Army News Service

FORT KNOX, Kentucky – The Department of Defense Education Activity will open its remodeled, state-of-the art, 21st century Van Voorhis Elementary School August 13.

The oldest school on post, 63 years old, will now have an open concept, with instructional spaces grouped together in neighborhoods where each has a learning hub, a central space used for projects, breakout sessions and activities. Learning hubs have learning studios and classrooms paired for collaborative instruction and group learning. There are also smaller spaces for one-to-one work. Neighborhoods also have easy access to outdoor learning and play spaces.

“We build a lot of things the Soldier is going to use to improve their lethality or ability to move, shoot, and communicate on the battlefield. This is a way to show the Soldier we’re also taking care of their families,” said Lt. Col. Guillermo Guandique, deputy commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District. “We’re giving them world-class opportunities for their children. We’re growing future leaders of our country, of our communities, of our Army, with a facility like this.”

21st century school

About 510 pre-K to 5th grade military children who live on post will experience five neighborhoods with five learning studios, an art room, music room, performance space, science labs, career technical education labs, a gymnasium and two staff collaboration spaces. They have a one to 18 teacher-student ratio.

“Students will flow and work within an open neighborhood concept that creates a community of learners,” said Van Voorhis Elementary School principal Angelique Johnson. “All students in a neighborhood work and collaborate with each other throughout the day.”

Matt Rowe, administrative officer for both Van Voorhis and Kingsolver-Pierce Elementary School, renovated in 2014, said the DoDEA data shows students learn better in this 21st century learning environment.

“The test scores go up,” he said. “All of the student achievement goes up versus a legacy school in a traditional classroom. Here, they’re going to get better equipment, facilities, technology and a more collaborative environment.”

Rowe said critical thinking skills and technology is being taught as a foundation at the primary school level, so they are more successful as they move into higher education.

“White-collar and blue-collar workers use technology,” he said. “These skills are becoming more and more advanced. They need these technological skills. We must start building these skills at the secondary and post-secondary level. We’re trying to get kids to understand how to use technology.”

Rowe said DoDEA is invested in the students.

“We’re committed in the time and energy to try and advance our schools to make sure every military student is getting the best education we can provide,” he said. “As military members move around the world, when they come back, they’re at the same level, if not better, than their same age peers. If they did go off post to a civilian school, they would be fine. Our goal is to be good if not better than the local population, so when they go to a post-secondary school or college, there’s no learning deficit.”

Rowe said DoDEA students usually test within the top ten percent of the nation.

Project

Guandique said he was happy the project was on time and on budget so the school could open in time for the fall session.

Stacey Purifoy-Jones, supervisory program manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Louisville District, said DoDEA is committed to upgrading their facilities such as the schools.

“We want the students to have the best learning opportunities and the facilities that are both safe and helping them excel at their best,” she said. “We’re focused on the quality of life for our students who live on the installation. We want to help the students be their best, to learn and become whoever they want to be in the future.”

In the career technical education labs, they have a broadcasting room with a green screen background, teleprompter, camera and production equipment. They have a computer lab where each student will work on their own laptops.

The $58.9 million construction project began on the 104,000 square foot school during the 2021 to 2022 school year. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Louisville District oversaw the project, Guandique said.

It’s LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, silver certified with the newest energy efficiency initiatives such as LED lighting, reduced wastewater, improved heating and ventilation, improved ventilation and motion sensor lighting, which will save the government thousands of dollars.

He said this design is incorporated throughout the rooms, space, accessibility and playgrounds with technology and function to best provide a learning environment for the children. They also incorporated placards around the building educating the students about the structural design about the mechanics of how the building works.

“They can walk past the HVAC system or the fire suppression system or the 150 drilled piers that support the slab and learn about their design and how they help the building work,” he said.

“It also meets compliance so any student can enter the building regardless of disability or physical limitation,” said Guandique “We’re taking what we’ve learned in the last 50 years with what children need and incorporating that into design.”

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