When Bryan Byerlee's school building was set for reconstruction, three basic needs were prioritized: warm, safe, and dry. But those were just the baseline non-negotiables. What he and others would come to recognize is how redesigning a school is a unique opportunity to empower students, shape school culture, and improve learning overall.

Bryan Byerlee is principal of Garden City Elementary School in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Liz Garden is principal of Henry P. Clough Elementary school in Mendon Massachusetts, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.

Scott McLeod is professor of educational leadership at the University of Colorado, Denver, and a fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.