W. M. Jordan | Projects

New Kent High School
New Kent, Virginia

Owner:	New Kent County School Board New Kent, Virginia
Architect:	Rodriguez Ripley Maddux Motley, PC Norfolk, Virginia

W. M. Jordan Company is providing general contracting services for this new high school. Organized around the idea of a school within a school, the 243,000 square foot school is broken down into four smaller areas called houses, one for each grade level. The design provides the sense of a smaller school community within the large 1,400-student school by minimizing student travel for core classes, allowing students to stay within their house for a majority of the school day and providing faculty with the familiarity of a small school.

Designed with the pedestrian mall approach, the main corridor connects central administration, the guidance suite, the 1500-seat gymnasium, 750-seat cafeteria, 700-seat auditorium and a state-of -the-art media center. The food court, media center and main corridor will include light monitors on the roof designed for daylighting, which research shows has a positive impact on student learning. Other sustainable design features include light colored roof materials that reflect heat, resulting in lower heating and cooling requirements, as well as occupancy sensors that keep lights turned off when rooms are not in use.

Encompassing an approximate 129 acres, the new school includes an existing stadium for football and soccer with a walking track for physical education use. Added features include competition baseball and softball fields, and numerous practice fields to support student and community functions.