McWillie School - Jackson, Mississippi
Jeffery A. Lackney, Ph.D., A.I.A.
McWillie Project Narrative
As a result of new district leadership and a commitment to move the district forward into the next century, a conventional need for additional capacity to relieve overcrowding created a unique opportunity to explore an unconventional and unique school design solution. District and community leaders were energized by the research findings on early childhood education and the potential for this research challenge educators to rethink their assumptions about learning and instruction as well as inform and rethink school design. The school district set the objective of developing an urban K-2 elementary school facility to serve 400-500 learners.
The shared vision, articulated by the Planning Team through participatory planning workshops in the Spring of 2000 is as follows: "The learning environment at our school will foster visionary leadership, promote reading and early literacy, a love of learning, use developmentally appropriate practices, encourages parental and community involvement, support innovative educational methods and early childhood education, and promote in learners respect for one another and risk-taking." The Planning Team, following this vision asserted a number of design principles that have been successfully implemented into the final design:
1. Educational Philosophy of Activity-based Learning. The school should accommodate the educational philosophy of "activity-based learning" at all levels. Activity-based learning strategies have been found to be particularly effective in early childhood education. The "kindergarten" model was chosen for ALL learning areas including 1st and 2nd grades.
2. The House Plan. Learners have been subdivided into smaller "families" of 100 in five distinct but physically connected single story, child-scaled "Houses". Each House contains five Learning Areas, a central Family Room for larger gatherings and a Project Kitchen for hands-on learning. At the core of the school are placed larger shared facilities: a Welcoming Area, a Discovery Center, a Music Performance Space, a Dining Hall and a Gathering Space for the entire school. A series of interconnected outdoor learning environments or Learning Gardens weave all the elements of the school together.
3. Model Program House. Plans for the inclusion of a Montessori program were included in the planning. In order to accommodate both the existing and new population expected to enroll, a fifth house was eventually provided on the site.
4. Standardized House Layout. The spatial layout of each house was planned and designed to be identical for both standard and model (Montessori) programs for flexibility in future changes in educational program. Standard sizes also provide a second level of flexibility in accommodating both conventional grade configurations and multiage & looping configurations.
5. Partner with Existing Pre-K Programs. Although the Planning Team preferred a Pre-K program, based on budgetary restrains, the decision to provide a Pre-K program would be made by the future leadership of the school. The Planning Team strongly recommended the school leadership strongly consider partnering with existing childcare and early childhood education programs in the area.
6.
Involve Leadership in Planning & Design. The Planning Team recommended
that the principal of school be identified and become involved in the
design process as soon as possible to maintain institutional memory of
the building design intent.
View the PowerPoint Presentation
