Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Under-Construction Middle School Could Become STEAM Academy

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/07/21

Jarrett Middle School, an existing member of Springfield Public Schools whose new campus is currently under construction in Springfield, Mo., could be designated as a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) academy by the time it opens.

The discussion began in 2019, when voters approved a $168-million bond issue that included funds to rebuild the school on a larger campus. “We reached out to the staff to see if there would be any interest in pursuing a ‘choice’ program option at Jarrett,” said Kelsey Brabo, coordinator of choice programs. “There was an overwhelming majority from the staff—like 70 or 80 percent—that were interested.”

The plan was put on hold during the pandemic, but talks are starting up again. A preliminary proposal was presented to school administrators, who gave approval to explore the idea further. Should the plan move forward, no changes would need to be made to the building’s design or construction. Brabo said the next step is to research and plan what the Jarrett Middle School version of a STEAM academy would look like.

“We have so many model and sister schools that we can learn from. And we can take the success and the opportunities that have come from other programs across the nation, and we are going to be able to identify what is going to be best for Jarrett,” she said. Brabo also said that the school’s curriculum will still address the normal Missouri learning standards, just through a different lens.

If the plan gets approval and funding from the school board, the STEAM program could launch alongside the school’s projected opening in August 2022.

The school’s new campus is being built on the former site of a demolished elementary school. It will have a capacity of 725 students between sixth and eighth grade, and it will include a storm shelter, fix accessibility and safety issues of the former campus, and provide outdoor space for extracurricular activities.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.