The New Bethel Park Elementary School will consolidate the District’s elementary learners in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade into one facility. The consolidated facility is organized as a ‘school-within- a school’ with two-grades on each floor; administration centers focused on each grade grouping and specialty learning and support spaces are strategically located adjacent to the grade-level classroom wings.
The new facility will feature 21st Century learning spaces focused on STREAM instruction including expanded music & instrumental
programs, art instruction, literacy, research and maker facilities, as well as STREAM /Maker classrooms. The grade-level wings are organized into houses, neighborhoods, and communities with large open activity spaces, small pull-out spaces, and faculty resources located adjacent and throughout. The building’s exterior and interior design are inspired by and reflective of a ‘Park’ Concept. A ‘Park Path’ and nature inspired colors, patterns, and imagery are used for placemaking and wayfinding throughout the building; these nature inspired materials and colors are also reflected on the exterior cladding.
The project is being developed on the property of an existing school which will continue to serve students while the new elementary school is being built. The design of the new multi-story building will follow the sloping terrain providing at-grade entries on multiple floors with complete separation of bus and parent traffic flow. A new roadway and entrance to the campus have been designed to create a primary access road for the new building and to accommodate an increase in bus and vehicular traffic.
