Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

The July 31 ceremony included an open house and guided tours before the start of school on Aug. 13. Funding for the middle school came from Bond 2021, a $38-million bond referendum that went toward new facilities, renovations, and repairs and upgrades around the district. Funding for the administration building came through local resources and wasn’t included in the bond package, according to the news release.

“These new facilities are a testament to the vision of our community and the commitment to creating learning environments where our students can thrive,” said WISD Superintendent Wade Stanford. “We’re already seeing a positive impact on student engagement and staff collaboration.”

The district partnered with Fitzpatrick Architects and Pfluger Architects for the project’s design, as well as Jackson Construction for construction services. The project consisted of renovating four existing buildings into a single facility. The campus consists of new and refurbished buildings that took advantage of existing structures, foundations, and loadbearing walls.

“The design intent is to support the learning space profile defined by input from the community, parents, staff, and students,” said Pfluger CEO Terry Hoyle. “The learning spaces include flexible and comfortable instructional spaces; collaborative spaces for engagement, creativity, and student choice; and non-academic spaces for community engagement and outdoor learning.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • New Kent State Academic Building Earns LEED Silver Certification

    Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, recently announced that its newest academic building, Crawford Hall, has earned a LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The facility was recognized for its innovative design, water conservation technologies, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable construction materials, among other features.

  • Ryan Companies Completes Construction on Three U.S. Charter Schools

    Ryan Companies US, Inc., recently partnered with Red Apple Development (RAD) and Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) to build three new charter schools in South Carolina and Louisiana, according to a news release. Ryan served as general contractor with RAD as the developer of record.

  • Pudu Robotics Launches AI-Powered, Large-Scale Floor Sweeper

    Pudu Robotics recently launched the newest member of its MT1 series of robotic floor sweepers, the PUDU MT1 Max, according to a news release. The AI-powered, 3D perception robotic sweeper was designed for use in large, complex cleaning environments both indoors and semi-outdoors, like parking garages and semi-open building atriums.

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

Digital Edition