The project: Neuse River Middle School is a contemporary 220,000-sf, three-story facility built to replace the former East Wake Middle School. Located near Knightdale on Old Milburnie Road in a growing suburb of Raleigh, it serves nearly 1,600 grade-6 through grade-8 students under a year-round calendar system.

The goal: Specifically designed to accommodate a rapidly expanding student population, the school aims to foster a strong learning community with minimized distractions, high levels of collaboration, and modern amenities. It sought to support academic and elective programming – such as theater, music, dance, and technology labs – while promoting an inviting campus aesthetic.

The design: The school features:

• A three-story classroom wing housing 81 classrooms
• Multiple collaborative learning spaces, including indoor and outdoor areas
• A theater, two separate gymnasiums, and specialized elective wings for band, dance, chorus, and tech labs
• A centrally located cafeteria and light-filled media center
• A zoning layout that organizes students into grade-level “pods” to reduce corridor noise and cross-team distractions while maintaining a close-knit atmosphere despite high enrollment levels

The outcome: Neuse River Middle School officially opened to students for the 2020-2021 school year. Since then, it has operated under a year-round calendar and earned the 2021 Community Appearance Award from the Town of Knightdale for its transformative campus design and streetscape improvements.