Here in mid-September, we are well into a new school year around the country. This is your friendly reminder to get ahead of any developing issues and schedule those IEP meetings now. Make those contacts with your school personnel in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation for the good of your student. 

 The focus of this episode is on the design plan that goes into brand-new school campuses and the innovations that can be made to existing school spaces. Today’s guest gives insights into the physical spaces that provide our kids of all abilities with the best indoor and outdoor learning environments. There are simple, economic solutions that any school can use to revamp and improve its campus. Join us!

Melissa Turnbaugh is a partner at PBK, the largest educational architecture firm in the country. In her role as the National Education and Innovation Leader, Melissa looks carefully at where education has been, where it’s going, and how to provide best practices research for school districts around what’s best for students and teachers. Melissa helps us interpret what the law says about the physical learning environments for kids with disabilities and providing safe spaces that are best for productive learning. 

Show Highlights:

• How Melissa and PBK work with both aging infrastructure in older schools and designing new campuses
• What the considerations are in designing outdoor play spaces for everyone, including those with mobility challenges and sensory issues
• Why it’s beneficial for kids to have places for them to touch and feel as they build their muscles in being creative and innovative
• Economical solutions for budget-strapped schools in maximizing outdoor spaces
• How parents can help advocate for creative, inclusive spaces in schools

Links/Resources:

Connect with Melissa and PBK: Website and Email

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center, and send us your questions for Nadia Bennett for a future episode: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org   

Thank you for listening! 

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