California School Showcases Modernization

Solana Highlands Middle SchoolSolana Highlands Elementary School in the Carmel Valley (California) recently enjoyed the completion of a full refresh and modernization. The structure has served students for 30 years, and with the passage of the Solana  Beach School District’s Measure JJ School Bond, has been updated with modern HVAC, exterior renovations, and classroom spaces, among other elements.

Some of the additional steps taken include the removal of steps and lowering of fixtures to make the school more ADA-compliant.  Students will also benefit from an updated outdoor lunch shelter and indoor service area, and the addition of astroturf to the outdoor play area. Staff will enjoy a larger teacher’s lounge and the addition of more storage space.

The project was started in June, and a majority of the work was completed by the time school began. An official ribbon-cutting celebration will take place in mid-January 2018, showcasing the updated space during an all-school assembly.

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey

    Spaces4Learning recently launched the 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey, which collects data on the previous year’s K–12 and higher education construction projects nationwide.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.