Bancroft Elementary School
Harmonizing with the natural landscape
Designed for the Kennett Consolidated School District, this 105,172-square-foot facility houses grades 1 through 5 in a structure built to complement its rural, wooded setting.
The floor plan organizes classrooms into five flexible grade-level pods, each engineered to accommodate a future classroom expansion as enrollment grows. Embracing its natural surroundings, the central media center opens directly onto an outdoor plaza and exterior learning space set into the surrounding forest.
Tailored public spaces + security zoning
The building layout establishes a clear boundary between academic learning pods and public community areas, allowing the district to host after-hours events while keeping instructional wings secure:
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Academic pods: Grouped independently to maintain quiet, focused learning environments during the school day.
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Dedicated dining and physical education: Features a separate cafeteria alongside an independent multipurpose room dedicated to daily physical education.
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Community amenities: Positioned for convenient public access, the facility includes a full-sized athletic gymnasium and a flexible auditorium with a raised stage.
Sustainable design + LEED Silver performance
Achieving LEED Silver certification, the school incorporates high-performance environmental systems that reduce operating costs and support student health:
- HVAC + lighting: Operates a ground-source geothermal heating and cooling system, maximized natural daylighting, and energy-efficient LED lighting with motion controls.
- Water conservation: Utilizes waterless toilet fixtures and low-flow plumbing systems to significantly decrease building water usage.
- Indoor quality + site management: Features low-VOC interior finishes to protect indoor air quality, paired with on-site stormwater management systems to control runoff.