School Without Walls Senior High School

Narratives

Educator Narrative

The main idea behind the school is to remove barriers to education and pave the way for each student’s future endeavors.

Locating on the campus of a major University allows students to use both the University and the entire city of Washington, D.C. as a resource. The new addition and renovation of the existing building, now underway, will help the school further its educational mission of advancing students much farther than a typical high school education.

This magnet high school offers an educational level best described as “from grade nine to 16,” by enabling students to earn college credit and offering them the rare opportunity to earn an associates degree from the University while still in high school.

The school environment strives to blend University elements with traditional high school elements to foster and environment of educational professionalism. This is achieved with high tech classrooms, built to mirror those used by the University and offering wireless capabilities for laptop use and multimedia presentations. In addition, social spaces such as terraces and lounges allow the students to interact in a campus-like setting.

Just as the school provides a transitional space from high school to college, the addition provides a transition from historical to modern. The renovation of the 1800’s building will restore it as a setting for learning and serve as a model for the District of Columbia’s public schools, while the new addition carefully integrates modern and traditional design.

Functionality and comfort will be greatly improved by an overhaul of the heating and air conditioning systems. The addition will expand the school’s ability to meet the needs of 21st century students while maintaining an appropriate dialogue with the beauty and historical significance of the older building. The new building’s large bay windows allow ample natural light into the building and a delicate glass-enclosed atrium blends the building’s transition from old to new. In the new facility, state of the art science labs will complete the transition to the modern era of learning.

As part of the symbiotic relationship, the University utilizes the high school during the hours that classes are not held. The similarity between the university’s classrooms and the school’s classrooms allows the University faculty to transition seamlessly into the new setting. The University’s involvement in the planning process was essential to improving the school’s networking and helps to foster connectivity.

What exemplary ideas do the designs contain that enhance learning?

The school is a 440-student, urban high school located in the heart of a major university’s academic district in downtown Washington, DC. Taking full advantage of its urban location by creating partnerships with the university and the wealth of other resources throughout the District of Columbia, the school uses the city as its classroom. This philosophy has enabled the school to create a quality, student-centered, urban learning environment that emphasizes integrative, interactive, experiential learning. Building upon its success, upon reopening its modernized and expanded building in 2009, students will be able to earn an associates degree from the university during their junior and senior years of high school.

The school’s student-centered philosophy will be fostered by the architecture of the revitalized campus. The restored, intimate, non-institutional character and inviting, day-lit interior of the historic, 19th-century school building will be complemented by the daylight-filled, 21st-century addition that will build upon and enhance the small school ambiance while providing the state-of-the art labs, classrooms, a large and flexible “commons,” a media center with views across the academic district and the school’s first controlled outdoor space — a second floor roof terrace built above the school’s new “”commons.”"

Built on a mid-block, half-acre site, the campus has been designed to ensure that every space, particularly the public space, provides formal and informal learning opportunities.

For example, small seating areas within the atrium of the new building echo the central hall of the historic building - which is more a “”place”" than circulation - and encourage study groups and small social gatherings. By promoting such positive interaction, the building fosters a subtle sense of security and encourages the continued creation of a strong learning community.

These spaces also help to foster the idea that inside and out, the building provides a comfortable home base for the students and eases their transition to higher education. Aside from the collegiate ambiance, for example, each classroom will feature the same technology complement as the university’s classrooms and provide access to the university’s data network. This will also facilitate the use of building by university classes after school hours.

What innovations in the planning, programming and design process supported the realization of those exemplary ideas?

The project is being realized by an innovative joint-use partnership: Building upon their established programmatic partnerships, the school and the university have created another innovative partnership that will enable the school to be modernized and expanded. Through a Planned Unit Development, the university purchased a portion of the school’s parking lot and the school’s excess development rights, enabling the university to construct a much needed residence hall behind the school. The school district, in turn, is using the funds from this transaction to modernize and expand the school’s facilities to ensure that the learning environment supports the school’s ambitious and successful program.