Mitchell Elementary School represents a powerful investment in the future of education and community in DeKalb. Created to reduce overcrowding, balance enrollment across the district, and ensure equitable access to modern learning environments, the new K–5 school transforms an existing Northern Illinois University facility into a vibrant neighborhood hub for learning.

The three-section elementary school includes three classrooms per grade level, along with four additional classrooms to support future growth and flexible programming. Designed to serve 450–500 students, Mitchell integrates next-generation learning environments, including Innovation Pods, STEAM labs with ceiling-mounted power drops, and collaborative spaces that encourage hands-on, inquiry-based learning.

Located on the Geneseo High School campus, the new 12,000 square foot Career & Technology Center is designed to expand hands-on learning opportunities and strengthen workforce connections for students.

The standalone facility accommodates 45 students and three teachers — a 33% increase from the district’s previous vocational spaces — and features dedicated areas for automotive, metals, and woods/building trades instruction.

As part of a multi-facility “Indy Campus Reimagined” initiative, Ivy Tech Community College (ITCC) is undertaking the renovation of the Illinois Fall Creek Center (IFC) to enhance its Nursing and Health Sciences programs. This project will repurpose existing classroom space, consolidating health sciences programs from the Fairbanks Lawrence campus and integrating state-of-the-art lab upgrades to better support modern student learning.

A key goal of this renovation is to centralize all student services on campus, creating a more intuitive and cohesive experience for students and staff. By consolidating services in one location, the design features clear wayfinding and establishes a primary entrance that enhances the facility’s arrival experience.

By creating a state-of-the-art space for Nursing and Health Sciences, ITCC is strengthening their connection to the local healthcare industry. Students will benefit from upgraded learning environments and proximity to clinical placements, internships, and workforce opportunities in the downtown area.

As part of Rockford Public Schools’ ongoing commitment to providing globally focused, future-ready education, Conklin Elementary School is expanding to become a full International Baccalaureate (IB) school serving students through junior high.

Building on its success as an IB Candidate School for grades K–5, the program has already extended to sixth grade and will soon welcome 7th and 8th graders beginning in the 2026–2027 school year.

As part of a larger bond program, Comstock Public Schools will begin construction of a new K-8 STEM Academy to replace a 75-year-old facility with a purpose-built STEM school. The new school will feature intentional design that celebrates the future of STEM and ensures that the programming is thoughtful, inclusive, and relevant to today’s technology and resources. The new Academy is set to become the area’s go-to facility for STEM education while creating opportunities for future partnerships with organizations.

The project team held a design workshop with multiple stakeholder and community groups to develop a functional and flexible design that can evolve and adapt to the changing needs of students. Situated on a 30-acre campus next to the existing elementary, the new STEM Academy will house up to 450 students to support the growing program. This will be the first new building for the Comstock Public Schools district in more than 50 years.

With an increase in enrollment in their business department, Calvin University sought to add onto their existing DeVos Communication Center to create the new School of Business. This new building focuses on student spaces, classrooms, breakout rooms, and shared spaces which demonstrate a commitment to the latest innovations in business.

More conducive to collaborative learning, these spaces provide a flexible, creative, and welcoming environment to foster students in their journey to become excellent, engaged, and faithful leaders of business. The facility and its proximity to other buildings on campus serves as a catalyst for creating innovative new academic programs while continuing to foster connections with other Calvin programs along with the broader campus and community.

Since 2018, Hudsonville Public Schools has added around 125 students per year in the district and needed educational facilities to accommodate their current and future growth. As part of the district’s long-term master plan, the community approved a 2019 bond proposal to build new school facilities, including a new school for fifth and sixth graders, as well as renovate and add onto existing buildings, to address the district’s population needs. The high school has undergone a complete transformation to create additional classrooms, expand athletics and arts facilities, and connect campus buildings with multifunctional spaces.

With a total of 104,000 square feet, the new Hudsonville Fieldhouse serves as the new athletics and training hub for the high school. Located south of the existing high school building, the fieldhouse includes locker rooms, a 1/9 mile running track, two-levels of fitness and strength areas, a multipurpose tennis court, and three full size basketball courts for athletics events with spectator seating for 3,700 people. The unique top-loading design of the fieldhouse delivers a 360-view of the court floor and connects spaces on the upper level, making the facility ideal for hosting competitions, expositions, and community events. High-performance lighting in the fieldhouse provides an elevated spectator experience complemented by ample daylighting, a center-hung video board, and interactive district branding throughout.

To support an influx of K-8 students, Grandville Public Schools built a new 7/8 middle school which will allow them to repurpose the existing middle school into a 5/6 facility and open space in their neighborhood elementary buildings as part of a $94 million bond proposal.

The new $57 million 7/8 building is located adjacent to the current high school and addresses capacity issues at the district’s elementary buildings with the increase of new developments to the area. Treating this shared location as a campus allows room for future expansion and creates a combined location for community amenities.

The new, multi-story facility boasts more than 200,000 square feet of teaching and learning space that is flexible and student focused. A large learning staircase with adjacent technology creates a space for students to socialize, have small group meetings, and eat lunch. Corridors are spacious and act as extended, active learning areas with movable furniture and technology. Emphasis on creating external and internal transparency with safety glazing gives the facility ample natural light but maintains student focus and security with sight lines for adequate supervision. A large media center with presentation spaces and multiple soft seating options fosters a sense of collaboration and innovation. Breakout rooms and large group spaces create flexible learning opportunities in a non-traditional setting to boost creative thinking.

The Project NEXT program at Forest Hills Northern (FHN) High School is a project-based collaborative learning program that began as a pilot initiative in the media center in 2018. 

At the time, a modest investment was made in the pilot program by designing and refreshing the school’s media center with new, flexible furniture more conducive to next-generation, collaborative learning. In Project NEXT, students learn the state-required high school curricula in a series of both individual and group assignments throughout their four years at FHN. Students tackle real-world problems and fuse science, social studies, English, art and design, and math to produce innovative learning and projects.

Holly Area School’s new 6,500-square-foot Construction Trades Center will house the district’s skilled trades programs. This state-of-the-art facility will provide students with the opportunity to earn valuable certifications while still in high school, paving the way for rewarding careers that do not require a four-year college degree.

Previously housed inside the high school, the program will now move to the new, pre-engineered facility designed to accommodate a larger scale of training. The flexible space can adapt to the evolving needs of various trades, like carpentry, plumbing, electrical, or masonry construction. Students will have the chance to earn OSHA certifications, equipping them with essential safety knowledge for the workforce.