The flagship of Mount Vernon, New York’s $100 million urban school master plan is the new 86,000 sq.ft. four-story Longfellow Middle School, which houses 550 students in grades six, seven and eight. The school is organized on the team-teaching concept, with each grade occupying a separate floor level complete with classrooms, science labs, resource rooms, shared common space, and teacher planning areas. For community access and participation, the ground level is dedicated to common core facilities, including a media center, cafeteria, multi-purpose gymnasium and stage and a band/choral room which opens out to the entry courtyard for outdoor performances. The building integrates numerous “green” design features, including a mechanical system with full heat recovery and room occupancy sensor controls.