In 2009 Hord Coplan Macht designed a $6 million addition consisting of six classrooms for grades K through 5, an art room, music rooms, an ESOL classroom, teacher offices and a conference room.
In 2017, Montgomery County Public Schools hired Hord Coplan Macht to study the revitalization/expansion of the remainder of the school. Based on the condition of the existing facility and the cost to bring the school into compliance with current code requirements, the most cost-effective option was to maintain the addition constructed in 2009, demolish the remainder of the existing building, and replace it with a new building. The 79,000 square foot LEED Silver building accommodates a student capacity of 740 for grades pre-kindergarten through five. The school’s community-based classrooms are closely located to the general education classrooms which reinforces the effort to provide services to special education students in inclusive settings.
There are opportunities provided for learning to take place outside of the classroom. Flexible spaces and an outdoor garden area allow for creative problem solving, social emotional learning, and academic excellence. A secure entrance and vestibule provide a safe environment for students and staff and visual monitoring of the site entrance points, adhering to current school safety practices. The design of the building allows for optimal internal circulation, as well as after-hours community use with access to the multipurpose room, instructional media center, gymnasium, and other central spaces while securing the rest of the building.
The complex project planning maintained and protected the 2009 addition to remain and provided a new building that preserved the addition’s relevancy. This thoughtful process, which delivered the Luxmanor Elementary School with a full educational program, occurred over many months of planning.