Kennedy Elementary School Renovation

Schiller Park, Illinois

Firm

DLA Architects, Ltd.

Client

Schiller Park School District 81

Area

23,159 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$3,473,850

Completion Date

08/2017

District 81’s mission is to ensure success in all areas of development and to provide a child-centered environment. The design team focused every aspect of the renovation toward those goals.
Renovations of the special education spaces align with the continuum of services offered in the district. These highly structured environments are tailored to meet the specialized academic and therapeutic learning needs of students. Communication, motor skills, sensory needs, and activities of daily living are all embedded in the learning experience within these renovated spaces.
Each learning studio in the remodeled second-grade cohort features:
• a shared breakout space where students can engage in independent and collaborative learning
• access to technology
• flexible furniture that enables movement
• generous storage for the supplies that STEM projects often require
• coveted window seats that enable independent learners to read a book or observe the world outside.
Teachers and staff gained access to multiple spaces for professional development.
Moving the lockers from corridors to classrooms created a learning environment along circulation paths. These open breakout spaces provide more opportunities for collaborative, group work.