Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Nonprofit Releases Renderings for New Uvalde Elementary School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/24/23

Local news reports that the nonprofit organization planning a new elementary school for Uvalde, Texas, recently released renderings of the new facility. Robb Elementary School, the site of the school shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead in May 2022, is scheduled for demolition, according to local leaders. The replacement facility is scheduled for completion in 2024 and will have a capacity of 800 students, according to KENS. The new facility will measure in at about 120,000 square feet, about twice the size of the existing campus.

“We haven’t had a new school in Uvalde since 1985,” said Uvalde Precinct 4 Judge Lalo Diaz. “So whatever we are going to give them is state-of-the-art.” Local news reports that Diaz is the co-chair of a committee comprised of educators, parents, and first responders who are collaborating with architects on the new school. Diaz also served as the coroner on the day of the mass shooting.

The new school’s design places a heavy emphasis on security. The executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, Tim Miller, described security features and additions upon the design’s release. They include fencing around outdoor play areas, keyless entry, 9-foot privacy gates, a secure area for visitors near the building’s entrance, and a new road to provide first responders with quicker access to the school.

Other features include an air-conditioned gymnasium, two playgrounds, and an outdoor courtyard.

“We have had conversations about bullet-resistant film, especially on the windows that serve as the perimeter,” said Natalie Arias, co-chair on the advisory committee and the academic dean at Uvalde High School.

Diaz also revealed that the new school would pay tribute to the 21 victims of the shooting at Robb Elementary, although the specifics of the design are still in development. Local news reports that a separate committee will soon meet to come up with the new school’s name, and the foundation will host another meeting with completed schematics on March 20.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • 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.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Acquires VPS Architecture

    Full-service planning, architecture, and engineering firm Wold Architects & Engineers recently announced that it has acquired VPS Architecture, according to a news release. The move will help strengthen Wold’s education and public-sector design expertise, industries in which both companies have strong pre-existing ties and relationships.