I thought the 120 mil would include an expansion of MEH? Am I mistaken or has the plan changed?
The $120 million is for the construction of a new GMHS and includes creating a shared kitchen with MEHMS. The renovation of MEHMS is to areas needing to be relocated (i.e. Band Room) as a result of the GMHS project. The project does not include expanding MEHMS.
The open access - seemingly clear sight-lines between hallways, classrooms, and gymnasium facilities: This seems like a huge distraction for students. I'm a teacher myself, and short of doing cartwheels in front of the class, it's hard to keep everyone's attention. The ability to see into the hallways and lounging space sounds like a nightmare of sensory overload to me.
Clear sight-lines in schools provide opportunities for student collaboration as well as a heightened sense of security. This method of design is being used in all 21st century educational spaces. Our experience has shown that initially a high degree of transparency is novel for the students and teachers alike, but soon becomes "normal" as the space outside the classroom is leveraged for learning.
Multi lingual signage throughout. English & Spanish as a minimum. Ideally I think signage should also be in the language of the local indigenous community in an effort to recognize them and to help preserve the language. Many languages are currently being lost and it is important to work to preserve our cultural heritage.
We are working with the design build team on the signage package. Thank you for you comment, we will take it into consideration.
Infuse art and opportunity for artistic performance and display throughout the site inside and out. For example: gallery / display spaces, an amphitheater, an allocated area for a future sculpture garden (perhaps alongside a key walkway), mosaics embedded within paths, projection and or digital screens (interior and exterior), wiring for sound and light installations (temporary or permanent).
The new design will provide many areas for students to display and create art.
Ensure all exterior lighting is carefully planned and controlled to ensure it is adequate where and when it is needed but light pollution is minimized.
All lighting will be dark sky compliant.
With so much glass being used ensure design minimizes bird strike.
The design will plan for avoidance of bird strikes.
What research process did the design team use to develop security features for the new school?
CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) principles were integrated into the design - three overlapping strategies were employed - controlling access, increasing opportunities for casual surveillance and promoting a sense of ownership. These principles are based on a combination of existing research results, field experience, and input from school staff and students.
Were there features considered and rejected, and if so, why?
No safety features have been considered and rejected as the design is still in development.
What security measures are there for students and teachers if a shooter is trapped in a corridor where doors have locked behind him/her?
Classrooms are being designed with connecting doors between them to enhance security and provide cover.
If classroom walls are glass and/or if a door has glass panels, are there areas where students can be invisible to a shooter in a corridor outside? Could someone shoot through the glass?
Classrooms are being designed with connecting doors between them to provide no visibility and secure cover. In addition, glazing will have a means of operable shading to block the view from the corridors. Someone could shoot through the glass, but the intent is that students will have access to safe cover away from glazing.
How do classroom door locks work? Could there be automatic locks that teachers can activate with a remote device?
Various active hardware solutions as part of a comprehensive safety and security strategy are currently being reviewed though no final decisions have been made.
Does every classroom allow access to an escape route or safe room if there is a shooter in a corridor?
Classrooms are being designed with connecting doors between them to provide no visibility and secure cover. Additionally there are multiple egress options at each floor.
Please describe the number and position of cameras.
In order to ensure student safety, FCCPS will not disclose exact locations or numbers of cameras in our facilities.
Do any features automatically trigger communications -- alerts being sent -- to the police if, for example, a corridor is locked? Is there a "panic button" teachers can use to send an alert to school security should trouble develop?
Technological solutions to safety and security will be included such as alerts, communication, automatic lock down, etc. and are currently being studied. Specific approaches have yet to be finalized.
If landscaping is part of the design plan, is there any use of plantings -- or structures -- to provide security barriers (i.e., to serve as "embassy grade" fences and walls)?
Structures, such as bollards, are planned for the entry plaza and are meant to provide vehicular security in this area. The entirety of the athletic zone will be fenced.
The open access - seemingly clear sight-lines between hallways, classrooms, and gymnasium facilities: I'm also concerned, God forbid, about the open access in a school shooting situation. What are law enforcement officers saying about the open design? I'm assuming that being able to see clearly into the classrooms would be a detriment to everyone's safety.
We have met with and are continuing to work with Falls Church City Police and Emergency Management to ensure the safety of the school. Wings of the instructional areas will be able to be secured in the event of an active shooter. Classrooms are being designed with connecting doors between them to provide no visibility and secure cover. In addition, glazing will have a means of operable shading to block the view from the corridors. Should evacuation be required from these secured areas, multiple means of egress are provided.
Use natural elements within the school, not just for direct sustainability purposes as discussed at the last public meeting, but also to provide staff and students with a connection to and appreciation for nature. The school aims for it's students to "care for the environment" as part of being an International Baccalaureate school so facilitating this is important.
Material selections will be studied during design development. Thank you for your comment.
Landscape to have a natural feel, emulating relevant natural local plant communities, using locally endemic plants, rather than having a formal feel using exotic plants. Important for providing habitat but also important to expose staff, students and the wider community to natural, more bio diverse, natural settings in order to make them more culturally acceptable for other sites (developed in the future) and also so that more people will consider them for their own homes. This setting would also provide curriculum link opportunities.
We will work with the schools to make sure the outdoors spaces will be didactic. Final landscape design and plant selection will be determined in the next phases and will be coordinated with the schools for ease of maintenance. Native plantings will be used to the greatest extent possible.
Certify the site as a 'Wildlife Habitat' by The National Wildlife Federation. Certify - Garden for Wildlife | National Wildlife Federation
We will look into this. Thank you.
Due to a lack of tree hollows etc on the site, please include logs, bird and bat boxes and insect hotels as part of the landscape design. If some of these could be wired for webcams this would also provide a significant resource for biology teachers at the school.
We will look into this. Thank you.
Since FCCPS are aiming to be the premier International Baccalaureate school system in the country, it would be useful I think to use this project to strengthen the systems international focus. I'm thinking that one way to do this would be to provide reference somewhere within the project (building or landscape) to Falls Church's Sister City of Kokolopori (Democratic Republic of Congo) (eg: could a space be allocated for a relevant artwork or similar with a sign (this could be part of an international art exchange project for art students perhaps)).
We will look into this. Thank you.
Will the new school have any additional vocational program spaces for HS students beyond maker space and other technology items? Specifically, some of the subjects we now bus students to Arlington for but could potentially provide (improve and expand) onsite, such as cosmetology, auto, television studio, electrical, carpentry, EMT, forensics, and more. Or even new subject areas not covered by the Arlington Career Center for which we could potentially receive students from Arlington or elsewhere. I hope that we are adequately considering the needs of students who may not be on a 4-year college track in the design and curriculum of the new HS.
The new design does include space for career and technical learning such as space for computer science classes, television production, robotics, etc. We are working with GMHS administration to determine further career and technical learning opportunities.
Since our class of 26 and onward will be attending the new GMHS, can you help us with a fact or fiction here: the new high school will have a full performance theater large enough to hold the student body and/or guests from the community? Or the new school will have a 600-dear auditorium...
The new auditorium is being designed to have more seats than the current auditorium. Currently there are 499 seats, and the design has 650 seats. The gym will have enough bleacher seating for entire student body plus guests on opening day.
Where will the storage for the Falls Church Concert Band instruments be located in the new GMHS? It is currently in GMHS.
Space will be provided for community band storage.
Seems to me the expanse of glass for the exterior wall of the competition gym must be more expensive than a regular concrete block wall. Plus the darkened glass will certainly cause issues with depth perception for shooting baskets during basketball season.
Our design build team is evaluating the effect of glazing in the gym regarding glare, light, etc.
The savings from not installing a glass wall should be put toward lights for the turf field. Between the FCC Parks and Rec Department and the Mason Athletics Department, the current stadium is rented out year round to the tune of $500,000 in annual revenue. If you light the turf field, we could stand to double that amount as demand for lighted fields is certainly high in this region.
We are working with Parks and Recreation to determine funding for the turf field lighting.
Several baseball families have been lobbying for the design team to flip the baseball field so home plate is in center field and visa versa. We’ve been told the baseball field will not be touched. It makes sense to flip it so we can install a press box for softball and baseball in the middle and will also reduce the cost of maintenance associated with the backstop net (a crane must be rented to make repairs to the tune of $50,000 a pop), but I also see the point of not touching it in order to save money since it will also entail moving the lights and renting fields during construction (which is probably impossible anyway due to a shortage of fields). I’d just like the design team to explore the best design and not be short-sighted about it.
The baseball field will not be renovated through this project. The budget does not allow for this scope. Thank you for your comment.
Please also consider moving the outfield fence in all around so the distance is 320 feet in the corners and 350-375 in the center field. Center field is currently close to +/-400 feet. Doing so might allow for the other fields to shift and provide more space for parking. Which we all know is much needed.
The baseball field will not be renovated through this project. The budget does not allow for this scope. Thank you for your comment.
Meeting space for local organizations has been woefully missing in our community for years. The new plan should include flexible space for meeting of groups with attendance ranging from 20 to 75 attendees. Pricing and support from staff should be comparable to the rates charged at the Community Center. Previous rates have been quite high, especially for non-profit groups.
The design includes flexible space that we anticipate will work well for meetings. We will evaluate our community use process and fees prior to the new high school opening.
The City of Falls Church Community Band has had use of rehearsal and storage spaces for years at GMHS and is very concerned that both spaces will continue to be available to them in the new configuration.
The new high school is a community asset and will continue to be available to the community band as well as other organizations.
Memorials relevant to the site that go beyond simpl relocation of existing memorials to recognize the sites pre and post colonial history (eg: recognition of original indigenous inhabitants & civil war). An opportunity to link to the curriculum and provide context to the site for future generations. Especially important I feel as the site is intended to be used by the wider community.
We will continue to work with the Education Foundation in respect to memorials and will look into your request. Thank you for your comment.
I am curious about specific meeting spaces and how they will be adjusted for different sized groups. I can't see holding a meeting on the grand staircase (or whatever they call it). Also, the price difference in scheduling at the Community Center and the schools is huge. When will prices be established? Will there be discounts for non-profits?
Plans and prices have not yet been established for community scheduling. The new high school is a community asset and will continue to be available for organizational use.