By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
The Northfield High School is set to undergo significant renovations and expansions in the next several years. The focus of the new design and layout of the building is on flexible learning spaces with a shift to a pod-based system. This new system involves grouping a set of classrooms (typically by department or subject) in one pod, connected to a shared common space instead of a hallway.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann shared how this is different from the current high school layout:
“And I think also, I want to be really clear. It isn’t a hallway, it is a pod, right. And I think sometimes people use that term interchangeably at Northfield High School, we have hallways that we try to use as those collaborative learning spaces, but the design just lets us down at some point.” – Dr. Matt Hillmann, Superintendent of Northfield Schools, KYMN News Special
Sal Bagely with Wold Architect, who is leading the design of the project, shared how pods and flexible learning spaces can be beneficial:
“And so that allows the student to go to an intentional learning space instead of sitting on the ground in the hallway to make up a test that they were absent for or to receive support. Service, or if you have a group of students who are moving faster than maybe the rest, they can go out in the hall and continue their work in an intentional space.” – Sal Bagely, Wold Architects, KYMN News Special
Hillmann noted that this idea and design has become more popular over time and that the Northfield Schools offers a sort of timeline of the implementation of flexible learning spaces in schools. Noting the focus of Bridgewater Elementary’s design in the 90s where there was a common space in each wing of the building:
“So that an entire grade level could come out and have a story read to them. Or they could work together. And today those kivas that are, they’re not as flexible as what we’re talking about. But they were more flexible than just a hallway-based building. Move to the Northfield Middle School, which opened in 2004. In that case, you have a group of classrooms around a shared space that includes what we’re talking about now, plus a locker Bay.” – Dr. Matt Hillmann, Superintendent of Northfield Schools, KYMN News Special
See the most recent design here. (starts on page 8)
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