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Designing a New Ag Education Facility

Question asked by Stephanie Jolliff on Jan 8, 2014
Latest reply on Feb 24, 2014 by Jason Cutler

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At Ridgemont High School we are in the midst of designing a new Ag Education Facility in a new school that will open in two years. In this facility I will be teaching AFNR, Animal Science, Plant Science, Ag Business and Ag Communication in a single teacher program with a classroom, research room, office facility, greenhouse, and learning laboratory (shop for welding, woodworking, small engines, etc). Share with me your favorite aspects of classrooms, learning laboratories, shops, research rooms, greenhouse, etc. If you could design an innovative facility what would be the musts for a program?

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

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Cortney (Wright) Booher Jan 8, 2014 1:24 PM
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I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this! I am also currently in the mist of having our agriculture department remolded for next year. What is the must haves?

Thanks in advance!
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Jason Cutler Jan 10, 2014 10:31 AM
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Designing is always tough because reality and ideal seem to conflict. Are you using CASE courses? I use CASE AFNR & Plant and if I could change my facility to a science lab style setup with sinks around the outside for my classroom area, I would immediately. I attended the CASE Plant Institute at DMACC in Iowa and loved the lab setup there. I'm sure Matt Eddy would have some good input on this as well.
The school I'm currently at had a new ag building 3 or 4 years ago and there were some hiccups along the way. Problems to look out for that I've experienced at the two locations I've been: making sure adequate and appropriate power for welders/other big equipment, making sure local codes will allow you to have ventilation without sprinklers, greenhouse layout appropriate for site (must have drainage if it's solid floor). There is other good advice posted by other teachers when I asked a similar question when I was at a different school. See the thread here.http://communities.naae.org/message/13128#13128

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Matt Eddy @ Jason Cutler on Jan 9, 2014 4:11 PM
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Ken Couture posted a while back that in a different thread:

1. This project will be built and equipped by the lowest bidder.
2. Architects, in my experience, think they know what is best for you, don't really listen to you when you tell them what you need, and will walk away when its all said and done. You will have to live with it for a very long time.

He hit the nail on the head. Wish I would have had that council 8 years ago.

Bottom line is you can only influence the project so much. In the end you have to live with what you got and go from there. Especially if there is a budget number that you can't exceed. We had to relocate the ag dept 3x because the fools kept putting the greenhouse in horrible positions. (North side in shadow; Only West sunlight) Finally we got the exposure we could live with.

Always plan for more space than you need so the budget ax won't be too painful.

One of the best features of mine is the overhead door for the lab (shop). Very handy - even if it's small. Mine needs more electrical power. Sometimes we trip breakers when not meaning too.

I wish:
- I had an officer meeting room
- My greenhouse had the open-air convection ventilation like industry does. Better than fans and cooling pads.
- More classroom space - I use tables and it gets tight and not many configuration options.
In the end, Que Sera Sera -- (Whatever will be, will be) I spent a lot of time (and energy) stewing and fretting over it during the planning and in the end -- it is what it is and I still want to teach here.

ME
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Matt Eddy @ Matt Eddy on Jan 9, 2014 4:14 PM
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PS - the archetect 'forgot' the design lines to tell the construction guys to make my greenhouse floor slope to the drains. So whenever we water it's 3 inches of water on the floor. My kids creatively designed around it, but it coulda been done better. Ya know!?!?
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Katrina Swinehart Jan 14, 2014 2:50 PM
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How exciting!

Especially if you are planning on doing a lot of science things...lab tables as desks might be helpful? Also, lots of storage space...I know my classroom is not setup for science at all and I am always running out of places to put "sciency" things. I also teach CASE...and so I would ask for all the things that would be facility requirements for that if you are interested in that. I think they have a list of suggestions online. I could also see the benefit of having the laboratory setup like a science lab area...but that's just me (and I wish I had that type of facility for my AFNR, Plant and Animal Science classes).

Also along the lines with Matt, our school was built in 2008...and the drains are in all the wrong places...so watch out for that!

GOOD LUCK!
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Jason Cutler Feb 24, 2014 8:48 PM
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These are from DMACC and I loved the cabinets/storage/sink areas around the outside of the lab area with movable lab tables in the middle. Power was supplied by the drop cords throughout the room.
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Designing a New Ag Education Facility

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