Avon Community School Corporation underwent a $50 million progressive design-build construction project that dramatically improved teaching and learning environments, addressed space and learning environment inequity, and reduced operational costs. Six school buildings were improved to provide additional student capacity to address district growth. To maintain fiscal responsibility, the district decided to renovate and expand existing elementary school buildings rather than construct new schools.
With the project completed, elementary school capacities were realigned to eliminate inequity between the north and south sides of the district. Dynamic new spaces were created to support collaborative teaching and learning. The pre-school program was consolidated and expanded, and a flexible district training center was developed to support staff development goals.
Maple Elementary School was dramatically transformed and expanded through administrative, kindergarten, gymnasium, and cafeteria building additions, including a new main secure entrance. It was renovated to accommodate the new standard for K-4 teaching and learning environments. The building is organized around a dynamic STEM collaborative core. Classroom wings are grouped around a technology-rich, flexible Innovation Center. The Innovation Center includes lab and classroom space. There are student and staff collaboration rooms dedicated for each grade. The Outdoor Learning Center was expanded to include a lab, a community garden, and a rain garden to teach the concepts of sustainability. Energy-efficient HVAC and lighting renovations were completed and greatly improved occupant comfort and facility operational costs.
Hickory and Sycamore Elementary Schools were expanded to address capacity equity goals. Four grade-level classrooms and two kindergarten classrooms were added. The addition of an Innovation Classroom and STEM Collaboration Lab provided dynamic learning environments. The traditional media center was transformed into a flexible Innovation Center. The Innovation Center, STEM Collaboration Lab, and Innovation Classroom were interconnected and offer high visibility between spaces, improving teacher flexibility and supervision. Separate technology-rich staff and student collaboration rooms were added for each grade level. The spaces for occupational/physical therapy, counseling, and special needs were improved and sized appropriately. Energy-efficient HVAC and lighting renovations were completed at Sycamore Elementary School that greatly improved occupant comfort and facility operational costs.
White Oak School was transitioned to the district preschool facility by completely renovating classrooms and support spaces and allowing space for future growth of the preschool program. With an eye for space efficiency, the cafeteria was transformed for use as a multi-purpose space to support gross motor skills development, and all spaces were developed to support the specialized needs of the preschool age group, especially the space assigned for developmental needs. The school gymnasium, which was oversized and overscaled for use as a preschool environment, was redeveloped into a state-of-the-art highly flexible and technology rich district professional development suite with a capacity of greater than 120 to support the district's staff development needs and goals.
The Middle School South building has been repurposed multiple times to accommodate district and program changes. The building has been a high school and an elementary school before its current use as a middle school. With that growth and change, infrastructure systems can be taxed and become somewhat complicated and difficult to maintain. This project included comprehensive energy-efficient HVAC and lighting renovations that dramatically reduced facility operating costs, improved maintainability of systems, and met optimal learning environment standards for occupant lighting, comfort, and system control. The aging building envelope and interior finishes were improved as well.
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Active LearningThe district is making changes to its school buildings to accommodate a more collaborative, flexible, active learning environment. The district is working with an Education Planning Consultant to thoughtfully design spaces that will best fit curriculum and programming needs.
Secure EntrancesSafety of students is number one priority for Avon. Unfortunately, we live in a world that needs to be prepared for threats that enter our schools. Secure entryways will be installed at all renovated school buildings and will ensure that all visitors to the school are granted access only with permission from school staff.
Energy EfficiencyAddressing aging infrastructure is often unseen by the public, but it is incredibly important to our school district operations. HVAC upgrades not only address deferred maintenance, they also make our school building more energy-efficient. This reduces utility bills, decreases operational costs, and increases the quality of the learning environment.
Sustainable EnvironmentsStudies have shown that getting students outdoors is key to their development and has many educational, social, and emotional benefits. Therefore, the outdoor space at Maple Elementary School will support learning opportunities and is being thoughtfully designed with sustainable storm water drainage features. It will be a focal point for the school campus and community.
A series of design sessions will be conducted to review and finalize the design with everyone’s involvement and collaboration. The first full team meeting will be an intensive charrette-style meeting to identify and reach agreement on all critical elements of the project. It includes early conceptual and programmatic cost analysis to guide critical systems discussions on design development within the target budget. Consensus building on design direction will be the focus of the first phase of the project.
Construction began in May 2020. Site work commenced at White Oak Elementary School and Maple Elementary School. The construction team broke ground on the additions for Hickory Elementary School and Sycamore Elementary School. The demolition of the interior of Hickory and Sycamore Elementary Schools also commenced. The construction team began demolition inside Avon Middle School in preparation for installing new mechanical and lighting upgrades.
This summer was very busy for the construction teams as they completed a large chunk of the additions and renovations. The administrative suites and certain classrooms were renovated at Hickory and Sycamore Elementary schools and completed by the end of summer. The construction team placed foundations for the additions at these schools. Structural steel was erected in late June. Maple Elementary School’s new gym foundation was placed in addition to their new administrative suite. Site work continues at Maple and White Oak. The construction team completed the new parking lot for the bus transportation facility. Construction at the Middle School continues for the mechanical and lighting upgrades.
The building renovations at Sycamore, Hickory, and Maple Elementary Schools continues into the school year. Construction teams are mindful of school in progress and actively collaborate with building administrators to work safely and effectively to keep the project on schedule. Renovations at the Middle School also continue.
Students began using the completed new addition at Maple Elementary School. At this time, the renovations of the existing building began in stages on each of the four wings. As each wing is renovated, students will shift out of that wing for construction to occur and then back as it is completed. Work on the building additions at Hickory and Sycamore Elementary Schools also continue. Progress will be made at the Middle School on the mechanical and lighting upgrades.
Construction will continue during the winter into the spring months until summer. Construction teams will begin renovating the central core of Maple Elementary School.
The major additions and renovations at Maple, Hickory, and Sycamore Elementary School will finish up at the end of Summer in time for the start of school. Maple Elementary School’s new gymnasium and the site work will be completed. Maple and White Oak playgrounds and the Community Garden will also be renovated and completed. At Hickory and Sycamore Elementary Schools, the new media center will be finished as well as the classroom and kindergarten renovations.
Construction will begin to transform White Oak School into a pre-school center for the District. It will also include a professional development suite for teacher and staff development. Renovations will be completed at White Oak in December, concluding the project.
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A 2019 facility study assessed the physical condition and programming spaces of all school buildings. Based on this study and the priorities of the school district, the Performance Services design team proposed the progressive design-build project. The project will increase capacity at Maple, Hickory, and Sycamore Elementary Schools to create a balance of three schools on each side of the district feeding into the intermediate and middle schools. Additionally, expanding the schools will create operating efficiencies and improve program equity.
The improvements at Maple, Hickory, and Sycamore will allow White Oak Elementary to be redesigned to provide increased opportunities for and expansion of the Seedlings Preschool Program. The facility improvements will support the enrollment trends as outlined in the district’s most recent demographic study, address critical infrastructure needs, and bring equity to the classroom environments across the district.
Diagram of Maple Elementary, White Oak School, and Middle School South campus.
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