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Orangewood School students wearing bright yellow hard hats cheered on their principal as she operated a backhoe to break ground for the school’s “green” expansion in Phoenix, Ariz.
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Photos by Tony Marinella; courtesy of Green Schoolhouse Series. |
| Orangewood School Principal Andree Charlson gets helps from Assistant Principal Enoch Davis to break ground on the Studio schoolhouse. |
The 6,000-square-foot project marks the second in a series of green schoolhouses to be built across the country on Title 1, low-income, public school campuses, said The Green Schoolhouse Series (GSHS) and Cause and Effect Evolutions, organizers of the effort.
The first schoolhouse was the “Safari” project at Roadrunner Elementary School in Phoenix, which is set to open in September. Recently, the organizers held a “Together We Paint” event, summoning nearly 200 volunteers to help paint the new school; see Progress Report: ‘Green Schoolhouse’ Effort Hosts Painting Event in Phoenix.
Both schools are LEED-Platinum designed schoolhouses built by volunteers, GSHS said.
Orangewood’s ‘Studio’ Project
Designed by Emc2 Group Architects Planners P.C., the new schoolhouse at Orangewood, called “Studio,” will serve as a teaching tool, educating the students and community members on the importance of sustainable living and building practices, GSHS said.
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| Students from the summer school program at Orangewood School wave their hard hats provided by the Kitchell, the general contractor on the Studio build. |
“Orangewood is thrilled to break ground on what promises to be the most amazing ‘green experience’ for our students, staff, parents and community,” said Andree Charlson, principal at Orangewood School.
The project’s construction and engineering team include Kitchell, Heideman Associates (a Zak Company), Larson Engineering, and Olsson Associates.
The schoolhouse features include a STEM-devoted (science, technology, engineering and math) classroom, interactive whiteboards and an indoor/outdoor amphitheater.
Other features of the schoolhouse include the following, GSHS said.
• Zero-VOC paint (Glidden Professional)
• Rainwater harvesting system (BRAE)
• Native green garden and vegetable garden (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona)
• Eco-friendly windows (Pella Windows and Doors)
• STEM classroom, made possible by DeVry University
• Schoolhouse kitchen, made possible by Kraft Foods and IGA
• Durable door hardware earning LEED points, by Hager Companies
• Energy efficient fans, provided by Rite-Hite Fans
• “Next Generation” green restrooms by Sloan and Excel Dryer Inc.
• State-of-the-art water-bottle refilling stations, provided by Elkay Manufacturing
“It is amazing to see the community and corporate America collaborate to transform learning for these public schools,” said Marshall G. Zotara, co-founder and senior managing partner of Cause and Effect Evolutions. “Not only will the students benefit from learning in a healthier classroom setting, Studio will also serve as an integral part of the surrounding community.”
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Green Schoolhouse Series |
| Designed by Emc2 Group Architects Planners P.C., the new schoolhouse at Orangewood, called “Studio,” will serve as a teaching tool, educating the students and community members on the importance of sustainable living and building practices. |
The site was selected by GSHS leading partner Brighten a Life, a nonprofit organization focused on positively impacting the learning environments, living conditions and communities of disadvantaged children and families.
Brighten a Life works closely with school districts across the nation to identify schools in which a majority of the student body meets Title 1 specifications in low-income areas. Schools meeting this particular qualification are eligible to apply. Orangewood is a K-8 school in the Washington Elementary School District.
The organization selects the finalists, and ultimately the future Green Schoolhouse site, based on factors including a track record of or heightened interest in “green” and/or sustainable curriculum, extent of community involvement on campus, and the ability to maintain a LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) structure, GSHS said.
More information: www.greenschoolhouse.org.
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