The Safe and Healthy School: Issues to Consider When Planning School Construction and Renovation

1. The Safe and Healthy School: Issues to Consider When Planning School Construction and Renovation August 26, 2009

2. Who we are • Mr. Larry Morgan, Director • Chris Cosper, AIA, Assistant Director

3. Our Vision • The Educational Design Institute – in collaboration with students, parents, educators, school administrators, school boards and communities – will promote and encourage the creation of safe, accessible, flexible, and developmentally-appropriate learner-centered environments that help students learn and teachers teach.

4. Our Goals • Establish EDI as a source for school planning and design issues through regional workshops, conferences, and publications. • Establish EDI as a collaborative partner with the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Safe and Orderly Schools and progressive Mississippi architecture and engineering design firms. • Promote and update the Mississippi School Design Guidelines, which contain information concerning the design, construction, and maintenance of safe and effective school facilities.

5. Design does matter

6. Design does matter • Six key benefits to properly designed buildings: • Better student performance • Increased average daily attendance • Increased teacher satisfaction and retention • Reduced operating costs • A positive influence on the environment, and • Increased opportunities for using the facility itself as a teaching tool • Source: Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC)

7. What does EDI do? • Provide training on the use of the Mississippi School Design Guidelines (MSDG) • Conduct facility assessments • Suggest ways to improve facilities, including master planning studies and preliminary designing • In conjunction with Safe and Orderly Schools, conduct safety audits • Keep school districts informed concerning K-12 education design trends

8. Mississippi School Design Guidelines

9. Food Preparation / Cafeteria • Switching to healthier foods does not require many changes to kitchens or cafeterias. • Some limited physical plant decisions: • Replacing fryers with “Combi” ovens (i.e combination oven/steamers) • Number and length of serving lines (to provide variety) • Drink coolers

10. Combi Oven/Steamers • Looks like a convection oven • Some early ones were difficult to use, but newer ones have better controls • Food service vendors are providing meals designed for Combi units • Gas (must be under hood) or three-phase electric • Can be expensive • Grants have been available

11. Combi Oven/Steamers

12. Combi Oven/Steamers

13. Elementary School P.E. Facility • Physical education class • Other activities as space and schedule permit • May include stage for programs

14. Elementary School P.E. Facility

15. Elementary School – Renovated Gym

16. Multi-Purpose P.E. Facility Rubberized floor generally considered best multi-purpose surface

17. High School / Middle School Gymnasium • Physical education class • Mississippi public school team sports • Basketball • Volleyball

18. High School / Middle School Gymnasium

19. Playgrounds • Safe surfaces • Clear boundaries and sight lines • Shade • Access to water

20. Playgrounds – Shade Photos by BYO Playground www.byoplayground.com

21. Playgrounds – Shade

22. Playgrounds – Shade Photos by Landscape Structures www.playlsi.com

23. Other Wellness Options • Walking track • School employee wellness center

24. Security Theory • Deterrence – discourage unauthorized actions • Detection – recognize unauthorized actions • Delay – slow unauthorized actions • Response – react to unauthorized actions From July 2009 School Planning & Management

25. Security – Safe Schools • SS1 – Access Control • SS2 – Natural Surveillance • SS3 – Territorial Reinforcement • SS4 – Natural Disaster Safe Zones • SS5 – Secure Traffic and Parking

26. SS1 – Access Control • Control pedestrian entry • Control vehicular entry • Minimize entrances • Control roof access • Eliminate hiding places

27. SS1 – Access Control

28. SS2 – Natural Surveillance • Main School Entrance • Parking Areas • Hallway Surveillance • School Restrooms • Cafeteria • Playgrounds • Student Gathering Spaces

29. Remove Visual Obstacles • Remove visual obstructions, where possible • For example, limb trees to 8’-0” minimum • Consider low walls and shrubs • Use fences that can be seen through • Use CCTV where necessary

30. SS4 – Natural Surveillance • Main School Entrance • Parking Areas • Hallway Surveillance • School Restrooms • Cafeteria • Playgrounds • Student Gathering Spaces

31. SS4 – Natural Disaster Safe Zones • Hurricane – wind and storm surge • Tornado and other wind events • Hail and lightning • Flooding • Forest fire

32. SS5 – Secure Traffic and Parking • Define parking zones • Consider surveillance of traffic and parking areas • Use safe surfaces and paving techniques

33. Safe Routes to School • SR2S Funds available • Community Block Grants also available • Repair sidewalks, build sidewalks, route buses away from pedestrians, and other improvements as necessary • Improve fitness and air quality

34. School Nurse Photos by Methacton School District www.methacton.org

35. School Nurse’s Duties • Immunizations • Vision and hearing screenings • Providing first aid for minor and major physical injuries • Coordinating student referrals with community agencies • Notifying parents of children’s health • Dispensing student medication • Acting as an instructor or resource for health education

36. Nurse’s Office – Elementary School • Waiting area • Office for nurse • With record storage • Rest area with beds • One cot for every 300 students, can be separated by curtains • Consultation office • Examination room • Restroom(s)

37. Nurse’s Office – Elementary School

38. Nurse’s Office – High School • Waiting area • Office for nurse • With record storage • Separate rest area for each sex • One cot for every 300 students, can be separated by curtains • Consultation office • Examination room • Separate restrooms for each sex

39. Nurse’s Office – High School

40. Nurse’s Office Features • Internal hallways should be 6’-0” wide minimum to accommodate gurneys • Doors to the exam room and to the exterior should be 4’-0” wide with offset hinges • Ideally, emergency access is provided directly to the exterior • HVAC system should be separate from other school HVAC systems

41. From MSDG • Ability to Quarantine • Distinct Entry • Easy Emergency Access • Near Administration • Removed from the Learning Environment

42. Nurse’s Office Summary • Privacy and confidentiality are primary concerns • Easy to clean and sanitize • Comfortable – natural lighting, low noise levels, soothing colors

43. Drinking Fountains • Plumbing Code will dictate minimum number based on school square footage • Should be convenient and accessible • Code compliance can be tricky

44. HVAC • Stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning • Modern expectations of thermal comfort are high • Largely responsible for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) • Complex topic

45. HVAC – Zoning • Zoning – how a building is divided • Essentially, each zone has its own thermostat • Ideally, each classroom should be its own zone

46. Lighting • Daylighting • Artificial lighting • Quality • Quantity • Fixtures

47. Daylighting • Free • Shown to improve test scores • Heat gain (or loss) is an issue

48. Artificial lighting • Source • Fixture • Lamp (i.e. bulb)

49. Quality • Color temperature • Color Rendering Index (CRI)

50. Lighting quantity • lux fc • Support Spaces 50 5 • Corridors 100 10 • Foyers, Dining Spaces 200 20 • Libraries, Classrooms 300 30 • Offices, Kitchens 500 50 • Drafting Rooms 750 75 • Electronic Assembly 1000 100 • Highest Level Tasks 2000 200