Frisco Independent School District (FISD), located just north of Dallas, Texas, embarked on a mission to create a true 21st Century school where students could have the freedom to explore how and where they learn best. Through a collaborative visioning process, they imagined a learning environment that empowered students and teachers with the flexibility to work in various group sizes, moving beyond the limitations of traditional classrooms. Through a forward-thinking design approach in collaboration with Stantec Architects, a leading firm in school design, they crafted a school that emphasizes mobility, flexibility, and transparency. The result is Minett Elementary, an adaptable, future-ready learning center that leverages folding glass doors and dynamic furniture to give kids the opportunity to learn according to their individual needs.
A Collaborative Visioning Process
For Dr. Mike Waldrip, Superintendent at FISD, the design at Minett Elementary was to focus on one central question: “What should learning look like?” The school design process began in 2019 with a Visioning Committee that involved a diverse group of community members, school board officials, and educators. The goal was to embody the district’s motto, “to know every child by name and by need,” and teach each learner in the way that works best for that child. To achieve this, the committee wanted to adopt a co-teaching model with various-sized groups while empowering collaborative learning and individual exploration. They sought flexible spaces that could be easily reconfigured with 12 NanaWall Generation 4 Folding Glass Walls and dynamic furniture, allowing spaces to form based on specific needs—whether that be independent study or collaborative learning.
Promoting a Sense of Connection and Visibility
Visibility was identified as a key factor. It would allow students to see what other classes and grades were working on, sparking curiosity and excitement for new learning opportunities. Teachers could also benefit by observing their peers and gaining fresh ideas and inspiration. Enhanced visibility would support students' freedom to work in areas beyond the classroom as teachers could maintain supervision through clear lines of sight. Additionally, they aimed to establish a sense of connection and opportunity by creating seamless transitions between spaces. “Visual transparency was one of the biggest requirements,” says Dan Fletcher, Principal of Stantec and Architectural Design Lead. “Having everyone in line-of-sight was super important for the notion of passive supervision—having folding glass partitions that could provide that transparency was key.”
Designing Reconfigurable, Dynamic Learning Spaces with Folding Glass Doors
Minett Elementary opened for classes in the Fall of 2022. The final school design features a two-story building with classroom areas on both the North and South sides, each referred to as a "house" and similar in design to each other. Each house has three extra-large classrooms on the first floor for grades K-2, and three more on the second floor for grades 3-5. Between each house lies a spacious, two-story central area known as the Learning Commons accessible through NanaWall folding glass doors. The roughly 9-foot-tall disappearing systems create visual connection and unobstructed, ADA-compliant accessibility to the Commons. “We wanted partitions to open up so there wasn’t any kind of barrier between the Commons and the extra-large spaces,” says Fetcher. “At the center is this huge open common space with a lot of activity going on—the need for acoustic separation was also key.”
The Flexible Design Solution for Next Gen Classrooms
In addition to maximum visibility and good acoustic separation, major criteria when selecting folding glass doors included ease of operation and the ability to meet code requirements including means of egress. Having previously implemented NanaWall systems in previous designs, Stantec specified twelve NW Acoustical 645 folding glass wall systems to provide maximum visibility and connect learning spaces to one another. The aluminum framed, floor supported systems segment 12 separate learning spaces with dynamic 23-foot-wide openings. “We used NanaWall systems as the design basis in the spec,” says Trey Laird. “They’re very low-profile, so there’s a cleanness to the way the components come together. We wanted that texturally, from an aesthetic point of view.”
Acoustical Separation Enhances Productivity
The NanaWall folding glass doors were specified to provide sound control of unit STC 35, creating acoustical separation when segmenting classes into groups or during standardized testing. This allows for multiple activities to occur at once without one disrupting the other, allowing the space to adapt to the various needs of the day, including the unexpected ones. Weather conditions during the first year often limited outdoor activities, leading recess to being held in the Commons. The NanaWall systems provided enough acoustical buffering to allow classes to continue without being disrupted by increased noise levels in the common areas. “Learning is happening everywhere,” observes Dan Fletcher. “There are kids all over the place in different forms and fashions. I’ve been in education design for 15 years, and this is one of the most successful, engaging learning environments that I’ve ever been a part of designing.”
Promoting Privacy and Visibility with Folding Glass Doors
To create truly disappearing thresholds, each NanaWall system was paired with an ADA-compliant Flush Sill that allows furniture to roll smoothly from one space to the next. Each system easily glides on a stainless steel track into minimal stacks for clean, unobstructed transitions. When closed, the systems provide privacy with a translucent film layer over the panels with transitions made easy with swing doors customized with kickplates and Von Duprin panic bars. When the system opens for collaborative learning, that’s when the true magic happens. “Having clear walls, you can walk by and see anything anyone is doing,” says third-grade teacher Madison Kittay. “There is something magical about seeing the learning as you’re walking the building, looking up and seeing great things happening all the time.”
A True Collaborative Space for Teachers and Students
There is a large spiral slide from the second floor down to the Commons below, both a symbol of connection and a practical installation for rewarding kids with a ride. The co-teaching model has given teachers the flexibility they sought, and the large fluidly grouped classes have been effective with the acoustical folding glass doors. The various types of furniture, much of it movable, allow children to find a position and environment that is comfortable for them and conducive to their personal learning needs. Even the cafeteria, with an additional 17-panel acoustical folding system that segments the cafeteria and the kitchen, was thoughtfully designed as a multifunctional space that not only caters to the needs of students but also the school and community.
Multifunctional Cafeteria Embraces Dynamic Opening
The cafeteria reflects the vibrant spirit of Minett Elementary and its students with a facility beyond the classroom that is light-filled and dynamic. A multifunctional area for both social and academic activities, the cafeteria was designed with a roughly 8-foot-tall acoustical system that segments the kitchen and multipurpose area. Featuring convenient FourFold panel sets unique to NanaWall Generation 4 Folding Glass Walls, the doors can stack to the left, right, or center, offering a 54-foot-wide opening to the food bar during mealtimes. When closed, the space transforms into a versatile area for after-school gatherings or academic events. With a specified unit STC 35 rating, the system allows the cafeteria to operate without interrupting the activities happening on the other side of the panels.
Final Thoughts
From the beginning, Minett was seen as a kind of laboratory for the district, establishing a new comprehensive school design for elementary schools in Frisco. The successes of Minett will be applied to other elementary schools via renovations or new construction and then extended to middle schools and high schools so that children entering school will now be able to continue in the same kind of educational environment throughout their academic careers. “There’s something about the environment that feels very welcoming,” says Madison Kittay. “Everything we do is a reflection that we want kids to be good communicators, to be problem solvers, to embrace challenges, and our building naturally does that for them.”
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