Locker Education + Architecture Planning

Dr Fran

Franciszka Marie Locker

Honored as Planner of the Year by the Association for Learning Environments, (formerly Council of Educational of Facility Planners International) for her comprehensive planning approach, consensus building process + state-of-the-art school design, Dr Fran leads clients to position their schools for the long-term future through educational visioning, facilities master planning, educational specifications + collaborative concept design. 

[email protected]
+1.617.412.7444

275

projects in
17 countries
so far

48

plenary speeches
in 8 countries
so far

2-1/2

MacConnell
Award Winners
so far

A former college educator, certified facilitator + registered architect, Fran bases her approach on research in 21st century learning + successful strategies for implementation.  

Proudest Achievements

  • Planner of the Year, Council of Educational Facility Planners (CEFPI, now A4LE)
  • MacConnell Award, A4LE. Highest award for school planning + design.  2 winners, 1 finalist
  • Harvard University, Graduate School of Education. Conceived, created + co-taught Learning Environments for Tomorrow course, LEFT
  • Project-Based Learning Conferences, Boston, MA + Providence, RI.  Creator + producer for 10 years
  • Revolution in Education Congresses, Bogota + Cartagena, Colombia.  Co-creator + producer
  • 24 Hours of PBL+. Co-created internet-based exhibition of project-based learning every Earth Day
  • Golden Circle Schools, Colombia. Co-founder, innovative network based on project-based learning, active student-centered learning + empowerment of innovations among teachers + staff
  • Avante Global School, Cartagena, Colombia. Co-founder, N-12 private school. Developed  teaching + learning practices, designed facility infrastructure for 700 students
  • Led Educational Visioning + School Transformation Workshops for Ohio Facilities Construction Commission since inception in 2011 to present

Gurus + Mentors

I have learned from the best:

  • Stephen Heppell, London, UK. Stephen is simply the most innovative, risk-taking, surprising + charming educational planner in the world.  Brilliant
  • Bill DeJong, Michigan + Florida, USA. Bill taught me the breadth of educational planning, and how to “fly the plane while still building it” 
  • Doug Flockhart, New Hampshire, USA.  Doug taught me detailed analysis as prelude design
  • David Rinehart, now deceased.  David was my design professor at Univ Oregon.  Prior to that, designer for Louis Kahn on Salk Center, La Jolla, CA + designer for Moshe Safdie on Habitat ’67, Montreal.  David taught me how to think
  • John Merriman et al, my architecture classmates at Miami University, OH.  We taught each other in a vacuum of faculty leadership

Projects

275 projects so far in 17 countries, including Canada, China, Colombia, Cote D’Ivoire, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kuwait, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, UAE, UK + USA.  Highlights include:

  • St Mildred’s-Lightbourn School, Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Visioning, Space Needs, Master Planning + Strategic Planning
  • International University of Grand-Bassam, Grand-Bassam, Cote D’Ivoire. Educational planning for 4200 student university expansion
  • Thacher School, Ojai, CA. Educational Visioning, campus planning
  • The Galaxy Education System, Gujarat, India. Educational planning for new project-based learning school for girls
  • Sidwell Friends School, Washington, DC. Educational Visioning, design collaboration
  • American Academy Morocco, Casablanca, Morocco. Visioning, Educational Specifications + design consultation for 1300 student PK-12 school
  • Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, HI, K-12 Educational Visioning + Educational Plan
  • Massachusetts School Building Authority, Boston, MA, Future Oriented Space Standards
  • Kent County Local Authority, United Kingdom, Educational planning and design consultation on 5 secondary schools
  • Franklin Public Schools, Franklin, MA, Portrait of a Graduate Application, Educational Visioning, district-wide Facility Master Planning
  • USA Public School Projects:
    • 78 in Massachusetts
    • 25 in Ohio
    • 24 in Rhode island
    • 19 in Wyoming
    • 10 in Montana
    • 7 in Alaska
    • 3 in Washington State

Honors + Awards

  • MacConnell Award, A4LE, 2023, Winton Woods HS/MS, Cincinnati, OH, Educational Visioning + community engagement
  • MacConnell Award, A4LE, 2010, Lynnwood High School, Lynnwood, WA, Educational Visioning
  • MacConnell Award finalist, A4LE, 2021, Mt Si High School, Snoqualmie, WA, Educational Visioning
  • Teacher of the Year, College of Architecture + Design, Kansas State University
  • Rotch Traveling Scholarship, Boston Architectural Center
  • Kirkbride Award, A4LE Northeast, 2018, Gates Middle School, Scituate, MA, Educational Visioning
  • Lighthouse Award, A4LE Northeast, 2015, Mt Blue High School/Foster Tech Center, Farmington, ME, Educational Visioning
  • ALEP, Accredited Learning Environments Planner, A4LE

But wait…,there is more

Professional Development

16 PDs so far in 5 countries, including Canada, China, Colombia, Morocco + USA.  Highlights include:

  • Chaoyang Education Bureau, Beijing, China, STEM + STEAM Professional Development workshops, March 2017
  • Illinois Association of School Administrators, Chicago, Il, Smart Schools Series, Educational Visioning classes
  • Bishop Strachan School, Toronto, Canada, School Transformation + Development Map for staff Professional Development

Protégées

Over the years I have been lucky to find, or have been found by, some remarkable young people for whom I have become a mentor. I proudly believe I changed their lives.

  • NS, London, UK.  Formerly from Montana; now in London but really everywhere, consulting globally. I introduced educational planning to N when we met in 2004; we have been collaborating since
  • GM, Queretaro, Mexico. This young architect sought me out after hearing my speech in Queretaro.  Now a professor at Technological University of Monterrey, he brings best engagement practices to his design studios, + has won several K-12 school design competitions
  • JB, Boston, MA. His first degree was in HS math.  My colleague at DeJong, living in the mid-west, I hired him to bring him to Boston + pursue a degree in architecture.  Now a Fellow in A4LE, his two degrees uniquely position him for incisive educational planning
  • GD, Bogota, Colombia. In his early ‘20s when we met at my Harvard course, within a month I was in Bogota leading educational visioning for his school.  In a decade we have been serial innovators, with GD often conceiving the idea + me figuring out how to make it work