Continuing a long standing relationship with EI Associates, Shippensburg Area School District commissioned EIA to design a new Intermediate School. The School houses 4^th and 5^th grade students that are accustomed to two smaller K-3 Elementary Schools in the District. Grade levels are separated by floors and further divided into three “teams” with four classrooms, a special education room, and appropriate toilet facilities. There are shared common areas on each floor. This design with prior school facilities in mind was created to introduce students to larger spaces while still fostering a more intimate and closer feel to students and staff. Security and safety was also a large focus of the design, with outdoor areas kept away from roadways and a security vestibule installed at the main entrance. Conserving existing natural areas to provide habitat and promote biodiversity was another early goal of the project.  The District purchased the 27 acre site knowing that they would be responsible for maintaining a 4 acre conservation easement between the school and the residential neighborhood.  The District embraced this idea since it was already planning an environmental center through the site, which is also used as an instructional tool for students. EI Associates minimized site disturbance by reducing the building footprint and integrating the building into the natural topography.  Compared to a traditional one story building, the two story classroom wing design reduced the building footprint by 30% allowing for more open space on the site.  The three classroom wings are separated by a change in elevation of 2’-6”.  Overall, the Shippensburg Area Intermediate School was designed to increase the interaction between students, architecture, and the natural environment.