595.0089 / grimmandparker.com
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools May 26, 2015
General School Organization To cluster or not to cluster?
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
General School Organization Student distribution and learning communities
Specialized spaces + collaborative learning
Relationship between clusters
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Include a variety of learning environments
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Are designed for learning to take place everywhere
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Allow for flexibility and transparency of space
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Availability of technology outside the classroom
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Common areas that serve multiple functions
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Variety in the kinds of learning spaces
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Open and transparent common spaces to support supervision
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
End.
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Benchmarking and Precedents as Visioning Tools Images of disabled and non-disabled centric educational facilities
St. Coletta of Greater Washington “The nonprofit charter school St. Coletta serves individuals with cognitive disabilities, autism, and physical disabilities. Guided by the school’s philosophy that all children are special, MGA addressed formal, functional, social and ecological concerns in the design, and created a facility with such success that it is promoted as a national model. The 99,000-SF building’s largest elements -- the entrance and common facilities -- are located along Independence Avenue and expressed as geometric pavilions clad in colorful glazed tile. Instructional suites for 50-70 students are articulated as a series of “houses” with private gardens and relate to the scale of the adjacent residential neighborhood along 19th St.” Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Benchmarking and Precedents as Visioning Tools Images of disabled and non-disabled centric educational facilities
St. Coletta of Greater Washington “The program is an extension of the school's philosophy that stresses the importance of building on and celebrating individual strengths. The program at St. Coletta includes: functional academics, skills of daily living, community based instruction, adaptive physical education, arts education, computer skills and vocational training. Upon graduation students earn a certificate of IEP completion in lieu of a high school diploma.”
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Benchmarking and Precedents as Visioning Tools Images of disabled and non-disabled centric educational facilities
Gallaudet University Living Learning Residence Hall 6 “Gallaudet University sought an environment in which deaf and hard of hearing students could converse safely and easily through unimpeded sign language and visual communication. The architecture of LLRH6 enables free-flowing conversation, including measures such as open stairs and broad ramps, wide corridors for sideby-side conversation, ample use of glass to allow for expansive vistas, tiered floors to preserve clear sightlines, paint colors that minimize glare, and carefully tested acoustical ceiling solutions to reduce ambient noise.” Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Benchmarking and Precedents as Visioning Tools Images of disabled and non-disabled centric educational facilities
Forbush School The new school contains classrooms, staff offices, therapy spaces, and a specially designed playground to meet the needs of children with ASD. Ramps are incorporated into the main and playground entries. Classrooms have accessible bathrooms and the rubber-padded linoleum floor system installed in the activity rooms reduces impact injury and noise.
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
PROJECT INFORMATION: * Before an item in bold face indicates a correction to the meeting notes. [] Indicates an item which occurred subsequent to the meeting. Meeting Notes: SCHEDULE STATUS: 1.
Ed Spec phase is proceeding
OLD BUSINESS: No Old Business NEW BUSINESS: PD4.1
PD4.2
The Consultant Team provided a recap of the previous meetings the group. This includes the addition of a new chapter about experiential learning and sensory based upon last week’s feedback. The discussion regarding communication and communication devices was also recapped. The group started to get into the general building organization and general classroom organization. The Consultants asked Rock Creek School’s administration how they current organize their school. The administration described the students being grouped into 4 general sections • Primary: o There are currently 2 classrooms that house primary school level students, based upon academic needs. One is a classroom with general students, but they will be leaving at the end of the year. The second classroom has 8 special needs students o The classroom with the general students is leaving due to feasibility issues, not by Rock Creek School’s choice. In fact, the teachers, parents, etc. all agree that the inclusion of general students at Rock Creek School is desired. • Elementary: o There are currently 4 classrooms with students based upon academic needs. Sometimes this also includes communication needs, but there tends to be a mixture in each classroom. o In general, the students in this group range from grades Kindergarten to 5th grade, but the grade range can vary based upon student needs. o 2 of the 4 classrooms in this group house physically disabled students with one class being an upper elementary school classroom and the other is a lower elementary school classroom. o The other 2 of 4 classrooms behave like a self-contained classroom o The classroom is somewhat divided into 3 parts. One area is for learning and the other is
CALVERTON / MCLEAN / CHARLOTTESVILLE / BALTIMORE 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 600 / Calverton MD 20705 / Tel 301.595.1000 / Fax 301.595.0089 / grimmandparker.com
Rock Creek School FCPS Ed Spec Team Meeting #4 Page No. 2
for social activities. The third part of the general classroom is the equipment and storage area. o Co-teaching: Teachers are currently co-teaching in the classroom and this is a desired method at Rock Creek School. Right now the teachers rotate within their group of classrooms. Currently upper ES students switch Math and Language. o During the meeting many of the committee members said there is a desire to have multiple classes come together to allow for more co-teaching opportunities. A multipurpose room would help achieve this. The Consultants asked the team what sort of features the room should have: Counter space with a sink Storage that can be locked and secured Rolling demonstration cart Bathroom (with a lift) Room is large enough to hold a maximum of 3 classes, with 2 being average. This would equate to 18-20 students, plus adults This room would need less equipment than a typical classroom since it’s not the student’s home base. Ideally this space would be used 1-2 times per week per team with more coteaching occurring as students get older • Middle: o There are currently 3 classrooms with students based upon academic needs. o This group ranges from 6th grade to 9th grade, but like the elementary group, this grade range can vary. o There are 6-7 students in a classroom and 3-4 adults. There are mobile and non-mobile students. • High: o There are currently 5 classrooms with students based upon academic needs. o In addition to the typical classrooms there are also vocational training program spaces that are used by the High School level students o All 5 of the classrooms rotate. The classes rotate together, the individuals do not rotate. Classrooms change from year to year. • General Organization and Programs o SLIS: On average, 1-3 times a week a student will be pulled out of their classroom for SLIS services or instructors might come to them in the classroom. It was expressed that a mixture of both is preferable. A space should be provided for SLIS services when a student is pulled out of the classroom. o Health Services: The health services should be centralized in order to reach the entire student population. There should be plenty of outlets for health needs, slightly more than what is typically provided. The line between nurses on private duty and health services should stay the same, a Registered Nurse is still needed too. There should also be privacy provided in the Health Suite/Nurses Area for the students. o OT/PT: OT/PT prefers to be integrated with the general classroom, but sometimes needs special space. Because OT/PT prefers to work in the classroom, there should be a lift provided in each room. CALVERTON / MCLEAN / CHARLOTTESVILLE / BALTIMORE 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 600 / Calverton MD 20705 / Tel 301.595.1000 / Fax 301.595.0089 / grimmandparker.com
Rock Creek School FCPS Ed Spec Team Meeting #4 Page No. 3
o
o o
o
Toilet Rooms: There should be a toilet room provided in each classroom. Each toilet room should have a lift, one suggestion was to provide a portable lift. There also needs to be accessible showers throughout the school. Building: this building will be a one story school. Inclusion: There was a general consensus from everyone that inclusion is desired. Inclusion can be used in a variety of ways, such as inviting typical peers to a vocational science lab demo. The inclusion should be both social and educational. Flexibility: The group agreed that there should be flexibility within the classroom and between classrooms. Many of the classrooms change from year to year, because the demographics and ages of students fluctuates more than a general school.
PD4.3 The Consultants then started a discussion on flexibility and adaptability of spaces. They shared a power point presentation that showed diagrams. • General classroom organization diagrams: o The Consultants shared a series of diagrams as an idea for organizing the classrooms. The group also discussed that they would like to see the clusters of classrooms close to one another with overlap to address the changes in student ages from year to year. • Responsive/Adaptive Spaces: o The Consultants also shared a series of photographs of academic spaces that all have responsive/adaptive/flexible qualities. Many of these photos had one or many of the following attributes: Include a variety of learning environments Are designed for learning to take place everywhere Allow for flexibility and transparency of space There’s the availability of technology outside the classroom Common areas that serve multiple functions Are open and transparent to support supervision o The Consultants shared 3 special education schools that have been built recently and are good examples of adaptive spaces: St. Colletta of Greater Washington, Galludet University’s Living Learning Residence Hall, and the Forbush School NEXT MEETING: 1. 2.
The next design meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. at Frederick County Public Schools Board of Education Room. Due at next meeting: Meeting Agenda
CALVERTON / MCLEAN / CHARLOTTESVILLE / BALTIMORE 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 600 / Calverton MD 20705 / Tel 301.595.1000 / Fax 301.595.0089 / grimmandparker.com
Rock Creek School FCPS Ed Spec Team Meeting #4 Page No. 4
THESE MEETING NOTES ARE THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE MEETING AND REPRESENT THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE WRITER OF ITEMS DISCUSSED AND DECISIONS MADE DURING THIS MEETING. WE SHALL ASSUME OUR UNDERSTANDING TO BE CORRECT UNLESS WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE CONTRARY IS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION WITHIN SEVEN DAYS. Author: Janice Szymanski JMS/jms
L:\proj\2015\21513.00\Docs\04-Meeting Minutes\21513EdSpecMtg04.doc
CALVERTON / MCLEAN / CHARLOTTESVILLE / BALTIMORE 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 600 / Calverton MD 20705 / Tel 301.595.1000 / Fax 301.595.0089 / grimmandparker.com
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools May 26, 2015
General School Organization To cluster or not to cluster?
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
General School Organization Student distribution and learning communities
Specialized spaces + collaborative learning
Relationship between clusters
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Include a variety of learning environments
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Are designed for learning to take place everywhere
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Allow for flexibility and transparency of space
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Availability of technology outside the classroom
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Common areas that serve multiple functions
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Variety in the kinds of learning spaces
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Responsive / Adaptive Spaces Embrace individual learner abilities and needs via a flexible, adaptable learning environment.
Open and transparent common spaces to support supervision
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
End.
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Benchmarking and Precedents as Visioning Tools Images of disabled and non-disabled centric educational facilities
St. Coletta of Greater Washington “The nonprofit charter school St. Coletta serves individuals with cognitive disabilities, autism, and physical disabilities. Guided by the school’s philosophy that all children are special, MGA addressed formal, functional, social and ecological concerns in the design, and created a facility with such success that it is promoted as a national model. The 99,000-SF building’s largest elements -- the entrance and common facilities -- are located along Independence Avenue and expressed as geometric pavilions clad in colorful glazed tile. Instructional suites for 50-70 students are articulated as a series of “houses” with private gardens and relate to the scale of the adjacent residential neighborhood along 19th St.” Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Benchmarking and Precedents as Visioning Tools Images of disabled and non-disabled centric educational facilities
St. Coletta of Greater Washington “The program is an extension of the school's philosophy that stresses the importance of building on and celebrating individual strengths. The program at St. Coletta includes: functional academics, skills of daily living, community based instruction, adaptive physical education, arts education, computer skills and vocational training. Upon graduation students earn a certificate of IEP completion in lieu of a high school diploma.”
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Benchmarking and Precedents as Visioning Tools Images of disabled and non-disabled centric educational facilities
Gallaudet University Living Learning Residence Hall 6 “Gallaudet University sought an environment in which deaf and hard of hearing students could converse safely and easily through unimpeded sign language and visual communication. The architecture of LLRH6 enables free-flowing conversation, including measures such as open stairs and broad ramps, wide corridors for sideby-side conversation, ample use of glass to allow for expansive vistas, tiered floors to preserve clear sightlines, paint colors that minimize glare, and carefully tested acoustical ceiling solutions to reduce ambient noise.” Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
Benchmarking and Precedents as Visioning Tools Images of disabled and non-disabled centric educational facilities
Forbush School The new school contains classrooms, staff offices, therapy spaces, and a specially designed playground to meet the needs of children with ASD. Ramps are incorporated into the main and playground entries. Classrooms have accessible bathrooms and the rubber-padded linoleum floor system installed in the activity rooms reduces impact injury and noise.
Rock Creek Center, Frederick County Public Schools
