By Kevin J. Walsh, AIA, ALEP, LEED AP, Partner, BBS, and Joshua Odom, Superintendent, Montauk Public School.
We often find ourselves in situations that seem insurmountable. How do we move that upcoming mountain, knowing that using a small, medium, or large shovel will not make a meaningful difference? Do we shift our thinking from moving that dauntingly heavy object to taking the journey upward, experiencing the discovery of expansion and release above?
The mountain we must climb in the world of education is change. It is ever moving and elusive, taunting and prodding us to be more purposeful with our intentions and more adaptable to varying situations. This is the space in which we grow through exploration to learn and establish relationships that can create the most profound change.
Local culture and communities are the decision makers for large scale capital projects. Our challenge is to present the reasons ‘why’, for the ‘what’ that we are asking. ‘How’ combines with ‘when’ for the ‘who’ to understand all of the varied aspects of any capital project proposal. Without clear language it is possible for doubt to overrun any positive momentum forward, or upward in the case of our metaphorical mountain climbing adventure.
Tangibles like health and life safety are easy to present and understand. However, it becomes more difficult and complex to describe reasons for activity and programmatic-based projects that have more to do with the intangibles of learning and student experience. In these moments, it is important to translate the proposed improvements through the way in which they will be used and shared as positive contributions to both the school and community at large.
In Montauk, a recent bond referendum was our mountain to climb. Unfortunately, the summit we reached on May 20th was one that revealed even larger peaks in the distance as our referendum was defeated by a margin of 43 votes. Much time has been spent reflecting on our process, our communication, and our strategy. This led to great realizations about how we can improve. Yes, our facilities need upgrades and improvements, but so do our communication and outreach efforts. We discovered the great value in process, not necessarily outcome, as oftentimes climbing the mountain is more meaningful than reaching the summit.
Moving forward, we believe in the importance of our mission and are refining our approach. We are on the path toward our next vote with redefined efforts and enthusiasm. We have listened and learned along the way and are optimistic for the future. While we are striving to reshape our physical landscape with a second referendum, we are also redefining our culture and learning opportunities for our students.