The New Vista Ridge Middle School: A Vibrant Place to Learn and Grow
Fort Worth, Texas - VLK Architects proudly announces the opening of Vista Ridge Middle School in Keller ISD. This new, innovative facility is open and ready for student, faculty, and staff use on their first day of the 2017-2018 school year, Tuesday, August, 15th.
Approved as part of the Keller ISD 2014 bond referendum, Vista Ridge Middle School was designed in response to the district's desire to create a first-class learning environment in the growing, southwest corner of Keller ISD. This new facility will foster a creative learning environment for fifth through eighth grade students with a dedication to fine arts. There are two full functional stages for large staged performances on the main stage or impromptu gatherings of students from multiple classes at the small stage serving the learning stair. Events can be held concurrently at the two venues. Vista Ridge also features flexible spaces for collaborative instruction, an engineering lab and maker space in the library, and an abundance of natural light making Vista Ridge a bright and vibrant place for students to learn.
"With the opening of our new Vista Ridge Middle School campus, our students will be provided a great number of new opportunities and learning experiences," said Hudson Huff, Keller ISD's Executive Director of Facility Services. "From Fine Arts programs such as orchestra, to new presentation areas throughout the building, so many details were carefully considered as part of the planning and design process.We look forward to seeing the impact of the planning and design efforts that have been made to our newest campus and hope that the learning experiences provided for students at Vista Ridge can be shared and replicated in other district campuses and learning environments in the future."
Located off I-35 and Thompson Road, Vista Ridge Middle School is designed for a capacity of 900 students and master planned for future expansions to accommodate 1200 in upcoming years. The new middle school was constructed on the high area of a sloping 28 acre site providing magnificent views of Downtown Fort Worth and ample green space for athletic fields. In addition, with the construction of new neighborhood communities around Vista Ridge, students will be very close to local parks and trails providing teachers with opportunities to take their students beyond the walls of their classroom and outside to explore.
"We took the traditional learning stair that is now found in a lot of schools, and enhanced the functionality by adding a stage," said Richard Hunt, VLK Project Designer. "Being the main feature of the building, the learning stair and small stage combo is located at the front entrance to showcase the dedication Keller ISD has made to fine arts programs."
"VLK is honored to partner with Keller ISD in the design of this non-traditional fifth-eighth grade campus," said Leesa Vardeman, VLK Principal. "Each design decision was predicated by what is in the best interest of kids and how the space will support all learning styles. Keller ISD has been intentional in providing transformative spaces that can easily adapt to the curriculum of the future."