Dear Kits Staff:

Please find below a compilation of your comments from our discussion on Friday (Dec. 5, 2008).  (In some cases, the notes were identified by department or staff names, while some were not).

If you have additional comments or would like to provide any other feedback, please reply to agrant@vsb.bc.ca.

Thanks,

Alex

MATH

• Smart Board and wireless connectivity – remote access to whatever
• Separate clusters of subject areas (hubs) - examples: Magee, Johnston Heights, Frank Hurt, Walnut Grove, Cambie
• Space for student movement and for project storage
• Central storage areas for sharing supplies and resources (organized cupboards and shelves)
• Windows that open
• Combine with Community Centre and Library

MODERN LANGUAGES

• Departments should be clustered (by having pods, teachers with same subjects/levels can share resource, etc. and engage in frequent discussions)
• Offices close to classrooms would be useful to make phone calls, for storage and a place to work quietly with no distractions
• No windows facing other classes
• A language lab with computers and headphones for student practice
• Whiteboards in all classrooms
• Laptops with LCD projectors for power point, note taking, etc.
• Less paper waste
• Online attendance
• Cafeteria/Presentation area (lounge feel)
• All teachers should have homepage for parents/students update weekly – examples Lockview High, Ridgecliff Middle

CROSS-CURRICULAR

• Inner conference room within counselling suite
• Glass study rooms in library
• Working cafeteria
• Courtyard accessible from classrooms
• Access to outdoors from classrooms
• Flex space/multiuse open to reservations (similar to studio space)
• Ceiling mounted LCD projectors
• One sink for hand washing in every room
• Language lab
• Classrooms (4) clustered around a common area
• Shower and locker facilities for staff
• More staff toilets
• Department offices with materials and resources
• Laptops in classrooms
• Recycling for more categories of waste (batteries, plastics, composting)

?

• Natural light
• Movable desks (without cubby holes)
• Mounted projectors
• Simplicity of access to technology
• Laptop connectivity (power cords, wireless internet)
• Connectivity outside of classroom (internet, access to nature)
• Space that pulls for inclusivity(soften hard edges, move from square shapes to circular space)
• Connection to natural world (access to outdoors, good air quality, outdoor space for class use)
• Space that pulls for collaborative approaches (movable walls, multiple spaces for staff to collaborate – flexible spaces)
• Central meeting open space to gather (lounge, visibly connected)
• Space that can flex from big to small, desks to movement, lounge/presentation space
• Contemplative/quiet space (reflective space <no internet, no mp3, rooftop, live plants, meditative space, non-denominational prayer space> connection to nature, resting space, rooms where shoes are removed, sacred space)
• Performance space that is flexible and has amazing acoustics
• Courtyards with beautiful garden space for teaching (flexible space for teaching in nature, covered and uncovered space with natural light, decent outdoor seating options, outdoor meeting space, lounge for students, year round heating, access to fire space, access to `ritual space`- inclusivity for aboriginal peoples and other cultures

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

• Library on 1^st floor for delivery access, centrally located, natural lighting
• Honour our native connection to the land
• Archives, conference room wired for computer, projectors, more wireless access
• Counselling – presentation space for teaching, speakers, etc. (shared with library?)
• Areas for student lounge (not connected too close to teaching areas, space for junior students and for senior students)
• Accessing information skills, making use of their networking skills – more emphasis on structure underlying knowledge to create self learners

PE

• Retain and upgrade the main gym
• Build additional gym space equal to main gym
• Large weight room
• Gym access on weekends
• 6 tennis courts on the property
• Strong PE, Extracurricular athletics, and links with the community require additional space and access

CROSS-CURRICULAR

• No more traditional/tubular desks (round tables on wheels)
• Lots of computers in each classroom
• Projectors in each room
• Common space off of classrooms that is sound proof
• Classrooms able to absorb noise
• Black out blinds/external shutters
• Clusters of different subject areas with different prep areas which lends itself to cross-curricular dialogue
• Teacher control of temperature in classrooms
• White boards and SMART boards in each room
• Wireless networks
• Ability to connect with schools globally
• Cork floors (or something easier to stand on)
• Ergonomic chairs
• No solid walls so two classrooms could work together
• Shared prep rooms
• Sky lights or common area with glass
• Photocopier out of the staffroom
• Multipurpose classrooms
• Swimming pool
• Maintain the green space
• Multi community centre/school building and other community programs in one building
• Community library
• Tour UBC Main library renovation

?

• Soundproof dividing wall between certain classrooms for occasional team teaching (i.e., ESL)
• Conference room/MPR room – adjustable for size/privacy for meetings, presentations
• Have AV resources in all rooms (e.g., English/SS which show a movie at end of each unit)
• Department resource space with photocopiers, outside phone line, etc., in midst of department classrooms (e.g., Science to store chemicals to avoid having to run around to acquire them)
• More (female) staff washrooms
• Desks for students without storage inside to collect junk.  Ones that promote better posture (adjustable heights)
• Separate lecture room and lab room for science to coordinate, depending on lessons – upgraded lab
• SMART boards, LCDs, or at least improved chalkboards well positioned and clearly visible in each room

ARTS

• Ventilation, high ceilings, multipurpose
• Atrium – a place for display
• Studio space – black box
• Art closer to Tech area
• Difficult to integrate/proximity to regular classrooms
• Clean-up areas – smaller space, drainage, etc.
• Storage in breezeways
• Flexible space
• Windows in classroom vs. wall (with blinds) – great way to ‘advertise’ classes
• More teacher control of heat and light

SPED

• 2 Skills rooms with an opening between them and computers in each room
• Smaller attached room (quiet area) for students to take exams
• Office area attached (where confidential files are stored)

CREATING SYNERGY

• Shared multipurpose studio space (little black box, green screen lighting, photo, video, life drawings, small drama productions
• Open space ‘Atrium’ – shared, flexible, exhibit space, visible/transparent, indoor/outdoor, space for students to hang out
• Spaces built for Tech/Art/MES production (i.e., Art School – ECUAD) indoor/outdoor
• Integrate social and learning
• Intimate and safe
• Prep spaces that have windows into public space and classrooms
• Nice quiet bathrooms for staff

SCIENCE

• Movable benches
• Open space/ large room – able to move between benches
• Benches with gas and sinks (half may be around the room)
• Storage, double sinks, prep room, phone
• Lab Tech, better equipment, central storage of equipment and chemicals
• Structured for hands-on activities
• Set rooms for biology, chemistry, physics labs
• White boards
• Stickable walls
• Surround sound, AV equipment
• Proper demonstration platform/bench (high enough for students to see)
• Staff lounge
• Better cafeteria food
• Mounted microscope with connection to video camera/LCD projector

?

• Language classrooms that are full at 25 students
• Working cafeteria with edible food
• Classrooms in pods by subject area
• Wireless computer networks
• No folding walls (too thin, can hear everything)

• Ceiling mounted LCD projectors in all rooms
• No ‘announcement’ TVs in the rooms
• Staff showers
• Desks without storage slots
• No fluorescent lights
• ‘Holding area’ for late arrivals to be dismissed/sent to class when teacher calls for them/admin deals with them
• Volume control on PA in classroom
• Language labs
• Dedicated photocopy room
• Dedicated teacher prep room separate from staff room
• Outside phone lines any time of day
• Whiteboards not chalkboards
• Multifunction space (food, stage area) in addition to a proper cafeteria

BUSINESS ED

• Partnership between school and community
• Kits High space must integrate with flow of the neighbourhood
• Students learn form the world not the computer/e-mails
• The physical building must have solid immovable walls of security and flexible embracing space of safety
• No more than 2 floors
• Nature: plants, trees
• Must be homage to our history

ENGLISH/BUSINESS ED/SOCIALS

• Ability to use computers in the classroom
• Resource or office space for each department
• Central staff room
• As few storeys in the building as possible
• Built in projector for multimedia (video, power point, etc.)
• Classrooms as big as possible

Alex Grant

Principal

Kitsilano Secondary School

2550 West 10th Avenue

Vancouver, B.C.

V6K 2J6

604-713-8961

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