RES media center
RES media center

Rodriguez Elementary School

San Marcos, Texas
Planning for Student Growth and Community Needs

The fast paced growth of the San Marcos community has created capacity issues at each of the current elementary school campuses. After months of bond planning workshops with San Marcos CISD administrators, parents, teachers, and students, we determined that a new elementary school would be the most efficient way to alleviate overcrowding and sustain their growth projections.

The design of Rodriguez Elementary School presents a custom solution to support the district’s forward-thinking approach to providing innovative curricula of project-based learning. Collaborative learning pods serve as co-teaching spaces with small group breakout areas that connect to the classrooms and provide high acoustical environments to foster the sound recognition necessary for early development. These classroom learning pods and common spaces open to split-level outdoor courtyards that encourage both learning and play.

exterior front
Rodriguez Elementary School is designed specifically for the San Marcos Community and the students who attend.
The gym and cafeteria will also serve as a community welcome center for before and after school functions.
What it is
New, innovative elementary school campus intended to provide additional elementary capacity to 660 students.
dual level media center
Locating the media center in the heart of the school allows for equal and uninterrupted access from all grade levels.
The natural interior color palette, inspired by San Marcos and the Texas Hill Country, weaves throughout the school and serves as a wayfinding path for each grade level.
maker-presentation area
A dual-level media center connects the upper and lower courtyards.
This forms the academic heart of the campus with small group learning and a large group maker/presentation area.
upper courtyard
Outdoor courtyard that encourages both learning and play.
The courtyards provide transparency, daylight, and secure access to outdoor activities.
Opportunities for Outdoor Learning

A protected interior courtyard provides a tiered outdoor learning space and sensory garden. The outdoor learning courtyard encourages teachers to utilize the space for science and robotics curriculum, art classes, and provides an option for outdoor dining.

“The Perkins&Will team excels in creative problem solving, clear communications, attention to detail, and follow through which has made us feel like their most important client. Our new elementary school has been designed to capture all of our innovative academic dreams and will be a source of pride in our community.”

Michael Cardona, Superintendent of Schools

science classroom
The design of each classroom and learning space represents a custom solution to the school district’s forward-thinking approach to project-based education.
Small group breakout spaces are connected to each classroom learning pod.
collaboration area
Each grade level or learning pod has options for open and closed classrooms, small and medium group learning spaces, and open flexible learning areas.
Collaborative learning pods serve as co-teaching spaces with smaller breakout areas that connect to the classrooms.
What's special about Rodriguez Elementary? A thoughtfully planned learning environment built for movement, flexibility, and collaboration.
Check out the video for more!

Project Team

People
Angela Whitaker-Williams
People
Koleman Uresti