Spring Leadership Academy, Momentum High School Get a Fresh Start for the New School Year
When the new school year begins in August, a pair of schools will be welcoming students back to newly refreshed and renovated campuses.
Momentum High School will be moving from its campus near Westfield High School into the former Spring Leadership Academy building off TC Jester Boulevard, while Spring Leadership Academy will be headed to the building that formerly housed Clark Primary School.
While both schools are moving into existing buildings, both have been updated and renovated to meet the needs of their new students and will allow Momentum and SLA to nearly double their respective student populations.
“We are very excited for the expanded space we are going to have,” Dr. Kevin Banks, Spring Leadership Academy principal, said. “It will help [our students] deepen their experiences, and create rich environments for learning.”
According to Spring ISD Project Manager Joanis Riebl, the new campuses have undergone renovations throughout the past few months, with preparations starting over a year ago. At that time, district officials started looking for architects and met with administrators from both schools to determine each campus’ needs and goals.
‘We’re renovating these buildings to fit their specific instructional needs,” Riebl said.
At the new SLA building, that list of renovations includes expanded space for career and technology education programs, larger choir rooms and dedicated spaces for piano instruction, a newly built running track, a renovated gym, a new stage, and expansive art and maker spaces. New science rooms will also be a highlight, with large prep rooms attached allowing for students to engage in more hands-on, research-based activities.
A central part of Spring Leadership Academy is the school’s Leadership Officer Training Corps, which is now expanding from one room to three, one for each grade level.
“We wanted to lean into that and that leadership training. We did that with graphics and wayfinding signs within the building,” Riebl said. “We did that while incorporating their school colors but also a professional feel to the building, since there’s a lot of business education here. It’s tailor-made for them.”
The building – almost double in size from the old campus – will allow the school to expand over the next three years. This year, the school is planning to welcome 400 students. In two years, that number will be able to reach 600, double the capacity of the old building.
Banks is excited to welcome back students – and teachers – to campus next month.
“It’s going to give them a boost of energy, boost the morale of the entire campus,” Banks said. “I liken it to construction that’s taking place in the city of Houston. You know that as you are on I-45 or 290 during construction, it’s challenging. But once it’s fully constructed, and you go from three lanes to five, you realize that it’s awesome. This new location is going to do that – it’s going to amplify what we are already doing, it’s going to allow us more opportunities to do even better.”
Over at Momentum High School’s new location, Principal Stacy Smith is excited for a space that feels intentional. The school – which was launched in the 2022-2023 school year – was formerly housed behind Westfield High School in a collection of temporary buildings.
“Students are looking forward to a building that has classroom space that is available to them, and classroom furniture that is better suited to their needs,” Smith said.
According to Riebl, renovations to the new campus include graphics and signs that better suit high school students.
“The graphics are much more career oriented, much more focused on graduation,” she said. “The new building is able to better incorporate their various class times. It really emphasizes that non-traditional feel for the students, and it’s just a better fit for the program.”
Students can also look forward to technology upgrades, as well as a full library, gym, and on-site cafeteria – all things not available to them in the temporary buildings.
The school is projected to welcome 400 or so students in the 2023-2024 school year. Principal Smith and other campus leaders are hoping to further expand their 9th grade enrollment as well as middle school options.
“The building is being designed specifically for our students. When you talk about career pathways and talk about going straight from school to work, the building is designed to meet those needs for students,” Smith said. “And it really is made to look like we want you to be here and we’re expecting you to be here. I’m excited, and I think they’re going to be very excited.”
Source: Spring ISD
