Texas School District Breaks Ground on Seventh Elementary School

The Royse City Independent School District in Royse City, Texas, recently broke ground on the district’s seventh elementary school, according to a news release. The school will be named with community input later this year and was part of a bond from May 2021. The district partnered with VLK Architects for the school’s design.

The news release reports that the school’s design is a prototype that VLK designed for the Ruth Cherry Elementary School replacement campus that opened last fall. Amenities include a modern library, updated finishes, and an angled climbing surface with a small, built-in slide. The building will host students in grades K–2 on the first floor and students in grades 3–5 on the second floor.

“VLK was honored to take part in the groundbreaking for the next Royse City ISD elementary school alongside community members, district representatives, and Northstar Builders,” said VLK Architects Principal Ross Rivers. “As a result of the strong partnership between RCISD, VLK, and Northstar, this new facility is another step in accommodating the growth and continued success of the Royse City Independent School District.”

The campus is scheduled to open its doors to students in August 2024.

“We are proud to break ground on our seventh elementary school,” said Royse City ISD Superintendent Kevin Worthy at the groundbreaking ceremony. “As a fast-growth school district, our partnership with VLK Architects is greatly valued. We’re able to collaborate on what is best for our community, students, and staff. We look forward to naming this new school over the summer, and we anticipate a beautiful space that invites learning, friendships, and lifelong memories.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • Classical building columns display digital data streams

    The Campus Nervous System: Why Facilities Risk Is Now a Leadership Issue in Higher Education

    Facility performance now intersects with safety, compliance, on-campus experience, institutional reputation, and financial resilience. That places it firmly on the leadership agenda.

  • Washington State District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Cheney School District No. 360 in Spokane County, Wash., recently announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school, according to local news. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 18 in Airway Heights for the yet-to-be-named school, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.