DFW-Area K–12 District Breaks Ground on New STEAM Academy

Last week, the Waxahachie Independent School District near Dallas, Texas, held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new STEAM school, according to a news release. The Wilemon STEAM Academy will have space for about 800 students in grades K–5 and was designed by VLK Architects. Funding for the project came from a bond that local voters passed in May 2023.

The campus will measure in at 102,000 square feet and feature amenities like an open-concept library; creation spaces featuring a wood engraver, LEGO station, and science and robotics labs; an outdoor courtyard; recording studio; flex spaces; a gymnasium; and a cafeteria. The release reports that the new school’s mission is to “create an innovative learning environment in which students thrive, using critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration to solve real-world problems and promote career awareness.”

“The construction of a new home for the incredibly successful Wilemon STEAM Academy is an exciting step in the continued growth of Waxahachie ISD,” said Jonathan Aldis, VLK Architects Principal. “The new campus allows for even more students in Waxahachie to engage in an education focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math in an innovative and collaborative learning environment.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Rice University to Build New Student Life Complex

    Rice University in Houston, Texas, recently announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Moody Center Complex for Student Life (MCCSL) will take place on May 8, 2025, according to a university news release. The 75,000-square-foot facility was designed by architecture firm Olson Kundig with Page serving as executive architect, and it has an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

  • Mesa West Capital Provides Loan to Refinance University of Georgia Residence Complex

    Mesa West Capital recently announced that it has provided a $133.9-million, short-term, first mortgage loan to developer LV Collective (“LV”) to refinance a student housing complex near the University of Georgia, according to a news release. Rambler Athens, a 750-bed residence hall adjacent to the campus, was completed in August 2024.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

  • Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

Digital Edition