Community centered schools

Jon Boyd, Jun 30, 10.

What is a community centered school? According to an article published by the International City/County Management Association, the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection agency recently gathered experts, who concluded that Community Centered Schools share the following attributes:

…is located near residents, which allows the option of biking and walking to school;

…uses existing buildings, roads, sewers wherever possible;

…anchors local businesses and surrounding property values, while providing a sense of identity;

…is relatively small so that it fits well within the neighborhood;

…shares facilities (e.g. auditoriums, sports facilities, libraries, computer labs, etc.) with other groups;

…is broadly supported by the community because its facilities are used by residents of all ages; and

…whose location is determined through a broad, participatory process.

Renee Kuhlman, with NTHP, who authored the article, makes two recommendations to work toward community centered schools. First, create flexible form-based standards for schools. Specifically, drop the minimum acreage requirement. It makes it harder to find a sufficiently large parcel within a neighborhood. More than likely, these larger campuses lead to a longer walk, and sometimes they decrease the number of students who have access through active transportation.

The second recommendation is eliminating proscriptions against renovation of existing schools. The requirement to build a new school may result in a less campus less accessible to students.

(Photo Credit: Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Note: This is a picture of Lanier Middle School, which first opened in 1926 and is located in the relatively dense neighborhood of Montrose.)