As part of a larger bond program, Comstock Public Schools will begin construction of a new K-8 STEM Academy to replace a 75-year-old facility with a purpose-built STEM school. The new school will feature intentional design that celebrates the future of STEM and ensures that the programming is thoughtful, inclusive, and relevant to today’s technology and resources. The new Academy is set to become the area’s go-to facility for STEM education while creating opportunities for future partnerships with organizations.

The project team held a design workshop with multiple stakeholder and community groups to develop a functional and flexible design that can evolve and adapt to the changing needs of students. Situated on a 30-acre campus next to the existing elementary, the new STEM Academy will house up to 450 students to support the growing program. This will be the first new building for the Comstock Public Schools district in more than 50 years.

The Project NEXT program at Forest Hills Northern (FHN) High School is a project-based collaborative learning program that began as a pilot initiative in the media center in 2018. 

At the time, a modest investment was made in the pilot program by designing and refreshing the school’s media center with new, flexible furniture more conducive to next-generation, collaborative learning. In Project NEXT, students learn the state-required high school curricula in a series of both individual and group assignments throughout their four years at FHN. Students tackle real-world problems and fuse science, social studies, English, art and design, and math to produce innovative learning and projects.

The Forest Hills Public Schools community passed a bond program in 2018 to update the district’s agining infrastructure, increase safety measures, and inspire students by creating modern learning environments. As part of the bond, the Forest Hills Central Middle School is undergoing a complete renovation to enhance the school’s systems and learning environments.

The updated floor plan will allow for multiple collaboration spaces for middle school students and breaks the building up into grade level houses. Each house has a large breakout space with movable furniture that leads to the core of the building. A wide, 20-foot corridor directs students to the core that is complemented by high ceilings with bright, clerestory windows. A large group learning space in the core was designed to accommodate a variety of learning styles with presentation space and flexible furniture. A second collaboration room, identified as the “Ranger Core Collaboratory,” across from the presentation room is transparent with a full glass wall on the corridor side while the other side includes a garage door that leads into a courtyard to support a variety of programs.

The Clinton County Regional Educational Service Agency (CCRESA) provides support services to schools in mid-Michigan through programs like special education, speech, and physical therapy for students from birth to 26 years old. The Educational Center that houses these programs will undergo renovations to reorganize the layout, improve security, and create an inviting environment for students, families, and staff.

Several classrooms and support rooms will be updated and reorganized to improve the traffic flow and wayfinding experience throughout the facility. Classrooms will be more equal in size and will have easier access to adjacent bathrooms. The current emotionally impaired classroom will have new, dedicated quiet areas and space for individual work. The group playroom will be moved closer to the building’s entrance, which is more central to therapists and counsellors and provides closer parking for students and families. The updates also create space for a new life skills classroom that will simulate independent or assisted living environments with instruction for cooking, home making, and laundry. A new drop off and unloading zone for building deliveries will also be added to the back of the building, alleviating cross traffic between trucks and families at the entrance, creating a safer entry experience. 

Rockford Public Schools was looking to create a space for students that allows for collaboration and problem solving in a team setting. The district toured North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina to understand how they designed their classrooms to simulate a collaborative workplace environment. A combination of these building tours and our expertise led to the design of the Creative Teaching and Learning Center. 

This classroom design allows the teacher to act as more of a facilitator than a lecturer. The lobby entrance to this center has touchdown spaces for students to do work online or for other classes. The project presented an opportunity to create a learning environment that is truly unique and the first of its kind in Michigan.