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Jul 18, 2023

Aromas/San Juan schools considering new design ideas for classrooms

Modern classroom designs and new ideas for presenting instruction could be on

Modern classroom designs and new ideas for presenting instruction could be on their way throughout the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District—and the results might take some people by surprise as traditional rows of desks and static chalkboards give way to more comfortable and adaptable learning spaces.

The future of the district's approach to how classrooms might be reimagined was the subject of a town hall presentation by educational designer David Jakes on May 18 at Anzar High School.

Jakes had spent the week of Jan. 9 visiting classrooms and seeking opinions about the state of the schools from students, teachers and administrators. He also held a town hall meeting on Jan. 12 to receive community input.

"One of the things that people often forget about school design," Jakes said, "is that it is designed for kids. You can design for teachers to be able to teach them, but they are distinctly student spaces. So how do you design a space that makes kids want to stay there?"

With the advent of the internet, Jakes cited changes in the way contemporary children study on their own, doing homework together in places that have wi-fi access, like Starbucks.

"They open up the Chromebooks, they work for a couple of minutes, then they check something on their phones," he said.

"Then they have a conversation with the person across from them and then they repeat. It's this mix of phones, computers and discussion. That's how they learn and that's something they like to do."

Jakes presented a list of concepts he described as "design drivers" that he considered to be important in changing the layout and content of schools for modern students.

As examples of these concepts, he presented images of modern classroom ideas, asking participants at the town hall to vote as to whether they liked it.

One which most participants were indifferent toward or generally disliked was a redesigned library with mismatched furniture at different heights and selections of colors that, on the face of things, made the room visually confusing.

However, Jakes said students almost universally identified that room as one they would like to have at their school, praising the open spaces, the portability of the chairs and desks and the casual atmosphere that made it more appealing as a gathering place.

Another nontraditional classroom he displayed was a multiuse science and mechanical classroom with a simple design of high tables and chairs, overhead hanging power sources, easily available exterior spaces and high ceilings.

"The mobility of the equipment, the tables and the chairs make it flexible, agile and adaptive," Jakes said. "It is supremely welcoming and lets students come to the learning experience in multiple ways."

The design concepts extended to afterschool activities, such as a classroom that Jakes described as an "Esports arena" with widescreen monitors and dark lighting. It depicted students competing in video games against another school.

"Every kid has a competitive streak in him or her," he said, "and not every kid can be the quarterback of the high school football team. But this is an opportunity for kids that are not athletic. And it is a platform for kids who are disabled to be able to compete as well, so you are creating an inclusive environment."

Jakes said that creating spaces like the arena not only improved student engagement but provided opportunities for scholarships to colleges and universities specializing in cutting-edge technology.

Following his presentation, Jakes told BenitoLink that the school district still had to decide the scope of what they wanted to accomplish in terms of their priorities, governed by the available spaces and funding.

"There are a lot of holes to fill in the planning going forward," he said, "and it is going to take a number of years. But there are a lot of opportunities for the district to improve the student experience here and it is just a matter of taking the first steps."

District Superintendent Barbara Dill Varga said that she was looking forward to the community's support as the design work goes forward to transform the Aromas and San Juan schools into signature projects.

"We have good feedback and direction as we evaluate the use of these pilot classrooms," she said. "The board has some reserves for furniture and they haven't had plans yet to spend it, but I think we’re going to be designing furniture. We will try different classroom ideas at each site and I think we’ll learn a lot."

Dill Varga also said that the question of relocating San Juan Elementary School away from the San Andreas earthquake fault still hinged on the completion of seismic surveys, which she anticipates will be finished in June.

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