CHRISTA McAULIFFE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Christa McAuliffe Elementary School is one of many schools designed by Stromsland and De Young, Architects for Kirby School District 140 in Tinley Park, Illinois. This school is located in a central part of a major residential development.

The school was designed to be constructed in two phases. The design of the first phase centered around a large commons area adjacent to the main entry, administrative offices, multi-purpose room and the learning center which included computer labs and individual study areas located in a mezzanine. Twelve classrooms including two kindergarten rooms completed the educational spaces. The second phase was designed to add sixteen classrooms to the previously designed and appropriately sized core area. Because of the rapidly expanding need for classroom space this phase was begun immediately following completion of the first phase.

The exterior design with sloped roofs and overhangs was created to blend into the residential community and provide an appropriate scale for the students. The exterior walls are constructed of face brick and concrete masonry units with aluminum windows. The roof is constructed with structural steel and is finished with asphalt shingles. The interior partitions are concrete masonry units. A folding partition divides each pair of classrooms.

The entire 70,000 square foot school was completed in 1988 at a cost of $3.8 million.