How Do We Get There From Here? Master Planning Best Practices for Existing Schools

ABSTRACT: 

As public school districts contemplate local bond campaigns to address changing pedagogy, growth and aging infrastructure, a master plan is the right place to start. The process, however, can be daunting. The reality of existing buildings, complex and phased implementation and budget must be balanced with the needs of 21st Century, active learning, evolving technology needs and community vision. Join us in an interactive session that shares the process, pitfalls and best practices for master planning. How do you customize a plan to meet the specific needs of your community? What are the best practices and plan components on the menu of services. How do you get there from here? Exercise: Tools for Community Engagement This breakout session will model some of the exercises that design teams use to engage community members and district stakeholders. The tools are designed to help stakeholders express their priorities, educate the community on planning parameters such as budget and schedule, and inspire the participants in a way that is both useful and fun.

Learning Objectives

OBJ #1  Allow participants to understand the unique possibilities when a single educational specification is applied to distinct existing schools.

OBJ #2  Engage participants in a mock “research” program to understand the flexible layouts applicable to 21st century learning environments.

OBJ #3  Demonstrate community engagement strategies, including participants as stakeholders in the process.

OBJ #4  Understand the perspective of school district leaders as they leverage the momentum of the planning process into a bond campaign.