Students of Arcola Community School were proud to show off their brand new building Tuesday afternoon at the school’s grand opening. That’s because they had a hand in creating the modern design intended to take learning into the 21st century.
“Kind of the big thing we were going for was open areas because in other schools there are hallways and they are kind of narrow and it’s hard to move around. Other things are the way the classrooms are set up and the furniture,” said Jayden Masney, Student Leadership Committee president, who also sat on the school’s planning committee.
Vice-president and fellow eighth-grader, Brooke St. Jean took members of the media on a tour of the school. She said, “It’s kind of set up like high school, so it will prepare some of the older students to know what it’s like to be in high school.”
It’s certainly not your average school – there are bean bag chairs in the common areas – and as Masney pointed out, there are no hallways.
“Schools that were designed 100 years ago and 50 years ago – and 30 years ago, were all designed the same, but we don’t teach the same. We’re realizing that children don’t learn the same, said James Youck from P3 architecture, the architecture firm behind the design, who pointed out a trend in new schools being built in the province. Regina’s Douglas Park School which opened in September has a similar design concept.
At Arcola, spacious learning areas have a “Saskatchewan” theme; the floor is meant to look like patchwork fields with a river running through it. The $19 million building also incorporates nature with a green roof, a rainwater collection system and a “living wall.” It also used 75 percent recycled steel and the wooden tresses were salvaged from trees killed by pine beetles.
It is supposed to be a learning tool and “an investment in the future.” Minister of Education Russ Marchuk added, “These children will be able to see and learn firsthand factors that affect the environment. If we continue to examine and look at how we teach, and how we provide information to children, it’s a perfect hands-on learning experience.”
However, not everyone is thrilled with all of the design concepts.
“Two new schools which are located pretty close together have opened – which is great for those neighbourhoods, but we have to keep in mind seven schools have closed and whole neighbourhoods have no schools,” said Trish Elliott of RealRenewal, an organization made up of parents and community members who advocate on behalf of schools facing closure. She points out the open concept design has received some criticism and is not the best environment for every student.
For Masney, Arcola Community School is something he can be proud of and for the future students who go to there. “I feel really privileged and I’m really happy that I get to be here. I like the fact I’m going to be the first graduating class,” he said.
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