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

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.

  • Health & Science Building

    Health & Science Building

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Health & Science Building has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • 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.