Karner Blue Education Center Removes Barriers to Learning for Special Needs Students
If you grew up with older siblings, you may have experienced “hand-me-downs,” clothes that were bought or fashioned for an older brother or sister and may fit you, more or less, or not at all.
Now consider the experience of a child with autism, cognitive disabilities or an emotional behavioral disorder who is placed in a school built for traditional students. It may not be a good fit. Long corridors can trigger an impulse to bolt. Fluorescent lights can flicker and buzz. HVAC systems may be noisy, and alarm bells can be jarring. Even entering the building amid a crowd of other students can be daunting.
Northeast Metro Intermediate School District 916, a consortium of a dozen Twin Cities school districts, set out to create a school environment designed around the needs of these students. Karner Blue Education Center opened in September 2014 and serves 150 students in grades K-8 who require the most restrictive level of special education programming. The school was among the first in the country custom-designed to remove barriers to learning that traditional schools can present for these students.
Collaborative Input
An interdisciplinary team that included Kraus-Anderson, architect BWBR, member districts, district administration, faculty and students’ families provided input to develop a school facility focused on removing barriers to learning.
“One of the great values that Kraus-Anderson brought to the design and construction phase of the process was to really help us do careful cost analysis on all of the options that were on the table, so that we could make spending decisions that really focused on helping us meet the programmatic goals that we had,” said NEM 916 Superintendent Connie Hayes.
The Karner Blue difference is evident upon arrival. To reduce the chaos of crowded entrances, the facility includes three separate front doors buffered by curved sidewalks, awnings and landscaped berms.
A Habitat for Students With Special Needs
Reflecting its rural setting near a nature preserve, the school is organized around prairie habitat themes. Each area is configured to support students with differing needs.
Corridors have curving walls that mask views to exits and can lessen the impulse to run. Durable lower walls are designed to withstand kicks and punches. Kraus-Anderson worked through eight different wall-unit mockups of reinforced drywall and wood paneling for the district to test.
“They stuck with us, they brainstormed, and they helped us come up with really the very best decision,” Hayes said.
There are no alarm bells. Instead, digital boards convey messages, and doors unlock automatically in the event of an emergency. Outdoor playgrounds are securely fenced.
Solar tubes draw natural light into the gymnasium and some classrooms. In-ground heat helps minimize the effect of temperature changes. HVAC systems include enhanced sound attenuation, including oversized ducts and insulated systems that run beneath hallways to help keep classrooms quiet.
Flexibility is built into the environment. Breakout areas, swing chairs, rocking furniture, indoor climbing walls and sensory rooms provide places for students to wiggle, sway, climb and interact with their environment to help manage stress. Soft furnishings and calming colors add to the supportive setting.
The project illustrates how inclusive learning environments for special education students can be shaped by early collaboration among educators, families, designers and construction professionals. It also reflects Kraus-Anderson’s broader experience in K-12 construction.
Looking Ahead
As students respond to the new school environment, the school will learn, too. Plans were underway for a second special education school for the district in Lake Elmo.
“I can’t wait to start having conversations with my colleagues around the country who serve this population of kids,” Hayes said.
In this article, Kraus-Anderson explored how Karner Blue Education Center was designed to reduce barriers to learning for students receiving specialized education programming. The project highlights collaborative planning, thoughtful school design, sensory-supportive spaces, building-system considerations and flexible learning environments. Learn more about K-12 construction, Building Science services and the district’s second K-8 special education school project.
CATEGORY: General