Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/10/26

Key Takeaways

  • Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD celebrated the opening of a new replacement campus for Wayside Middle School, funded by the district’s 2023 Bond Proposition A and designed in partnership with VLK.
  • Inspired by Marine Creek Middle School, the 180,000-square-foot facility expands capacity to 1,200 students and features three academic wings connected to a central media center.
  • Built in two phases to limit disruption, the school opened to students in spring 2026, with parking and athletic facilities currently under construction.

The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023. The district partnered with VLK for the project’s design.

The school’s design was inspired by the prototype of nearby Marine Creek Middle School, paying tribute to the school’s history and sense of school pride while upgrading important amenities. The new facility expands the campus by 30,000 square feet to a total of 180,000 square feet, allowing a total capacity of 1,200 students. The building contains three academic wings connecting to a central media center, according to the news release.

“Through the support of the bond program and the dedicated work of district leadership, board, and staff, this vision has become a reality. The new Wayside Middle School is more than a building. It is a modern learning environment designed to support academic excellence, student engagement, and long-term success,” said Lauren Brown, VLK Principal. “This is a moment to celebrate what thoughtful planning and community trust can accomplish. Congratulations to EMS ISD on delivering a campus that will serve generations of students for years to come.”

According to the news release, construction occurred in two phases to minimize disruptions for students during the transition phase. Phase I consisted of the facility itself, which opened its doors to students at the beginning of the spring 2026 semester. Phase II will consist of developing school parking and athletics facilities, and is currently underway.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • 144-Year-Old High-School Campus Debuts New Academic Facility

    San Diego High School (SDHS) in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new student services and classroom building; the project is part of a larger SDHS Whole Site Modernization project that began in 2022.

  • Photo credit: Elkus Manfredi Architects

    University of Virginia Selects Design-Build Team for New Residential Complex

    The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., recently announced that it has selected a design-build team for a new upper-class residential development on campus, according to a news release. Capstone Development Partners—in partnership with Elkus Manfredi Architects and the Hoar Construction/Hourigan construction team—will move forward with the three-building, 310,000-square-foot housing facility.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.