Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy
The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles. The district partnered with SPS+ Architects for the building’s design and McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. for construction, which has an estimated completion date of winter 2027.
The new campus will feature a new administration and cafeteria building, as well as a two-story classroom building for students. The academy uses a dual-immersion teaching model, in which students transition from English to Spanish during the week, and spaces were designed using colors and textures to mark the language of instruction, the news release reports.
A two-story middle-school building will play home to students in grades 6–8. Amenities will include a media and learning center, STEM labs, a maker space, and dedicated spaces for arts and music. Finally, an amphitheater-style staircase (the “learning stair”) will offer a flexible commons space for reading, group work, and collaboration.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to officially break ground and bring this campus rebuild to life,” said Paul Kubik, Project Director with McCarthy. “McCarthy has had the honor of walking these halls, supporting this campus, and being a part of this community for years, and we are excited about this next chapter for BPA. Every time we take on a campus rebuild, we have the privilege of becoming ingrained into the school’s culture, and that runs especially deep here. The dual immersion culture is one of the core features of Biltmore Prep, and we’re beyond excited to celebrate and honor that identity through every space we build.”
Finally, the redesign will take advantage of the existing multipurpose gym facility as a central hub for students. The four buildings will frame a central courtyard featuring a large outdoor learning stair that can serve as a space for outdoor classes, assemblies, student performance, and parent-teacher events, the news release reports.
The new facility will expand the school’s capacity from about 500 students and 60 staff to about 750 students and 75 staff.
About the Author
Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].