BC 2004 06 24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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June 24, 2004 Page 554 2) 3) 4) 5) Factors that affect learning include indoor air quality, comfort, lighting, and classroom acoustics. a) Classrooms with high levels of day lighting. b) Classrooms that provide space and resources for physical comfort to allow students to concentrate. School learning environment should come from a planning and design process that involves the community. a) Schools should be planned by the many people who will use them, including educators, parents, students, senior citizens and members of civic and business organizations. b) Community participation allows for planning, for community diversity to reflect differences in ages, culture, ethnicity and cultural diversity needs. c) Community participation creates a shared sense of purpose when they can see themselves as visionaries, creators and owners. d) Authentic community engagement can result in more extensive and creative ideas and trust in public officials and government. Learning environment of a school should provide for health, safety and security. a) School design should address environmental safeguards and meet applicable health and safety codes. b) School designs should pay special attention to air quality and protect children from harmful substances. c) Schools should be designed to strategically locate windows, entry access and gathering places that can foster safety and security by natural surveillance. d) Attractive, well-designed and well-maintained facilities communicate respect for the people and activities housed within and contribute to a positive school climate. e) Schools and classrooms should allow teachers and students to form healthy relationships and the sense of community needed to promote a safe environment. Learning environment should make use of available resources. a) School should be designed to take a positive advantage of the physical environment as a learning experience. b) Where possible, reforestation, natural landscaping and outdoor environment should become a part of the learning experience. c) Schools should make use of optimal current communications technology too facilitate new methods of instruction, allowing teachers to become guides and coaches, and allowing students to analyze and evaluate information d) Schools should be designed and built in a manner to provide efficient energy consumption with durable and environmentally friendly materials. e) Schools need to be designed with both city and county planning as a part of the growth decisions. Smaller neighborhood schools can often help control community sprawl and extensive busing. Learning environments should be flexible and adaptable. a) Schools are changing at an unprecedented rate and the best designs allow for special flexibility. The community needs to be careful not to lock into any single notion about what a school or classroom should be. Flexibility, open structural systems allow spaces to be reconfigured over time to best accommodate change. b) The master plan and educational specifications should be revisited at least once every five years to ensure facilities meet the needs of the changing world. Proposed Bond Referendum Pam Dubois, Deputy County Manager, presented a 10-year projection of school construction needs totaling $363 million for Cabarrus County Schools, Kannapolis City Schools and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. She reviewed the following six funding options, including tax rate equivalents and interest costs, to address those needs: (1) Pay-as-you Go through Tax Rat~ Increase for Entire Project Costs (Tax rate equivalents ranging from 5.52 cents to 39.83 cents over the 10- year period) (2) Total Financing of Projects (Approximate interest cost of $185,143,018.70 over 20 years)