Saturday, November 8, 2025
On the surface, the new “redesign” classrooms at Valley Stream District 24 share all the same elements of the conventional classroom: desks, white boards, and books. But that’s where the similarities end.
One classroom is outfitted with a stationary bicycle, letting students cycle their pent-up energy away. Or they can unwind inside a reading nook, replete with a writeable magnetic whiteboard for lessons or brainstorming sessions. Other classrooms have tables that double as multi-touch interactive screens. Or have calming corners for students to take a moment to collect themselves.
These upgraded furniture spaces reflect a growing movement in education to modernize learning environments for a diverse, digitally savvy, and socially and emotionally aware generation.
In the new era of education technology and innovation, Valley Stream District 24 aims to position itself as a model district. That is the idea behind the district’s Vision 2030 initiative. Superintendent Unal Karakas said that the year 2030 will be the goalpost for the district to meet its “innovative transformation” districtwide. The effort, in a nutshell, is to create a “vibrant learning system” where educators can “empower learners to thrive as innovative, digitally literate, and emotionally intelligent individuals.”
Now the work begins to “refine” this broad picture idea and create action plans or “cornerstones” to move it forward.
The district has already hit the ground running with a professional development workshop led by Ray McNulty, President of the Successful Practices Network and former Vermont Commissioner of Education. The session brought together teachers and administrators to refine the district’s strategy for creating modern, forward-thinking classrooms that prepare students for the future.
Educators worked with McNulty to sharpen the district’s Vision 2030 statement, identify core priorities, and brainstorm innovative teaching strategies. Students will explore emerging fields like digital media and artificial intelligence tutoring.
“This year, the focus is going to be getting feedback from our students in our ‘redesign’ classrooms and having our student council students visit the ‘redesign’ classrooms to experience what it’s like,” said Karakas. Once student input is fully gathered, the district will showcase the results of these pilot initiatives and invite feedback from parents and other educational stakeholders.
The innovative classroom model, Karakas noted, isn’t just about the latest tech or student gadget, it’s about creating flexible learning spaces that can be constantly reconfigured to meet both individual and collective student needs.
“Innovation today may look very different in three to five years,” said Karakas. “What we’re looking at as innovation is ways to create project-based and collaborative learning led by student choice and voice in the classroom. We want students to set themselves up for success in school and beyond."
