Ocoee Middle School

Narratives

Architect Narrative

A 1,500-student demonstration facility, this new middle school offers advanced instructional technology, optimum flexibility, and state-of-the-art security systems. The 183,700-square-foot building complex is a statewide model for educational facility design reflecting innovative and economical approaches to the learning environment.

The new school replaced a facility that was severely out-of-date. Educators were extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity to create a vibrant learning environment that would support the middle school concept; introduce innovative technological concepts; offer optimum flexibility for collaboration and breakthrough instructional approaches; and provide students and faculty with a school in which they felt motivated, comfortable, and safe.

The planning process involved a host of representatives from the community, the school district, and the public and private sector. State agency representatives also participated due to the project’s demonstration status.

Optimizing the Latest Technology

The design emerged through extensive research, exploration, and planning regarding the way children of this age group learn. Of particular note, educators worked closely with planners, vendors, and manufacturers to explore the latest technology that support learning. This process addressed such innovations as audio/video enhancement, oxygen-monitoring and indoor air quality, and daylighting.

Three phases of construction encompassed the two classroom buildings, art complex, media center, cafetorium, and music suite, all surrounding a central plaza. The design of the academic areas accommodates an interdisciplinary curriculum through flexible student groupings. Learning neighborhoods support a variety of teaching methods, with common areas connecting classrooms, rather than corridors. This conversion of circulation space into extended learning areas provides beneficial instructional space and augments supervision. Operable walls also enhance flexibility.

The school is among the first in the nation to employ a comprehensive audio enhancement system including built-in amplification for teacher’s voices. Teachers have indicated that classroom noise levels have been significantly reduced. Each classroom has a ceiling-mounted LCD projector and six-foot-wide image areas, rather than typical classroom monitors.

The school employs the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF), a breakthrough concept utilizing “proximity” or Smart ID cards. A student ID card allows keyless building entry, library checkout, and cafeteria purchases, with information automatically fed into a Student Information System database. Access to data, video, and voice lines was provided to every office, lab, and classroom

An important community resource, the building complex is designed to accommodate after-hours use. The facility includes a parent resource room with computers, a conference area, and a reference library. The school also houses office space for community agencies providing student support.

Cost-Effective, Efficient Construction

During the planning process, the design team explored the impact of natural light on learning. The school has extensive window glazing in classrooms. The facility is designed to minimize maintenance and operational costs, with an efficient HVAC system yielding a minimal life-cycle cost. The air conditioning system also maintains an appropriate oxygen flow by continuously monitoring CO2 levels.

The construction used tilt-up panels, an economical yet attractive solution for the exterior. The tilt-up panels were cast on site, and resemble the “cracker-style” architecture in nearby residential neighborhoods.

Educator Narrative

The Middle School project was a state legislatively mandated initiative. The goal was to design an educational facility based on the developmental characteristics of middle school learners and brain research on how young adolescents learn. The team was faced with the challenge to design educational space to facilitate learning and to provide a technology rich environment.

Students at the Middle School enjoy an environment where technology is integrated into every instructional space. Based on research regarding neurological development of the auditory learning process, the Middle School was the first school in the nation to include infrared audio enhancement units in every classroom. Not only does this bring the teacher’s voice closer to every child, but teachers experience much less vocal fatigue and increased energy even during the last period of the day.

Classrooms at the Middle School also feature projectors and large screens. Every student can see regardless of their physical location in the classroom. Each interdisciplinary team area includes a large commons area and four classrooms, two of which have operable wall panels. Content area teachers can open these walls for a variety of instructional space configurations. This flexibility maximizes opportunities for students to be actively involved in the learning process. When the walls are closed, glass windows allow students to visually focus at a distance. This is another method of enhancing learning by providing the brain with multi-distance visual acuity opportunities.

The design team discussed the flexible instructional space concept at length. Potential solutions included open areas of various sizes, sliding glass door configurations and operable wall panels. Operable wall panels were chosen. This has proven to be a wise decision. Teachers may close the panels and maintain an instructional space with adequate sound attenuation. The operable panels are sturdy, yet easy for teachers to manipulate. Therefore, teachers are not hesitant to plan appropriate learning activities which require more space then traditional classroom activities.

The unique design of the Middle School not only maximizes the potential of the square footage to be used for learning activities but also facilitates the design team goal to incorporate technology into every learning area. Computers are integrated into every classroom and commons area. The infrastructure allows students to log on to multi-media, internet connected computers throughout the school with immediate, fast access to their desktop. Therefore, the five computer labs included in the Middle School design are used for true exploratory opportunities for this age group including pre-robotics, business communication, digital curriculum, and non-linear video editing.

The Middle School was designed as the demonstration school for the state of Florida. The facility was to be technologically enhanced, cost effective and replicable. As technology continues to advance, I look forward to future replications incorporating state of the art wireless connectivity. This will allow students to have increased opportunities for collaborative learning and truly anytime, anywhere learning!