Innovations in the Arts - Newark Academy

Perspectives
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Embarking on a Campus Master Plan
I am pleased to report that Newark Academy has
commissioned the architectural firm of Nadaskay/Kopelson
to create our Campus Master Plan. They are a local firm with
extensive experience both in New Jersey and nationally,
and they have been the principal architects in more than
a dozen master plans of leading independent schools. We
selected them after extensive reviews of proposals and
interviews with five finalists. Shortly after Nadaskay/
Kopelson was chosen, we learned that the New Jersey
chapter of the American Institute of Architects had selected
them as firm of the year. We are confident that they will
be excellent stewards of this important project.
Having undertaken surveys and met with focus groups
composed of faculty, students, parents, and administrative
staff, the architects of Nadaskay/Kopelson are, at this point,
evaluating the current and future needs of our physical
plant. This is an important step that will allow us to develop
a coherent vision of the NA campus, resulting ultimately
in a master plan that will guide us as we change and evolve
toward a school that can even better fulfill its goal of offering
the finest possible educational program.
For me, there are two principles that must guide the
evolution of our campus. First, the Campus Master Plan
must help us attain the goals of our Strategic Plan, which
focuses on global education, experiential learning, and
teaching models that rely increasingly on collaboration
among teachers, students and resources beyond our four
walls. The campus design must provide flexible and
dynamic learning spaces, easy access to technology, and
rooms that facilitate a range of needs, from the traditional
classroom to conference centers equipped with podcasting
and videoconferencing. The vision of our campus must be
as bold and carefully imagined as our educational plan,
which lies at the heart of our mission. It must be exciting
without being extravagant, inspired by lofty goals but
anchored by practical considerations.
The second principle underlying our Master Plan demands
that any changes should complement the existing esthetic
of our handsome campus. Because much of the original
building has been unaltered since its construction in 1964,
we know that certain renovations – of the auditorium and
some classrooms, for example – are overdue. Both the
Middle School and the library will benefit from updated
teaching spaces and improved integration of technology. At
the same time, we must preserve the Academy’s distinctive
entrance, the warmth and openness of our halls, and the
attractive courtyards. These features connect us with our
school’s proud history, and they are successful elements
of the existing structure that we should preserve.
In the early phase of this project, I have been so impressed
by the excitement and participation of all of our constituents.
One of the architects told me that both the number of
student responses to the surveys and the thoughtfulness
of their answers surpassed anything that he had seen in
more than 20 years of doing master plans for independent
schools. Such energetic, careful participation in envisioning
the future of this campus by current students indicates the
strength of the school today and reminds us of the promise
for tomorrow.
Donald M. Austin
PERSPECTIVES spring 2008
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