At the Pre-K level, play is how children learn, build friendships, and gain confidence. Our mission is to move beyond simple accessibility and create true inclusion. At Sarah Raymond School of Early Education, accessibility for all throughout the facility was a priority. Outside, an accessible playground allows a child in a wheelchair to enter the space; an inclusive playground ensures they can play alongside their peers, using the same spaces and equipment. The design follows the “Seven Pillars of Inclusive Play,” creating an environment that supports children of all physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities with integrated play, sensory-rich environments, and clarified navigation.
Inside, children will find easy wayfinding, bright colors and graphics, and immersive play spaces. This new facility will boast 20 classrooms, a major upgrade from the nine classrooms the previous facility had. New modern office spaces, upgraded security features inside and outside, and having everything easily accessible on one floor are just a few of the much needed changes this facility will provide. Located at the Willie G. and Gloria Brown Education Center, Sarah Raymond will be next door to Bloomington Career Academy, allowing the whole space to nurture growth and learning.
This renovation and new addition project turned into an opportunity to not only unify an outdated and disconnected school building, but also bring unification to a student body and community.
The Mahomet-Seymour School District wanted to take advantage of their high school expansion to create an image that reflected the strong civic pride in their school’s education, music and athletic programs.
The Community Engagement Planning Process with Meridian CUSD #15 resulted in a clear direction, to reduce the number of campuses from four to two and concentrate resources to make these remaining two campuses healthy, safe, and educationally relevant.