The Education Committee for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi asked Seven Generations a+e to work with their educational curriculum consultant to design a concept for a new Tribal School. The proposed school will house 650 students from preK-12 grades. An initial building for preK-6 will be designed for expansion with core facilities in place for the future.

The concept is to provide a student-centered school with direct access to exterior learning spaces. Thermal comfort, acoustic control, and natural daylight will enhance the teaching and learning environment. Exterior learning spaces include a Forest Lab, Water Lab, and Prairie Lab.  Student-centered classrooms will have technology and movable furniture allowing multiple learning modalities. Flexible learning spaces are important. The gymnasium, cafeteria, and dance/drumming studio are adjacent spaces that open together to provide a large assembly room. The gym will have an upper jogging track and physical fitness area.  The school will be oriented on the site in a traditional circular fashion with a main eastern entrance. The initial preK-6 building will be placed in the eastern direction, representing new birth. Future classroom additions will complete the circle.

The Pokagon Neshnabe School will be a culturally infused, community-based learning environment that promotes each student in navigating traditional pathways in a modern world.

Services Provided:
Programming and visioning