The building is situated on a 136-acre site with wetlands and a variety of outdoor learning environments.

The design supports evening and weekend events with the ability to access community use spaces while securing academic areas.

being worked on by team) 20 word caption: The learning studios surround the learning commons on both levels, with three studios on each floor.

Each studio includes a professional staff office and five distinct environments to support student agency and flexibility.

The learning commons serves as the heart of the school and includes a performance area for gatherings, speakers, and celebrations.

North Star Elementary is situated on a 136 acre site that is surrounded by wetlands and includes a variety of outdoor learning environments, including playground, fields, and an outdoor classroom.

The design includes architectural elements that are representative of the Hugo community: civic, natural, and home which is reflective of the makeup of the community.

The learning commons is a central gathering space in the building which supports media access, creation, and consumption. There are small group spaces and flexible furniture.

The gymnasium serves as a storm shelter to keep occupants safe during severe weather events (up to an F-4 tornado) and features innovative ballistic glass.

Each learning studio features a central space with the ability for the entire group to gather, such as at the beginning and the end of the day, as well as small-group spaces.

Visual connectivity between spaces promotes comfort with independence and agency by students as they do individual, small-group, or hands-on learning.

The District went through a rigorous process to pilot and select furniture that supported the mission of the project to support flexibility and student agency.

Each studio has spaces to support sensory needs as well as small group spaces for special services and support, such as special education and intervention.

Specialized environments to support hands-on learning can be found in each learning studio as well as in a makerspace lab directly off the learning commons.

Many environments support physical and visual connectivity to allow for supervision as well as the ability to break out and use extended learning areas.

Educators in a learning studio share a professional office where they can collaborate and plan how the variety of spaces can support the learning initiatives for the day.

North Star Elementary School is an invigorating and welcoming environment to allow students to lead their learning.

©2022 Troy Thies Photography

©2022 Troy Thies Photography

©2022 Troy Thies Photography