Howe Elementary School

Overview

Howe Elementary is a Community School built in 1927. Howe Elementary does have air conditioning in the building and does have its own kitchen. The building does not have a Safe and Welcoming Entrance, as defined by Capital Planning, Construction, and Maintenance. The building is 36,161 square feet in size and has a design enrollment of approximately 293 students.

Between school years 2014 and 2023, Minneapolis Public Schools has invested $278,768 in capital expenditures for the building. In 2017, a facilities condition assessment classified the building as being in good condition. The Operations Division will be conducting another facilities condition assessment in calendar year 2025.

Howe Elementary had an enrollment of 232 students as of 01 October, 2024, with approximately 33.6% of those students qualifying for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch benefits. Note that families are still submitting Applications for Educational Benefits, so this proportion may change over the course of the school year. Total enrollment is approximately 79% of the building’s designed enrollment, making the current building use efficient [‘efficient’ is defined as enrollment totalling between 70% and 90% of the design enrollment].

Building Use

At direction of the Board of Education, in October 2024 district staff performed a physical space study of all District schools. This included a walkthrough of the buildings that included many different stakeholders – Board directors, principals, teachers, central office staff, custodians, and others. The tables, figures, and plots below are a summary of data collected during the walkthrough of Howe Elementary.

Classroom Spaces

See Table 1 below for how classrooms and labs are being used in the building.

Plan Use	Actual Use	N Rooms
Classroom	Classroom	8
Classroom	OT/PT Room	1
Classroom	Office - Private	1
Classroom	Special Ed Resource Room	2
Classroom	Special Ed Self Contained Room	1
Lab - Art	Lab - Art	1
Lab - Computer	Classroom	1
Library	Classroom	1
Music Room	Classroom	1

Table 1. Classroom and instructional spaces

Building Layout

The below figure[s] are building floorplans as annotated by building staff.

Figure 1. Floorplan for Howe Elementary, floorplan pages 1 through 2

Guided Discussion

A guided discussion consisting of three questions was held with those who participated in the walkthrough. The major themes are included below, as are more detailed summaries of walkthrough participants’ answers.

Question 1: In what ways does the physical environment in this building best support learning?

Howe Community School is a welcoming, well-designed space with a strong sense of community. There are tons of windows that allow for ample natural light, and the classrooms feel spacious due to built-in storage and open layouts that accommodate multiple small groups simultaneously. The building’s layout allows for programs to be split effectively, with specialist programs on the first floor and homerooms on the second floor, reducing disruption during passing periods. The building has gender-neutral bathrooms and a full kitchen with courtyard for lunch or outdoor learning, both of which are easy to supervise. The building has air conditioning throughout and the custodial staff keeps it in pristine condition. The location is ideal, with a strong sense of community engagement from both families and local businesses. Proximity to Sanford allows for collaborative events, and the nearby river offers opportunities for outdoor learning, like walking field trips.

Question 2: In what way does the physical environment in this building interfere with how we would like learning to happen today and in the future?

Howe’s building has a few challenges that impact both students and staff. The cafeteria is too small, with a capacity of only 85 students, making lunch periods cramped and loud. There is also no fully secure entrance; after visitors are buzzed in, they aren’t directed straight to the main office. The second floor lacks a gender-neutral bathroom, though one is available on the first floor. The playground is not appropriately sized for 3rd–5th grade students and is not accessible for students with physical disabilities. The building is also not conducive to holding full community gatherings, as large events must be split up. Lastly, WiFi connectivity remains problematic, with significant dead zones in the building, including in the media room.

Question 3: What should the district know or appreciate about the physical environment of this building?

Howe’s building is charming and beautiful, both inside and out, with unique architectural elements that make it a joy for students and staff to be part of. The large amount of natural light and welcoming atmosphere contribute to a positive environment that students love. However, a critical safety concern exists due to the lack of a secure entrance and no visible line of sight between the main office and the main entrance. The school has requested additional technology, such as a video monitor for the entryway, to improve security.

Overall Discussion Themes

Large classrooms with great natural light
Full kitchen with a courtyard for eating lunch and outdoor learning
Air conditioned
Cafeteria is too small for the student enrollment
Critical need for fully secure entrance and better visibility from the main office

Survey Results

Fourteen questions were asked of walkthrough participants at the end of the walkthrough. There were 5 respondents to the survey at Howe Elementary. The questions the participants were asked are included in Table 2 below, and the response breakdowns are included in Plot 1 below.

Question	Question Short	Question Text
1	welcoming main entry	The main entry is welcoming and able to be used by all students and visitors.
2	physical space design supports program	Generally, the design of the learning spaces in the building supports the way we teach and learn (e.g. classrooms are large enough to fit student desks, small group work space, etc.; there is storage for necessary curriculum, tools, manipulatives; all students can hear when the teacher is talking).
3	enough classrooms	The building has enough classrooms to support the number of students enrolled in the program.
4	entire student body can meet together	The school has a space large enough for the entire student body to be together.
5	adequate academic intervention space	The school has sufficient pull-out space to support instructional needs.
6	adequate regulation space	The school has sufficient pull-out space to respond to student behaviors.
7	adequate SPED space	There are sufficient spaces to meet the needs of the school’s Special Education programming.
8	mental health space	There are sufficient spaces to meet the mental health needs of students.
9	adequate lunch room	The cafeteria can accommodate the entire student body in three lunch services.
10	gyms large enough	The gyms are large enough to meet the needs of the program.
11	enough admin space	There is enough administrative space to meet the needs of the program.
12	functional outdoor space	The outdoor environment provides space for both learning and play.
13	adequate restrooms	The restrooms in the building meet the needs of the student body in terms of location, quantity, and inclusion.
14	building feels bright and welcoming	The building feels bright, welcoming, and efficient.

Table 2. Survey questions

Survey Question Results: Howe Elementary

Plot 1. Survey results for Howe Elementary

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