GIP - Holistic vision (grounds + building)

7. GIP - Holistic vision (grounds + building) • Garrison will be a school that draws its students, prospective parents and the community in. • Garrison will be a school that encourages looking/seeing/thinking out of the box (of a school building, literally). • Garrison will be a school where our relationship with nature is a key to learning and where the nature surrounding it will be a nurturing environment in which to learn. • Garrison’s schoolyard will also be an urban park, a neighborhood park, meeting the needs of the school during school hours and the needs of the community outside school hours - Garrison’s schoolyard has the space to fulfill this potential, unlike other schools in downtown DC. • By renovating the building to link with the re-visioned schoolyard, the entire school (building and grounds) become a more purposefully conceived community resource.

8. GIP - Beneficiaries • Current students and their families - enhanced learning environment and pride in innovative school • Prospective students and their families - no need to trek to distant schools or move to different neighborhoods • Community - gathering spaces and a strong school will help create a more anchored community that goes beyond the transient community attracted to the area by the current urban planning • Sports enthusiasts - access to top notch facilities (outside of school hours) • Everyone’s health - urban park, orchards, community gardens, farmers markets lead to better air quality and help form better eating habits • District finances - better schools increase property values and therefore property taxes • DC’s image - Garrison is key to Mayor’s Sustainable DC policy