New Mauldin-Area Middle School Taking Shape

The skeleton of what will be the new Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School is now up and construction is underway at the innovative school, whose opening is set for 2014 on the CU-ICAR Millennium Campus on the edge of Mauldin.

The new school, which will be constructed to serve up to 750 students, with possible expansion for up to 1,000 students, will relieve overcrowding at Mauldin, Hillcrest, Beck, Bryson, and Riverside middle schools.

But it also promises to be cutting edge, based on its design, its curriculum, and its intimate proximity to the various companies at the Millennium campus, as well as Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research.

"This school will be unlike any other school in the state, and maybe unlike any other middle school in the United States," said District Superintendent W. Burke Royster.

The instructional program will encompass the four traditional areas of STEM-based curriculum: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  The arts, a strong focus of the Greenville community, will be the fifth area, establishing what may be the nation’s first "STEAM middle school," Royster said.

Additionally, the school’s project-based curriculum determined the unique design of the facility. 

The school will feature six learning communities of about 125 students each with eight different instructional spaces for each learning community. The school’s exterior will be modern and inviting, and will fit in with the other facilities at the CUICAR/Millennium campus.

The flexible instructional spaces will allow various equipment to be brought in during the school year for students to conduct research. By working with local industries and businesses, the school aims to establish an innovative learning environment to expand learning through hands-on applications that can then be duplicated in other schools, Royster said.

Furthermore, the 136,000 square-foot facility, which will pursue Green Globes and Energy Star certifications, will be equipped with a net-zero greenhouse facility, a wind harvest system for power, solar panels for hot-water production, and low-impact stormwater collection. The school also will be situated on the site to take best advantage of natural lighting and will be equipped with the latest LED lighting.

The school will be led by principal Jane Garraux, who currently serves as principal at Maritime and Science Technology (MAST) Academy in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. MAST Academy is a nationally recognized, innovative school of choice with a marine theme for students in grades 8 through 12.