SCHOOL PLANTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT ORGANIZATION.

A DESIRABLE SCHOOL PLANT IS ONE WHICH PROVIDES A PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE LEARNING AND TEACHING PROCESSES CAN PROCEED AT THE MAXIMUM RATE. THE OBJECTIVES OF MAJOR CONCERN IN SCHOOL PLANT PLANNING ARE--(1) SPATIAL ADEQUACY, (2) QUALITY, (3) SAFETY, (4) AESTHETICS, (5) ADAPTABILITY, AND (6) EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY. CERTAIN SEQUENTIAL STEPS NEED TO BE FOLLOWED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN AN ADEQUATE AND DESIRABLE PLANT. FIRST, THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY SHOULD BE FORMULATED. SECOND, AN EXTENSIVE SCHOOL PLANT SURVEY NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED. THIRDLY, THE EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR EACH BUILDING MUST BE PREPARED. THE FOURTH STEP IS ARCHITECTURAL INVOLVEMENT AND PLANNING. THE PLANT PROGRAM SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY FOLLOWING THESE STEPS--(1) OFFICIAL APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM, (2) INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF THE DISTRICT'S PLANT NEEDS AND THE PROGRAM PROPOSED FOR MEETING THOSE NEEDS, (3) THE USE OF AN ARCHITECT TO TRANSLATE THE PLANT NEEDS INTO PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS, (4) BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, (5) SITE DEVELOPMENT, AND (6) FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT. AFTER CONSTRUCTING A SCHOOL PLANT, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ESTABLISH A GOOD MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION PROGRAM. A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCE SECTION IS INCLUDED. (ES)