Aledo Middle School

The district engaged the community in a combined visioning effort for both a new middle school and the transformation of the existing one. The process helped articulate goals for the future and led to a conceptual framework for teaching and learning plus a focus on equity across campuses.

Modernization

The project modernized a building that hadn’t seen significant improvements since the 80s. Solutions stemmed from: (1) the district’s goals for teaching and learning, (2) the desire for natural light, transparency, and open space, and (3) the community’s request to maintain long-standing campus traditions.

The creation of grade-level houses supports a community learning model. The team demolished and rebuilt the core of the building to create two houses for 7th and 8th grade. Flexible furniture, writable surfaces, movable walls, and shared learning space were incorporated into each house to enhance collaboration and choice for students and educators.

The den is the heart of the building and a source of nostalgia for alumni who attended the campus when it was the high school. Since the late 70s, the den served as a space for board meetings, graduations, and social engagement. The defining features of the den were retained and modernized

Additional renovations include improvements to all classrooms, enlarged science labs, removal of CMU walls to accommodate larger corridors and collaborative space, added shelter components to the gymnasium, re-purposing of the old gym for fine arts, and expansion of the cafeteria. 

21st Century Transformation

The biggest transformation was in how students feel when they enter the building. A lackluster environment isn’t conducive to learning, so the district wanted to see light, color, furniture, and a tie to their community as methods to enhance engagement.

From a functional perspective, collaboration space, flex labs, wider corridors, and the activation of the library and den increased capacity and made every space available for learning, collaboration, and gathering.

The use of grade-level houses also increased opportunity to deepen engagement. Teachers work more efficiently and collaborate better. It’s more like a community. There’s also less opportunity for students to wander the halls as they are fully engaged within their pod.