What Makes a School a School?

I recently shared that education falls short in many Indigenous communities. What I didn’t share was the solution. That’s because, in large part, the solutions are multi-faceted, complex, and have to consider generational issues. I might not have the answers, but I can continue to shed light on the topic and share the experience of the 7GAE team. We have had the honor of working on many education projects, and our clients include multiple Tribes and the Bureau of Indian Education. A unique opportunity we’ve had is physically assessing existing schools to determine their suitability for continued use, remodeling, or demolition and making improvement recommendations.

We don’t take this job lightly. Assessing any school is a critically important task – and it becomes even more important when considering the backdrop of Native American education. This week, I’ve asked three of our key team members to share their thoughts on what schools have in common, the challenges facing Native American schools, the future of educational spaces, and the ultimate question: What makes a school a school?

Universal Concerns: What Schools Have in Common

Rick Slone and J. Scott Winchester are leading the 7GAE team assessing BIA schools across the country, and both have previously worked on public schools in the Midwest. “The common thread is need,” shared Rick. “That’s the common thread across many schools.” J. Scott Winchester agreed, specifying that “public and Tribal schools have a need for additional space, programs, and funding.”

Schools are also linked by the guidelines they are required to follow. However, Tribal school guidelines can be very strict, and there is often little room for interpretation or variance. “The BIA has a specific number of students per classroom so many classrooms will be the same size,” says J. Scott Winchester. In contrast, public school classrooms can vary in size depending on several factors. BIA funding is often tied to particular programs in defined spaces, so a higher specificity level is required. ?

All schools face important decisions about their physical spaces’ design, use, and function. For some schools, however, funding stipulations, specific guidelines, and even fluctuating student populations add extra challenges. When those challenges are concentrated in historically overlooked communities, the disparity between population groups increases.

?What’s Ahead: The Future of Educational Spaces

Looking ahead to the future, it is clear that health and safety are major concerns in education. Both have long been a priority for our team, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic made access a vital consideration. J. Scott Winchester spoke about working with the Tesuque in New Mexico as one example. “With a population of just ~800 in their pueblo, we had to take care to protect the community, and we took our cues from them regarding their lockdowns, safety, and site visits.” We already know how important it is to have these conversations, and there is no doubt they will continue to inform educational decisions related to layout, space, and ventilation.

Security is an ongoing concern whether schools are Tribal, private, or public. Rick Slone elaborated on the two major types of layouts getting a lot of attention right now, sharing that “The choice is often between the California Plan (also called the Florida Plan or the Campus Plan) and the Closed or Contiguous Plan. The California Plan offers more outdoor spaces and fresh air, but the Closed Plan can come with lower costs – because of a single foundation – and increased security.”

We will also see an increasing focus on the flexibility of spaces. J. Scott Winchester spoke about a “cafetorium” at Browning High School in Montana. “Although the school is public, they wanted to integrate culture, and the cafetorium was a flexible space where students could hold cultural events and assemblies. A space for meals but also for dance classes or drumming performances.” When funding limits the size of a school, flexibility is critical so that cultural and spiritual activity can still occur.

?What Makes a School a School?

?Whether it is a Tribal school, a public school, a private school, or one run by the BIA, J. Scott Winchester believes there is one thing that makes a school a school: “Ultimately, it’s community,” he shares. “Regardless of size or resources, a school works best when students, teachers, parents, and the entire community come together. It goes beyond the physical. You can’t see those intangible factors, but they make a real impact.”

In the same vein, community can be reflected in the design of a school. Nathan Fishnick, another crucial part of the 7GAE school assessment team, recognizes how layout and design can facilitate community within a school. “A school should provide a gathering place for students,” says Nathan. “Often, the cafeteria serves as the largest communal area in the building. But just as important are the hallways where students congregate; a transitional space that determines how students navigate their environment.”

If schools are defined in part by their community, they also need to reflect their community. Tribal schools that integrate culture into the physical space remind students they are part of that Tribal ecosystem. Nathan noted that “murals, in particular, are an effective way to share culture and convey meaning within a school.” He still remembers a beautiful mural in a cafeteria he spotted while assessing a Tribal school last year. “The building itself was rundown and damaged, but the mural retained its beauty, color, and vibrant imagery.”

Nathan, Rick, and Scott are three of the many people on the 7GAE team with experience and insight into what makes a school a school. Community is undoubtedly important and should influence our decisions and motivations when designing, assessing, and building spaces for education.

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