Canutillo community envision new campuses

What features should new schools in the District include when architects begin designing the new campuses funded by the voter-approved Canutillo Bond?  

 

That is the question more than 50 teachers, parents, students and other community stakeholders pondered during an educational specification visioning session at Canutillo High School that was led by nationally-renowned school construction experts. 

 

The two-day session brought together people who will be impacted by the construction of the four new campuses that will be built with Canutillo Bond funds. The District plans to rebuild both Alderete and Canutillo middle schools as well as Davenport Elementary in new locations. Also included in the bond is the construction of a brick-and-mortar campus for Northwest Early College High School, which currently is housed in portable classrooms.  

 

“This was an informative and thought-provoking meeting that will help us determine what a modern, 21st century school building should look like,” said Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz. “Our current schools were designed in a different time, when educational expectations were different. The modern instructional outlook requires us to think of learning spaces that fit the current model of education.” 

 

Participants were asked to rethink the way classrooms, libraries, gyms, cafeterias and other school-related facilities look. The idea is to create learning spaces that best suit the Canutillo community. 

 

Some of the design concepts they were asked to reconsider were: 

 

In the end, the District will use the input from participants to develop a design concept that will be shared with both architects and general contractors to serve as a guiding principle in the construction and completion of all Bond projects. 

 

During the meeting presenters were able to determine which design concepts were more important to them given their experience as students, parents or instructional leaders. 

 

“This information is of great value as we continue to move forward in our planning process,” said Ernesto Ortiz, the program director for Procedeo, the company that is managing the Canutillo Bond on behalf of the District. “We know the ownership of these campuses will belong to the Canutillo community, so it’s important that their design reflects the values and desires of the people who will use these buildings.” 

 

Although the meetings were attended by stakeholders who were identified by campuses and the District, the general public will have a chance to give input on design concepts for Bond-related construction. 

 

Design charrettes  – which are hands-on meetings designed to give the public a chance to have direct input into the final look and feel of projects – are being planned and will be posted soon. Other opportunities for public input and participation, both in-person and digital, also are being planned.