Lessons Learned: First Year in New Maker Spaces
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Montezuma-Cortez High School opened in 2015 with new CTE spaces for Agriculture, Fire Science, Family and Consumer Science, and Journalism. Review lessons learned about the space design, actual curricular and extracurricular uses, and adapting to program and teacher changes.
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Lessons Learned: First Year in New Maker Spaces
- 2. Adrienne Lewis, AIA, LEED APJulie Walleisa, AIA, LEED AP, ALEP
- 3. MAKERSPACES?
- 7. Infographic? 8600 people Median household income $39,141. 23.6% of Cortez residents live in poverty. http://www.colorado- demographics.com/cortez- demographics# Mike - infographics
- 8. Infographic? 8600 people Median household income $39,141. 23.6% of Cortez residents live in poverty. http://www.colorado- demographics.com/cortez- demographics# Mike - infographics
- 9. Infographic? 8600 people Median household income $39,141. 23.6% of Cortez residents live in poverty. http://www.colorado- demographics.com/cortez- demographics# Mike - infographics
- 10. 1 high school… District boundaries – over 1300sqmiles Aerial with buildup – show extent and mileage of district boundary vs Mancos and Dolores boundaries Mike - aerial
- 11. 1 high school… District boundaries – over 1300sqmiles Aerial with buildup – show extent and mileage of district boundary vs Mancos and Dolores boundaries Mike - aerial
- 12. Should we just use this and the info on the next page, or put it into graphics that match the rest of our graphics? Mike – infographic (just in income and race, not ELL)
- 13. Should we just use this and the info on the next page, or put it into graphics that match the rest of our graphics? Mike – infographic (just in income and race, not ELL)
- 18. Support Core Academic Mission: • Meets the needs of students • Improvements in attendance and graduation rates • Improved student and staff morale • Welcoming atmosphere where the students want to be Ability to Modify Educational Services: • Adaptability for post-secondary education • CTE/Career Pathways EDUCATION DESIGN GOALS
- 20. HANDS-ON CREATION AND LEARNING HANDS-ON CREATION AND PERFORMANCE COMMONS
- 25. Fire Science/EMT
- 26. Fire Science, EMT, hose drills, bunker drills, live fire exercises, rescue scenarios, HOSA Students working in fire departments, wildland fires, EMS teams, hospitals
- 28. Outdoor Spaces
- 29. 2912sf 1300sf
- 30. Scenarios
- 41. Collaboration
- 42. Key lessons Less space but more functional Using whole building has improved program visibility Better access to real-world equipment and providers Collaboration with other programs Additional in-building scenario opportunities
- 43. Drama
- 44. Acting I & II, video production, technical theater - performance, video, audio, rigging, lighting, set-building
- 51. Intimate scale Improv Portable staging Classes Visiting groups Puppet shows Advanced Film- Making class
- 52. Great: Acoustics Seating Scrim Curtains Projection Quasi-pit Compromises: Stage floor Movable light rigs Set building Complexity Piano tuning
- 53. Art
- 61. Agriculture
- 62. Ag I & II, Plant Science, Animal Science, Ag Mechanics, Ag Business
- 63. 4H, Future Farmers of America
- 74. Lost both teachers during construction = decrease in program enrollment = prevented hiring of replacement teachers = impacts shop supervision Mike – make graphic for this? Was a series or cycle of cause and effect…
- 75. Lost both teachers during construction = decrease in program enrollment = prevented hiring of replacement teachers = impacts shop supervision Mike – make graphic for this? Was a series or cycle of cause and effect…
- 76. Lost both teachers during construction = decrease in program enrollment = prevented hiring of replacement teachers = impacts shop supervision Mike – make graphic for this? Was a series or cycle of cause and effect…
- 77. Lost both teachers during construction = decrease in program enrollment = prevented hiring of replacement teachers = impacts shop supervision Mike – make graphic for this? Was a series or cycle of cause and effect…
- 78. Lack of block periods = limited project complexity = low enrollment Mike – make graphic for this? Was a series or cycle of cause and effect…
- 79. Lack of block periods = limited project complexity = low enrollment Mike – make graphic for this? Was a series or cycle of cause and effect…
- 80. Lack of block periods = limited project complexity = low enrollment Mike – make graphic for this? Was a series or cycle of cause and effect…
- 81. Move to block periods = increased project complexity = increased program enrollment = new teachers = introduce new classes Mike – make graphic for potential reversal of this trend?
- 82. Move to block periods = increased project complexity = increased program enrollment = new teachers = introduce new classes Mike – make graphic for potential reversal of this trend?
- 83. Move to block periods = increased project complexity = increased program enrollment = new teachers = introduce new classes Mike – make graphic for potential reversal of this trend?
- 84. Move to block periods = increased project complexity = increased program enrollment = new teachers = introduce new classes Mike – make graphic for potential reversal of this trend?
- 85. Move to block periods = increased project complexity = increased program enrollment = new teachers = introduce new classes Mike – make graphic for potential reversal of this trend?
- 86. Conclusions
- 93. Teacher Impact: District vision requires qualified teachers Teacher loss can cripple programs Visionary teachers drive innovation
- 94. Teacher Impact: District vision requires qualified teachers Teacher loss can cripple programs Visionary teachers drive innovation
- 95. Lessons: Bigger isn’t always better Challenging to reinvent shared spaces under fixed masterplan Balance specific and generalized hands-on spaces Administration needs to encourage collaboration
Editor's Notes
- JW - Hello, thanks… This session is about lessons learned during the first year in new maker spaces… case study of Montezuma Cortez HS (or MCHS) in CO, which opened last August… I think one of the most important things we can do as architects is stay involved in the life of the schools we design, to ask about what is and isn’t working, not only to inform future projects but to help the district get the best results from their new school and use it to springboard internal changes…
- JW - We are both architects from D/P/S who were involved in the MCHS project, but from different perspectives. I’ll talk more about programming background and post-occupancy feedback, and Adrienne will talk more about design and implementation.
- There are a lot of variations on the definition of makerspaces… to us, a makerspace is not limited to a messy space for tinkering and prototyping – it is any space that encourages hands-on exploration and innovation, and uses individual or group work to develop both technical and soft skills. So it can be a fabrication environment, but it can also be a career space that requires students to draw on a range of skills, or a performing arts environment. We’ve seen a lot of great facilities this week, and this is project in a small, rural community where there can be some unique issues related to what students need and the operational challenges schools face…
- JW - To provide some context on Cortez, CO and this district… Cortez is a small community in SW Colorado. The town is just over 5 square miles in area,
- JW - and pretty remote – nearest larger cities are Durango, CO and Farmington, NM - neither of which is particularly large….
- JW - it is a tight knit community in the middle of beautiful mountains – so the school has a dramatic backdrop and mountain views
- JW – Cortez has bout 8600 people – small, but is the most populous city in Montezuma County
- JW - Median income of $39K,
- JW – and about 24% residents live in poverty…
- JW - MCSD has 5 ES, 1 MS, and 1 HS, with a very large geographic area compared to neighboring districts
- JW - Even though town is only 5sqmi, district covers over 1300sqmi, so students may travel a long way to get to school
- JW - MCHS student population – 46% low income
- JW - MCHS student population –25% NA (Ute Mountain Ute, Navajo), 19% Hispanic, 51% white…
- JW – District has been struggling for years… 2012 – 1/3 kids didn’t graduate on time. Recent grades from CO tracking agency gave it a D+ for overall performance…
- JW – a C for academic proficiency…
- JW – and a C+ for academic growth.
- JW – the District has launched a number academic programs in recent years to work on boosting the graduation rate and reducing the number of grads that need remedial classes in college… Credit recovery program to make-up credits during the summer, Grade level teams to track individual student progress, Targeted Study Hall for students failing a core class, "zeros not allowed" program to use lunch periods to tackle missed assignments and tests, and Career Pathways homeroom classes that focus on workforce readiness.
- JW - Despite all these efforts to boost academics, when started programming heard over and over that many of the students only stayed in school for hands-on classes and extracurriculars, from career to arts… That is what motivates them to get out of bed and commute long distances to school. So, design had a long list of goals, including those shown here about drawing students in, improving morale and performance, accommodating variety of educational services including career– to serve everyone in a single school rather than segregating students by interest or path…
- AL -
- AL – 2 story building with a large entry courtyard, organized into program clusters… This one is for hands-on creation and learning through art and career programs… This is hands-on creation and performance through performing arts (music and drama), and the Commons in the center of the school is used by everyone
- AL – Commons
- AL – some typical classrooms
- AL – Library, with view out to the sacred Ute Mountain
- AL – And the school sitting against a backdrop of mountains… Opened last August, we recently went through spaces to see how they are being used compared to original intent and interview teachers…
- JW - MCHS has a great program focused on fire science and emergency medicine…
- JW - Classes are offered in Fire Science and Emergency Medical Services. Students learn by doing through career-specific tasks like hose drills and bunker drills, and learn to work together and apply their knowledge through live fire exercises and real-world rescue scenarios. In addition to career-specific skills, students are learning how to work in teams, make decisions, and think on their feet in emergency situations. Students participate in extracurricular activities like the Health Occupations Student Association, often work or volunteer while in high school, and go on to work in fire departments, on wildland fire crews, on EMS teams, and in hospitals. Some of these are jobs that students can enter immediately after graduation, and others require additional education…
- AL - site plan location, relationships to other programs and outdoor spaces
- AL – outdoor spaces
- AL
- Scenarios
- AL?
- AL?
- AL?
- AL?
- AL?
- AL?
- AL?
- AL?
- AL?
- AL?
- Collaboration… So, while people may think that Fire Science or EMT is just teaching specific career prep, this program is a great example of cross-disciplinary thinking, hands-on learning, and preparing students for careers that they can go into immediately after high school, or later after further education
- JW –Collaboration… So, while people may think that Fire Science or EMT is just teaching specific career prep, this program is a great example of cross-disciplinary thinking, hands-on learning, and preparing students for careers that they can go into immediately after high school, or later after further education. Some of the takeaways from their first year in the new building are: Less space now but more functional, have everything they need right at hand in a simple, flexible space. Didn’t get all of the space they wanted, but using whole building instead for scenarios has improved visibility and increased interest in the programs. Better access to real-world equipment and providers, by having the ambulance right in the classroom and outdoor access convenient enough that fire and ambulance crews come by weekly. Collaboration with other programs – in addition to the math and English lessons they mentioned, they’ve had photography students photographing their exercises, graphic design students designing promotional materials for the program… And they plan to pursue additional opportunities in the new building – like doing safety training for kids in other programs (shop, kitchen) and using those spaces for additional mock scenarios for Fire/EMT kids – like commercial kitchen fire, or lost fingers in shop class.
- MCHS has a great drama teacher and program…
- JW – Currently teaching Acting I & II, and advanced classes in video production and technical theater. Every drama production is a project-based learning opportunity, where students work as a team, draw on a wide variety of skills, and have a very clear and very public deliverable. Students in this program learn theatrical performance (acting, singing, dancing), rigging, lighting, video, audio, set-building, along with a host of soft skills relating to communication and time management…
- Al - site plan location, relationships,
- AL - spaces
- AL -
- AL - Spaces:
- AL - Spaces:
- AL - Spaces:
- JW –BB is working great… Classroom sized space has proven to be a great, intimate scale compared to their other venues, especially for things like improv… Have tried different configurations of portable staging - audience high, actors high, audience surrounding actors. Teaching classes in this space daily (curtains pull back to have white walls, smartboards, etc.), using it to work with visiting groups like this image. Next they plan to try interactive puppet shows in the space and hopefully offer an advanced film-making class. Conclusion: evaluate space needed, and complexity of systems, revisit training…
- JW –Auditorium: great functionality (seating, acoustics, scrim, projector, side curtains, etc.). Changed from a workhorse stage floor to finished maple floor during construction – nice for orchestra but very challenging for theater. Rigging: wish had extra bars beyond lighting bars for hanging set pieces or drops, projectors, etc. Mixed opinions on the movable light rigs: chosen for safety (no catwalk) but challenging to aim and focus efficiently (up and down a lot). Piano going out of tune because heating clicked off at night – had to adjust zone. Great to use choir room to practice dance moves for musicals. Set building – not using the shop due to both distance and student cliques. Distance requires more deliberate interaction with Art. Conclusion: evaluate space needed, and complexity of systems, revisit training…
- MCHS’s art program includes visual arts, wet and digital photography, sculpture, and jewelry making. Fairly typical spaces, but there have been some interesting social/operational issues…
- 3 large art labs with access to an outdoor patio, shared kiln room and darkroom, and storage rooms
- Disconnect between programming/design intent and furniture provided by others… one room has sturdy butcher block tables with vises and tall stools…
- Somewhat similar to the precedents teachers preferred during programming and school tours…
- But other had conventional tables and chairs that have been hard to keep clean and not damage And both rooms have very small storage bins not appropriate to HS-scale assignments
- Large outdoor patio with mountain views… surrounded mainly by very solid walls as shown here, but end wall was changed to more open fencing to reduce cost… Limited use of art courtyard – principal says it can’t look messy since it is near the entry.
- Art is located close to the large shop space…
- Which has a full auto-bay sized spray booth and a full shop including welding – but painting and sculpture students are not using either due to perceived social conflict between Art and Ag students, and some easily overcome concerns about logistics… I’ve been to high school, I remember cliques, but was honestly surprised to see this being such an issue in a small community like this. Asked art teacher what it would take to overcome that and use these resources, and she thought for a minute and said “I really just need to go down the hall and talk to Ed – if the teachers get past it, the students will”… I really hope that will happen…
- And that brings us to Agriculture…
- JW - Flagship program, Ag 1, 2, Business, Mechanics… range of projects from simple carpentry to building sheds and customizing flatbeds – range of technical abilities, design and engineering skills, teamwork…
- JW – This community has an agricultural history and a lot of local ag industry, so there is lots of community involvement – spaces used after hours for 4H and FFA, which include individual and team competitions, fundraisers, and activities.
- AL -
- AL -
- (new plan, SF comparison)
- AL -
- AL -
- AL -
- (new plan, SF comparison)
- (new plan, SF comparison)
- (new plan, SF comparison)
- Code and expectations: Not auto shop, no lifts, not bringing in vehicles – and now want to Local official forced separation of wood shop District wanted manifold system to avoid having gases in space, local officials preferred this to (and old teachers). Interim teacher not comfortable with system, instead brought tanks inside and bought more regulators, isn’t using it.
- JW – while the actual spaces are working well, a number of administrative issues are limiting use of these spaces and program growth.
- JW – while the actual spaces are working well, a number of administrative issues are limiting use of these spaces and program growth.
- JW – while the actual spaces are working well, a number of administrative issues are limiting use of these spaces and program growth.
- JW – while the actual spaces are working well, a number of administrative issues are limiting use of these spaces and program growth.
- JW
- JW
- JW
- JW – like Ag Chemistry, in combination with Culinary or Cafeteria programs?
- JW – like Ag Chemistry, in combination with Culinary or Cafeteria programs?
- JW – like Ag Chemistry, in combination with Culinary or Cafeteria programs?
- JW – like Ag Chemistry, in combination with Culinary or Cafeteria programs?
- JW – like Ag Chemistry, in combination with Culinary or Cafeteria programs?
- Transition slide – add the bracket text, and image you would like (send image to back). DO NOT MOVE OR RESIZE THE RED SHAPE. If resizing brackets, resize both together to maintain proportions.
- JW – overall, school has been really well received…
- Fewer disciplinary issues – no vandalism, kids protective of new building, better visual supervision, hallway design (no lockers) community use really successful (groups meeting in the Library and Commons, community health center, athletic competitions, etc.)
- Fewer disciplinary issues – no vandalism, kids protective of new building, better visual supervision, hallway design (no lockers) community use really successful (groups meeting in the Library and Commons, community health center, athletic competitions, etc.)
- Fewer disciplinary issues – no vandalism, kids protective of new building, better visual supervision, hallway design (no lockers) community use really successful (groups meeting in the Library and Commons, community health center, athletic competitions, etc.)
- Fewer disciplinary issues – no vandalism, kids protective of new building, better visual supervision, hallway design (no lockers) community use really successful (groups meeting in the Library and Commons, community health center, athletic competitions, etc.)
- Teacher Impact Innovative teachers make all the difference – Fire Science and Drama would be awesome without these facilities… Culinary – great student interest, good programs, but district vision was commercial kitchen to prep students for real jobs or culinary school, but taught by home ec teacher who is only comfortable with a residential kitchen setup. Ag changes have direct impact…
- Teacher Impact Innovative teachers make all the difference – Fire Science and Drama would be awesome without these facilities… Culinary – great student interest, good programs, but district vision was commercial kitchen to prep students for real jobs or culinary school, but taught by home ec teacher who is only comfortable with a residential kitchen setup. Ag changes have direct impact…
- Teacher Impact Innovative teachers make all the difference – Fire Science and Drama would be awesome without these facilities… Culinary – great student interest, good programs, but district vision was commercial kitchen to prep students for real jobs or culinary school, but taught by home ec teacher who is only comfortable with a residential kitchen setup. Ag changes have direct impact…
- Bigger isn’t always better In hands-on learning can encourage use of whole building Not missing spaces they cut like community room, computer lab, etc. Balance of specific and generalized hands-on spaces Administration needs to encourage sharing and collaboration COMING IN UNDER A MASTERPLAN VS REINVENTING SHARED SPACES…