iep2 - Pondering Facility Planning

iep2 has been involved in many meetings where building or replacing administration spaces is on the table. This is when the controversy begins.  Many people are concerned, rightly so, about facility bond money going to “space for the student”, not non-student space, such as the administration office.  Don’t get us wrong we are all about improving student environments and understand that they are why we have schools in the first place, BUT just for a moment we ask you to consider something that often gets over looked. Typical high priority list items in school planning are: Safety Welcoming Environments (AKA don’t make it look like a prison) Community / Parent Involvement Collaboration Creating   a Campus Identity Now let’s consider what the offices designed at most 1940’s-1960’s schools have to deal with: No walk through access (which does not allow visitors to walk in one door pass through an office space and walk out inside the schools “safe perimeter