Parkside Elementary School
The design for the newly renovated school prioritizes flexibility, collaboration, and student well-being. Updated, highly flexible furniture allows students to choose how they engage in whole-group instruction, fostering autonomy and participation. A neutral color palette minimizes distractions, providing a backdrop for student work to take center stage.
Activity commons’ and collaborative neighborhood areas are in constant use, with activities varying by grade level. Interior glass improves visibility and allows borrowed light to brighten the space. The glass also provides thoughtful sightlines enabling teachers to supervise while granting students of all ages greater independence. Small group rooms offer quiet spaces for enrichment or remediation and can be used for focused work by students and teachers or by students on their own. The layout of the classrooms – flanking each end of the activity commons – enhances communication between teachers, fostering a more cohesive learning environment.
Large group instruction rooms can accommodate multiple groups simultaneously, promoting dynamic learning opportunities. Older students benefit from technology that supports collaboration, including the ability to cast screens to monitors. These enhancements have reshaped both teaching methods and student behavior, fostering a sense of ownership and pride in the new spaces.
In the cafeteria, replacing long, foldable tables with round tables has transformed the space into a more intimate, family-style setting. This change encourages quieter, more focused conversations and allows students across different grade levels to interact. The removal of a stage made room for additional windows, enhancing natural light and reinforcing a connection to the outdoors—something the original design lacked at eye level.
A dedicated wellness space, separate from administrative offices, ensures students seeking support from counselors or wellness specialists feel safe and comfortable. This intentional separation removes the stigma of seeking help, creating a welcoming environment for students and their families.
