School Description
Centennial Elementary School is located in the northwest corner of the Denver Public School District. Site 157, school 297 is situated east of Berkeley Park and one block south of I-70. The boundaries of the 6.7-acre site are 47th St. to the north, 46th St. to the south, Raleigh St. on the east and Tennyson to the west. Berkeley Park and Lake sit directly to the west.
The school teaches approximately 640 students, ECE (Early Childhood Education) to fifth grade. “Centennial School offers a comprehensive program to insure success for all of our students. These services includes ECE (Early Childhood Education), ESL (English as a Second Language), Special Education Programs, as well as 24 classes in K-5. Centennial provides an evening music program for students at every grade level, and as a Conservatory School chosen to work with Colorado Children’s’ Chorale. We have an excellent PE program in which students participate in daily, and our library, as it uses technology, is an exciting and integral part of our school” (Centennial Homepage). A Kaleidoscope program is also in operation providing on site day care before and after normal class time for a fee.
“Centennial is an award-winning OM (Odyssey of the Mind) and Reflections school, a school committed to Literacy (as Reflect by the ITBS test scores last year), and a model site for the integration of students with severe disabilities into the classroom” (Centennial Homepage). “One of the unique features of Centennial School is the mutual respect which exists among students, staff and community. With the exception of two neighborhood buses, the students in regular classes walk to school. The ethnic composition is approximately 53% Hispanic and 45% Anglo. The families in the community show a commitment to education and demonstrate the high expectations for achievement shared by the staff. The faculty is continually striving for more effective methods to enhance student achievement and to prepare students for the future” (Centennial Homepage).
Learning Landscapes Description
This master plan calls for educational classroom gardens, multiple mural walls, and an outdoor stage organized around the building to take full advantage of the entire schoolyard.
Centennial School for Expeditionary Learning
Construction Date
2004
Landscape Architect
GPD Land Design
Play Equipment Vendor
Play World Systems
Master Plan
Vision
From the constituent group meetings a list of proposed goals and objectives have been formulated. These goals take in account Denver Public Schools mission as well as the statements made by the constituent groups.
Goals
- Provide learning tools in the landscape.
“What they need to do includes making things, taking then apart, and completely rearranging all the parts. And having hideaways and meeting places, and lookouts with vistas, and places that can be transformed instantly,” Tony Hiss and Ed Koren, Child’s Play - Improve site conditions to promote community use.
“Children work on the projects around schools, but Cozart has extended the program to include adults as well. After each project is finished, community members – with their newfound skills – maintain the trees and gardens.” Kathryn Tenusak, Greenings from Harlem - Designate space outside for a classroom.
“Imagine a classroom with the sky for a ceiling and earth as a floor. This classroom without walls is bustling with activity as a young scientists explore the world of bugs and leaves, mathematicians measure rainfall, count seeds and graph their gardens growth, actors rehearse their play on a windy stage, artists sketch shadows and light, and linguist name the landscape with a thousand words.” Kirk Meyer, Boston Schoolyard Initiative - Improve circulation/safety.
“Children love to play – especially outdoors. The outdoor environment provides unique opportunities for play and learning. However, children can only benefit from playing outdoors if it is safe.” NYPIRG’S Playground Safety Report 1998 - Provide handicap accessible play equipment.
“The design was developed with input from the local community, the play area integrates children of varying abilities, and the goal was not simply to provide a space for physical stimulation, but to create an environment that encourages social and intellectual development as well.” Susan Goltsman, ASLA Moore Icafano Goltsman, Inc
Design Development
Description
This master plan calls for educational classroom gardens, multiple mural walls, and an outdoor stage organized around the building to take full advantage of the entire schoolyard.
Illustrative Drawing
Design Development Drawings
Presentation Boards
3D Model Photos
Construction Documentation
