Monarch High

Latest Updates

Construction is complete. Staff and students are enjoying the updates to the school!

Project Details

Project Team

Details

Design Advisory Team

Scope of Work

FACILITY CONDITION

• Exterior building improvements such as repair/replace doors
• Replace roof
• Replace moveable partitions
• Improvements to interior finishes such as carpet, flooring, ceiling tile and paint
• Plumbing repair/replacement
• HVAC repair
• Intercom and clock system repair/replacement
• Kitchen renovation and equipment upgrades
• Replace gym bleachers
• Site improvements such as paving and irrigation
• Audio enhancement in every classroom

PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY 

• Renovations to Music spaces

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Replace field bleachers
• Provide press box
• Repair/replace athletic facilities such as baseball/softball fields and fixtures, football and soccer goals
• Repair/add tennis courts
• Modernize weight room
• Provide multi-purpose fitness room

SAFETY AND SECURITY

• Install camera/intercom security system
• Install electronic security controls
• Install security partitions
• Replace/add exterior cameras
• Install interior security cameras (amended May 8, 2018)

SUSTAINABILITY

• Upgrade lighting
• Conduct retro-commissioning and repairs
• Upgrade HVAC controls

INNOVATION

Monarch High School is eligible to receive up to $800,000 in additional funds to implement facility improvements that support innovative teaching methods.

Innovation Project

The Monarch High School Innovation project renovated a number of spaces around the school to make them more interactive and flexible. In addition, the project created an audio/visual recording space. The project aligns with all of BVSD's six Innovation Guiding Principles.

Results - Impact on Learning

During the first school year the new space was used, educators were asked to monitor and track growth towards the outcomes identified in their project plan and present the findings in a digital story.  The story was framed by the question, "How is innovation shifting the story of learning at our school?"
 

Project Description

To develop the school's project, staff worked together to develop responses to the following guiding questions. 

1. Briefly describe the project that you plan to implement with your Innovation Funds.

• remove the large and fixed computer banks
• replace existing tables and chairs with furniture that has more flexible arrangement capabilities
• create an Audio/ Visual recording space by combining (2) smaller spaces into (1) larger and more flexible space

2. How will you involve stakeholders in the decision-making process concerning the use of the innovation funds for your site?  

We met as a large committee through the process to make the choices as a collaborative decision.

3. How does your project support The Success Effect? (BVSD's Strategic Plan-Mission/Vision/Goals)

4. Review the Innovation Guiding Principles and discuss with your stakeholders. How will your project align with one or more of the guiding principles?

The MHS library has always attempted to create a space that is warm, welcoming and highly flexible in how it is used.  We had more than 80,000 users last year (which is an increase in the past 11 years from 23,000 annually.)  I believe that by removing the large and bulky computer banks and replacing existing furniture and shelving with more flexible furniture, we will make this space an even better environment for students and staff at MHS.  

I believe the proposed expenditures will have a positive impact on student learning:

• Learning is founded in inquiry.
• Learning fosters a culture of curiosity and risk-taking.
• Mastery of learning is demonstrated in multiple ways.
• Learning is a social process.
• Learning is personalized and learner-led.

5. Determine what your learning outcomes are for your innovation. What will happen as a result of this innovation?

I'm striving to make the library an even more interactive and flexible space for all teachers and students here at MHS.  This is a highly used space that hosted more than 83,000 visitors last year.  Also, I believe the creation of the Audio/ visual recording space will allow the MHS students some new exciting ways to explore and show mastery in a real-world setting.  Additionally, because the library is a supervised space, students will be able to make recordings before, during and after school- not just in during their individual classes.

I believe I'm aligning with the BVSD Student Success Skills:

Communication:  Students communicate effectively in multiple modes (interpersonal, intrapersonal, interpretive and presentational).  Students communicate effectively and confidently in a variety of formats (digital and face to face, hybrids of both).  Students communicate clearly understanding purpose and audience. They interpret and respond appropriately to others and are able to negotiate conflict constructively.

Collaboration:  Students demonstrate the ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams.  They exercise flexibility and cooperation in order to accomplish a common goal.  Students assume shared responsibility for work and value the contributions made by each team member.  They work towards a common goal productively to produce high-quality learning and/or products.

Critical Thinking:  The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively by reading and understanding essential content of a range of informational texts and documents in all academic areas. This involves evaluating information critically and competently; accessing appropriate tools to synthesize information; recognizing relevant primary and secondary information; and distinguishing among fact, point of view, and opinion.  Students use their analysis to solve problems and find solutions.  They are able to identify a variety of unique solutions to problems.  Students experience innovation and are part of creating innovation through their work in classrooms, with their peers, and through global connections. Through this work, they take risks, develop a growth mindset and become creative problem-solvers, skills they will continue to need as they go through their post-graduate lives.

6. Determine how you will measure the progress towards and achievement of your learning outcome. What is your plan for gathering data to show that the change is positively impacting learning at your site?

We already gather weekly and yearly stats on how the library is used, but I will also gather quantitative and qualitative data on how the space is being used.

I'm looking forward to rolling out the Audio/ Visual recording studio with the students.  I've started to survey the students on the kinds of software and hardware they would like to access in that room.  Once it is up and running, I would like to do an annual survey and find out:

• how often they used the space
• how they would rate the current experience
• any suggestions they have in what to buy or how the space is run/ maintained

7. What professional learning and support might your staff might need in order to reach the desired learning outcomes for the space?

I've spent the past 11 years working with the staff to show them the many uses for the library space and I believe our annual data supports that both teachers and students are highly using this space and will be receptive to continuing to do so in the future.  The only training I'm envisioning is to use the Audio/ Visual recording space.  I believe I will train a team of students to act as "teachers" to do brief orientations with other students before they can use any equipment we end up installing.

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