The new 81,500 s.f. Ellsworth Dansby Jr. Magnet School will house K8 students with environments that revolve around student-focused learning. Flexible and collaborative work spaces will be incorporated to engage students to work in small groups.
The new school will feature a commons area with a stage for presentations and events, along with a media commons in the core of the school. Students will also enjoy colorful “portals” to represent different environments within the school, as well as creative makerspaces for a hands-on education.
- New Construction
- Media Commons
- K-8 School
- Flexible Work Spaces
- Makerspaces
In 2021, voters approved a $35 million dollar referendum, called, “Safe Schools, Safe Kids.” Bierbaum required building additions and interior modifications to accommodate their increasing enrollment, and enhance safety and security measures.
Faced with outdated and inflexible learning environments, unused spaces, chaotic drop off and pick up, and no central gathering area, doing nothing was not an option for the Jacksonville School District. Not only is the junior high experience a pivotal time in a child’s life, but of all the district facilities, the junior high was positioned to serve every student in the district.
A new Elementary School has been built to replace the outdated, non-functional, and rigid elementary spaces previously housed at Lincoln (3-5) and Washington (PK-2). The unified PK-5 facility implements best-practice education design in an approximately 65,000 s.f. building, creating 15%-20% square footage efficiencies for the district.