BASTROP, Texas — It's the start of the first school year at the brand new McCormick Middle School in Buda. Educators at the new facility are employing cutting edge educational techniques that supplement the building's unique elements.
The school features glass walls that encourage openness, a library that purposely spills into the hallways, and a so-called "maker's lab" with a 3D printer.
"It is the mission statement that our kids will become critical thinkers and that we'll make the connection between what we're doing in class, and the world beyond school," english language arts teacher Laura O'Dea said.
"It's not just what we're saying but it's what we're really trying to put into practice."
Students are called "learners" at this new middle school, and they're treated to an educational environment that encourages everyone to participate.
"Change can be good. I like it!" McCormick Middle School seventh-grader Amy Esparza said.
Esparza said the school allows students to express their creativity and interests, no matter what they may be.
"This is the work that resonates with me. This is the work that's meaningful for me," McCormick Middle School Principal Thad Gittens said.
Gittens recalled his upbringing in New York's South Bronx, a neighborhood that he described as not being the worst, "but it wasn't the best neighborhood either."
Gittens said his parents stressed the importance of education and pushed him to succeed, but watching the failures of some of his peers inspired him to be an educator.
Now Gittens oversees a public school where 70 percent of students are classified as economically-disadvantaged. Gittens said he wants to ensure that no student slips through the cracks.
"Our vision is to impact the lives of, you know, people we'll never meet," Gittens said.