Deerpark Middle School has a lot to look forward to. As part of Round Rock ISD’s 2024 Bond program, the campus will receive major upgrades, including 12 new classrooms, a dance studio, interior renovations, fire alarm system upgrades and the conversion of its football fields to artificial turf.
The 12 new classrooms will bring students and teachers from portables into the main school building, helping them feel more connected to campus life and increasing campus safety overall. For Principal Ray Garcia, that connection is personal.
“Sometimes I was in a portable when I was teaching and, you know, I felt very isolated,” Garcia said.
Drawing on that experience, Garcia said he anticipates that these permanent spaces will help teachers feel more connected to the school. The improvements will also provide a dedicated dance studio for a thriving fine arts program currently using a portable. His hope is that the investment will build pride throughout the campus.
“For sure our students are going to feel that sense of pride, you know, when you have something new like that and, you know, it's just going to be so much better,” Garcia said.
That everyday experience helped guide the project’s design. From how students arrive on campus to how they move between classes, the architectural team considered the way students will interact with the spaces throughout their school day.
“We centered design decisions around the daily path of a student, considering how they arrive, learn, collaborate, socialize, and safely move throughout the campus,” said Loren Hoffpauir, architect with VLK Architects.
The architects identified natural light, clear navigation and flexible spaces as important elements in supporting students’ well-being and independence. Providing different types of learning spaces also gives students more choices in how they learn and work with others.
Deerpark seventh grader Benjamin D. said that investing in students’ learning now helps prepare them for life after graduation. He pointed to learning an instrument as an example of how having the spaces and resources to begin early gives students more time to refine their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
“It would help you be more prepared for your future and things like that,” he said.
Work on the campus is expected to break ground in spring 2027, with the new spaces projected to open in time for the start of the 2028–29 school year. Learn more about this project and all the other 2024 Bond projects on the district’s 2024 Bond website.
As the project moves forward, the investment in Deerpark will support the classes, programs and experiences that help students discover their interests and prepare for what comes next. At Deerpark Middle School, #FuturesBuiltHere.
