Richard Riley Award
Community Learning Centers for the 21st Century
Presented by:
Edisto Beach Elementary School and Community Center
School Demographics
- Location: Edisto Beach, SC
- Community Type: Rural
- School Population: 48
- Grade Range: K-6
- Free/Reduced Lunch: 6%
- School District: Colleton County School District
- School District Population: 5,919
The Edisto Beach Elementary School and Community Center is an example how a small school can exist by sharing facilities with other public agencies –in this case, the local community library and community center. The design of the school is also model for environmental sensitivity and respect for the unique architecture of South Carolina‘s Low Country.
The Town of Edisto Beach is a popular tourist destination in the summer, but has a small, full-time population year-round. Prior to the development of the Education/Community Center, some students attended school in a local church, while others attended class in the basement of a county-owned building with the Sheriff‘s Department on the main floor. While the District and town knew these conditions were inadequate due to the town‘s geographic location at the extreme southeastern tip of the County, the next closest schools were a 55-mile commute. Since the late 1980s residents had been searching for a solution.
In the spring of 2002, following several false starts, including a failed bond referendum, the Colleton County Council devised the idea of combining a civic center and a school facility. This made Accommodations Tax funds available for the civic center portions of the building. A subsequent lease agreement between the County and the School District provided for construction of the Edisto Beach Education/Civic Center. The design of the school was developed over the course of five months through a series of five public meetings that involved residents and seven different public agencies including the town council, chamber of commerce, art guild and public library.
Creating a Joint-use Educational Facility
Community Center functions include an auditorium/multi-purpose area with a raised stage and seating for 150 that residents can use for meetings, community theater productions, receptions, and much more. A "gallery" leads into the space that also includes restroom facilities and a catering kitchen. The auditorium can be locked-off from the classrooms after hours. A T1 line provides state-of-the-art computer access for the school/civic center as well as the nearby library. This also makes the complex functional as a satellite adult education site for the Technical College of the Low Country and the University of South Carolina.
A joint oversight committee comprised of the County Administrator, County Economic Development Director, Town Administrator, School District Superintendent, and the Town‘s Chamber of Commerce representative provides a collaborative management approach and has responsibility for marketing and managing public use of the facility. The community and the school worked jointly to determine how the facility would work for each user, what events may take place, and how the school would function throughout the day. Conversely, discussions also included how the community center might use the multi-purpose room for events such as performances that would take place throughout the week and not displace the students from the room.
The Design
The plan of the school enables a blending of grades to support a variety of teaching and learning opportunities. One of the unique aspects of the facility is its sensitivity to the rich architectural tradition of South Carolina‘s Low Country and respect for the beach environment. As a result, the school‘s covered porch, which acts as a functional extension of the classroom, is a familiar element to the children. The school also has immediate access to an outdoor classroom environment and a healthy environment is promoted through the connectivity inside to outside. While the school is not LEED certified, a number of sustainable and low maintenance design features are incorporated into the design including extensive shading and use of natural light, low VOC paints and adhesives and an energy recovery system.