Flexible design makes effective classrooms

By Brian Cassidy, AIA

Unlike other educational venues, churches are called upon to provide classroom facilities and support spaces for all age groups, from infants to seniors. This multitude of uses requires rooms of differing sizes to incorporate a variety of furnishings, equipment and technology. As a result, most classrooms on church campuses are flexible in nature.

Early discussions about classroom design must focus on circulation and access issues impacting the educational process, including how all internal hallways will be accessed through limited points and if each major room will have an exterior entry point from the open campus. Simply put, the least number of available entry points provides the highest level of security control.

In a more open plan, initial construction and operational utility costs might be less with the elimination of air-conditioned space, but the pros and cons of lessened security also must be weighed since the campus will have a large number of doors to monitor and lock. An effective design provides the level of control you want without sacrificing comfort and accessibility.

Think high-tech

With the advent of new technology, it is important your classrooms be able to accommodate video projectors, monitors and video conferencing, as well as facilitating Internet access. A good design team can identify these needs or provide a technology specialist who can assist you in planning “high-tech” classrooms. Due to budgetary constraints, the purchase of some of this equipment might have to be deferred, but the classrooms need to be able to handle the equipment when it is finally implemented.

Your entire campus must be designed in a way that meets the intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Nowhere is this more important than in classrooms. The ADA is a federally mandated standard, often differing from local and state standards. While the ADA does not totally apply to religious campuses, we believe that meeting the highest standards of accessibility should be a top priority.

Children’s rooms present special challenges

Rooms used for nurseries and young children need to be located in the most secure area of the campus, preferably adjacent to or within the same building(s) as your worship and fellowship spaces and, ideally, on the main level of the campus. Parents need to feel confident their children are in a secure, happy environment and that they can easily be reached if intervention is required. Parents typically consider the quality of child care, playgrounds and restrooms when searching for a new church.

Rooms for toddlers and kindergarten-age children should allow an average of 25 square feet per child in net size. If these rooms are used on weekdays for a licensed preschool program, the area might need to be increased to 35 square feet per child. Specific requirements are available from local municipalities, health departments and state agencies to help determine restrictive space requirements. If possible, restrooms should be accessible from within the classroom, and parent accessibility should be restricted to one door to keep students from wandering. Rooms for younger children should be in close proximity to exterior playgrounds to make it easy for teachers to line up their students and walk them safely to the play area.

Classrooms for younger students should include both soft, comfortable flooring for naps and hard flooring for easy cleaning. Child-sized chairs and tables also are advisable, but if adults use the same rooms on a regular basis, invest in a redundant set of furniture.

For craft project mistakes and messes, sinks are an added benefit for early education classrooms. A bubbler faucet can be added, which doubles as a drinking fountain. Ample wall space should be designed into these rooms to allow mounting of artwork and educational posters. Since these rooms can become quite noisy at times, be sure to select acoustical-absorbing materials for walls, floors and ceilings. A high level of natural daylight also is recommended for youth classrooms.

In creating effective classrooms for children, it is important to thoroughly assess your storage needs to meet the demands of every group that will use these rooms. In the world of church storage, follow one simple axiom: If you build it, they will fill it.

Designing for older kids

Typically, junior high and high school students enrolled in church programs are reaching the age of independence. As such, they prefer dedicated spaces for their use, and furnishings and art that match their tastes. In their quest to discover their independence, these students likely will want a room that is “off the beaten path” so they can make all the noise they want, play their unique music (loudly), eat popcorn and pizza, and solve the world’s pressing issues.

In most cases, churches prefer separate rooms for junior high and high school students, allowing three to four consecutive age groups in each space. As a result, classroom sizes at this level tend to be larger than those associated with younger students. We recommend the ceilings in these rooms be at least 10 feet high and that you install as much acoustical-absorbing material as practical on walls, floors and ceilings.

Plan an average of 25 square feet per person, as youth tend to need a lot of space in which to relax.

Adult rooms are simpler

Designing classrooms for adults is less complex. Space requirements can be reduced to about 12 to 18 square feet per person, but these classrooms must incorporate excellent lighting levels for increased reading needs. Adult rooms can be located on any level of the campus and should include high amounts of natural daylight. In most cases, adults are willing to walk, so their rooms need not be in the center of the campus, letting you save the best locations for the convenience of children.

If possible, adult rooms should feature a single sink for making coffee, or a convenient coffee station. Storage space requirements for adult rooms typically are not as demanding as those for children and youth since most of their needs are for literature vs. toys and games.

Other important considerations

Most churches offer their meeting facilities to outside community groups. These groups usually meet on weeknights, occasionally on weekdays or at other times when campus activity is light. These groups tend to prefer informal room arrangements with comfortable chairs and access to water and coffee. When hosting such organizations, many churches prefer to restrict access to the major portions of their campuses for security and janitorial reasons. As a result, rooms used by these groups need to be easy to find, with an outdoor entry point and access to restrooms.

A well-researched set of design criteria for your classrooms allows you to easily accommodate a variety of user groups, often with the same rooms. The key is flexibility and a practical, understandable and logically designed campus plan. Since most ministries’ grassroots are in the classroom, it is imperative your facilities be the best you can offer.

Nursery caregivers must be able to get in touch with a child’s parents quickly and, during worship services, quietly. That’s why more and more caregivers are turning to nursery paging systems from Church Outlet—for security and peace of mind. Caregivers also appreciate not having to leave the other children unattended to go on a search. A full range of paging systems are available, including vibration-only and text-messaging models, as well as the popular new CrystalCall Pagers, which offer both vibrations and flashing lights in a compact casing. A transmitter is included, which plugs into any standard wall outlet and can handle a nearly unlimited number of pagers. Church Outlet also offers a selection of Motorola two-way radios. 800.736.3113 www.churchoutlet.com

The new Sonic Slide from Playworld Systems provides kids with one entertaining ride! Available in 15 different configurations, the Sonic Slide twists and turns in many directions to accommodate any play space. Designed for use from 48-, 72- and 84-inch decks, the Sonic Slide also gives kids the thrill of heights. To ensure safety, the Sonic Slide has a large overhead handhold and sit-down bar for easier seating. High sides reduce the risk of falls. 800.233.8404 www.playworldsystems.com