Beginning in 2009, ACPS began crafting STEM-centric learning academies housed in area high schools, with Western Albemarle High School’s Environmental Studies Academy becoming the first designed to be a free-standing “school within a school.”

The greenhouse and adjoining classroom and lab space support the Academy’s mission to provide hands-on lab-based learning experiences that encourage inquiry and discovery. Featuring flexible, pod-based arrangements that can be arranged to support a variety of activities, the ESA provides students with experiential learning opportunities in a structure intentionally designed to maximize collaboration. While located further away from the main high school, the location of the building connects directly to the natural environment, while transparent elements allow for passive surveillance to balance student independence and safety.

To promote health and wellness as well as future sustainability efforts, the building takes advantage of ambient sunlight and was prepared for future PV array installation. As the home base for a growing student population, the ESA teaches hands-on work in a space that is as malleable and accommodating of change as the students who help direct its dynamic pursuits.

In 2019, the ESA was complemented by a 24,000 SF renovation and addition to the main high school, complete with renovated science classrooms, Career Technical Education (CTE) labs, and support spaces to create an updated and expanded interdisciplinary learning environment. Outdoor learning spaces knit the new addition together with the ESA, while a new “science storefront” at the main student commons showcases and celebrates ongoing student projects.