New Missouri Elementary Features Collaborative Spaces for Each Grade Level

Renderings and floor plans of a new elementary school were shared in the last Washington School District board meeting. The new, two-story elementary school will replace South Point Elementary and is funded by Prop S, a $26 million bond issue approved in April.

Bond Architects and Washington Engineering gave a presentation to board members on the project. The 78,000-square-foot building will be “angular with both rustic and industrial flair inside and out featuring a dynamic color scheme,” Superintendent Dr. Lori VanLeer, told a local newspaper. The school will feature collaborative spaces for each grade level with books available to check out in each space in addition to a library/makerspace with space for full class instruction and room to build projects.

Classrooms for kindergarten through second grade will be on the first floor with third through sixth grade on the second level. The gym, located on the main floor in the center of the building, will also be a storm shelter with adjacent bathrooms and a backup generator.

Construction bids will go out in early January and a contract will be awarded in late January or early February with construction beginning in the spring of 2020.

The new school is estimated to cost $23 to $24 million and slated to open in August 2021.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • FGCU Breaks Ground on New Health Sciences Building

    Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has launched construction on a major new academic facility that leaders say will reshape healthcare education in Southwest Florida for decades to come, according to university news.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.