The design process for our elementary schools has officially begun! The first step is called the Discovery Process — which involves a collaborative, thorough, and data-driven series of engagements, conducted through numerous workshops.
During this phase, our designers, construction managers, and educators facilitated conversations and site visits with key stakeholders, to provide meaningful insights about the hopes and dreams for the future of Portage. Thank you to our leaders, educators and students for actively participating in this important process! Below are a few of the many photos we captured during the engagement sessions.
Staff Workshop
On Thursday, January 20, 2022, elementary principals and administrators met with our design and construction partners in a collaborative engagement session. Together, we reviewed emerging design concepts & case studies, and discussed opportunities for the future. During breakout sessions, small groups worked to confirm the district's programmatic priorities.
Engagement Sessions
In mid February, six individual engagement sessions were also held with the school communities for Central and Haverhill. Both schools conducted their own student sessions, all staff meetings, and community stakeholder sessions. The goal was to bring out the uniqueness of each school. This step of the design process is critical to developing and maintaining a true learning community. Portage should be very proud of the level of commitment we received from every level.
The Central Elementary staff and student engagement session that took place at the Central Middle School Cafeteria:
The Haverhill Elementary staff and student engagement that took place at Central Middle School community room:
These sessions continued the momentum from the community’s 2019 Ed Specs. The results of the process provided insights to current constraints and design opportunities that build on the vision of Portage Public Schools, to inform the designs of the new buildings. We can't wait to share continuous design updates with you in the coming months!