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Nettie S. Freed K-8 Expeditionary School

Pueblo, Colorado

Why

Connecting through experience of place.

Pueblo School District 60 retained the joint venture of RTA/MOA for the planning, design, and construction of a new K-8 Expeditionary School to replace the aging and now demolished Heroes K-8 Academy School. The Nettie S. Freed K-8 Expeditionary School is being funded through bond premiums from the Build D60 bond that was passed in November 2019. 

How

Ever curious. Ever learning. Ever improving.

The initial design criteria and community expectations were previously established through a District-wide master plan, with additional verification and feedback provided by the District Executive Team, Learning Services, and Support Team. The design team held a series of user group workshops and community meetings to further refine the design.

What

Purposeful, engaging solutions.

The new Nettie S. Freed K-8 Expeditionary School provides experiential learning opportunities in a technology-rich environment for Career and Technical Education (CTE) career pathways through engaging hands-on learning.  Students can explore career pathways and the world through expeditions and project-based learning opportunities, field trips, and guest speakers.

The two-story design features an Academic Core with three Learning Pods, each containing an Activity Corridor and outdoor student learning areas on the ground level. The Learning Pods will be supported with Learning Studios, a Learning Resource room, and a Teacher Think-Tank. CTE and Art make up the balance of the Academic Core wing. Operable overhead sectional doors, folding partitions, and flexible furnishings throughout the building provide spaces for collaboration. 

nettie s. freed expeditionary school learning community

Project Details

Size: 73,921
Cost: $35M

Design Details

  • New construction
  • Expeditionary Learning program with Science, STEM, CTE academic focus
  • Robust technology
  • 21st Century learning environments
  • Outdoor learning spaces, presentation classroom, and eating areas
  • High-performance mechanical systems and building materials
  • Learning Pods each with Learning Studios, Learning Resource Room, and Teacher Think-Tank
  • Discovery / Media Project Center with Tinkering Space