Flora Elementary School – Case Study

From Four Schools to One –
Outfitting a 21st Century Elementary School in Flora, IL

As far back as 1998, the Flora Community School District in Flora, Illinois, recognized that the four elementary schools serving the community needed an upgrade. Some had been built as long ago as the 1940s! These older facilities did not adequately serve the needs of the modern student. The District prioritized the construction of an innovative new school, and the decision was made to replace the existing schools with a single, state-of-the-art facility. The ultimate goal for this new facility, Flora Elementary School, was to upgrade the learning and teaching experience to better align with 21st Century Learning initiatives.

As state construction grant funds became available and the concept for Flora Elementary School was much closer to becoming a reality in 2013, the District sought a furniture and equipment vendor that was able to provide the most innovative products for today’s students. They also preferred to work with an educational supplier with subject matter expertise that could enhance the administrators’ vision of building a “beacon of learning” for the community. To this end, the District partnered with School Specialty’s Projects by Design division, which has over 20 years of experience furnishing educational facilities from top to bottom. Leading this team were Account Manager Tanya Summers, Regional Sales Manager Todd Steliga, and Projects by Design Sales Specialist Dirk Adams.

Summers commented on winning the project, “Having worked with the Flora Community School District for a number of years, we were proud to be selected as partners for the design and outfitting of the brand new Flora Elementary School. The huge scale of the new facility made it a flagship opportunity for School Specialty and PbD, as we were able to utilize our deep experience and wide range of products from a variety of vendors to fulfill the customer’s unique needs. Jobs like this highlight the services that Projects by Design provides – offering educators insight while providing furnishings for a wide variety of different learning environments.”

The District determined that transitioning from four schools to a single facility would have numerous, ancillary benefits beyond modernizing the educational experience. Dr. Joel Hackney, Superintendent of the Flora Community District, noted, “Having all of our K-5 students and staff together in one location provides a heightened sense of unity, and the massive facility can facilitate large, community events. One of the key goals of 21st Century Learning is collaboration, and at Flora Elementary, we can more efficiently achieve this ideal because all of our students and staff are together, in the same location, each school day.”

Another, major focus of 21st Century Learning is the facilitation of a wide variety of teaching and learning methods. Students today are encouraged to tackle projects in a multitude of ways, from standard lectures to small group discussions and individual assignments. These varied learning styles require diverse educational spaces that students and teachers can utilize to attain success no matter what type of project they are working on at a given time. Accordingly, Flora Elementary was designed with flexible classrooms, learning commons areas, and spaces for children to socialize and express themselves – all with technology integrated throughout to support the needs of the modern learner.

Media Center – Where Collaboration and Technology Meet

Projects by Design provided the furniture and equipment for all of the new school’s areas, and every aspect of the facility has been a resounding success. Some areas and products offered through PbD are especially noteworthy, including the media center.

Steliga said, “While the entire school is a wonderful achievement, we are especially proud of the work that our team conducted for a few, key areas. Chief among these is the media center, which is the focal point of Flora Elementary School. This beautiful space offers students and teachers a wide range of educational experiences and learning mediums. It includes standard lecture areas for traditional instruction or presentations, as well as more secluded, quiet areas for individual assignments and developing a love for reading. In other areas, small group projects are encouraged in line with 21st Century Learning initiatives. Throughout the media center, we supplied a variety of flexible and mobile furniture that can be easily rearranged to facilitate all types of learning methods.”

The media center provides flexibility, and it is a social center in addition to a learning environment. Several areas have a coffee shop feeling. PbD outfitted them with soft seating so that students are encouraged to relax and socialize. With the addition of this comfortable furniture, much of the space is similar to a lounge, allowing students to unwind and feel more at ease.

Another critical element of the media center is the technology that is integrated throughout. It contains a variety of computer labs, some that are casual and some more formal for rigorous projects. Reading areas and student workstations provided by PbD’s vendor partners include charging ports to facilitate uninterrupted use of mobile devices. Laptops and tablets have become critical to the learning experience, as students utilize them for research and to create unique materials for their assignments. District administrators wanted to ensure that the vast wealth of knowledge available on the Internet was never far from reach.

Dr. Hackney continued, “Everyone who enters Flora Elementary is drawn to the media center, given its striking design and application for many types of learning. Creating such a space was essential to our 21st Century Learning plans, and it provides students with a common area to collaborate, and where they migrate for a variety of educational activities.”

A variety of mobile furniture solutions provided by School Specialty populate the media center, and indeed most of Flora Elementary School, with one furniture item that has been particularly well received by students and staff. School Specialty’s Classroom Select® NeoMove® seating solutions were specially selected for the guided reading activity tables. These unique seating options allow students to gently rock while sitting, both front-to-back and side-to-side. School Specialty also outfitted the school with a variety of other student chairs that allow for movement. These chairs were coupled with flexible student desks that can be configured in multiple ways for individual or collaborative learning. The gentle movement afforded by these seating options supports research proving that movement enhances focus, memory and cognitive flexibility, which in turn improves academic performance.

Dr. Hackney noted, “This seemingly straightforward idea was a revelation to us, and we have already observed numerous benefits. Our students are calm, not antsy, when sitting in these movement seats, even during extended lectures. The simple ability to move while learning stimulates the brain, which is the primary objective for any learning environment.”

Taking Students Outside the Classroom – Outdoor Areas and Art Wing

While the media center is the main focus area for innovative, 21st Century Learning at Flora Elementary School, it is certainly not the only noteworthy space at the new facility. During the design phase, administrators sought to include areas for outdoor learning and collaboration, and a massive playground was built alongside the school buildings. This playground is divided into two halves by a shaded, common space that includes a variety of sturdy, weatherproof benches and picnic table seating offered by PbD. Open to all ages and grade levels, this common outdoor space is similar to the media center in that it is both a social and educational area, and many teachers plan to utilize it to stimulate creativity through learning activities outside the classroom.

Another highlight area is the art wing, which includes a unique, outdoor courtyard. As with the playground commons area, the District’s key goal for this space was to stimulate creativity by allowing students to learn outside the confines of the classroom, which is especially critical for artistic activities. The art wing is adjacent to the media center, and this section of Flora Elementary is where students can interact and learn in the widest variety of ways, engaging their interest in their lessons by keeping the educational experience fresh and exciting.

Adams commented, “The art wing is one of the most innovative areas of Flora Elementary School. Through our conversations with District administrators, we knew that this space was implemented to introduce students to new ideas and learning styles beyond what they might experience in a traditional classroom. As such, with the help of our vendor partners we supplied an interesting array of furniture for these activity spaces. These solutions include mobile, clover-shaped tables that provide flexible, abundant space for students to create and share ideas, and that align with the unique architecture and design aesthetic of the art wing. All of these furniture options, and indeed all furniture outfitted by PbD throughout the school, were selected specifically to facilitate and enhance collaboration in line with 21st Century Learning.”

A Modern Success for the 21st Century Student

In its inaugural school year, Flora Elementary has already been a resounding success. The advanced, modern facility includes a wide variety of 21st Century Learning areas highlighted by innovative design and construction, and complemented by flexible furniture and equipment provided by PbD that is adaptable for a range of activities. Students, staff and the community at large have been overwhelmingly receptive to the new school, and its forward-thinking design has instilled an excitement for learning for all who spend time there.

Dr. Hackney concluded, “We set out to offer a one-of-a-kind, 21st Century Learning facility, and I firmly believe that Flora Elementary School is a shining example of modern, cutting-edge education. We are incredibly proud of the brand-new facility, which recently kicked off its inaugural school year. In addition to being a community landmark, the school is also a wonderfully refreshing and forward-thinking place for students to learn, interact, and grow in whichever way suits them best. I would like to thank our District, the Flora community and our furniture and equipment partner, Projects by Design, for their roles in bringing our vision to life.”

Project Photographs
Art Room	Classroom	Classroom
Classroom	Computer Lab
Library	Library	Library
Conference Room	Administrative Office
Playground	Playground	Playground
Videos Learn More To learn more about our Projects by Design® cost-saving, turnkey solution, visit Projects by Design at School Specialty.