Across the country, school leaders are rethinking what it means to create a safe learning environment. While physical security remains important, today’s priorities go deeper, focusing on students’ mental health, daily experiences and ability to learn.
As expectations for education curricula change, school buildings must change too. Next-gen schools should provide environments that enable students to comfortably attend, engage and grow. Wold’s education team helps school districts design facilities that support student well-being, overall health and learning without sacrificing functionality or security.
We believe safety isn’t just about what a space prevents — it’s about what it makes possible.
Security measures should protect without feeling heavy-handed, creating spaces that are both secure and welcoming. By keeping safety features subtle and unobtrusive, designers can avoid barriers, both physical and emotional, so students feel open, supported and ready to learn. Below, we’re looking at how school design can balance safety with student well-being to create holistic and supportive facilities.
Before we can create effective learning environments, we must first understand what students need to thrive. Academic success isn’t possible when students’ basic needs go unmet. That’s why Wold’s planning process is grounded in a model inspired by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs that prioritizes the essentials.
It begins with building conditions and capacity, then progresses to safety, curriculum, activities and, finally, community use. The sequence is intentional. If students don’t feel safe or supported, nothing else works. Wold uses this approach to help districts make sense of their priorities, layering safety into a larger framework that includes well-being and learning.
This philosophy guided Wold’s work with Richfield Public Schools. Recognizing that not all students arrive at school ready to learn – some may lack stability at home or access to basic necessities – the district launched “Moving the Starting Line,” an effort to create equitable starting points for all students, no matter their circumstances. As part of the initiative, the district implemented a school-based mental health clinic; established a student-run, storefront-style food and clothing store; and created cultural and linguistic assistance hubs positioned near the main entrance.
By addressing these needs up front, Richfield created an environment where more students felt safe enough to engage and succeed. These interventions reinforce a key point: when districts invest in student-centered solutions, safety and learning outcomes follow.
Once students’ foundational needs are addressed, schools can better support how they learn.
Many school buildings were designed for a different era, when the goal was to prepare students for industrial jobs. Today, education is more dynamic. It’s about helping students think critically, explore their interests and understand the broader world around them.
Wold helps districts move beyond outdated models by designing environments that reflect how students learn today. In place of rigid classrooms and uniform layouts, modern schools are built to encourage exploration, adaptability and creativity.
Career and technical education (CTE) spaces, for example, are designed to reflect real-world, in-demand industries. Labs are structured to integrate technical skill-building with the business and strategic thinking behind those career paths. Plus, flexible layouts allow teachers to adapt spaces as curriculum, instructional styles and student needs shift.
Spring Lake Park School District’s Centerview Elementary makes a strong case for this approach. Its Learning Studio environments feature modular furniture and movable dividers, allowing teachers to shape the space around the activity at hand.
These studio or pod layouts also foster a stronger sense of community. Transitions between classes are minimized and supervision is easier to maintain because students and teachers spend more of their day in the same zone. Teachers build closer relationships with their students and can more easily recognize needs or changes in behavior. For students, this familiarity creates comfort, enhancing their sense of security and helping them engage more fully in learning.
Wold has proven that learning doesn’t have to be confined to four walls. It can be shaped by spaces that adapt, invite curiosity and prepare students for their futures.
Importantly, these flexible environments also allow for subtle safety strategies, like layered supervision or adaptable lockdown zones, that don’t feel intrusive to students. The result is a school that feels empowering, not restrictive or intimidating.
Just as curriculum must evolve, so too must the spaces where it’s being taught. Every student learns differently, and school design should reflect that.
Wold emphasizes flexible, multi-use spaces that support academic and emotional needs alike. This might look like small breakout areas for collaboration, calming rooms for emotional regulation or private, one-on-one spaces for personalized help. For neurodiverse learners, sensory-friendly environments provide the right balance of stimulation and focus.
In districts like Stillwater Area Public Schools, the new Bayport and Lake Elmo Elementary schools are integrating special education areas directly into general classroom wings, which reduces stigma, promotes inclusion and empowers every learner more effectively.
A good teacher can adapt, but students can’t learn if the environment doesn’t support them. This kind of flexibility builds confidence and security while reducing anxiety, which are key factors in student success.
Franklin Special District’s Performing Arts Center and gymnasium create opportunities for students to connect, express themselves and lead, whether through athletics, music, dance or stage production. For many learners, these are the spaces where confidence takes root and learning becomes tangible.
The lesson? When students see themselves reflected in the environment, they’re more likely to feel a sense of belonging.
Meeting diverse needs also means removing barriers to aid. Resources only work when students can access them without stigma or fear. That’s why Wold integrates support services into the school environment in visible, welcoming ways.
In Mora High School, counseling, tech support and academic help are all housed in the commons — visible, approachable and part of everyday school life.
Other instances of dignity-driven design include mental health hubs near school entrances, community rooms that double as outreach spaces and basic resources like showers or laundry access for students in need. Even design decisions such as individual bathrooms built with privacy in mind, can send a strong message that students are seen and respected.
These features may look small on paper, but they’re monumental in the lives of students who need them. They build trust with families and strengthen school communities. When design reflects dignity, schools become places where students feel safe, supported and ready to learn. And when safety measures are thoughtfully integrated, not tacked on, they create a sense of calm, not control.
Ultimately, dignity is foundational to both wellness and security. When it’s built into the environment, everyone benefits.
Preparing students for kindergarten is a critical step in supporting their holistic development and long-term success. Designing early childhood facilities with age-appropriate, sensory-conscious elements can make a significant difference in how young learners experience school for the first time. Calming colors, soft furnishings and playful design themes help students feel welcome and supported, while intentional material and furniture selections foster safety, comfort and emotional regulation. At Villa Park School District 45’s Early Childhood Center, for example, a cheerful town center theme and sensory-focused spaces were carefully integrated to ease transitions and nurture emotional growth.
Beyond the classroom, early childhood centers can also serve as meaningful community hubs. Spaces designed for family engagement, such as parent resource rooms, flexible gathering areas or accessible service touchpoints, help build strong school-home connections from day one. When families feel supported and included in the learning environment, students are more likely to thrive. Prioritizing these design elements fosters not just readiness for kindergarten but a broader sense of connection, belonging and shared investment in a child’s future.
Creating a safe school environment starts with understanding what students need to feel comfortable, focused and ready to learn. When those needs are reflected in the design, education becomes more effective.
These improvements also help schools work more effectively for a greater number of students. With thoughtful planning, districts can ensure their investments reflect the realities of modern learning.
Wold’s approach centers on that belief. By designing environments that adapt to how students learn, grow and interact, we help schools become places where every learner can succeed. We collaborate with educators, administrators, families and even first responders to ensure every solution is both practical and human-centered. Because when design meets students where they are, it helps them get where they’re going.
If your district is exploring ways to better support students, let’s talk. Our team is here to help you build learning environments that reflect today’s students and prepare them for tomorrow.
