Texas Debuts New Elementary School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/10/22

The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) in Fort Bend County, Texas, about 40 miles west of Houston, celebrated the start of 2022 with the opening of a new elementary school. Fletcher Morgan Jr. Elementary School finished construction in December 2021 and now plays home to about 750 students in grades PreK–5.

According to a news release, Morgan Elementary is the district’s 29th elementary school and the fourth to be designed by VLK Architects. VLK held meetings with school leaders to design a space that would increase engagement among the curriculum, students, teachers and parents.

“VLK Architects has done a phenomenal job designing our new campus, Morgan Elementary,” said Dr. Roosevelt Nivens, Lamar CISD Superintendent. “It truly is a beautiful campus equipped with everything that our scholars need to have an exciting and impactful learning environment. We are grateful for this new addition to our Lamar CISD community.”

The new facility was proposed as part of the 2017 bond election. It features learning areas organized into pods containing 6–8 classrooms, restrooms, storage space, collaboration space and outdoor areas. The design also includes modular furniture, media stations and activity walls to ensure a dynamic, active learning environment. Collaborative spaces like music and art rooms are located next to the gym and cafeteria to reduce ambient noise throughout the building. The full facility covers about 48,400 square feet.

“It’s an honor to be able to work with Lamar CISD in opening another elementary school that serves the students, faculty, and staff in this fast-growing community,” said Todd J. Lien, AIA, Managing Partner of VLK Architects.

The total cost of the project came in at $24 million, funded as part of the bond. The district partnered with VLK Architects for design and Drymalla Construction as the general contractor.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • ed tech conference calendar

    Upcoming Awards, Events & Webinars

  • Electrifying Bus Fleets

    Now is an excellent time for K-12 “yellow” school buses, college campus transportation, and public transit systems to transition to zero-emission electric buses instead of traditional gas or diesel-powered models.

  • Illinois District Breaks Ground on Two New Junior High Schools

    Joliet Public Schools District 86 in Joliet, Ill., recently began construction on two new junior high schools—the district’s first new schools since 2011, according to a news release. New facilities for Hufford Junior High School and Gompers Junior High School will serve the east and west sides of the city and be built next to their current facilities, which will be demolished after the project is complete.

  • DIGroup Architecture to Design New STEM Building for N.J. PreK–12 School

    DIGroup Architecture recently announced that it has been selected to design a new Hall of Science & Entrepreneurship at Saddle River Day School, a PreK¬–12 school in Saddle River, N.J., according to a news release. The project is part of the larger, schoolwide “Building the Future Campaign,” and its purpose is to promote critical thinking, scientific exploration, and an entrepreneurial spirit within the learning environment.

Digital Edition