Page 37 - School Planning & Management, September 2017

The digital-learning shift positively impacted students’ achievement.
During the summer of 2013, the district transformed the space into a Media Center and Internet Café. Renovations were fairly simple and straightforward, but they made a tremendous difference. Square tables and hard, wooden chairs were replaced with col- orful, flexible furnishings and soft seating. Group meeting areas with display screens were added. Book stacks were replaced
with accessible, perimeter shelving, and the lighting system was adjusted so it can be dimmed for video presentations. Lastly, the “No food or drink” sign was removed and single-serve coffee makers were installed.
The Media Center and Internet Café quickly became the heart of the high school and a tech-friendly learning hub. It’s a welcoming, engaging, and comfortable place where students gather to study and social- ize. The new space accommodates multiple learning activities, and it facilitates individ- ual and group study. Students and teachers have 24/7 access to the Internet and plenty of
After renovating a traditional library into a modern media space, the district improved upon the design. This newer space is adjacent to the cafeteria. Modular flooring enables students to bring food into the area. If the floor gets dirty, carpet squares or vinyl squares can be replaced easily.
outlets to recharge their laptops.
Laptops are plentiful in the Huntsville
City School District. In the fall of 2013, the district shifted to an all-digital learning environment. Each student in grades 3-12 receives a Windows laptop, and students in PreK-2 receive iPads. A wireless network provides reliable and equitable access to digital materials and resources.
The digital-learning shift positively impacted students’ achievement. They’ve made proficiency gains on state and na- tional assessments, and more students are graduating. By 2015, the graduation rate was 88 percent, up 33 percent from 2011.
The Huntsville City School District was so successful in transforming a traditional school library into a versatile, modern and comfortable media space that administrators replicated the design in other schools. They also improved upon it. The newer media spaces are adjacent to cafeterias in each school to generate more
foot traffic (and use).
The new spaces have modular flooring
too, which enables students to bring in food. If the floor gets dirty, parts can be replaced easily. Modern flooring products that look like wood, stone, or vinyl are more aesthetically pleasing than tradition- al flooring, and they have better acoustics.
The Huntsville City School District has proven that renovated school libraries can become more comfortable, user-friendly and accessible places. Like renovated airports, school libraries have become so much more than thoroughfares. SPM
>> Scott Leopold is a partner at Cooperative Strategies, previously DeJONG-RICHTER. On
Jan. 1, 2017, DeJONG-RICHTER and Cooperative Strategies merged to provide expanded services to school districts nationwide. Since 2005, Scott has provided school districts with the technology tools they need for successful planning. He is available at sleopold@coopstrategies.com.
SEPTEMBER 2017 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 37