The pod design treats the learning environment and physical environment as one.
Many of the classrooms use four teaching walls and multiple learning zones. Shared spaces allow students and teachers to form small learning communities and participate in project-based, multi-disciplinary learning.
The flexibility of the pods allows the school to potentially move away from departmental siloes.. The STEM program spaces, for example, are designed to function within a variety of pod configurations.
The lively student commons is a social and academic haven for students.
The commons links three important community spaces: the auditorium, the gymnasium, and the media center. It also connects students with the outside, including an entrance plaza, stadium, outdoor dining, and outdoor classrooms.
Before design, the Town hosted numerous community meetings and design charrettes. Participants included community members, parents, and students, and many meetings were many of which were televised. Students were heavily involved in the discussions of how they would use technology—this led to a design focus on 1:1 tech implementation and informal learning environments.
Although the iPad had not been invented when the school was planned and designed, it has since been introduced into the curricula.
To support 1:1 learning, every student and teacher was given an iPad and a year of preparation of curriculum revisions and professional development.
