Jordan Middle School

Narratives

Architect Narrative

Planning
This new Middle School Prototype represents a culmination of the most recent four years of research and design of middle schools, as well as a being the result of a design competition instigated by the school district. The District Educational Facilities Program focus was to create a meaningful educational environment, placing curriculum at its core and putting emphasis on enhancing the teaching of all subjects effectively and collaboratively. Curriculum flexibility, whether theme-based, project-based, technology-based, hands-on based, or experimentally-based, is emphasized in the design.

The project represents the latest in teaching and learning spaces; the facility encourages collaboration, responds to interdisciplinary curriculum, and is centered on piquing students’ interest in the educational process. Also central to the design is the ability for team instruction and multi-age learning through educational neighborhoods and houses. This school-within-a-school concept is intended to help to divide the 1,400 student population into smaller, more intimate learning families.

The prototype nature of the design necessitated planning in such a way that a sloping site, either front to back or left to right, can be accommodated by the facility without compromise to the basic concepts or the intent of the curriculum-based design.

Solution
A feeling of openness and visual interaction between spaces is introduced at the Entry. As one enter the school, there is an immediate visual connection to the Media Center, (through upper windows and room overhangs), even though it is located on the second floor. The large two-story vestibule provides a grand entry and gives a feeling of invitation to this very welcoming environment.

The floor plan is divided by a main central corridor. This “Main Street” divides the plan into academic clusters on one side and multi-use/multi-activity spaces on the other side. The Auditorium and Gymnasium are pulled apart to act as anchors at the end of the Main Street, allowing each Community use space to have its own lobby which can be sectioned off completely from the rest of the school for public events. Parking design is also separated so that an event in the gym and an event in the auditorium can be entirely isolated from each other - not only at the building interior circulation, but also exterior vehicular and auto/pedestrian traffic.

The floor plan is divided into five primary academic houses; each house consists of multiple curriculum subjects to facilitate multi-topic teaching. The houses can divide into grades (7th, 8th, & 9th) or by population (combinations of each grade). Three of the houses include core subjects such as science, math, English, languages, geography and social studies. Within each of these academic houses there are two collaborative centers surrounded by classrooms. The collaboration centers help encourage teaming for teachers and students. By clustering the classrooms into small groups, interdisciplinary subjects may be taught through a collaborative approach. The arrangement of teaching spaces is planned to allow the teachers to have a greater influence in the learning process. The floor plan provides expanded opportunities for learning in a wide variety of settings. It helps students overcome weaknesses, develop strengths and gain new skills. Located in each house is a centralized teacher preparation space. Teachers need time and space for planning and critical decision making.

The Fourth house includes Family and Consumer Science and Business Technology curriculum programs. The fifth house incorporates Technology and Visual Arts in a collaborative setting.

Educator Narrative

[Project Under Construction]