In 2019, dancker began working with the Little Falls School District as they set out to launch their very first STEAM classroom—an innovative, hands-on learning environment for middle school students. Inspired by emerging educational trends and the evolving needs of 21st-century learners, the district wanted a space that would foster creativity, collaboration, and engagement through project-based learning. What began as a single classroom initiative quickly evolved into a district-wide transformation of every school building and learning environment.
Faced with limited funding but a bold vision, district leaders partnered with dancker to develop space designs, product specifications, and visual inspiration to help them build momentum. One community member was so inspired by the vision, she personally donated nearly 90% of the funds needed, making Little Fall’s dream for a STEAM room a reality.
Our partnership continued in collaboration to reimagine their existing classrooms across all three schools. We helped to develop classroom standards for a scalable, future-ready approach. At the same time, we worked one-on-one with individual teachers to ensure each classroom reflected the specific needs of their students, subjects, and teaching styles. Leveraging standards afford the district the opportunity to change and evolve spaces easily as needs evolve.
To immerse stakeholders in the process, we invited administrators and educators to our Experience Center for hands-on planning sessions. They explored design solutions, tested furniture configurations, and co-created layouts in real time.
Today the transformation is visible across the entire district. Classrooms are flexible and support the needs of today’s learners. Media centers support collaboration and quiet focus. Common areas have become places for connection and creativity. And the original STEAM lab continues to inspire hands-on learning through a fully equipped makerspace and mobile furniture that adapts to any activity.
Little Falls has also won our danckerCares Reimagine Your Classroom contest not once, but twice, reflecting their commitment to creating thoughtful impactful spaces that support growth and success at every level.
