Thu Oct 29•8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

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FOMO: We’ve Transformed our School and You Can Too!

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)TRACK 5: Building for Safety & Well-Being—from Construction to Completion

Pleasant Lea Middle School struggled with a cramped, dark, and mazelike environment that undermined student wellbeing, wayfinding, and created an inequitable learning environment. The collaborative design process centered on reorganizing and modernizing the physical environment through sensory-aware, inclusive, and wellness-driven principles. The result is a dramatic shift — from disorienting and dim to airy, bright, and intuitive — proving that thoughtful environmental design can fundamentally change how students and staff feel, move, and perform.

Speakers

Martha KauffmanAssistant Director of Design and Construction, Lee's Summit R-7 Schools

Matt ThorntonArchitect and Project Manager, Dake Wells Architecture

Brandon DakeExecutive Director, Architect and Principal in Charge, Dake Wells Architecture

Kyle GorrellDirector of Facilities, Lee's Summit R-7 School District

Shawn RandlesEducation Specialist, Dake-Wells Architecture

More Information

Tags:Group B

Allow Registration:No

Capacity Unlimited:No

Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:N/A

Learner Engagement:We will interact and collaborative with all the adult learners by engaging them in digital tools such as Padlet and Menti-meter; We will facilitate interactive, choice-based small groups based on experience driven case studies provided by the learners; We will use micro-learning feedback through pictorial storytelling.

Learning Objective 1:IDENTIFY specific environmental design elements — including acoustics, lighting, materiality, and spatial layout — that directly impact the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social wellbeing of students, educators, and staff in more collaborative learning environment without sacrificing safety and security.

Related Sessions

Wed Oct 28•8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

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Operating in the Grey: Campus Safety, De-escalation, and Technology

Campus safety shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. This session …Campus safety shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. This session explores a “grey” approach — promoting wellbeing, supporting neurodiversity, and integrating physical safety so people feel secure, supported, and able to perform at their best. Us…Campus safety shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. This session explores a “grey” approach — promoting wellbeing, supporting neurodiversity, and integrating physical safety so people feel secure, supported, and able to perform at their best. Using real-life examples spanning K-12, higher education, and healthcare, attendees will learn layered strategies — passive design, intuitive planning, and scalable systems — that support inclusivity, e…Campus safety shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. This session explores a “grey” approach — promoting wellbeing, supporting neurodiversity, and integrating physical safety so people feel secure, supported, and able to perform at their best. Using real-life examples spanning K-12, higher education, and healthcare, attendees will learn layered strategies — passive design, intuitive planning, and scalable systems — that support inclusivity, engagement, and outcomes, while addressing evolving threats in order to transform safety into a proactive asset.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)Session TypeTRACK 5: Building for Safety & Well-Being—from Construction to CompletionSession Track

Ric EverettSenior Security Consultant, IMEG

Jennifer McKeelVice President and Senior Designer in Health Science + Interprofessional Education, HKS, Inc.

Kristen AmbrosePrincipal and Practice Leader, Education & Planning, HKS, Inc.

Ric EverettSenior Security Consultant, IMEG

Jennifer McKeelVice President and Senior Designer in Health Science + Interprofessional Education, HKS, Inc.

Kristen AmbrosePrincipal and Practice Leader, Education & Planning, HKS, Inc.

More InformationExpand it to see more information related session.

Tags:Group B

Allow Registration:No

Capacity Unlimited:No

Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:This session addresses how the planning and design of campus environments directly impact occupant wellbeing, health and safety. Attendees will explore human-centered, layered security strategies, including passive design, intuitive planning, and integrated technology systems—that support inclusion and create a welcoming atmosphere while mitigating risk, supporting de-escalation, and responding to evolving threats. Through real-world case studies across K-12, higher education, and healthcare settings, the session demonstrates how design decisions can promote inclusivity and neurodiversity, enhance physical safety, and improve overall user outcomes in the built environment.

Learner Engagement:This session is structured to connect content to real-world challenges and leverage participant experience. Using case study examples from K-12, higher education, and healthcare environments, attendees will be prompted to evaluate and compare layered safety strategies—such as passive design, intuitive planning, and integrated technology—against their own project contexts. Interactive discussion will be incorporated throughout, encouraging participants to share perspectives on balancing inclusivity, safety, and operational constraints. Scenario-based prompts will invite attendees to consider how de-escalation strategies and security systems can be applied in different campus settings, reinforcing practical application and peer-to-peer learning beyond a lecture-style format.

Learning Objective 1:Identify practical approaches for balancing inclusivity, user experience, safety, and operational constraints in new and existing campus projects.

Wed Oct 28•1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

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Building Momentum: Leveraging Phase 1 Success to Ignite a Multi-Phase Campus Evolution

Master plans are often viewed as static documents, but their true powe…Master plans are often viewed as static documents, but their true power lies in their ability to adapt and build momentum through phased execution. In this session, Eric Lombardi (Head of School, Fort Worth Country Day) joins Jamie Sartory and Rebecc…Master plans are often viewed as static documents, but their true power lies in their ability to adapt and build momentum through phased execution. In this session, Eric Lombardi (Head of School, Fort Worth Country Day) joins Jamie Sartory and Rebecca Sibley (Lake|Flato Architects) to deconstruct the journey of a campus in mid-transformation. Discover how the success of the new Lower School — a project rooted in biophilic design and campus identi…Master plans are often viewed as static documents, but their true power lies in their ability to adapt and build momentum through phased execution. In this session, Eric Lombardi (Head of School, Fort Worth Country Day) joins Jamie Sartory and Rebecca Sibley (Lake|Flato Architects) to deconstruct the journey of a campus in mid-transformation. Discover how the success of the new Lower School — a project rooted in biophilic design and campus identity — created the institutional "buy-in" necessary to launch Phase 2: The Upper School.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)Session TypeTRACK 5: Building for Safety & Well-Being—from Construction to CompletionSession Track

Jamie SartorySenior Associate, Lake Flato Architects

Rebecca SibleySenior Associate, Lake Flato Architects

Eric LombardiHead of School, Fort Worth Country Day

Jamie SartorySenior Associate, Lake Flato Architects

Rebecca SibleySenior Associate, Lake Flato Architects

Eric LombardiHead of School, Fort Worth Country Day

More InformationExpand it to see more information related session.

Tags:Group B

Allow Registration:No

Capacity Unlimited:No

Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:This session meets AIA HSW guidelines under Environmental Health and Social Welfare. It details how to improve daylighting, connections to nature, acoustics, indoor air quality and thermal comfort through biophilic design and passive systems in both new construction and reuse/renovation. It addresses safety and welfare by analyzing how inclusive, "loose-fit" programming supports the social and emotional wellness of neurally diverse student populations

Learner Engagement:To engage attendees, we will utilize live digital polling to understand their experience with master planning (i.e. Who has developed or completed a campus master plan in the past three years?) We will then benchmark the audience by inviting them to choose from four primary drivers behind that effort: growth and enrollment, campus identity and experience, deferred maintenance/renewal, or other. Then ask a few volunteers to briefly share their experiences—what shaped the plan, what challenges emerged, and how it has (or hasn’t yet) translated into implementation and momentum.

Learning Objective 1:Describe key strategies for designing a holistic process in a master plan that prioritized renovation over new construction

Wed Oct 28•2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

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Small Environmental Features, Big Impacts on Teacher Collaboration Networks

This session presents new evidence showing how micro‑level workspace c…This session presents new evidence showing how micro‑level workspace conditions — specifically natural light, views, and task lighting — relate to teachers’ positions within organizational communication networks. Using full‑population sociometric ana…This session presents new evidence showing how micro‑level workspace conditions — specifically natural light, views, and task lighting — relate to teachers’ positions within organizational communication networks. Using full‑population sociometric analysis and spatial perception data from a K–6 school, the study demonstrates that workspace affordances significantly predict closeness centrality in advice‑seeking and social networks. Findings highli…This session presents new evidence showing how micro‑level workspace conditions — specifically natural light, views, and task lighting — relate to teachers’ positions within organizational communication networks. Using full‑population sociometric analysis and spatial perception data from a K–6 school, the study demonstrates that workspace affordances significantly predict closeness centrality in advice‑seeking and social networks. Findings highlight how small environmental features influence collaboration, knowledge flow, and organizational resilience, offering a systems‑level model for evidence‑based educational design.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)Session TypeTRACK 5: Building for Safety & Well-Being—from Construction to CompletionSession Track

Jeremy DwyerCannonDesign

Felix KaboCannonDesign

Sarah HoltonCannonDesign

Sean McCartySeneca Valley School District

Jeremy DwyerCannonDesign

Felix KaboCannonDesign

Sarah HoltonCannonDesign

Sean McCartySeneca Valley School District

More InformationExpand it to see more information related session.

Tags:Group B

Allow Registration:No

Capacity Unlimited:No

Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:N/A

Learner Engagement:This session is intentionally designed around adult learning principles that prioritize relevance, participation, reflection, and application. Rather than a traditional lecture, the 60 minutes will be structured as a series of short content segments paired with interactive engagement, allowing participants to actively interpret evidence and connect it to their own professional contexts. [EDspaces 2...sentations | Word] We will begin with a brief framing presentation (10–12 minutes) introducing the research question, methods, and key findings linking micro‑level workspace conditions—such as natural light, views, and task lighting—to teachers’ positions within organizational communication networks. This establishes a shared foundation while respecting adult learners’ preference for concise, purposeful content. The session then shifts to interactive evidence exploration. Working in small groups, participants will review simplified network diagrams, spatial perception visuals, and key metrics from the study. Guided prompts—such as “Where do you see space shaping collaboration in your own schools or projects?”—encourage peer‑to‑peer learning and leverage participants’ existing expertise. [EDspaces 2...sentations | Word] Midway through the session, we will facilitate a whole‑group discussion to synthesize insights across groups and explore implications for design, operations, and policy. Rather than presenting conclusions as fixed answers, participants will collectively interpret patterns and surface real‑world constraints. The session concludes with application and reflection, asking participants to identify a current or upcoming project or decision and consider how micro‑environmental affordances could intentionally support collaboration, knowledge flow, or resilience. Select participants will share takeaways, reinforcing learning through reflection and dialogue. Throughout, engagement is sustained through short presentations, visual artifacts, small‑group discussion, and direct application—modeling how evidence‑based design thinking operates within the broader learning ecosystem

Learning Objective 1:Explain how micro environmental workspace features influence organizational communication networks and why these relationships matter for collaboration, wellbeing, and school performance.