August 24, 2005
WASHINGTON — The American Architectural Foundation and KnowledgeWorks Foundation will co-host the National Summit on School Design October 6-8 in Washington to develop a blueprint to help communities across the United States maximize their school investments and transform education through design excellence.
Approximately 150 experts – representing school decision makers, principals, facility managers, educators, students, design professionals and industry and non-profit leaders – will actively participate in case study scenarios dealing with the key challenges, tensions and tradeoffs associated with school planning, design, construction, educational reform, and community engagement. These working sessions will ultimately lead to the creation of a Blueprint for 21st Century Schools that will be distributed nationally as a resource on current thinking and best practices in school design.
“Millions of students, teachers and administrators must spend part of their days in aging, crowded, and crumbling American schools,” said Ronald E. Bogle, president and CEO of the American Architectural Foundation. “These pervasive conditions negatively impact our children’s ability to learn and our teachers’ ability to teach. With annual spending of $30 billion on school construction and renovation, we have an unprecedented opportunity to improve the quality of our learning facilities in the United States.”
“We dare not waste this opportunity to create inspirational learning environments that help all children achieve at high levels and are important assets to our neighborhoods,” said Chad P. Wick, president and CEO of KnowledgeWorks Foundation. “This Summit convenes education, architecture and community leaders from across the country to help us understand how to transform the school building into an ally for our children’s learning and our community’s success.”
Beyond the main working sessions, the Summit will also feature a panel presentation. The panel is titled: “Trends Affecting the Future of School Design.” Panelists include: Roy Pea, professor of Education and Learning Sciences at Stanford University; David Sciarra, executive director, Education Law Center; Roy Strickland, associate professor and chair, Urban Design Program at the University of Michigan; and Elliot Washor, co-founder and co-director of the Big Picture Company. Michele Norris, host of National Public Radio’s All Things Considered will moderate the panel.
The National Summit on School Design is part of the American Architectural Foundation’s Great Schools by Design national initiative. Launched in 2003, Great Schools by Design aims to improve the quality of America’s schools by promoting good design, encouraging collaboration in the school design process, and providing leading-edge resources to local community leaders. Founding partners for Great Schools by Design are the American Architectural Foundation, Herman Miller, Inc., and McGraw-Hill Construction. Additional funding partners include: Cisco Systems, Inc. and the American Institute of Architects. Program Alliance Partners include: KnowledgeWorks Foundation, American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, Council of the Great City Schools, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, National Education Association, National School Boards Association, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
About the American Architectural Foundation
The American Architectural Foundation (AAF) is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that educates individuals and communities about the power of architecture to transform lives and improve the places where we live, learn, work, and play. AAF’s programs include: The Mayors’ Institute on City Design and Great Schools by Design – highly regarded initiatives that help improve the built environment through the collaboration of thought leaders, designers, and local communities. Through its outreach programs, grants, exhibitions, and educational resources, the American Architectural Foundation helps people become thoughtful and engaged stewards of the world around them. For more information, please visit www.archfoundation.org.
About Knowledgeworks Foundation
KnowledgeWorks Foundation is Ohio's largest public education philanthropy. KnowledgeWorks Foundation provides funding and leadership for education initiatives throughout the state and is focused on creating and improving educational opportunities. The Foundation is committed to sharing knowledge gained and lessons learned with others in Ohio and across the nation to help inform public policy. Learn more about KnowledgeWorks Foundation at www.kwfdn.org.
AAF Contact:
Helen Wechsler
(202) 626-7372
hwechsler@archfoundation.org
KnowledgeWorks Contact:
Emily Hedrick, Communications Officer
513-929-1132
hedricke@kwfdn.org
1799 New York Avenue NW · Washington DC 20006 · 202.626.7318 · Fax 202.626.7420 · info@archfoundation.org