WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS MASTER PLAN Space Utilization Study
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WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS MASTER PLAN Space Utilization Study Waltham, Massachusetts December 12, 2014 Submitted by, Symmes Maini & McKee Associates Cambridge, MA SMMA No. 13093.00 WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS MASTER PLAN SPACE UTILIZATION STUDY Table of Contents 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 Acknowledgements 1.2 Introduction 1.3 Background 1.4 Space Utilization: Educational Evaluation and Program 2 | SPACE UTILIZATION AND CAPACITY ANALYSIS 2.1 Class Sizes 2.2 Elementary Schools 2.3 Middle Schools 2.4 High School 2.5 Decommissioned Buildings 2.6 Capacity Analysis 3 | DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMS 3.1 Pre-Kindergarten 3.2 Special Education (SPED) 3.3 English Language Learners (ELL) 3.4 Drama 3.5 Elementary Science 3.6 Chapter 74 4 | ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS 5 | RECOMMENDATIONS AND OPTIONS 5.1 Elementary Schools 5.2 Middle Schools 5.3 High Schools 5.4 Focus Groups and Community Meetings 5.5 Recommendations to the School Committee 5.6 Next Steps Space Utilization Study WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOC | 1 6 | APPENDIX 6.1 New England School Development Council, NESDEC 6.2 Future Think 6.3 Meeting Minutes Space Utilization Study WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOC | 2 Section 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS MASTER PLAN Space Utilization Study 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Symmes Maini & McKee Associates (SMMA) would like to acknowledge the participation and guidance provided by the school committee, district administration, principals, teachers and staff of the district. School Committee Jeanette A. McCarthy, Mayor, Chairperson John B. Graceffa, Vice Chairperson Dr. Susan Nicholson, Superintendent and Clerk of the School Committee Marian K. Parrella, Administrative Assistant to the School Committee Margaret Donnelly Kathleen Dowcett John A. Frassica Stephen Rando Jr. Edmund Tarallo School Principals Dr. Nadene Stein, Northeast Elementary Ross Mulkerin, Whittemore Elementary Jane Gately, MacArthur Elementary David Castelline, Fitzgerald Elementary Jennifer Hacker, Stanley Elementary Maureen Taddeo, Plympton Elementary Elizabeth S. Gavin, McDevitt Middle John Cawley, Kennedy Middle Gregory DeMeo, Waltham High School Space Utilization Study WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1 | 1 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.2 INTRODUCTION This Space Utilization Study is intended to: Determine current space usage within each of the 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and the high school Determine the program allocations and the implication of the demand for specialty programs including but not limited to Pre-K, Special Education, ELL, and Chapter 74 on each school. Review current enrollment data and projected enrollment for all grades PreK to grade 12 Formulate space utilization options and recommendations for the district and individual schools as appropriate Facilitate focus groups and community meetings to determine feedback on options as they are developed Provide a facilities utilization plan that provides a set of alternative options to respond to rising enrollments This report documents both the process and the resulting recommendations arrived at by SMMA with direction and feedback provided by the School Committee, focus groups, and community meetings. Based on the educational delivery needs, enrollment and projected growth of the district, conceptual options were developed. 1.3 BACKGROUND SMMA was tasked to review Waltham Public Schools’ buildings to determine the capacity of each school and for the overall district based on current use. The study involves analyzing the special programs at each school to determine the amount of space required in addition to typical classrooms. The principals, and key staff were interviewed to better understand how the school currently function educationally and how they might change in the future to improve 21st Century teaching and learning methodologies. 1.4 SPACE UTILIZATION: EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION AND PROGRAM In February of 2014, SMMA met with the principals of each school to understand the needs of the school as related to teaching and learning and to evaluate how each space in the schools were being used, or had originally been programmed for use. Over the years since some of the schools were built or renovated, changing demographics have altered some space usage, especially for ELL and SPED requirements. Space Utilization Study WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1 | 2 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Space Types, Numbers and Sizes The numbers and types of teaching spaces identified by the principals in each school was entered into the MSBA’s “Summary of Spaces” spreadsheet along with the number and sizes of teaching spaces in the current building. The Summary of Spaces identifies all program spaces needed within the school for teaching, support functions, administration etc. (summary included at end of this section). At the elementary and middle schools, spaces were evaluated for size and quantity and are for the most part in line with current state standards. This is reflective of their newness. Waltham High School has a number of areas that do not meet current guidelines for size and quantity as recommended by the MSBA. Some of the areas do not meet guidelines because they are undersized, others lack upgrades in technology and modern amenities. The areas that are most out of compliance include: Core Academic (general classrooms) Core Academic (Science) Special Education Media Center Music Medical Special Programs Special programs throughout some of the district’s schools were evaluated in order to understand current and future space needs. At the Northeast and Stanley Elementary Schools, the PreK program, its needs, growth, and space utilization were evaluated. At the High School, future growth of Chapter 74 programs were discussed and the space required to effectively serve the existing programs. As a follow-up to these meetings, in March of 2014 SMMA met with the district’s Directors of Special Education and English Language Learners (ELL) to determine the existing space utilization and evaluate future growth needs within each of the programs. 21st Century Teaching and Learning Ideas Although many alternative delivery ideas were discussed with the principals as part of the interviews, implementation of many of them require modifications to curriculum, professional development for teachers, different types of furniture, and/or space including break-out space. Examples can include: Breakout rooms or areas for individual, pair or small group learning. This could be for: differentiated learning to accommodate certain learning styles; independent study; tutorial or remedial teaching. These types of spaces can be beneficial at all grade levels. Space Utilization Study WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1 | 3 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Maker Spaces: hands on space, often with age appropriate tools to create, prototype, and test ideas and projects, most often related to Project Based Learning. These types of spaces can be beneficial at all grade levels. Project Based Learning: This learning modality meets curriculum content goals by asking students to address deep, open-ended situations, such as solving problems or inventing things. It is naturally inclined to interdisciplinary learning and student collaboration, both highly valued 21st century learning values Flexible and ergonomic furniture - typically light weight, easy to move and more comfortable than the traditional hard plastic or wood furniture. It recognizes that individuals learn better when one is comfortable Active Learning (vs. passive learning): any situation where students are participatory and involved often by making, doing, role playing, discussing, debating etc, vs. just listening to the teacher Flipped Classrooms: a delivery process in which the curriculum content: lecture, video, reading or other is provided to the student to experience outside the classroom (homework) and class time is used for discussion with and between the students. A component of Active Learning. Teacher Planning Areas - where teachers from the same or different disciplines can plan curriculum delivery using the above or other methodologies. 1.5 ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS SMMA reviewed the 2013-2014 enrollment projections as provided in the Demographic Report (included at end of this section). NESDEC’s report indicates that the two largest contributing factors to enrollment growth are the number of births to Waltham residents and new in-migration to the district. They determined that the primary reason that Waltham Public Schools is seeing an overall enrollment increase is due to larger populations if Kindergarteners replacing smaller graduating classes. In addition, SMMA engaged Future Think to verify the results found in the NESDEC projections report. Future Think also provided their own enrollment projections based on the cohort survival model which analyzed the following data: births, historical enrollment and survival ratios, community demographics, and housing information. The data from their projects was within 1% of the values found in the NESDEC report (full report included at end of this section). CAPACITY ANALYSIS Based on the information that was gathered through meetings with principals, key staff, and program directors, available general education classrooms and classroom maximum capacities allowed SMMA to determine building capacities based on current use. Space Utilization Study WALTHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1 | 4 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Current Available Classrooms Current Capacity Capacity Avg Without Pre-K Capacity Classrooms With Pre-K Classrooms Capacity # of Gen Ed @ Current