VICTORY SQUARE HEAD START

A Green Globes Healthy Environment for Learning

The community of Hermiston celebrated the opening of Victory Square, a much-needed Head Start early learning facility. The building provides a home for a comprehensive child development program for children ages three to five-years-old and their families. Also certified as the first Green Globes building in Oregon, Victory Square uses daylight and superior air quality to create a healthy, welcoming, and enjoyable space for the children.

“I’m really impressed with the new building. It’s gorgeous and environmentally friendly,” – Dan Daltoso, Associate Director, Umatilla-Morrow Head Start

The goal was to combine best practices in environmental design with functionality. The building includes three classrooms, a staff workroom, a commercial kitchen, and an outdoor learning area with sand and garden boxes. The layout is simple to navigate; one main corridor serves all seven separate rooms, and also allows for a fourth classroom to be easily added at a future date. The hall showcases the children’s art and projects.

High ceilings and lots of windows provide a bright and open learning environment. Interior awnings help diffuse the daylight, and minimal lighting is needed throughout the building leading to low energy usage. The building’s orientation and operable windows maximize opportunities for natural ventilation. Energy-efficient fixtures and equipment paired with low flow water fixtures aid in the overall environmental friendliness of the learning center.