Search

Five years after hurricane Katrina, the City of New Orleans is now implementing a far-reaching plan for the systemic renovation and rebuilding of community programmes and infrastructure. A total of USD 3 billion has now been allocated to public building projects. With the student population down to nearly half of pre-storm totals, a recently completed school facilities master plan will finance the rebuilding of some 85 schools. At a minimum, each of these school sites will become a community school, with gymnasiums, auditoriums and school libraries open to the community at nights and on weekends. Furthermore, many of the school sites will also become community "nexus" centres where parks, community gardens, parenting centres, healthy grocery stores, farmer's markets and other community-centred programmes and facilities will be co-located. The new plan will also be more environmentally and socially sustainable. A nexus site will be located within a short walking distance of all housing areas in the city. Since 29% of New Orleans residents do not have access to private transportation, this means that owning an automobile will no longer be a pre-requisite for equitable access to a nexus of educational and community services. And even for those citizens fortunate enough to have private transport, this approach provides for more walkable, healthy and environmentally sustainable neighbourhood development. More than 10 000 citizens were engaged in developing the plan for rebuilding New Orleans. To help sustain the process, an evolving partnership between the Louisiana Public Health Institute, the Neighborhoods Partnership Network (NPN) and Concordia LLC was formed. It is working with city and school officials, social service providers and neighbourhood groups to define nexus implementation guidelines, explore governance options and create a dashboard of community indicators through which the new centres will operate.

Describes the charter school located within the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, and discusses theories of school design that should reflect the input of all stakeholders--the school, the students, and the community. (JOW)

School districts throughout the country are suffering from aging schools, repair and maintenance backlogs, and budget short-falls. The result is insufficient government resources to ensure that students are provided adequate classrooms and facilities to enhance learning and student achievement. In Hawaii, the repair and maintenance backlog for 2010 was approximately $392 million for the Hawaii Department of Education's (DOE) 260 public schools statewide. Recognizing that public funds are severely limited, in 2009, the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs (HIPA) initiated a research- and community-based effort to develop an innovative, systemic and practicable approach to school facilities upgrades, management and development. The process, best practices, and challenges experienced in the Aloha state could be used as a national model for building 21st century schools. A 21st century school includes a full complement of the people, programs and places that support a wide range of personal learning styles and instructional modalities. (Contains 5 footnotes.)

Recent research indicates that the goals (of producing management efficiencies to deliver community programs and infrastructure and more graduates) can be better achieved through a holistic model that supports the whole family and child by providing better access to wrap around services. Nexus planning is a process through which these services can be planned and coordinated all at once. Included are a full spectrum of the people, programs and places that support the complex systemic structure of child support and community life.

Discusses the new trend in K-12 architectural designs that help schools provide interdisciplinary, hands-on learning along with community interaction. Several design projects are highlighted. (GR)

Explores an emerging trend toward integration and inclusion in education that provides the groundwork for addressing the concerns of coordination and communication. Discusses the synergism of a manageable set of interdependent community environments, brought together in the educational setting, that supports and enhances learning, student well-being, and a sense of community service. (GR)