School Physical Facilities (focus On Pre-school)

Stefany May P. Indico 09263252600 [email protected]

Phy sical Facil

Int rod

They say, school is the second home for the learners. They spent most of their time

learning and playing inside this learning institution. The learners with the aid of the teacher tried to develop different learning domains. Added to that, teacher alone cannot be give an assurance of a 100% of learning. Learning will be meaningful if physical appearance of the environment is well planned and executed. From each details like colors, space measurement, location and equipment. People from Education Sector, personnel of Department of Education together with Physical Facilities and School Engineering Division Office of Planning Service come up with a manual that will serves as a guide in creating an atmosphere and environment for a deep learning. This module has everything needs to build a learning center, from, location, school mapping, site development planning, sample perspective view of a learning center down to its floor plan. It covers from Pre-School (Nursery and Kindergarten) to High School. In connection with that, this report, focuses on Pre-School environment. Moreover, creating and developing environment for young learners in Pre-School needs special attention with compared to higher grades. Therefore, hands-on planning a learning center for Pre-School is a necessity.

Hi ghli

A. Environmental Teaching

Educational Facilities 

It refers to the physical properties of the school.

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A.K.A “School Plant” or “Physical Facilities of the School”

Importance of Educational Facilities 

They provide housing for the school.

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Facilitating agents for all educational activities in school

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Take note: 

Safe, secured and satisfactory for educational facilities 

Prerequisites in opening for new school.

Basic Principles on Educational Facilities 

Primary Function is to provide the proper school environment that is most conducive to effective teaching and learning.

Functional and effective Educational Facilities are: 

Developed

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Operated

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Managed

Maximize in the collaboration in school planning design (Consultative planning, design and project implementation)

Build a proactive facility management program.

Plan a school as a neighborhood-scaled community learning centers.

Plan a school as a neighborhood-scaled community learning centers. 

Location

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Variation of Services

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Environment

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Accessibility

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Community Centers

B. School Mapping  School Mapping is a dynamic process of planning the distribution, size and spacing of schools and physical facilities requirements for optimum utilization and benefit.  It is a process of identifying current inadequacies in distribution and of providing appropriate types and patterns of school plant. 

It is a continuous process involving the uninterrupted recording of basic information required for analysis of the school map at any given point in time.

 School Mapping Process A. Specific Areas for Expansions

1. Rationalization of existing facilities by:  Locating existing schools and its vulnerability  Locations of new schools-outside hazard zone(PAGASA)  Shifting, closure, amalgamation/integration of institution  Optimum utilization of buildings, furniture and equipment 2. Provision of new or additional facilities by:  Opening of new schools or upgrading existing ones  Providing additional teaching and non-teaching staff  Providing additional buildings, furniture, equipment in institutions B. Initial Steps in School Mapping 1. Diagnosis of the Existing Situations  Environment and Geographic factor  Demographic Factor  Economic  Educational Factor  Political Factor  Man Power Factor 2. Projection of Future Requirements  Estimating the number of Enrollees  Determining the capacity of existing schools and its catchment area 3. Drawing up of perspective school map  School map is not final not unless it has been considered and discussed by the authorities  Results and outputs shall be encoded and shall form part of the Management Information System  Continuous monitoring and evaluation of these is important  Geological and hydro-meteorological hazard maps should be used in site location, planning and implementation.

 Basic data needed for the conduct of School Mapping o

Education Data 

Annual Statistical Report

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Geological Distribution of Schools

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Site and Catchment Area conditions

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Population Data (Analysis of the Census)

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Other Planning Data

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General rural and urban development policies

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Social Facilities

 Expected Results of School Mapping o

School buildings requiring repairs

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Schools requiring additional classrooms

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Opening of New Schools

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Phasing out of existing schools

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Resource Allocation

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Environmental Mapping

 Methodological Stages in the Preparation of the Detailed School Mapping

C. School Site Development Plan/Planning

 A school’s site is one of the factors that can either enhance or hinder the implementation of its instructional and non-instructional programs. The site is also one of the factors that can determine how useful a school plant can be to the members if the local community.  Minimum Standard Requirement for School Sites (Elementary)

Alternatives

 Mode of Acquisition o Purchase o Donation o Contract of Usufruct o Expropriation o Barter or Exchange o Presidential Proclamation o Gratuitous Conveyance  School Site Development-Its main function is to show the school site in its present status and the current program period. o Principles in the Preparation of the Site Development Plan- all physical structures with similar functions shall be grouped together. o Layout of Buildings and Other Structures-is critical in preparing the Site Development Plan. School buildings shall be oriented in accordance with the sun path or the east-west course of the sun during the day.

o 3. Arrangement of Buildings-Buildings shall be arranged to facilitate cross ventilation. o 4. Site Limitations. When there are site limitations, such as the unfavorable area and/or shape of the site, prevent the proper solar orientation of buildings, economical alternatives shall be resorted to. For example, trees near the building are effective for minimizing the direct entry of sunlight into instructional spaces. o 5. Acoustic Barriers. Plant tree and shrub barriers between building and street, if feasible. Trees and shrubs between the buildings and street will serve as acoustic barriers. o 6. Sun Path. Study variations in the sun path between June 21 and December 21, especially at 12:00 o’clock noon must be noted as lower latitude sites get more sun on the north side on June 21. o 7. Local Wind Patterns. Cross Ventilation. If available, request from PAGASA, or any agency, specific monthly rose wind diagram or monthly wind patterns for a particular site or region. o 8. Sun screens- It may be necessary to design temporary or permanent sun shade elements o 9. The distances between buildings shall be such that ventilation is not obstructed, natural illumination is not impeded and sound does not carry into nearby buildings. 8M o 10. The recommended setback of the school from the street line is five (5) meters to sufficiently reduce intrusive sound. o 11. There should be provision for open space in each school with an area big enough to hold the total population of the school. This shall serve as temporary evacuation site in cases of emergencies  Site Development Planning 1. Procedure in Site Development Planning  a. The plan shall be drawn on a tracing paper measuring 500 mm x 750 mm. Any white sheet of paper maytemporarily be used.  b. It shall be drawn to a scale as follows: 1:500 for sites of two (2) hectares or less, and 1:1,000 sites of more than one hectare.  c. The following technical description shall be indicated on the plan:  (1) Bearings of the property line  (2) Distances between corners  (3) Boundaries of the lot  d. The plan shall show:  (1) The direction of the North  (2) Relative position of existing features in the site such as creeks, large trees, etc. which shall be allowed to remain  (3) The relative positions and description of existing buildings and structures  (4) Relative position of existing circulation elements and hazardous areas. Open spaces as temporary evacuation sites.  (5) Contour lines if possible  (6) The present and future needs of the school in terms of school buildings/classrooms  e. Existing structures such as buildings, walk, playground, etc. shall be clearly shown in solid lines and the proposed structures drawn in broken lines.  f. At the bottom of the plan is a title block bearing the following information:  (1) Name and address of the school  (2) The official who prepared the plan

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Names and signatures of recommending and approving official Example:

External Areas in School: 

Agricultural Area

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Playground Area

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Athletic field

School Site Beautification: 

School Gate

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School Fence

Flagpole 

Signboard

Minimum Standards for Instructional and Administrative Spaces for Preschools Preschool education is recognized as a stage where early childhood development has long been felt. The present standards for preschool education consider the child, the teacher and the school with the support of the family in maximizing the child’s potentials and his capacity for learning. Nursery (Pre-Kindergarten) Nursery is the level of education below kindergarten, the admission age for which is at least three (3) years but not more than four (4) years old. As stated in MEC Order No. 24, s. 1978 dated July 26, 1978 the following standards for the organization and operation of Nursery classes are required: Class Size – maximum of 15 children to a class

Class hours – 2 hours daily Physical Structure – floor area of at least 7m x 9m in a 500 to 1,000 square meters lot a. Toilet and washing facilities must be adequate enough to serve the number of enrollees. b. Hazards to safety of small children must be looked into such as wells, diggings, stairways, pools, electric installations, etc. to minimize or eliminate accidents c. Activity Centers Listening/Speaking and Acting area Reading corner Housekeeping area Aesthetic Center Work area Health/Cleanliness area Playground School Site (for Kindergarten only) DECS Order No. 107 s., 1989 dated November 10, 1989 stated the Standards for the Organization and Operation of Preschools (Kindergarten Level). These are: Min. lot area 500 square meters (sq. m.) (for not more than 4 classes) classroom 140 sq. m. (min) playground 360 sq. m. Equipment a. Playground and Garden b. Classroom Equipment and Fixtures Health Facilities and Provisions for Safety • At least one (1) toilet seat • First aid kits must be available • A rest area • Proper and adequate lighting and ventilation – there should be natural and electric lighting – for a 7 x 9 classroom, at least two (2) 40 watt fluorescent lamps and one (1)wide window * Electric fans to allow cross ventilation. Activity Centers or areas which may contain the following or their equivalent: * Personal Care and Grooming – mirror, comb, towel, toothbrush, soap, toiletries, etc. * House and Garden Care – garden tools (shovel, spade, pails, sprinklers, sandtable, cleaning tools, etc.) * Communication Skills Corner – books (two books per child) – story books, science/nature books, Filipiniana, etc.

* Sensory-Perceptual and Numeracy Skills Corner – Science and Mathematics Corner(counters, beads, number cards, nature tables, etc.) Motor and Creative Development Corner – percussion instruments (bamboo castanets, coconut maracas), tambourine, tape recorder or phonograph – DepED Order No. 93, S. 2009 (September 10, 2009) – PreSchool Building Program, prescribes the Classroom and Furniture Design for Pre-school (including floor plan and furniture designs).

Conclusion  Physical Facilities refers to a detailed physical structures of a school.  It provide the learning centers a most conducive to effective teaching and learning.  It deals with the future status of a school, for upgrading, for closure or for creation of new school.  It guides an individual who wish to have his own school.

Recommendation  I recommend to have a further readings about the topic.  I recommend to focus on the other grade level’s physical environment to have a comparison.  I recommend to have an updated Physical Facilities Manual if possible.  I recommend to have a school visit to see and check the physical appearance of a school.

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