“The best school environments don’t just support learning—they ignite imagination, nurture belonging, and empower every student to thrive.”
Lakeshore Learning Materials
Fullerton School District
Fullerton, CA
Client: Fullerton School District
Size: 855.5 Sq Feet
Completion: 2025
In order to modernize their dual-language classrooms, Fullerton School District needed mobile furniture that allowed teachers to easily transition between different activities and pedagogies throughout the day—on top of having easy-to-clean surfaces and the durability to stand up to years of use. When they saw Lakeshore’s exclusive Modern Edge furniture line, they knew they had their solution. The smooth-rolling, locking casters on the desks gave them the mobility they needed, and with a lifetime warranty, they felt confident that their purchase would last long into the future.
Educational Environments
Joliet Township High School Culinary Labs
Joliet, Illinois
Client: Joliet Township: Joliet Central & Joliet West High Schools
Size: 18,000 SF
Completion: 2025
Architect: Wight & Company, Dealer: Educational Environments
General Contractor: Gilbane
Joliet Township High School District 204 is redefining career-connected learning through thoughtfully designed environments that prepare students for life beyond graduation. Structured around five Career Academies, the district offers students individualized Programs of Study aligned with real-world industries. Within the Academy of Business Management & Information Systems (BMIS), the Culinary Arts & Hospitality pathway exemplifies this approach—blending academics, technical skill development, and professional practice in spaces designed to mirror industry standards.
JCJ Architecture
Casa Blanca Community School
Bapchule, AZ
Client: Gila River Indian Community
Size: 102,400 sf
Completion: 2022
Architect: JCJ Architecture
General Contractor: Core Construction
This Pre K-6 school serves children and families from Districts 3, 4 and 5 of the Gila River Indian Community. Located in District 5, the school is surrounded by cultivated farmland and in a region which has historically been the agricultural hub for the Akimel O'otham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) peoples. The school focuses on student's global readiness while maintaining the Akimel O'otham Ñeo'ok and Himdag. The campus provides an immersive cultural experience, helping to preserve the languages, stories, and traditions of the tribes. The layout of the campus takes inspiration from the agricultural fields that sustained the Akimel O'otham and Pee Posh and the canals they were so skilled in devising and constructing. Classroom clusters and core/community buildings are organized around a central ribbon of green space. The campus includes indoor and outdoor commons areas that provide each grade level cluster space for flexible instruction.
Schmidt Associates
Washington Township Early Learning Center
Indianapolis, IN
Client: MSD of Washington Township
Size: 37,000 SF
Completion: 2024
Architect: Schmidt Associates
General Contractor: Smoot Construction
Following a full assessment and campus master plan, MSD of Washington Township decided to add a one-story building to the existing Community and Education Center (CEC) to make room for a new Early Learning Center for the district's youngest learners. This location would also benefit from shared infrastructure support.
The facility now serves as the new home for both a developmental preschool and a daycare for employees’ children, ages 2-5. The preschool addition includes administrative areas, a multi-purpose room, an activity zone, and classrooms arranged in “pods” with all associated support spaces.
Patent # US8764116
VS America
Hokki
5 Shifts Transforming School Design
School design is evolving quickly, driven by a convergence of technology, flexibility, and human-centered priorities. From AI-powered learning tools and multi-use classrooms to smarter infrastructure, wellness-focused environments, and visible sustainability strategies, today’s schools are being rethought from the ground up. These five innovations highlight how districts, designers, and manufacturers are working together to create spaces that are more adaptable, connected, and responsive to how students and educators actually learn and teach.
