Construction Begins on Atlanta School with Health Clinic, YMCA

School officials broke ground on a new Atlanta elementary school that will include an on-site health clinic and YMCA Early Learning Center. The $51 million project is slated to open in 2020.  

Atlanta Public Schools and the Grove Park Foundation both provided funding for the new Woodson Park Academy. Earlier in the summer, charter school network KIPP Metro Atlanta took over daily operations and staffing of the new academy after APS signed a contract with them.

The new school was created after APS closed Woodson Elementary and merged it with Grove Park Intermediate to create a Pre-K through 8th grade program at Woodson Park Academy.

 “The goal of the revitalized campus is to give families comprehensive support with proven partners. Students will have access to early childhood programming, a YMCA, a health clinic, and more. APS is committed to graduating students ready for college and career and realizes in addition to a high-quality education, our work also includes helping families break the cycle of poverty,” the district said in a statement, reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Students currently attend school in a nearby building but are scheduled to move into the new facility next year.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • sapling sprouting from a cracked stone

    Lessons in Resilience: Disaster Recovery in Our Schools

    Facility managers play a pivotal role in how well a school weathers and recovers from a crisis. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, or a man-made event, preparation determines resilience.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

Digital Edition