Page 11 - School Planning & Management, December 2017

EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL EDUCATION DESIGN SHOWCASE
2017
OUTSTANDING DESIGN
ARCHITECTURE
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GOOD DESIGNS don’t just happen, they are based on exhaus- tive research and the study of best practices. To help provide this information on what makes a “good” space for learning, SP&M established the Education Design Showcase in 1999. It is a vehicle for sharing innovative, yet practical, solutions in planning, de- sign, and construction. The goal is to share ideas that will help us achieve the best possible learning environments for all students at all levels of education.
This year’s entries are good examples of what is being provid- ed for today’s students. Our panel of judges studied the submis- sions and chose a Grand Prize winner and Honorable Mentions to designate the projects that they felt were the most outstand- ing. The Grand Prize winner is highlighted on pages 12 and 17, followed by all of the entries, in alphabetical order according to
their level—Early Childhood, Elementary, etc.
The judges’ choice for Grand prize is a school that they say, based
on the entry information, appears to truly support their education programs and their students. The judges chose three specialized facilities for Honorable Mentions because they do a good job of serv- ing student and community needs. “Rather than tell educators about how you need to push STEM, they are giving them a space to do it. Rather than sending students to empty classrooms when the bell rings, they are giving them a place to go after school. In each case, it’s something that is needed, all three serve their specific purpose. These facilities are not just a place to go to learn, but places the stu- dents want to be, so they will learn more.”
All of these projects are also available with more images and more detailed descriptions at spaces4learning.com.
As usuAl, All of the entries we received were of exceptionAl quAlity, mAking the judging process A difficult one. this yeAr’s pAnel of judges is:
PAUL ABRAMSON
is president of Stanton Leggett & Associates. He has been involved with education publications for more than 50 years (he helped start School Man-
agement in 1957), and has been carrying out major statistical studies of education since 1958. He has been designated Planner of the Year by the Northeast region of CEFPI (now A4LE) and was named National Planner of the Year in 2008.
TOM RUSHIN
is an Arizona-based educational facilities consultant with more than 50 years of experience in creating spaces where people
learn. He is a Fellow in A4LE and is currently serving as a member of the Arizona School Facilities Board.
DEBORAH P. MOORE
recently retired from being the executive editor and publisher of School Planning & Management and College Planning & Management magazines.
She has written extensively and presents to numerous groups on the impact of facilities on learning. Always an advocate for quality educa- tional environments, Deb has worked with many groups to further the development of safe and healthy schools and served on numerous task forces and school facilities committees.
A speciAl section of School Planning & ManageMent mAgAzine