Page 72 - LearningSCAPES 2021

SESSIONABSTRACTS continued...
implications for school planning when we fully commit to biophilic practices and to building structures with wood and other
carbon friendly materials. Learning Objectives:
• Suggest opportunities to strengthen a causal link between learning and the natural world.
• Understand the natural relationship between learning and place.
• Learn about the connection between structural material selections and the spirit of the place.
• Explore our responsibility as designers to align learning styles and teaching pedagogies, with biophilic facility solutions for
2070 learning.
Patrick Donnelly, Director of Sustainable Design, Integrus Architecture
Patrick leads Integrus Architecture’s sustainable design and environmental stewardship initiative. As a K12 architect, Patrick applies his knowledge of sustainable building to schools, searching for that intersection where teaching pedagogies are supported by a biophilic structure. Patrick’s recent research seeks to align best and next practices in teaching, learning, and social development with the opportunities and constraints presented by low embodied carbon building practices. His work in the K12 arena is consistently recognized for it’s thoughtful approach to carbon reduction and sustainable building practices.
Theresa Daniel, Director of Structural Engineering, Integrus Architecture
Theresa leads Integrus Architecture’s structural engineers. With a degree in architectural design and a career focused on creating innovation in learning environments, she has been responsible for the design of more than 40 new and renovated school projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. Theresa’s focus is to provide biophilic structural solutions that align with educational goals and resonate with learners. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including two McConnell F\finalists, and three national AIA CAE awards.
Saturday, October 16, 2021 - 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Dancing with the Yeti; how three resilient Iron Range communities in Northern Minnesota and two
formerly competitive school districts remarkably came together and joined forces around a hopeful Next
Century Vision for Learning to reinvigorate optimism
1 LU
Like many rural school districts around the country, for years the Iron Range in Northern Minnesota has experienced a declining population base, dwindling resources, and deteriorating school facilities. For years people have said nothing would ever change and there was little hope for improvement. That belief has changed... This session will chronical the tale of resilience and transformation of three communities in Northern Minnesota and the newly formed Rock Ridge Public School District from the perspective of their visionary superintendent Dr. Noel Schmidt supported by Cuningham’s Principal Judy Hoskens and Lead Interior Designer Hailey Wrasman, who led Cuningham’s student engagement sessions. The session is intended as a concrete example of this year’s conference theme and will focus on the many obstacles that had to be overcome (which have come to be known as the “Yeti”) and the steps taken to engage communities in the design process. The process resulted in the design of three new Next Century school environments: one new 7-12 academy-style high school and two new elementary schools, which will be presented as evidence of how the design reflects their bold vision of the future. The session will also cover the remarkable logistics involved in securing funding and consolidating school districts: -working for years on cooperative building efforts and secured $96,000,000 in funding from the State of Minnesota’s unique IRRRB program which funds investments in the growth
of rural Minnesota communities. -passing measures in two separate school districts to fund a cooperative building project