Lexington One dedicates Meadow Glen Middle | News

Lexington County School District One dedicated its newest middle school, Meadow Glen Middle School, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 18, 2012.

Following the dedication service, guests visited classrooms and other areas of the building, including the Learning Commons where they viewed student artwork, met the artists and heard the orchestra perform; the “Chorus Corner” where they heard choral students sing; and the dance classroom where they watched a performance by dance students.

MGMS, which opened on August 22, 2012, houses more than 750 students in Grades 6–8.

The design of the school promotes collaboration and a sense of community. The classrooms for each grade level are grouped together and referred to as “houses.” The classrooms in each house open to a collaborative space that provides room for activities such as team-teaching multiple classes and working on group projects.

This type of structural organization supports the school’s emphasis on project-based learning assignments. The school’s first venture into project-based learning centers around the iCivics class and producing a documentary highlighting social equity and civil rights in the United States.

The design of the cafeteria, which features café-style tables and booths, promotes camaraderie and unity among the entire school family.

The classrooms at MGMS, like classrooms at all Lexington One schools, support 21st century learning with access to various technology tools.

In the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics Lab, students benefit from access to the same tools used by professionals in high-skill fields such as engineering, architecture, robotics, materials science and biotechnology. Michelin North America’s Lexington manufacturing site donated $60,000 to the Lexington One Educational Foundation to fund the STEM Lab at MGMS.

The facility also promotes environmental awareness by incorporating Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) strategies for energy savings, water efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources. Sustainable design elements at MGMS include larger windows to reduce the need for artificial lighting, automated lighting control systems with occupancy sensors, low-flow technology to reduce water consumption and energy-management systems that precisely regulate temperature and humidity.

Ninety-four employees provide administrative, clerical, custodial, food service, guidance and instructional services at the school.

Building construction costs for MGMS were $24.4 million or approximately $130 per square foot.

The 185,957-square-foot building sits on 44.23 acres on Ginny Lane purchased from Hammer and Associates and Carolyn R. and Walter H. Roof Jr.