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Career readiness education is implemented through multiple methodologies, increasingly adopted by��numerous��school districts, particularly within states such as Arizona. These approaches may include academies that integrate traditional core curricula with career-oriented instruction, as well as Career and Technical Education (CTE), which deliver specialized technical��education and certifications��aligned with specific trades or professions. The associated campuses and facilities are purposefully designed to equip students with educational experiences that prepare them for future careers.��

Each unique educational setting is customized to align with��particular industries,��occupations��or career trajectories,��necessitating��facilities that enable educators to effectively prepare students for their intended professions.��

“There are more diverse learning pathways available today than ever before,”��said��Tyler Shupe,��senior��director��of��Education Services��at McCarthy Building Companies��in Phoenix.������

Shupe works with school districts on behalf of McCarthy. He sees districts recognizing��that��career focused��education��is��of��growing��interest��to��communities,��students��and employers.��Responding to the��call,��they��are��customizing��learning spaces, whether��by��renovating an existing campus, expanding it, or building��entirely new facilities.��

��Shupe��has��led��several of these��education��projects in the Greater Phoenix area. Two��of these��include the��currently under construction��Agua Fria Union High School District’s��(AFHSD)��new��Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater��campus in Litchfield Park, Arizona,��and the��recently completed��Northeast��Campus expansion��of��Western Maricopa Education Center, known as West-MEC, in��North��Phoenix.��

Designing Schools to Mirror the Workplace

A career- or arts-focused curriculum changes how the school must be designed compared with a traditional comprehensive high school, according to Shupe. The intention is to��create learning spaces that replicate the working environment.��

“Most academies and CTE spaces require not only a classroom for learning, but also a hands-on learning space,” Shupe explained.��“Students get time in the classroom and time learning by doing, and every program has its own classroom, lab, and space designed just for it.”����

In addition to the arts and CTE, academy high schools are being built or expanded to include current technology facilities for technology, manufacturing, healthcare��and��trades��education, and other specialized careers that might not require a four-year college degree for career starts.��

For West-MEC, McCarthy��recently��expanded its CTE for welding and advanced manufacturing. At Hilltop, the new $75 million campus��blends��both��high-tech��high school��classrooms with��facilities��for literary, visual, performing and media/digital arts programs. Undertaking such tasks goes beyond design and building.��

“Across our district, I’ve seen how specialty learning environments truly change the way students connect with their education,” said��Mark Yslas, Superintendent for��AFHSD.��“Whether��it’s��hands-on career programs, advanced academics, or real-world learning experiences, these spaces are built around our students’ interests and goals. By creating environments that reflect industry, innovation, and creativity,��we’re��helping ensure our students graduate prepared for whatever path they choose.”��

Community Partnerships Shape Campus Development

Developing a specialized high school program requires strong collaboration with the community. For��AFHSD, the Hilltop project presented��challenges, which��is��common��for initiatives that have a focused purpose. The campus is��being built��on��the site of��a historic��estate, with an application underway for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.��As the highest point in the city,��The��Hilltop is physically prominent and serves as a central feature in the District’s Academies of the Southwest transformation.������

“The historic estate residences remain on-site and are in the process of being transformed into museum spaces,”��Shupe said,��as he numbered off all the stakeholders in this project beyond just the high school district administration, teachers and interested parents.��“The��property is owned by the City of Litchfield Park and leased to��AFHSD,��to��expand arts opportunities for students and residents alike,��an example of strong community partnerships��in action.”��

Aligning Education with Regional Workforce Demand

West-MEC has an entirely��different set��of collaborators. The Phoenix area has become��the��Silicon Desert. Taiwan-based TSMC is building one of the largest chip fabrication plants in the world. With it, Greater Phoenix is seeing extensive industrial��development,����and��electric-vehicle and associated parts manufacturing. With the volume of new businesses, there is an insatiable demand for well-trained future employees.��

“West MEC establishes industry advisory committees for each program,” Shupe explained. “These committees guide the district on emerging skills and priorities for student learning. West MEC then equips students with the certifications they need to transition directly into the workforce upon graduation.”��

Built at the district’s Northeast Campus, the $13.5 million project totals��16,500 square feet��of advanced manufacturing floor space, complete with a clean room and industry-standard equipment. Also included is an electric vehicle bay that they outfitted to create a next-generation teaching facility for EV technology.��

“Our programs are built in partnership with the community and industries we serve,” said West-MEC Superintendent Dr. Scott Spurgeon. “That collaboration ensures West-MEC students are��trained on current technology and workforce expectations, strengthening both individual career pathways and our regional economy.”��

Experience and Coordination Drive Successful Outcomes

CTE curriculum and facilities��isn’t��something new for McCarthy. Shupe said that the construction company has partnered with West-MEC��over the last fifteen years��on three other campuses and many other school districts on a variety of��other CTE programs��and spaces.��

“We understand the importance��of hearing from��industry leaders��and working closely with the district and��our design partners��to provide��a��highly productive��learning environment that’s state-of-the-art,” he said.��“We bring our��expertise��in��school construction to these projects and��work through a process that��incorporates feedback along with best practices to achieve the goals of the district and its��stakeholders.��We’re��all focused on student success, which makes these projects particularly rewarding.”����

Building today’s��career-oriented��learning��campuses,��renovating��or expanding an existing facility requires unique experience, from understanding project��objectives��and��collaborating with the community, to knowing how to build a successful school.��

“We learn as much��about��the project as we can, the needs of the client, and how the building is going to be used,”��said��Shupe. “Every program is unique, and we start by understanding what needs to go into that space.��“The effort involves a higher degree of coordination than what’s needed for conventional construction projects.”��

Eric Jay Toll��is��a freelance writer and Communications Manager for the city of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department.��

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By Lindsey Coulter��

PHOENIX — Arizona State University (ASU) recently announced plans for an estimated 200,000-square-foot building in Phoenix that will serve as ASU Health’s new headquarters. The multistory School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering facility, designed by CO Architects in collaboration with DFDG Architecture and being constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, will join the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix and several biotech research companies at the downtown Phoenix Bioscience Core.��

“This endeavor is more than a building, and this is much more than a medical school,” said ASU President Michael Crow, in a statement. “This will be the headquarters of ASU Health, a new hub of innovation, teaching and learning to enhance health outcomes for the people of Arizona.”��

The project is one of several within the city’s Bioscience Core��designed by CO Architects. The firm is responsible for two of the precinct’s early buildings for University of Arizona’s health sciences and biomedical research programs. “We’re leveraging our vast experience in Arizona, and in Phoenix specifically, for the new ASU Health facility,” said Jenna Knudsen, FAIA, Managing Principal of CO Architects, in a statement.��

DFDG Architecture also recently collaborated on the ASU Health Futures Building and the adjacent Mayo Clinic Integrated Education & Research Building to integrate medical research and educational training in North Phoenix. “That momentum will carry over to this project, the latest addition to greater Phoenix’s health-sciences construction boom,” said DFDG President Darrin Orndorff, AIA, in a statement.��

In addition to housing ASU’s first-ever Phoenix medical school offering MD degrees and hosting select existing programs from the Health Solutions and Nursing schools, the building will include space for ASU’s clinical affiliate,��. The new facility will also accommodate two new programs, expanding ASU Health’s multi-discipline curricula. The School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering will teach future physicians how to improve patient care by blending medicine, engineering, technology and humanities. ASU Health’s new School of Technology for Public Health will focus on the integration of digital technology and data-driven decisions, aiming to improve local public health.��

Facility features are projected to include virtual anatomy and clinical-skills laboratories, exam rooms, classrooms, study spaces, administrative offices, and a simulation center with mock operating and emergency rooms. Further, the new ASU Health headquarters will offer community-facing programs so that members of the public can interface with technology-enabled information on health-related issues such as immunizations.����

“ASU’s forward-thinking approach to preparing future medical and health service professionals and advancing community health education is plainly demonstrated by this progressive project,” said Carlos Diaz, Vice President of Operations at McCarthy Building Companies, in a statement. “We are eager to bring together our national expertise in simulation lab construction and our local team’s demonstrated competence on complex worksites to collaborate with these exceptional design partners and support ASU’s vision.”��

The ASU Health School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering building is designed to help address workforce shortages while improving public health outcomes in Phoenix and beyond. Preliminary sitework is set to begin this fall, with construction starting in early 2026. ASU Health will begin accepting student applications later this year and plans to commence classes in the new building in fall 2028.��

The project team also includes Meyer Borgman Johnson (structural engineering), Spectrum Engineers (MEP engineering), Dibble Engineers (civil engineering), TrueForm Landscape Architecture Studio (landscape architecture), Bowman Fire & Life Safety (safety consultant), WSP USA Buildings (sustainability consultant) and NV5 (AV/IT/security consultant).��

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Construction recently concluded on Arizona State University’s (ASU) University Gateway Building (UGB), a $78 million, five-story mixed-use facility with an architecturally complex facade. The structure unifies retail, education, and art spaces under one sustainably designed roof.��

“The University Gateway Building marks a significant milestone for Arizona State University, linking the west side of the Tempe campus with the vibrant energy of Mill Avenue,” said Tim Smith, ASU Facilities Development and Management vice president in a statement. “With its distinctive angular façade, we have a visual showpiece that inspires ideas and innovation.”��

The 128,000-square-foot structure was the remaining element to a two-part project completed in tandem by the design-build team of St. Louis, Mo.-based McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and Phoenix-based DFDG Architects. The first part of the project, a six-story parking structure, was completed last year.��

Inside the UGB��

Classrooms within the UGB are home to the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts where students study music, music therapy, photography, e-sports, architecture and animation programs. Designed with acoustics in mind, the building’s third floor features an extensive sound isolation system from Phoenix-based TP Acoustics Inc., to manage both internal and external noise. The firm helped develop the ideal settings for instrument practice rooms, group rehearsal spaces, recording studios and a music therapy clinic for the college’s music program.

An e-sport gaming lounge, large computer labs, 3D printing technology and state-of-the-art dark rooms all have homes within the other three academic floors and are neighbored by faculty offices and flex study areas for nearby academic support.����

By grouping similar occupants, the project��team maximized the use of special elements, i.e. sound-proofed areas for various sound needs or dark spaces designed to be adjacent to photography study areas, according to Jonathan Kimble, project manager at McCarthy Building Companies. Kimble spoke to the value of developing a mixed-use space and strategically separating or conjoining amenities. ��

“Sometimes that separation can be a hard line between floors or slowly transitioning from office space on one end of the building to a photo lab on the other end by mixing in study spaces, classrooms and lounge areas to help soften the transition”��

However, the building isn’t all academically focused. To maximize land use for various stakeholder groups, the building offers leasable restaurant and retail spaces on the ground level. A pedestrian walkway along the building’s facade creates an inviting environment for community members and complementing the building’s innovative��high-performance thermal, air and vapor envelope. ��

The exposed facades are designed to minimize direct solar gain with various shading strategies. For instance, the western facade features a unitized skin system with a deeply faceted geometric design, providing coverage from sunlight to help reduce energy consumption.��

Designing this angular facade brought a variety of challenges beyond the building’s shape alone, such as the street’s building’s bustling, arterial Mill Avenue location and the overall process of creating a showcase design that serves as the gateway to ASU’s campus.��

“To overcome these challenges, we worked closely with our design team as well as our trade partner, KT-Fabrication, to create a superior skin system that would not only be a statement piece for ASU but could also be prefabricated and shipped to the site for installation to help mitigate disruption to traffic,” said Kimble. “We built a mockup of the skin panels at KT-Fabrication’s yard where we were able to perform testing and review with ASU to make any necessary adjustments prior to installing the panels on site.”��

Parking Solutions��

The UGB wraps around the $42 million Mill Avenue parking structure, completed in 2023. The structure, the first phase of the Mill Avenue project by design-build team McCarthy Building Companies Inc. and DFDG Architects, added 1,205 parking spaces to the area. ��

ASU’s dedication to sustainability remains evident in the 429,000-square-foot parking structure, which features EV charging stations on the first and third floors. The six-story building has a rooftop photovoltaic array for electrical power generation, while below the structure underground thermal energy storage supports campus cooling. Secure bike parking is offered, with changing rooms and showers also included to support greener commutes. ����

Commissioning of the two-part project entailed sourcing chilled-water air handlers and pumps, a dedicated outdoor air system, electric water heaters, circulation pumps, hydronic heat exchangers and exhaust fans. Advanced lighting, including control systems for dimming and motion sensing, were also critical to the environmentally sustainable elements of the project. The combined parking structure and University Gateway Building are projected to meet LEED Silver and Parksmart Gold certifications. ��

Key construction trade partners also included Sun Valley Masonry in Phoenix, and Tempe, Ariz.-based companies Arizona Elevator Solutions and RH Dupper Landscaping. ��

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WADDELL, Ariz.—DLR Group, a firm providing architecture, engineering, planning, and interior design, recently received an Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects for its design of Canyon View High School in Waddell.

This prestigious national award honors innovative designs that inspire learners, educators, administrators, and communities and enhance modern pedagogy.

Completed in 2018, Canyon View High School spans 237,120 square feet for its 2,000 students and consists of flexible teaching environments reinforced by digital platforms for learning.

“Canyon View High School is a special campus,” said DLR Group Senior Principal��Pam Loeffelman, FAIA, in a statement.

“The design is the framework that allows the district to blur the lines between ages and abilities and to deliver a truly one-of-a-kind learning experience for students and educators. DLR Group is especially honored to be recognized by our peers for design excellence that positively impacts student success.”

During the award review process, jurors noted, “the project hits on equity, health, and accessibility. Every indoor-outdoor space is a place for socializing, movement, gathering, performing, and creating as a community of learners.”

DLR Group noted that in its design, ownership of the classroom is transferred to the collective school, allowing faculty to rotate through learning spaces weekly and affording students the ability to explore academic interests and curriculum. Prior to occupying the campus, DLR Group implemented its����(Bridging Organization Learning and Design) service, which is a facility activation process. This change effort led to universal buy-in to a vision for the campus, resulting in a shift in teaching practices that align with the physical environment.

To achieve this, DLR Group’s design emphasizes spatial flexibility and sustainability as primary means of fulfilling the district’s goals.

The new $75.6 million high school offers the opportunity to strengthen relationships, foster multiple pedagogies for individualized learning opportunities, and nurtures a culture that is student-focused and faculty-guided. Classes have the flexibility to be held in spaces designed to suit the learning of the moment and adjust when necessary.

“The new facility enables innovation and measurable advancements in teaching and learning. These spaces allow teachers to advance their professional skills, and students to examine coursework more deeply to develop collaborative opportunity with peers globally,” said Dr. Dennis Runyan,��superintendent,��Agua Fria Union High School District, in a statement.

Chasse Building Team Inc. was the general contractor on this impressive project.

DLR Group and Canyon View High School have also received additional industry and educational accolades since the campus opened in 2018. Honors include the coveted����by the Association for Learning Environments in 2019, and design and research awards through the AIA Arizona chapter.

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GILBERT, Ariz.—Construction is now complete on the new $23 million Robert J C Rice Elementary School in southwest Gilbert.

The new K-6 school—which can accommodate 800 students— has opened for the 2020-21 school year. The 93,000-square-foot building features a gym/multipurpose room, media center, computer lab learning center, classrooms, and administration space.

The new elementary school campus was built on an accelerated seven-month schedule on Ocotillo Road between Lindsay Road and Val Vista Drive near several new home communities and will help alleviate overcrowding at nearby elementary schools.

“This project had one of the most accelerated timelines for a new build school project that we’ve completed to date—just seven months— and we are proud to have completed it successfully, despite the turbulent times,” said Andrea Ramos, project director for McCarthy Building Companies, in a statement.

HDA Architects Inc. served as the architect. Major subcontractors included Sun Valley Masonry, Procon Concrete, R&N Electric, Irontree, and Midstate Mechanical.

The school has numerous energy-saving features such as:

• An air-cooled central plant;
• An energy Management system that allows HVAC and lighting to be controlled remotely via the internet;
• Sky lighting in hallways to eliminate use of lights, and;
• Ground and polished concrete floors in hallways and bathrooms, which are easier and less expensive to maintain.

“We are very proud to have been part of the team creating this special educational facility for the Chandler Unified School District community,” said HAD Architects Principal Bruce Scott.

“I appreciate the level of effort provided by our team, as well as McCarthy and district representatives, to meet the aggressive design and construction schedule especially during these challenging times.”

The school was named after long-time CUSD governing board member Robert Rice, who began his career as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and spent more than two decades working for Intel in senior management roles. He is currently a member of the Arizona School Facilities Board.

Students who attended Weinberg Elementary last year—which has been turned into a school for gifted students beginning with the 2020/21 school year—will attend the new Robert J C Rice School. Like Weinberg, the school will offer both the Chandler Traditional Academies (CTA) education model as well as “classic” education. Parents will have a choice on the type of instruction their child will receive.

“We are fortunate to have the financial support of our community,” said��CUSD Superintendent Camille Casteel, in a statement.

“Passage of a $290 million bond election in 2019 provided the funding to build Rice Elementary which will serve a fast-growing area of our community. We needed to fast track Rice Elementary to open for the start of the 2020-2021 school year and��once again McCarthy was up to the challenge.”

The Chandler Unified School District used school bond funds approved in the 2019 election by voters to build the school.

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PHOENIX—The new Sierra Linda Performing Arts Center, a 24,000-square-foot facility located at Sierra Linda High School in Phoenix, is now complete.

As part of the Tolleson Union High School District, the $10.5 million center was designed for maximum functionality for students, educators, and audience members, accommodating more than 600 people. To serve area arts education programs and the broader community, the center is being used as a hands-on teaching space for the Sierra Linda High School’s performing arts/fine arts programs and is acoustically balanced for both amplified sound and live performances. Funding for the project was provided by school bond dollars.

The stage includes state-of-the-art LED lighting with automatic stage rigging and controls. The back of the house includes a dance classroom, a multi-purpose classroom for guitar, mariachi and piano lessons, as well as associated restrooms and make-up rooms. The design scheme utilizes mountains on the walls and a color palette that complements Sierra Linda’s school colors of navy and maroon.

“We are absolutely thrilled that our Sierra Linda students will finally have a state-of-the-art performing arts center to showcase their talents,” said Tolleson Union High School District Superintendent Nora Gutierrez, in a statement.

“It is long overdue. This community deserves a beautiful facility such as this one. The performing arts center is one that will serve the community for many years to come. We can’t wait for the wonderful performances and events that will take place in this wonderful facility.

McCarthy Building Companies was the general contractor on this impressive project that took nine months to complete. ADM Group served as the project architect.

“This project illustrates that creative design and construction solutions combined with smart budgeting can elevate a school theater beyond status quo to a professional quality theater for the entire community to enjoy,” said Mike Horn, project director for McCarthy’s Education Services team.

ADM Group completed the original high school campus design in 2010, which included plans for a future performing arts center.

“Our team is proud to have designed a premier performance arts venue that will elevate the rich, cultural fabric at Sierra Linda High School,” said Nina Sheriff, principal/director of Design with ADM Group, in a statement.

“To pay homage to a nearby historic canal, the landscape design features a levee with river rocks that flow to and from the theater’s entrance. To reflect the name of the school, ‘beautiful mountains’, the side walls of the auditorium were constructed in the shape of mountains with lighting to glow like the sunset. The long-awaited performing arts center honors the community’s roots and gives students a modern, high-tech space to showcase their talents.”

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PHOENIX, Ariz.—Construction has begun on Robert Rice Elementary School, Chandler Unified School District’s��(CUSD) 32nd elementary school.

McCarthy Building Companies is the general contractor on this $23 million K-6 school that will accommodate 800 students when completed in June—in time for the school year to begin in July. CUSD is using school bond funds approved in the 2019 election by voters to build the school.

The 93,000-square-foot building will include a gym/multipurpose room, media center, classrooms and administration space. The new school is being built on an accelerated seven-month schedule on Ocotillo Road between Lindsay Road and Val Vista Drive in southwest Gilbert, Ariz.

HDA Architects Inc. is the architect on the project. Major subcontractors��include Sun Valley Masonry, Procon Concrete, R&N Electric, Irontree and Midstate Mechanical.

The school will contain energy-saving features including an air-cooled central plant; an energy management system that allows HVAC and lighting to be controlled remotely via the Internet; sky lighting in hallways to eliminate use of lights; and ground and polished concrete floors in hallways and bathrooms, which are easier and less expensive to maintain.

The school is being named after Robert Rice, a long-time CUSD governing board member who began his career as a U.S. Air Force officer and spent more than two decades working for Intel in senior management roles. He is a member of the Arizona School Facilities Board.

Students who currently attend Weinberg Elementary—which is being turned into a school for gifted students next year—will attend the new Robert Rice Elementary School. Like Weinberg Elementary, the new school will offer both the Chandler Traditional Academies (CTA) education model, as well as “classic” education. The school will also implement a sustainability program.

“We are working hard to establish a neighborhood school that delivers strong instruction aligned to the Arizona standards and offers a wide variety of extra-curricular opportunities for our students,” said CUSD Superintendent Camille Castille, in a statement.

“Rice Elementary will provide options for parents with respect to students’ instructional needs and foster parent and community involvement through partnerships with all school stakeholders.”

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PHOENIX, Ariz.—Construction has begun on the new Balsz School District’s Pat Tillman Middle School, a middle school bearing the name of one of Arizona’s and the nation’s most notable and revered American heroes.

Named after the decorated American hero, who left a successful professional football career with the Arizona Cardinals to serve his country following 9/11, the nearly 70,000-square-foot middle will comprise 42 new classrooms, administrative offices, STEM learning flex space and two new laboratories to support student centered and authentic learning for students in the Balsz School District.

In addition, a new sports tunnel will be constructed, celebrating and connecting the sports fields to the school. Sitework will include the build-out of both sports and community fields with perimeter security that allows for safe and secure student and community access. The building also incorporates energy efficiency upgrades to allow the school to be more operationally efficient over time.

“Our vision for Pat Tillman Middle School is to create the finest learning environment in the Valley, one that truly honors the Tillman legacy,” said Dr. Jeffrey Smith, superintendent of the Balsz School District.

“Pat embodied everything it is that we want to instill in our students—bravery, patriotism, commitment, selflessness—and these fundamentals will very much be a part of the core culture at Tillman Middle School.”

Located at 4309 E. Belleview in Phoenix, the school offers a traditional academic curriculum with expansive elective, after-school and sports offerings. The school will remain open for the 2019-20 school year, while construction is underway, and continue to serve the current student population of approximately 720 students in grades 6 to 8.

The school’s robust elective offerings include an Elite Sports Training pathway, a STEM program focusing on coding, rocketry and robotics, and a Digital Arts program that exposes students to video production, multimedia design and computer graphics. Students at the school will also benefit from the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) initiative, which seeks to bridge the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and their peers.

Construction will be completed in time for the 2020 school year. Final construction completion, which includes all site work and miscellaneous upgrades to existing structures, is slated for October 2020.

DLR Group is providing integrated architecture and engineering services. McCarthy Building Companies is the general contractor and providing construction management services.

“It’s been a privilege to work with the Tillman school community on this major renovation of their school campus, which will enhance the educational and STEM learning experience for current and future students,”��said Mike Horn, project director for the Education Services team at McCarthy.

“We look forward to bringing these highly-anticipated and significant changes to the campus over the next year and are particularly honored to be part of acknowledging Pat Tillman for his service to our country and his athletic achievements as the namesake of the school.”

Added Pam Loeffelman, FAIA, DLR Group, “We are honored to provide a new home for Tillman Middle School. The entire team of educators, administrators, architects, engineers, contractors, students and the community at large worked collaboratively to co-design a school that enables teachers and students to aspire to the Tillman spirit and embraces the community where it resides.”

Originally built and opened as Balsz Elementary School in 1964, the Tillman family granted Balsz School District permission to use the Tillman name in early 2018. The school, home of the Warriors, is located only a few blocks from Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium, where Tillman first made headlines on the football field.

Tillman was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004 at the age of 27.

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GLENDALE, Ariz.―��McCarthy Building Companies recently broke ground on a new K-8 classroom building for Arroyo School in Glendale, Ariz.

The $16.2 million project for the Washington Elementary School District — which is being funded through a 2016 voter-approved bond election — will include 74,600 square feet of new facilities—classrooms, a gym, parking, drop-off area and playfields. Once the new classroom building is completed in July 2020, the remaining buildings will be demolished making way for the construction of new parking and play fields.

Originally built in 1974, Arroyo School serves approximately 600 students in grades K-8 and is a Title I school that offers high academics, free, full-day kindergarten, art, music, PE, gifted education, and an After-School Academy.

“The ceremonial groundbreaking was a great way to celebrate a dream that will soon become a reality,” says Arroyo School Principal Philip Liles.

Mike Horn is project director for the Education Services team at McCarthy.

“We’re honored to work with the Arroyo school community, which values education and being engaged in the renovation of their school campus,” he says. “We look forward to bringing big changes to the campus over the next school year while ensuring the students and staff do not have to endure any major construction-related disruptions.”

BWS Architects is the architect on this project. Established in 1992, Pre-K through 12, higher education, and community projects with an educational emphasis, such as libraries and museums, have historically formed the largest percentage of BWS Architects’ work over the past 27 years.

“We greatly appreciate our partnership with McCarthy Building Companies and the Washington Elementary School District as we bring our collective vision to life and create long-lasting pride for the Arroyo school community,”��says BWS Design Principal Frank Slingerland.

“We believe in creating enriching learning environments where students and educators can discover and grow together.”

Adds Principal Liles, “Our students, staff and neighbors have been looking forward to our newly constructed school since the day our community passed the bond in November 2016. We’re excited for construction to begin, and we look forward to continuing the great learning that takes place every day at Arroyo in our new school in 2020!”

The award-winning Washington Elementary School District is Arizona’s largest elementary district, comprised of 32 schools, serving more than 23,000 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The WESD encompasses 44-square-miles of north-central Phoenix and east Glendale.

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YUMA, Ariz. — Yuma Union High School District students, staff, and community members recently gathered to celebrate the opening of the Kofa High School campus. DLR Group’s design transforms the once sprawling, unorganized site into a cohesive high school campus serving 2,000 students in grades 9-12.

The $12 million project was funded by a 2015 voter-approved bond passage. Arcadis served as project manager and McCarthy Building Companies served as general contractor.

According to Turner, an international construction services company, the two phases of the Kofa High School renovations project included 177,000 square feet of upgrades to the gymnasium, cafeteria, classrooms, bus and visitor/staff parking areas. Work also included enhancements to campus security and information technology resources.

The new campus features updated academic classrooms and labs with abundant technology, and flexible collaboration areas that allow students to work in small or large groups. The reimagined student hub now encompasses dining, socializing, and student services in a central location. The student hub has a new culinary arts classroom and restaurant providing enhanced dining options for students, educators, and community members. In addition, it also houses the campus bookstore, student-run store, and IT support center.

“The conversion of the original Kofa cafeteria into a new dynamic hub is one of the most dramatic changes in this renovation,” said DLR Group Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA. “Our design unifies the campus aesthetically and provides future-ready environments that celebrate academics, athletics, and the whole student experience.”

DLR Group’s design frames an active zone south of the student hub, creating synergies between career and technical education (CTE) courses such as personal training, athletics, nursing, physical education, and health classes. Spaces in the active zone serve dual purposes: the wrestling room is also used for police take-down training, the strength training area is utilized by students enrolled in the physical therapy certification program, and the nursing program shares spaces with the EMT certification program.

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