SCUCISD Frank Dobie Jr High School

The renovations and additions to J. Frank Dobie Jr. High School increased student capacity from 1,100 to nearly 1,400. In addition to creating a new front door and separating traffic system for pedestrians, bus delivery, and parent delivery, new spaces provided updated classrooms, computer labs, improved food service areas, physical education locker rooms, and consolidated administration areas to an aging school. The design also separated the existing facility into fire safe compartments to achieve current allowable areas, creating a safer facility regarding fire protection.
The design of a new main entry enhanced the school’s image within the neighborhood and improved wayfinding for the public when arriving at the campus. The new 2-story classroom addition & renovation enabled the student population to increase, while the consolidation of administration spaces allowed for easier communication between staff departments. By creating a new central corridor separating the classroom addition, the design successfully reused as much of the existing facility as possible while simultaneously creating a new image.
To protect students and staff as well as maintain school operations during construction, demolition and major construction were completed during summer months. Interior renovations were then phased into four key areas, allowing students to cycle through temporary classroom buildings and back as renovations were completed