Spark Matsunaga Elementary School

Because of the expanding population in the Germantown area of the Northwest High School cluster, a new elementary school was built. The design recognizes the rapid development in technology and its impact on education.
An innovative feature of the school is a flex space situated between every two classrooms. This space can become a small computer lab, an additional lecture space for teachers or a breakout reading area that integrates the school’s reading-initiative program.
Spark Matsunaga Elementary School and Longview Special Education Center share the campus. This enables special-education students to participate in elementary school activities while having a separate facility for specialized instruction. In addition to classrooms for teaching and training, the center has a heated therapy pool.
The special-education facility and elementary school benefit from the shared space. Children with disabilities are able to experience a traditional elementary school by sharing the computer labs and media center, and having a dining area all to themselves. The elementary students learn about children with special needs. Because of different operation schedules, two bus loops were created to smooth the departure prodecure for each facility.

“Great use of exciting color and graphics to give interest and excitement to the space.”—2003 jury

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