Newton Rayzor Elementary School, Denton ISD
Project Stats
- Location
Denton, Texas
- Size
98,920 SF
- Market
- Expertise
Campus supports an interconnected learning environment
Denton ISD combined Calhoun Middle School and Newton Rayzor Elementary School, an International Baccalaureate World School, on one campus to promote meaningful connection, inclusion, and intercultural understanding.
The challenge was building the school on a constrained site while prioritizing the welfare and safety of students from multiple grade levels. The intentional design adds a shared plaza and drop off zones, dual-purpose amenity spaces, and various academic programs to encourage peer interaction, mentorship, and socialization between older and younger students to advance leadership and academic learning.
Bee theme emphasizes diversity and connection
Design elements align with developmental needs to contextualize learning and foster curiosity. Inspired by the school’s mascot — a honeybee and a globe — “beehive” elements support young adolescent needs for autonomy, peer interaction, competence, and connection. Floor-to-ceiling glass fills the space with light and connects students to nature. A shared commons area opens to an outdoor courtyard for students to relax and explore for an engaging learning experience. Flexible furniture and technology support teachers with adaptable learning environments while stairways and collaboration spaces outside each classroom connect the two levels and support connectivity and peer interaction.
Classrooms for the deaf celebrate inclusivity
A variety of collaborative spaces in the library, maker spaces, and classrooms offer active and student-led learning opportunities for students to observe, experiment, and discover. Emphasizing the “bee” theme, the design features honeycomb-shaped elements to emphasize collaboration and cross-disciplinary thinking. Hexagons form cloud ceilings, wall patterns, and privacy nooks to offer spaces that advance education through inclusion and connectivity.
Offering a specialized curriculum for deaf students and teachers, classrooms offer visual cues and flashing lights to provide understanding for the hearing-impaired. The lively, innovative design enhances the student experience and connects the two schools on one campus to provide an enlightened world view that defines 21st century education.
