Henry County’s first STEM High School is under construction in Stockbridge. The Henry Reporter interviewed the architects, PBK based in Griffin, to learn more about the school’s design. District staff also joined the call to discuss more in-depth the school’s curriculum.
The STEM school is the result of community feedback and the school district’s five-year strategic plan. Residents voiced support for more STEM opportunities for students.
Henry County STEM High School Interview
First, here’s an overview about the STEM High School: The school is located on South Lee Street in downtown Stockbridge. When its doors open in August 2027, the school will offer advanced coursework opportunities for students. About 900-1,000 students from throughout Henry County will be able to attend. Admissions decisions will be lottery-based; additional details on admissions will follow closer to the school’s opening.
The STEM High School will be the district’s 11th high school. It will be a student’s high school for all purposes. This is different than the existing Academy for Advanced Studies. AAS students maintain a registration at their home high school and split classes between their two schools.
All students at the STEM school will participate in an accelerated curriculum, “featuring a rigorous sequence of AP courses and integration of university-level research content (HCS).” Three focus areas will be available for students:
- Aerospace with a concentration in electrical engineering,
- Biotechnology & Medical Science, and
- Sustainability & Green Energy.
In addition, district staff shared with The Henry Reporter all students will take at least one class in computer engineering & Artificial Intelligence. The specifics of that class are being further refined, as AI use continues to evolve and the district prepares for the school’s opening.
Henry County Schools approved the school’s construction in August 2024. The construction cost is $72.9 million. It is paid for by education SPLOST VI. Construction began in winter 2024-25. It will be complete in spring 2027 ahead of the August ‘27 opening.
The School’s Design
The design features several signature aspects. First, there will be a three-story main building on the northern part of the campus. That’s closest to North Henry Blvd / SR 138. The main building’s first floor will house the front office, fine arts classrooms and a 250 +/- seat auditorium. The main building’s second and third floors will house core classrooms for all students. Freshmen and juniors will have classes on the second floor, while sophomores and seniors will be on the third floor.
Next, the center of the site has a central interior courtyard. The courtyard will be a focal point of the school campus. The cafeteria and media center are on either side of the courtyard. These common areas provide the connection between the main building and the specialized study areas.
Moving onto the south part of the building, the specialized study areas will house the three focus areas mentioned above. Each focus area will have its own wing within the building. The wings will be two stories tall.
Some other elements of the project include walking trails around the site perimeter, which could tie into the Stockbridge trails plan, parking lots, a bus lane, and lastly, a new gymnasium for the adjacent Stockbridge Elementary School.
The building measures about 172,000 square feet. By comparison, this is about half the size of Henry County’s standard high schools. The new elementary school gymnasium represents another 9,800 square feet of space.
Designing the School
PBK, a national architecture firm, handled the new STEM High School’s design. The PBK Griffin office, led by Managing Senior Principal Valdon ("V") Smith, collaborated with Henry County Schools to design the school. In addition, Sarah Shepherd served as the technical designer for the project. Both Smith and Shepherd joined The Henry Reporter for an interview. Shepherd, a Henry County Schools graduate, shared it had been a special opportunity to design a school for her hometown community.
The PBK team and Henry County Schools district staff visited several other STEM schools in the Atlanta area for inspiration. One such school was Global Impact Academy in Fairburn. The site visits not only provided a chance to see the existing STEM schools, but the team asked school administrators there what they liked about their school’s design and opportunities to improve it. The site visits and district vision helped to deliver “fresh new ideas” different from any existing school in Henry County.
One aspect incorporated into the STEM school is collaborative spaces. These open spaces will be found in hallways throughout the building. They will encourage small-group discussions and group activities. The collaborative spaces are not only found in existing STEM schools, but was also a request from the Henry County community for the school’s design.
Finally, the central courtyard, media center and cafeteria all tie the entire design together. Students will pass through this central area when going to and from the main building and speciality wings.
Closing Thoughts
The STEM high school will provide new opportunities for students within Henry County. It is also the result of the community’s vision. The district office asked us to thank the community on their behalf. Community input led to the school’s construction. Henry County Schools held community conversations in 2019 asking residents what they wanted to see in the school district. A push to build a new STEM high school was a common request. This feedback was later incorporated into the district’s 2021-2026 strategic plan.
Secondly, funds to pay for the new school’s construction are part of education SPLOST VI. Voters approved the sales tax program in spring 2021. Without that support, this project would not be possible.
The Henry County community will soon be asked again for their feedback. The district is starting to plan for its next five-year strategic plan. The Henry Reporter will share those public feedback opportunities when they happen. Education SPLOST VII will also tentatively be on the ballot in 2026. More details about that will follow closer to the election.
P.S. a frequently asked question about the STEM high school has been whether students will be able to participate in high school athletics. The STEM high school will not field athletics sports teams. According to the district office, a final decision has not yet been made whether students will be able to play on sports teams at their attendance-zoned high school.
Featured image shows the STEM High School concept with annotations. Henry County Schools photo / The Henry Reporter annotations.
