Our mandate in designing these schools of 500 to 700 students in Simcoe County was to create a welcoming, warm, accessible atmosphere for children. Teaching spaces are flexible but with a degree of intimacy and privacy rather than being completely open. Combining vehicular access to the site with safe access for children was an important issue.

The learning resource centre is the central hub of the school and is easily accessible from all areas. The double-height resource centre, with its large expanse of windows, has a mezzanine to allow for future expansion as the schools grow to accommodate up to 950 students.

Three kindergartens with direct access to the outdoors are located on the main level as are the Family Studies and Design and Technology classrooms. At the upper level are all the classrooms for grades one through eight, Special Education classrooms, and Music Room.

Facilities that will be used by the community in the evenings and on weekends - general purpose room, kitchen, change rooms, and washrooms - are grouped around the main entry court to facilitate secure separation from the rest of the building.