NEWS // 12.01.17

George Wagner Middle School opens in Georgetown ISD

Students from George Wagner Middle School in Georgetown ISD moved in to their new facility, welcomed by a parade of students, community members, teachers and Mr. Wagner himself. The campus is one of two new schools that support a more progressive approach to teaching and learning.

In recent years, Georgetown ISD adopted a learner profile that promotes critical thinking, innovation, exploration and personal responsibility. The schools, including Wagner Middle School and Purl Elementary School, along with renovations to Tippit Middle School, Georgetown High School and an administration building, are designed to support the new learning model. They are highly collaborative and flexible, technology rich and supportive of not only student learning, but also, professional development for educators.

At Wagner, Learning centers for STEM, humanities and a 6th grade wing include classrooms, labs and teacher planning rooms. Movable walls, flexible furniture and overhead reels for power maximize adaptability for small and large group instruction. In each space, four central classrooms can open into one large area, promoting collaboration and transparency.

Other unique features include an expansive art patio and learning courtyard adjacent to the library. The library also features a maker space and movable walls that open to create a multi-purpose area that overlooks the student commons. The commons and cafeteria feature a learning stair, pre-event space and large stage that adapts to multiple purposes. The central Design Lab, located adjacent to the core of the building, has direct views into the commons, providing a key opportunity for teachers and administrators to collaborate and design engaging learning experiences while modeling the expectations of all learners in the building. Direct views allow the teachers to passively supervise students who choose to learn in the commons between, and even during, dining activities.