First Classroom Building

Phase I of the school’s master site plan — involving the construction of a 13,500 square foot classroom building and site infrastructure including roadways, parking lots, and landscaping — was completed in September 2003.

With natural wood siding and barn-like roof, the building conforms to the rural character of the surrounding neighborhood. The grounds include gardens and woodlands for environmental study.

The interior consists of spacious classrooms to an average of 14 students per grade, along with a teacher's lounge, a morning gathering space, and interior play space. Each classroom opens directly onto the surrounding grounds to facilitate both recreation and field studies as an integral part of the daily curriculum.

The overall building includes the latest in environmentally-sensitive and energy-efficient design. Clerestories provide passive-solar heating, supplemented by geothermal heating and cooling systems. Rain water runoff and grey water are recycled to maintain the surrounding plantings, and the remaining wastes are processed in the most environmental methods available. Our overall goal is to teach in a building that not only houses the students but serves as a model to study responsible living.

• The architects (Ford Farewell Mills & Gatsch)
   
• Environmental design standards (LEED certification)
   
• Landscape design (Back to Nature Landscape Associates)
   
• Water quality management (Natural Systems International.)