the teachers because they ’ re so nice and caring . I walk in and hug each one of them every day .” cares for each of them ,” said Mrs . Koontz . “ We want to instill that sense of Viper Pride right from the get go .”
Located in the Town of Oak Point , Rodriguez Middle School is Denton ISD ’ s new ‘ prototype ’ design and has elements the district plans to replicate in future buildings . Built for energy efficiency , the school is supported by more than 300 geothermal wells and a self-sustaining retention pond .
Inside , the architecture focuses on flexibility and teamwork for both students and teachers regardless of the subject or task at hand . It features 42 classrooms surrounded by open , collaborative learning spaces filled swith natural light as well as courtyards for educational use .
“ We built the classroom houses all the same way so they ’ re identical , interchangeable and can be configured to meet various students ’ needs ,” said Susan Smith , associate principal with Corgan , the architecture firm that designed the school .
Students consistently flock to the collaborative spaces , with huddles of pre-teens nestled on the large steps of the stairwells to work on projects . Larger groups are often gathered in technology labs or wide hallways for extracurricular clubs that vary from gaming to dance , a common occurrence after school .
Finding a way to ensure that each student is excited to learn and connected with the school is something Principal Renee Koontz has taken to heart . She ’ s happy to see so many clubs already forming and thrilled to walk the halls and see smiling faces eager to step into their next classroom to learn Spanish or walk into the library to do some research online .
“ Our focus is to make sure each student feels excited to be at our campus and that someone at Rodriguez
Eighth graders Shely Bigley , Libby Quisenberry and Mackinze Mitchell work together on a project in the school ’ s media center while other students create video projects in the hallway .
Eighth graders Ridgley Anderson and Emily Cobbin hang out in one of the many collaborative spaces at Rodriguez Middle .
During the school ’ s first pep rally , that pride seemed apparent as approximately 650 sixth , seventh and eighth graders sat elbow-to-elbow , chanting “ Fangs Up ! Fangs Out !” with each other . Joining them at the pep rally were the school namesakes , beaming with pride as the students belted out each cheer .
The two longtime public education advocates take great satisfaction in having a school , not just a building , named in their honor . Dr . Rudy Rodriguez is a former trustee who served as an education professor at both the University of North Texas and Texas Woman ’ s University , while his wife , Rosemary , dedicated her career to helping students work through hardships as a social worker for the district .
“ Rosemary and I are honored to have our family name associated with a quality , state-of-the-art school with an instructional team of outstanding educators ,” said Dr . Rodriguez . “ It is especially exciting for us to see that students will receive the biggest benefit from the many 21st century learning opportunities offered by our new school .”
Smiles , laughter , high fives and fist pumps throughout the hallways during pass periods serve as a reminder that students are enjoying the benefits the new building brings . It even seems to be providing them with a new perspective .
“ When you first walk in , especially as a new student , you look around and you ’ re like ‘ Wow !’ It feels like a high school or a college because of all the windows and space ,” said Antione Westmoreland , an eighth grader at the school . “ I don ’ t know how to explain it , but it just feels like you can see the world better from here .”
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