VALLEY SOUTHWOODS HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ADDITION Education By Design The 29,000-ft 2 , two-story building addition integrates an open-design concept with an innovative layout. The design team used precast concrete and structural steel to house programs for culinary arts, manufacturing, engineering technology, construc-tion, robotics, welding, and wood working. Design flexibility is crucial in CTE construction to adapt to the ever-changing needs of students, programs, and technologies. The laboratory spaces need to accommodate new equipment, furniture, and software without renovation. The Valley South-woods addition was designed for all possible programming needs. “We wanted to give the school district full flexibility as to how they could use this space,” describes Michael Kleene, archi-tect at Shive-Hattery. Kleene said the addition “flips the script” on what career and technical education means for students. The addition is featured prominently on the site. “Instead of a shop located in the back of the school, it is right in front of the building to make this a model environment for students.” WEST DES MOINES, IOWA /// By Monica SchulteS Career and technical education (CTE) projects can improve the educational backdrop of a community. What used to be called vocational schools, CTE programs provide students with valua-ble skill sets, preparing them for future employment. At Valley Southwoods Freshman High School in Des Moines, Iowa, 720 ninth-grade students are now better prepared for success in high school and to contribute to the work force. West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) completed the $28-million expansion project at the high school in summer 2024. The school district is proud to showcase the addition to the school and the community. Designed by Shive-Hattery, an expe-rienced firm in education design, the building creates a space that supports the goals of the school as well as embodies the values of serving the community. “This cutting-edge facility provides our students with the skills and experiences they need to succeed in internships, apprentice-ships, and their future careers,” says WDMCS superintendent Matt Adams. “We are proud to support the next generation of our community’s workforce. It has been exciting to watch our students thrive in this space as they build bright futures.” Catching the Sunlight The existing building was built in the 1990s and did not present the welcoming exterior that the school district desired. Kleene recalls, “We wanted to diverge from that palette and incorpo-rate different finishes and textures.” The result is a subtle nod to the original brick and block building, by way of orange and gray Nawkaw stains on smooth precast concrete panels. At designat-
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