Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Design Firm Completes Six Schools in 2.5 Years for Maryland K–12 District

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/27/24

The Prince George’s County Public School System in Maryland recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its sixth new school in two and a half years, according to a news release. The Feb. 21 ceremony marked the completion of The Colin L. Powell K–8 Academy, which opened in November 2023. The other five schools (Sonia Sotomayor Middle School, Drew-Freeman Middle School, Hyattsville Middle School, Kenmoor Middle School, and Walker Middle School) opened in September 2023.

The six schools are part of a 30-year, public-private partnership among the Prince George’s County Education & Community Partners consortium. The consortium’s members include developers Fengate Asset Management and Gilbane Development Company, design-builder Gilbane Building Company, architecture firm Stantec, and facility services provider Honeywell, the news release reports.

“Our design of these innovative learning environments reflects the needs of a diverse student population in Maryland. We were able to create engaging education spaces that feel connected, yet each offer their own unique aesthetic,” said Stantec Project Lead Michael Scarani. “By delivering in half the typical time, we were able to meet the district’s ambitious goals to get its students into new, modern classrooms and help PGCPS address each of its communities’ space needs.”

Each school includes features like grade-specific academic wings; media labs; STEM and STEAM labs; production studios; an indoor gymnasium; performance stages; and band, music, and dance rooms. The facilities include room for at least 1,200 students each for a total added capacity of more than 8,000 students.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Girl Sitting at Library Desk, Using Laptop

    How Campus Design Shapes the Finals Week Experience

    Academic performance is not just about preparation. It is closely tied to how students manage stress, maintain their energy, and shift between work and recovery modes. Much of that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by design.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.

  • 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.

  • Colorado School District Breaks Ground on Unified PK–12 Campus

    The Haxtun School District No. Re-2J in Haxtun, Colo., recently announced that ground has been broken on a renovation/addition project that will unite its two schools, Haxtun Elementary and Haxtun Jr/Sr High School, according to a news release.