Kapolei High School

Narratives

Architect Narrative

LEAD APPLICANT NARRATIVE:
1. What exemplary ideas do the designs contain that enhance learning?
This high school embraces the “Breaking Ranks Document: Changing an American Institution.” In order to accomplish this goal, the following innovative changes were incorporated into the final design:
· Neighborhood classroom houses have been organized into family pods to provide a variety of learning environments from a centrum work space for large to small groups, to individual work stations for independent study. A central commons has been incorporated into each neighborhood house for displaying and celebrating student achievement and products. The design of the family pods and individual work stations fosters a variety of instructional practices ranging from large and small group instruction, independent study, symposiums, internships and student portfolios that encourages growth in the areas of critical thinking. Curriculum at Kapolei High School has been tailored to real-world learning and projects.
· A Media Center that is the technology hub of the school with video production, cyber café, and library resources that is well integrated with the community school.
· A forum that is the social and cultural center of the school, a gathering place for students and the community.

2. What innovations in the planning, programming and design process supported the realization of those exemplary ideas?
Community-Based Design:
A 49 member task force, comprised of Dept. of Education staff, parents, public officials and community representatives, was formed. A steering committee then was selected from 14 of the task force members to participate full time in the design charette. An Ad Hoc educational and curriculum committee was formed to advise the task force to develop and educational program. Student representatives were gathered and consulted during the charette process.
The Vision:
In 1996, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, in partnership with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, published a report called “Breaking Ranks: Changing an American Institution.” This document made recommendations to restructure the high school. The task force made a conscious decision to create such a high school.
The Planning Process:
With the assistance of a number of educational planners and facilitators, the task force embarked on utilizing the “Design Down” process. The intent of this planning process was to develop the community and staff consensus about new changes in the high school design, instruction, curriculum, and organization.
School Visitations:
The teachers were selected for the school and embarked on an actual field visit to one of the more successful schools that embraced the “Breaking Ranks” document. One of the schools visited was the School of Environmental Studies (SES) consisting of 450 students in Apple Valley Minnesota. These teachers were committed to changing their previous way of teaching and making the most use of the new space designs. It was the goal of these teachers to model a completely new comprehensive high school after these previously tried and true examples.
The Final Outcome and Lessons Learned:
The high school has been in operation for three years. The lessons learned are:
· The product of interdisciplinary and team teaching has produced highly innovative student products.
· The instruction and facility has contributed to more student and teacher interaction.
· A shared vision and mission has been realized for all resulting in a new energy and pride for the school.
· The Adult Education and community partnership component has been implemented into the school.

Educator Narrative

The physical plant supports the design of the curriculum at our high school. The Charette proces used to design the facility started with the tenents of “Breaking Ranks; Changing an American Institution.” The national researched document was the foundation that supports the blending of subjects which results in an open and active learning environment. Our facility affords teachers the flexibility to utilize our floor space in a number of combinations and settings that are conducive to the active learning and integration of the disciplines. Students are involved in real life projects and work a third of the time in large lecture groups, a third of the time in small groups and a third of the time doing individual research. The final design of the high school has translated the “Breaking Ranks” principles into a physical facility that is unique in that it promotes personalization of student learning through family pods (personal students’ desks are clustered in groups of 10 placed in separate areas). Integration of courses and project-based learning are promoted in the open design of classrooms called production areas. The design at the school started with researched beliefs in teaching and learning.