Add as a preferred source on Google

Houston-Area District Opens STEM Magnet Academy

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/13/21

The Stafford Municipal School District (SMSD), located near Houston, Texas, recently opened a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Magnet Academy. The $2.8-million facility is the first of its kind in Fort Bend County, and it can accommodate almost 200 students in grades 3–8. According to a press release, the school’s curriculum will focus on 21st-century skills like medical technology, coding, robotics and more.

“The SMSD philosophy is ‘STEM to Learn, STEM to Earn,’ and it was really built and born here,” said SMSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Bostic. “Eight years ago, we started with incorporating robotics, drones SWIFT coding, and gaming into our curriculum because we looked at the future outlook of where jobs would be. We came up with these plans—including our newest jewel, the STEM Magnet Academy. In its inaugural year, students are set up for success through project-based curriculum, partnerships, mentorships, and we’re also planning for international travel when it’s safe to do so. We are cutting and blazing a path that others have not done.”

Stafford MSD STEM Magnet Academy
Photo courtesy of Lockwood Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN)

The new academy measures in at 67,000 square feet and features amenities like 32 classrooms, two science rooms, a gaming room, a medical and coding lab, a robotics lab and a reading room. It also includes breakout areas for collaboration and a learning staircase allowing two teachers to combine their classes and offer larger-group instructions.

“Unlike Career and Technical Education programs that are typically offered to high school students, this STEM Magnet Academy will prepare students to learn specialized skills like coding and robotics from an early age,” said Victor Fleming of Lockwood Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), which served as the program manager for the bond program.

The facility was designed by AutoArch Architects and constructed by Jamail & Smith Construction. It was built as part of a $62-million bond program that passed in November 2017. The ultimate goal of the bond was to provide funds to address growth and expansion within SMSD, which enrolled about 3,600 students during the 2019-20 academic year. SMSD is the only municipal school district in Texas.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • Geometric abstract school illustration

    How Design Shapes Learning and Success

    Can the color of a wall, the curve of a chair, or the hum of fluorescent lights really affect how a student learns? More schools are beginning to think so.

  • North Carolina District Completes New Elementary School

    The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in Holly Springs, N.C., recently announced that construction on a new elementary school has finished, according to a news release. Rex Road Elementary School measures in at 133,000 square feet and is the fifteenth school that general contractor Balfour Beatty has completed for the district.

Digital Edition