Construction continues on a new 40,000 square foot addition to Woodrow Wilson High School. The $14 million, three-story wing was authorized by a Dallas school bond election in 2008. It is only the third extension in the school’s 84-year history.

The building will house the Performing Arts Academy and three state-of-the-art laboratories for the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Academy.* The choir hall and drama rooms are two-story and feature practice spaces, a costume shop, prop facilities and a black-box theater. A large dance rehearsal hall will also be on the first floor.

Exterior construction is substantially complete and the interior and science labs should be ready for use in the second semester of the school year. Architects on the project are Brown, Reynolds, Watford (BRW). Principal Craig Reynolds is a Woodrow parent.

*Woodrow is in the third year of a four-year redesign implementation into four college preparatory academies. The other academies are International Baccalaureate (IB) and Business, Entrepreneurship and Finance (BEF).

The original 1928 building is also being completely restored.

Apart from the bond work, the cafeteria is getting a major overhaul. New food service stations will offer more choices and quicker transactions, including “grab-and-go” options for students who don̓t stay in the cafeteria to eat. For those who do eat in the cafeteria, seating options have been improved.

There are several lounge-style areas, new tables and chairs and counter seating. All of the walls, tables and ceilings have been painted and branded with our Woodrow theme.