FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- Fort Campbell is forging its way into the 21st century -- in terms of education.
A new Barkley Elementary is currently under construction behind Wassom Middle School, and workers are scheduled to break ground on a new Marshall Elementary at any time. These projects signal the start of a wave of military construction projects to update on-post schools, many of which were built in the 1950s.
Barkley, a project worth more than $38 million, was awarded to SBH Services and CORE Construction. Construction began about six months ago on the completely new facility. The Marshall project also clocks in at just under $35 million, with Walsh Federal serving as the main contractor on the new school. Instead of merely providing a new, traditional school location, these two construction projects signal a change in focus by the Department of Defense Education Activity to provide schools that will guide students into a technological, global workforce. DoDEA currently plans to renovate or replace 134 of its 194 schools worldwide.
"We're just very fortunate to have the ability to provide our students with a first-class education and first-class facilities," said DoDEA Kentucky District Education Operations Manager Kathleen Sanchez. "It's cutting-edge. We're leading the way."
Included in the plans for the schools are features such as removable partitions that in turn provide better acoustics. The new design should make for a more collaborative, technologically-friendly learning environment. These concepts differ from Barsanti Elementary, which although completed in 2011, was still built under DoDEA's more traditional school model. DoDEA is now using a 21st Century School concept, which will be incorporated into each school construction project.
"It's evolved quite a bit," said Robert Hilgartner Jr., a community planner in Fort Campbell's Directorate of Public Works master plans division. "Over the last four years that I've been working with the schools, the design and the concepts have just constantly morphed and changed as better ideas come out."
These ideas should signal a more open, hands-on classroom experience for Soldiers' children. Both Barkley and Marshall will feature 21st century learning concepts, such as learning neighborhoods, central hubs, flex labs and information centers.
"In the old standard, traditional classrooms where every teacher had a space, and he had 20 kids … everything was by book," Hilgartner said. "Everything now is going electronic -- iPads. The rooms are not traditional office space rooms."
Even the build itself will serve as the first teaching tool when Barkley Elementary is complete.
"At Barkley, they've put up a camera," Hilgartner said. "They're going to film it every day, and then make a time elapsed film of the construction from cradle to grave as it goes up. That film will be inside the school to where the kids can actually watch it being built all the time."
Current plans show a capacity of 740 students for the new Barkley, with approximately 142,000 square feet of space. Similarly at Marshall, the multi-level building will be more than 111,000 square feet with room for 647 students.
"They are substantially larger than what is currently in place," Hilgartner said. "They're supporting larger populations."
The facilities will also be in line with green initiatives and energy conservation considerations, Hilgartner explained.
"We're striving for LEED Silver on all the buildings, so they will be very energy conservative," he said. "Part of that concept includes outdoor learning, greenhouses, green roofs, making the storm water features to where they're teaching tools."
Building materials such as insulated concrete forms will be used as part of the structure, which provides both energy savings and a quicker build time, while still providing durability and stability, Hilgartner said.
"At Barkley, we're going to be doing geothermal," Hilgartner said. "It's going to have LED lighting out in the parking that's all controlled."
Barring any budget constraints, Fort Campbell should see replacement projects for several other on-post schools, starting with the high school. Officials are now in the design stage for the addition of a fourth/fifth grade wing to Barsanti Elementary and replacement of Jackson Elementary. Hilgartner expects the Fort Campbell High School project to get awarded sometime in early 2015.
"[It will have a] competitive soccer field, track, tennis courts, outdoor learning areas, amphitheaters, everything," he said of the high school. "It's a beautiful concept. It's right around the same price -- $38 million."
Hilgartner said Barkley Elementary is on schedule for completion in early 2016.
Related Links:
Fort Campbell Courier on Twitter
Social Sharing