College Station ISD Breaks Ground on New CTE Center

The College Station Independent School District in College Station, Texas, recently broke ground on a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center. The district partnered with VLK Architects on the facility, which will serve both of its high schools, according to a news release. Funding for the project comes from a 2021 bond, and the first phase of construction is scheduled for completion by summer 2024.

The CTE Center’s first phase involves the construction of a district Agricultural Barn featuring 60 pens for small animals and 20 pens for cattle. It also includes a multipurpose arena to host both agricultural shows and CTE field trips, as well as expositions for students of all ages across the district. The building will also leave room for flexibility and expansion as the district agriculture program grows, the news release reports.

“There are many students in our district who want to show livestock,” said CSISD Director of Communications Chuck Glenewinkel. “Some of them to not have the ability to do so because of lack of land to do so, or homeowner association regulations in their neighborhoods. This facility will make it possible for all CSISD students to have the opportunity to learn accountability, bookkeeping, and showmanship, and if they are successful, they are financially rewarded at the end. There is power in learning the value of hard work and the rewards that accompany it.”

The school district and VLK Architects also partnered with construction engineering firm Salas O’Brien to determine the barn’s optimal mechanical, electrical, and plumbing requirements. The facility will feature wash stations, grooming stations, and storage areas subdivided to each high school that will give students the responsibility of maintaining their own spaces.

“VLK is honored to have partnered with College Station ISD in the design of the Agricultural Barn, the first within the school district,” said VLK Principal Melissa Fleming. “We are excited by the opportunities this facility will provide for all CSISD students.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Photo credit - Chuck Coates

    Florida District Modernizes Central Energy Plants at Two High Schools

    Flagler Schools, a public school district in Flagler County, Fla., recently partnered with Matern Professional Engineering to modernize the central energy plants at two of its high schools, according to a news release. The project is part of a larger, district-wide effort to reduce energy costs and operational expenses.