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Mansfield ISD

2019 Caudill Award Winners

By | Clients

Congratulations to Mansfield ISD and Georgetown ISD, recipients of the prestigious Caudill Award. Huckabee had the rewarding and exciting opportunity to help these districts express their vision through two unique facilities. The Dr. Sarah K. Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners (MISD) and the Hammerlun Center for Leadership and Learning (GISD) are among four schools to earn the highest honor in this year’s competition. Each project received at least four Stars of Distinction in the Exhibit of School Architecture (EoSA), qualifying them for consideration in the Caudill class.

Dr. Sarah K. Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners

The new 54,340 sf early learning academy brings museum-level engagement to the school environment. Designed for 3- and 4-year olds, it is 100 percent hands-on learning. The school is arranged into four pods, each with four interactive learning experiences that are play-based but purposeful (each element ties into curriculum). The pods also contain a multi-use commons, outdoor courtyard and age-appropriate amenities.

Macro to micro, the design of the Jandrucko Academy draws on curiosity and a sense of community inherent in adults and children. While structured—from thoughtful adjacencies and symmetrical composition to well-defined curriculum—it embraces play, imagination and freedom for educators to design learning to suit personality. The school was holistically created, with the intent to impact students, teachers and the community while irreversibly changing the way early learning is expressed.

The project won four Stars of Distinction in the areas of Design, Community, Planning and School Transformation. To view the submission, click here.

Hammerlun Center for Leadership and Learning

The project is an adaptive re-use of a historic and iconic 1924 building. Formerly a high school, junior high and elementary school, today, it is Georgetown ISD’s administration building / center for leadership and learning. It focuses wholly on adult learning, redefining the look, feel and purpose of training space. The design is rooted in the district’s Learner Profile, emphasizing choice and voice. It draws on context and innovation, maintaining building integrity while creating progressive learning environments.

The Hammerlun Center was named in memory of Jerry Hammerlun, a long-time Georgetown community member and community leader. Jerry was passionate about mentoring future leaders and ensuring his community embraced the future while honoring the past. He played a critical role in the vision of the new administration building before his passing in June 2017

The project won five Stars of Distinction in the areas of Design, Value, Community, Planning and School Transformation. To view the submission, click here.

The EoSA is sponsored by Texas Association of School Administrators and Texas Association of School Boards. It recognizes excellence in planning and design of the learning environment. The Caudill Award is named after Texas architect William Wayne Caudill (1914-1983). The architectural projects will be on display in the exhibit hall and the winners will be recognized at the 2020 TASA Midwinter Conference in Austin January 27-28.

Exhibit of School Architecture

By | Clients

Congratulations to Godley ISD, Rockwall ISD, Georgetown ISD and Mansfield ISD, your vision for four unique projects has been recognized through the TASA/TASB Exhibit of School Architecture awards! The awards program showcases new and renovated Texas schools and celebrates excellence in planning and design of learning environments. Projects are awarded Stars of Distinction in up to six categories for Design, Value, Sustainability, Community, Planning and School Transformation. Our client and firm award winners include:

Godley High School  |  Godley ISD

Star of Distinction in the Community category

Dr. Gene Burton College & Career Academy  |  Rockwall ISD

Star of Distinction in the School Transformation Category

Sarah K. Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners  |  Mansfield ISD

Caudill Class finalist, Star of Distinction in the Design, Community, Planning and School Transformation categories

Hammerlun Center for Leadership & Learning  |  Georgetown ISD

Caudill Class finalist, Star of Distinction in the Design, Value, Community, Planning and School Transformation categories

The Jandrucko Academy and the Hammerlun Center also ranked among the top six award winners and are eligible for the prestigious Caudill Class award, which will be announced in early 2020. Eligible projects include those that receive four or more Stars of Distinction.

Congratulations to our clients and project teams!

Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners

By | Clients

From life-sized animals to enchanting murals, the new Dr. Sarah K. Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners brings art, learning and play together for young students in Mansfield ISD.

The academy opened in January 2019 and serves eligible Pre-K students in Mansfield. Its campus mission statement and purpose “is to improve the school readiness of young children using creative, hands-on, interactive experiences within a research-based early childhood program.”

Every space in the academy is designed to create an experience for young learners. Rather than traditional classrooms, the academy is divided into four pods and sixteen distinct learning experiences. From the deep sea and the savanna to space and Wonderland, students are encouraged to explore new places and concepts—all while building literacy, numeracy and social skills.

“I feel like these experiences have brought learning to life for them,” one teacher at the academy commented.

Research has consistently associated higher student achievement and engagement with active learning. The academy provides ample opportunities for Pre-K students to dive into active learning through meaningful, age-appropriate experiences. Notably, the students get to enjoy these experiences every day—a feature that makes this school one-of-a-kind.

“I am honored by the opportunity we have to help transform the landscape of early childhood education. This facility is truly unique, and we are so excited about the possibilities and the future ahead for Mansfield ISD students.”

Chris Huckabee, AIA, Chief Executive Officer

The exterior of the school is modern yet blends seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood. Inside, the space is progressive. Flexible furniture and technology are used alongside interactive learning displays to promote excitement and interest in curriculum. The four themed pods (which house four learning experiences each) align along a main corridor. Pods also include multi-purpose space for activities, large-group collaboration, instruction and family-style dining.

In the short time since the academy opened, teachers have observed significant student progress.

“My students have learned vocabulary words that I never would have imagined,” one teacher remarked.

From counting to collaboration to fun new words, the Dr. Sarah K. Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners is preparing students for the future by providing highly-visual, engaging and exciting experiences every day.

Back to School 2017

By | Clients

Back to school is a meaningful time for Huckabee, as it represents the culmination of a collaborative work effort to plan, design and build facilities that support the success of all students. 

This fall, Huckabee opened 21 new schools: campuses that run the gamut from conventional learning spaces to next-generation incubators for education. Some school districts addressed growth and created equitable learning environments, others replaced aging facilities and infrastructure; all responded to the needs of their communities, students and educators.

We are proud of our work and proud to have partnered with some of the greatest school districts in Texas. Here are a few highlights of what opened this fall:

Montgomery ISD, Keenan Elementary School and Oak Hill Junior High School
The district’s 2015 bond included a new elementary school, new junior high school and new high school, as well as comprehensive renovations at all other campuses. The opening of Keenan Elementary School and Oak Hill Junior High School mark the first completed phase of the bond program. The schools share a site and a design aesthetic, blending modern and traditional elements into two engaging campuses.

Weatherford ISD, Shirley Hall Middle School
Weatherford ISD has long awaited the opening of Shirley Hall Middle School. The new facility replaces a nearly 50-year old campus, helping the district address aging conditions, improve efficiency and modernize the learning environment. The space is divided into learning neighborhoods that support collaboration and project-based instruction. Transparency, modern colors, ample light and outdoor courtyards enhance the learning experience for students and educators.

Mansfield ISD, Charlotte Anderson Elementary School
The opening of Charlotte Anderson Elementary School marks the end of the 2011 bond program for Mansfield ISD. It’s the final of five prototype elementary schools Huckabee designed for the district—replacing aging facilities with more secure, engaging and modern learning spaces. Huckabee and Mansfield ISD have been partners for more than 28 years and recently kicked-off design for a new slate of projects as part of the 2016 bond program.

Longview ISD, East Texas Montessori Prep Academy
At 150,000 sf, Longview ISD’s new Montessori academy will house students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and Head Start programs. The school is designed to support personalized and self-paced instruction and is unique in that it’s one of the only Montessori schools run by a public school district. It’s designed to support small learning communities with shared amenities, including two enclosed courtyards / gardens for play and instruction.

Georgetown ISD, Purl Elementary School
Exciting things are happening in Georgetown ISD, as the district is implementing a new learner profile with the opening of two new schools. The first to open is Annie Purl Elementary School. A traditional design aesthetic borrows from nearby historic Georgetown. Inside, classrooms feature movable walls, writable surfaces and flexible furniture; collaboration spaces are abundant; and elements such as a learning stair, reading nooks and a maker space support exploration, creativity and serendipitous learning opportunities.

Killeen ISD, Roy J. Smith Middle School
Roy J. Smith Middle School is one of two campuses opening this fall in Killeen. The school is designed to provide a flexible learning environment within an efficient and sustainable facility. It houses small learning communities in addition to a STEM academy. Other features include a high-volume library, outdoor learning courtyards and modern finishes and materials.

Liberty Hill ISD, Rancho Sienna Elementary School
Liberty Hill ISD’s newest elementary school features a Hill Country aesthetic, constructed with locally-sourced materials including stone, metal panels and a pitched metal roof. The facility was designed for students in pre-kindergarten to 5th grade with the intent to inspire creativity and collaboration and to support an exciting learning experience. Classroom wings feature flex space with access into a large outdoor learning courtyard. In the library, a spiral staircase leads into a reading nook.