Wentworth Intermediate School, New 800-Student School School
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The new Wentworth Intermediate School is the latest addition to a well-organized central Town campus which includes the Intermediate School, the Middle School, the High School, a Town Park, Town Hall and the Town Library. The Town’s Parks and Recreation office is now located in the school making it a frequent destination for the community for regular school and after school programs year round. The site plan completes the Town campus pedestrian and cycling networks, which are then linked to the regional Eastern Trail Network from South Portland to Kittery.
This 800-student school was designed to expand to accommodate 100 additional students. The school features a full-size gymnasium, cafeteria, stage, art and music rooms, administration offices, learning commons, computer labs and 4 STEM Labs. The layout of the school includes common spaces for each of the 8 teams so that they can meet and work together as 100 student families. Additional amenities were included in the design for the convenience and comfort of staff such as a maternity room to provide privacy for teachers who are breastfeeding.
An arch was designed for the front entrance to create a welcoming scale for the children. The organic teaching garden is next to the entrance so its work is constantly on display to students and the community. A STEM Lab facing the garden grows seedlings during the winter months. A skylit main lobby contains a glasswork sculpture symbolizing the flora and fauna of the nearby Scarborough Marsh. This protected coastal marsh is the largest in Maine, has abundant wildlife and is the frequent site of student ecology projects
Modern building systems and a geothermal heating and cooling system are projected to save upwards of $70,000 on annual energy costs. The geothermal heating and cooling system is supplemented by natural gas. During peak cold periods, natural gas provides supplementary heat, reducing the size of the geothermal system needed, and lowering energy costs substantially.