NEW ENTRY PLAZA Welcome to the reimagined and transformed Lower School! With a $7 million investment, every inch of existing space will be renovated, and we’re adding 2,000 square feet. It all starts with a new entrance and outdoor community space, and a covered walkway linking the lower school to the new Commons. While much is changing, students will still start every day with a handshake and warm greeting. Just inside the secure entrance are the administrative and admission suites, faculty workroom, and a remade, self-contained early childhood center (N-1st).
THE COMMONS The Commons will be the new heart of Lower School! Creatively repurposing a historic building from the 1940s, The Commons will provide a place to browse, read, present, perform, and learn. With stepped seating and flexible furniture, the new home for the Debbie Goff Library also provides room for the entire lower school to gather, collaborate, and celebrate. With formal teaching spaces and a variety of cozy nooks, students’ love of reading and research will flourish. Children study foreign language in an upper-level classroom, not shown here.
THE PLAY STUDIO Using all five senses, MB’s youngest students learn by playing and doing! Whether building a castle in the sandbox, painting a masterpiece, investigating liquids at the water table, designing bridges with blocks, or dressing in costume in the Make-Believe loft, the 850-square-foot Play Studio invites beginning learners to let their imaginations run wild. Immediately adjacent to the early childhood classrooms, this inviting new shared space connects to a cooking and nutrition lab and a dedicated nurse’s station.
REIMAGINED CLASSROOMS Every classroom space in the Lower School will be enlarged and reimagined. Drawing on research and experience about how children learn best, our classrooms can be quickly and efficiently configured into a variety of intentional learning zones to meet multiple purposes and pedagogical needs (discussion, research, construction/making, reading, collaboration, problem-solving, presentation, community time and more!). A reflection of our teachers’ innovative practices, such adaptable physical spaces support student-centered learning and empower children to find their voices and take ownership of their learning.
WONDER LAB MB students use scientific methods and technological tools to explore the world and imagine ways to make it a better place. Equal parts science lab (shown here), maker space, and tech studio (through the sliding door), the Wonder Lab inspires students to ask big questions, hypothesize, gather and analyze data, draw conclusions, and propose solutions. It’s a place for studying coding, circuitry, robotics, and engineering, where hands-on experience and real-world applications help students develop skills imperative for success in the 21st century: creativity, resilience, and collaborative problem-solving.
$7 MILLION LOWER SCHOOL RENOVATION AND EXPANSION LOWER LEVEL FLOOR PLAN Built in 1975, MB’s Lower School has helped generations of children begin their journey of learning. In a top-to-bottom renovation and expansion, key features such as the abundance of natural light, flexible teaching spaces, and easy access to the outdoors will be preserved. New elements include a well-designed entrance plaza with enhanced security, larger spaces for early childhood grades (N-1st), an imaginative play area, administrative offices, and The Commons serving as a library, public gathering spot, and home for foreign language learning.
$7 MILLION LOWER SCHOOL RENOVATION AND EXPANSION UPPER LEVEL FLOOR PLAN Older students (2nd-4th) will be located on the completely renovated upper level, featuring larger and reimagined classrooms, a music studio, a STEM hub called the Wonder Lab, and a flexible suite of rooms designed for individual learning support and small group breakout sessions. Fully ADA-accessible, MB’s new Lower School will provide our students with a bright, safe, state-of-the-art facility in which to explore, learn, grow, and thrive.