Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

STEAM-Focused Elementary School Kicks Off Whole Site Modernization

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/17/22

Franklin Elementary STEAM Magnet School, part of the San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently broke ground on a whole site modernization project. The project will see the new construction of a two-story classroom building, as well as renovations and modernization to all classrooms and a wide variety of campus enhancements, according to a news release.

“Franklin has served generations of students in the Kensington and City Heights communities for 93 years and counting,” said Dr. Lamont Jackson, Superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District. “We’re excited to bring Franklin students new facilities and technology that will enhance their educational experience, while creating new memories that will carry onto the next generation.”

According to a news release, the new classroom building will feature amenities like collaborative workspaces, staff lounge and food services kitchen. The student dining area will be expanded to include an outdoor shade canopy. Safety and security improvements are set to include a student services suite; a single, monitored point of entry; a modern public address and intercom system; cameras; fire alarm and intrusion systems; and secure fencing around the entire perimeter. The school will also see renovations to its kindergarten and higher-grade playgrounds, set to include a learning garden with a shade canopy and a landscaped bioretention basin.

“You walk onto our campus and you can see and feel the history,” said Franklin Principal Melissa Roy-Wood. “But you also see aging buildings and a need for expanded play areas. So, we are beyond ecstatic about this makeover.”

The project is being funded through Propositions S and Z, as well as Measure YY, both local bond measures approved by local voters. The district partnered with Safdie Rabines Architects for site design and with C.W. Driver for construction. Construction is scheduled for completion in late 2024.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • UNH Marks Construction Milestone on Oceanic Exploration Facility

    The University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., recently celebrated a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony for the new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, according to a news release. The facility’s ultimate goal is to support research, training and technical assistance in ocean mapping.

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • Haws Corporation Marks 120th Anniversary

    Haws Corporation, which provides hydration and emergency safety solutions worldwide, recently announced that the company is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, according to a news release.