Chinook Trail Middle School Principal Tom Andrew and RTA Principal Brian Calhoun teamed up to write an article for EdMarket Essentials describing how the school’s design works with education programming to develop curious design-thinking learners for life. At Chinook Middle School, an open, holistic, positive approach to learning is supported by a design that creates positive spaces, is optimized for learning, and provides opportunities for students to connect with nature in healthful and empowering ways for students and staff.

Read the full article here. https://essentials.edmarket.org/2021/04/design-thinking-framework-in-action/

A recent article by Chinook Trail Middle School Principal Tom Andrew and RTA Principal Brian Calhoun for EdMarket Essentials discusses how the school’s design – top to bottom, inside and outside – supports an open, holistic, positive approach to learning in healthful and empowering ways for students and staff. The three Design Priorities of positive spaces, building and site optimization for learning, and a connection to nature work with the educational program to develop curious design-thinking learners for life.

Read the full article here.

Chinook Trail Middle School took home the BESTaward in th­­e LEARN category of the 2020 IIDA Rocky Mountain Chapter awards. The middle school, designed by the joint venture of  RTA/MOA, was noted for its biophilic design focused on the health and well-being of students and staff and its dynamic project-based learning environment.  The full award ceremony and list of all winning projects can be viewed here

Chinook Trails Middle School was recently featured in Education Snapshots, with a full photo tour of the facility. The article explores the design and innovation of the building, which was completed in 2019. 

Check out the photo tour here.

We are excited to announce that the Chinook Trail Middle School project has received two awards from the Design-Build Institute of America Rocky Mountain Chapter! This incredible project won the Education Category as well as the overall Best Project. Congratulations to the hardworking team! 

After a year of planning and design and 18 months of construction, the new Chinook Trail Middle School in Academy District 20 is open! With colorful biophilic design, flexible furnishings, a Learning Stair, state-of-the-art labs, a Curiosity Center, and daylighting throughout, this project-based learning school will eventually serve over a 1,000 students in northern Colorado Springs. THANK YOU to the hundreds of students, parents, staff, District personnel, and community members who participated in the design process to help create this incredible environment to #BeCurious! 

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the groundbreaking at the new Chinook Middle School with RTA, MOA Architecture, and Bryan Construction  With flexible learning spaces, new technology, and a maker space, students are sure to reach the peak of excellence! Read more about Academy District 20's new middle school here.

RTA is excited to announce that we have been chosen to lead the designs of the new School in the Woods and the Middle School at Chinook Trail for Academy School District 20 in Colorado Springs. These are two of the first new schools that are being designed and constructed as a result of the District’s $230M bond passage in November 2016.

The Middle School at Chinook Trail

The Middle School at Chinook Trail will be the ninth middle school for the District and will be located on the campus of the existing Chinook Trail Elementary School. The 125,000 square-foot sustainable, energy-efficient, and healthy learning-focused facility will provide 21st Century educational environments to accommodate 1,000 students and is being built in conjunction with Bryan Construction and MOA Architecture. The project will be an expansion of the Chinook Trail Elementary program, featuring close collaboration between the two schools to create a Kindergarten through eighth grade campus.

The School in the Woods

The new 14,000-square-foot School in the Woods will replace four existing modular buildings and will increase student capacity and continue to support its robust community outreach program and home school academy. Flexible learning suites, a nature center, outdoor learning spaces, and a library/technology commons will support the School’s academically challenging “naturalist” based curriculum for fourth grade students. Working with GE Johnson Construction Company, the design goal of the new building will be to achieve net zero energy and/or LEED Platinum while existing in harmony with the Black Forest environment. 

Both projects are currently in the design and preconstruction planning phases. Construction of the new School in the Woods is estimated to be completed in the spring of 2018. The Middle School at Chinook Trail is expected to be completed for the 2019 -2020 school year.

View the full press release here.