Valley View Middle School Replacement

1. 2010 Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture Valley View Middle School Replacement Snohomish, Washington Design Concept Award DYKEMAN Architects & DOWA Architects

2. Valley View Middle School Replacement

3. Valley View MiddleSchool Replacement

4. COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT Ownership: Because of all the ground work that was done in the previous bond programs the community now has a sense of ownership, and this project has continued that engagement through the involvement of the Design Team, outreach into the community via informational open houses, and advocacy by the School Board within the community. Assets / Partnerships: By having this level of community involvement already in place were able to take advantage of that asset. In addition, the Machining Pathways and Bio-Tech programs partnerships developed by the District helped set the criteria for student education in the Career and Technical Education program. These programs, at the high school level, are demanding well-prepared students from middle schools. Economic Development / Community Redevelopment: Our project will help to prepare kids for the challenges of their future. In addition to technical skills for diverse career opportunities, environmental awareness emphasized though out the entire project from wetlands to on-site water management to very aggressive energy reduction strategies to on-site energy generation will prepare our students for many of the challenges they will see beyond the duration of their education. Community and Local Workforce: The needs of the Machining and Bio-Tech industries in the community directly impacted the development of the Educational Specifications and project design through the design of the CTE program areas and Science program.

5. COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT Community and Local Workforce: The needs of the Machining and Bio-Tech industries in the community directly impacted the development of the Educational Specifications and project design through the design of the CTE program areas and Science program. Center of the Community: Valley View Middle School will be even more active year round with community and school-based events. Music/Jazz, Choir and Drama programs can perform in a variety of scaled spaces designed for 50 to 3000. Club and school sports activities will thrive in the gym and on the fields, from traditional field sports to running trails, exercise stations and disc golf! Connects Students to their Community: This project will expose students to their educational options. Students who advance through the career and technical education programs will be afforded opportunities by local industries as they move forward in their education. Sustainable design features integrated as educational tools help to reinforce the importance of caring for and respecting the environment. Students will carry these lessons with them into the community so that they understand their place in the community and their impact on it and can actively work to preserve the community.

6. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT The goals set by the Educational Specifications for the learning environment were many fold: • Every decision made should support the individual student’s education and personal development. • Every space should support learning. • Kids should have their own “places” within the school that they can “own”. • The project should be a teaching tool and staff should be given the tools to make this happen. • Students should be inspired and made curious by their own environment. The devices and strategies that we used are too numerous to detail here but the highlights are: • The core of the desired learning program was the need to build in flexibility to adapt to changing teaching styles as well as adapt to individual teaching styles of staff and the learning styles of individual kids. The major tool in meeting these goals was the Extended Learning Areas – The staff felt so passionate about these spaces that they collectively carved out program area from other functions in the program to support enlarging these spaces. The classroom clusters can each accommodate an individual student learning in a self guided exercise all the way to providing a space for up to 3 classrooms of students gathering for an invited guest, accommodating a range of educational delivery methods.

7. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT • Spaces specifically for the students were designed into the program – larger areas around the locker spaces include window seats; informal seating options adjacent to the commons including amphitheater and bistro seating provides a more dynamic place to “hang out”; window seats are designed into the library; and of course the outdoor covered spaces adjacent to the building that bring the outside in and inside out provide students with informal “kid scale” places to “hang out”. • All of these spaces will support the “learning anytime, anywhere” philosophy. Reinforcing this philosophy, the District’s technology policies are based on a future driven open device platform, providing open Wi-Fi throughout the school to encourage kids to use their own devices. This approach further supports the argument that kids learn better when they feel they are in control of their environment . • Multiple scale spaces and atmospheres in the classroom clusters, library, hallways, commons, the stage / lecture hall and exterior courtyards give students and staff myriad opportunities for interaction and learning. • The opportunities to use this building as a teaching tool abound – from engaging students with interactive kiosks to showing off the geothermal ground source heat pump system to providing interpretive signage explaining the site development, including rain gardens, infiltration stormwater management, and wetlands enhancement. These will serve as learning opportunities for students, staff and the community!

8. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT The goals set by the Educational Specification for the physical environment were basic: • A project that would stand the test of time, live up to and beyond a fifty year life span. • A project that would reduce ongoing operations and maintenance costs. • A very high level of sustainability should be targeted. • Provide Inspiration and Engagement. The devices and strategies that we used are too numerous to detail here but the highlights are: • Meeting a 50-year life span and reducing operational costs are a challenge but when approached collectively with everything from building orientation – east/west – to durable and timeless materials – brick, concrete and zinc – to LED lighting and very efficient cutting edge heat exchangers, not to mention taking the entire heating and cooling system off of fossil fuel by going to a geo-thermal ground source heat loop, will go a long way toward meeting this goal! • The decision was made to target the Living Building Challenge as a measure of sustainability in order to incorporate full systems and not settle for “test cases” or “pilot programs”. If the strategies make sense, then we should implement them across the board!

9. PLANNING PROCESS The success of this project is based in the planning process. This process began long before the project was envisioned with the creation of a Citizens Advisory Committee which was formed by the District to directly engage the community in setting goals for the District, including its capital campaigns. The result of this effort was a successful capital bond in 2006. Almost as soon as the bond passed the District initiated a campaign to complete the capitol projects envisioned in the original scoping. From 2006 to 2008 the School District embarked on a community outreach and bond research effort that was guided by a new set of Citizen Advisory Committees. Again, because the bond was based on the common goals of the community it was successful. In the Spring of 2008, the formal Education Specification Process started with very much the same method. A Design Committee was established, gathering members from the student body as well as teachers with interest or involvement in both District Middle Schools. This singular committee formed a District-wide Middle School Educational Specification. The committee met as a combined body through the schematic design of both Middle School projects so that the group as a whole could ensure the goals of the Educational Specifications were implemented at both schools. As the development of the schools evolved the Design Committee was split into two school distinct design committees. The teams have continued to keep in contact to compare notes to ensure that the intent of the Educational Specification was met. The Valley View Design Committee has been involved at every level of design from graphics and interior design to exterior materials and finishes, in addition to making sure we have our eye on the performance goals of all spaces, ensuring that they meet the intent of the Ed Spec.

10. PLANNING PROCESS During the construction process the Design Committee and members of the community will be invited to monthly construction tours of the project to engage them in the complete process. As construction comes to a close the design team will implement a user training program for students, teachers, and maintenance staff so that the design intent in terms of educational and sustainability goals can be completely realized. Timeline: 1. Successful passage of a Capital Bond in 2006 achieved through significant effort of Citizen Advisory Committees. 2. 2006-2008 Community Outreach and Bond Research through Citizen Advisory Committees. 3. February 2008 Successful Bond Passage – with a ground swell of community support! 4. Spring 2008 Ed Specs began, by establishing a “Design Committee“ with staff, students and community members from both District Middle Schools. The intent of this committee was to initially develop a District Educational Specification standard for Middle Schools and then continue active involvement throughout the design and construction process.

11. PLANNING PROCESS 5. 2009 -10 Design Phases – The Design Committee collectively participated in projects at both district middle schools through Schematic Design so that there was surety in executing the intent of the Educational Specification. The Design Committee’s then split to focus on the individual school Design Development. The teams have continued to keep in contact to compare notes and measure the development of the projects to ensure that the intent of the common Middle School Educational Specifications were met. 6. Winter of 2010 - 2011 – Construction to start with completion targeted for Fall 2012. During the construction process the Design Committee and members of the community will be invited to monthly construction tours of the project to engage them in the complete process. 7. Summer through Fall of 2012 - The design team will implement a user training program for students, teachers, and maintenance staff so that the design intent in terms of educational and sustainability goals can be completely realized.

12. First Floor Plan

13. Second Floor Plan

14. Third Floor Plan

15. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2010 Project Data

16. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2010 Project Details

17. Supporting/Supplemental files/Images CLASSROOM CLASSROOM CLASSROOM CLASSROOM EXTENDED LEARNING AREA SCIENCE LAB TYPICAL CLASSROOM CLUSTER

18. Supporting/Supplemental files/Images STUDENT-INITIATED DESIGN GOALS

19. Supporting/Supplemental files/Images STAFF DESIGN CHARETTES