Two LW schools enhance learning, conserves natural resources

Adds space for 1,380 elementary students in rapidly growing district

Redmond, Wash. – Students in Lake Washington School District (LWSD) will have a little more space to learn this fall. Two new elementary schools will open in September: Ella Baker Elementary, located in the Redmond Ridge East Community; and Clara Barton Elementary, located in North Redmond

Spaces for learning

Both new schools will feature 30 standard classrooms, plus music, art/science rooms, English Learner (EL), Safety Net and Special Education spaces, a library, a cafeteria/commons, a gymnasium and an outdoor covered play area.

Learning will extend beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. Sliding NanaWalls (bi-folding doors) open to shared learning spaces in each classroom wing. These flexible spaces, also included in other modernized LWSD schools, increase opportunities for collaboration and reflect an emphasis on project-based learning.

New SMART interactive boards will replace Activboards. All schools in Lake Washington are receiving SMART interactive boards over the next two years. Students interact with these electronic panels much like they would their own touch devices. Watch SMART boards in action.

Sustainable design

With LED lights and geothermal temperature control, future Ella Baker bears and Clara Barton bobcats will learn in schools designed to conserve resources as well as enrich learning. Sustainable geothermal loops will help keep the building a comfortable temperature. Water in the pipes warms (or cools) underground before returning to the surface. The heat is extracted to help control the temperature in the schools.

“We are excited to open these two new elementary schools,” said Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent. “As the district continues to grow, we are building new schools, expanding opportunities, and improving our existing programs. We value our partnership with parents, families, and the community, as we collectively support all our students. “

The new schools are named after Ella Baker, a civil-rights leader and mentor, and Clara Barton, a teacher and founder of the American Red Cross. These two women made a difference by dedicating their lives to service – a cornerstone of learning stressed by the principals of each school, Kim Bilanko and Karen Barker.

Conservation helps the environment and it also helps the district save money. In addition to energy savings from the geothermal heat system, occupancy sensors in each room turn lights off when no one is in the room.

Building materials were selected to reduce maintenance costs. Recycled materials were used where possible to reduce the impact on the environment. The lobbies at both schools feature wooden benches crafted with Douglas fir reclaimed from each site.