Campus Plan

Welcome to the end of an exciting year! We have a fabulous senior class graduating this year with 56 students earning $4,808,587 in college scholarships to schools like Vanderbilt, Washington University in St. Louis, Wake Forest, the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins, the University of Alabama, Auburn University, Ithaca College (NY), Miami (OH), Sewanee (the University of the South), and many other schools that match the "best fit" criteria for our talented students. In addition, this year's senior class amassed 5,218 hours of community service and have an average ACT of nearly 27. We are so proud of this group of young people - especially in regard to their commitment to others. 

As this year comes to a close, we also excited about what next year holds in store. Next year we celebrate the 50th year since our founding as a school, and we have all kinds of exciting events in store. Be sure to check out our Facebook page for news and updates. 

Of equal note, we have developed a campus plan, have started a feasibility study, and are poised to start a capital campaign in the fall. Many of you attended our Spring Town Hall Meeting where I unveiled the plans, but I have received messages from many folks who missed the meeting and would like to see what was presented. So, I thought I would share those plans with you now on this blog. 

Let me start by saying that this plan is a vision - it's not necessarily what WILL be done. Much depends on the results of our feasibility study and capital campaign. Moreover, we haven't drawn out all the details of the plan. Keeping that in mind, let me outline the process we have gone through as a school and the needs we identified. 

Almost three years ago, the Board of Trustees hired School Strategies and Solutions (a consulting firm) to do a “needs assessment.” The consultants met with teachers, students, administration, and parents, spending about a week on campus. From this, we came up with what our constituents felt we needed. 

Following the needs assessment, the Board interviewed four different architectural firms and chose Seay, Seay, & Litchfield to design our master plan. This decision was based on Seay, Seay, & Litchfield's extensive experience working with schools, but it was also based on their ties to the Dothan community. 

Student Life Center 

Exterior of Student Life Center

The current physical spaces at Houston Academy have become antiquated relative to the educational program of the school.  By the time our lower school students graduate from high school, research indicates that many of our children will be working in jobs that have not even been invented, yet. Therefore, our student learning spaces must focus on the broad skills that our children will need to be successful in their world in the 21st century. These skills include collaboration, communication, critical thinking, character development, and cross-cultural competence. The Student Life Center will allow teachers and students to collaborate and engage in a way that is not possible with our current spaces. Additionally, the new building will allow current spaces to be repurposed.

Classroom and Student Collaboration Areas 

“STEAM”Lab/Maker Space  – STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) are core areas of competency necessary for the success of our 21st century learners. Two years ago, HA began offering STEAM in the Lower and Middle Schools, and it had become one our most successful and popular programs. Quality schools throughout the country are creating STEAM labs, and Houston Academy needs to be on the cutting edge of this trend. 

Sample Maker Space

A “Maker Space” is “a collaborative work space…for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high tech to no tech tools. They provide hands on learning, help with critical thinking skills and…boost self-confidence.”  In this space, students will work on collaborative projects, work on robotics, or complete STEAM activities. The uses for this space would only be limited by our children’s’ imagination. 

Dance Studio – Currently, dance students at Houston

Sample Dance Studio

Academy must travel off-campus to hone their craft. An on-campus dance studio would afford an instructional and extracurricular space that students could use during and after school. This is consistent with Houston Academy’s mission to “provide opportunities to achieve [students’] highest creative potential.”

Art Studio Space – Houston Academy has record enrollment in the visual arts. With the creation of the middle school and the formation of a middle school arts requirement, an additional visual art space is a necessity. 

Learning Services – College preparation means providing all students, including students with learning differences, the opportunity to be successful in a university setting. We have students who are currently thriving at HA who, previously, would not have been able to find success here. HA has three learning specialists in three different locations on campus. One centralized location where students can be evaluated, tested, and assisted would better serve the needs of our students. Additionally, one central space would enhance the ability of our learning specialists to collaborate. 

Band Room – Currently, the band shares a space with the lower school music classes. This room is used all day by students in 3P-12th grade. Furthermore, the current band room is t

Sample Band Room

oo small for our current upper school/middle school band of nearly 60 performers. A band classroom with proper acoustics would greatly improve the student learning experience. 

Music Classroom – This classroom will be used by all levels of the school for music instruction, which with the addition of choral/drama and band rooms will allow for wider access to creative activities. 


Choral/Drama Classroom – Currently the chorus and

Sample LS Music Room

drama classes meet in a small classroom that was formerly a computer lab. It is common for students to have to leave the classroom to practice. An acoustically sound and adequately sized room would benefit students across all grade levels. 

Music Practice Space – Again, students currently have no rooms in which to practice instruments or vocal performance. During band class, for example, different band sections practice outside. Music practice space would allow students to engage in private instruction and improve their musical and creative abilities, without interfering with other academic classroom activities. 

Sample Social Commons Area

Social Commons Area – A commons area is a place where children gather between class and after school. This will not just be a place to “hang out,” however. It will be a space where children can collaborate, study, and socialize. It will be a space that is much more comfortable than the current gathering places in the locker rooms, the gym, and the floors of the various foyers.  

Theater/Auditorium – Houston Academy does not have a place where its students can assemble as a group, other than the gymnasium. Moreover, the school has limited space to stage artistic performances in drama, music, spelling bees, literary competitions, etc. The current “cafetorium” in Dunning Hall is to small for any serious choreography, and it has neither adequate wings nor fly space. The new Theater/Auditorium will be a multipurpose space with retractable, elevated seating. The space will be used for meetings, dinners, assemblies, plays, and any number of public events. The possibility also exists that the space could be used by the greater Dothan community for performances and could actually generate revenue. 

Altamont's Theater, with Retractable Seating

Altamont's Theater, with Retractable Seating

Altamont's Theater, with Retractable Seating

Sample Dining Hall

Dining Hall & Storage 

The master plan calls for a new dining space that will be larger, well-lighted, and equipped with a basic kitchen. This will better serve the needs of a student population that has grown since the current cafetorium was built. 

Existing Space/Classroom Renovations  

Additional Classroom Space – The master plan calls for the repurposing of current spaces (such as the band room, chorus room, and Dunning Hall) as classroom space. For many years, the school has been limited in its scheduling and course offerings due to limited classroom space. Moreover, classes have been scheduled in teachers’ rooms during their planning periods, making it difficult for teachers to work in their own classrooms. 

Technology Repair and Services Area – Currently, the Technology Department operates out of the Computer Science classroom, which limits the ability of the members of the department to work with students and faculty to solve technology-related issues. The master plan calls for a small work area for the tech department and a computer classroom. 

Additional Parking – Constructing buildings and performing sitework will create the need for new parking spaces on campus and a reconfiguration of our current parking. 

Killingsworth Gymnasium Renovation 

The Killingsworth Gymnasium is the most visited venue in the school, yet is probably the space that is most in need of an update. The current gym no longer comfortably holds the entire 3P-12 student body. The bleachers are permanently stained, and plywood covers a good portion the walls. The current drop ceiling gets damaged every time there is a volleyball game or practice, and a lift has to be employed to replace the tiles. The master plan calls for the more seating, LED lighting, and significant aesthetic improvements, including an elevated viewing area from the lobby. A locker room expansion is also a possibility. 

The entrance to the Killingsworth gymnasium will serve as a gathering spot and a gateway to the Dining Hall, Theater/Auditorium, and the gymnasium. Additionally, the entrance area will have an art gallery, a concession stand, and a ticket booth. It will also serve as a showcase for the achievements of our alumni and current students. 

Click on the link, below, and you can see a "Fly Through" of the campus plan. I think you will be impressed. 

Houston Academy Master Plan "Fly Through"

Currently, we are conducting a feasibility study, the results of which the Board of Trustees will receive in June. Then, we will begin a full-fledged capital campaign, which should last about 18 months. If we raise the money we hope to raise, we will begin construction as soon as possible after that!

This is an exciting time in the life of the school. It's been many, many years since our last capital campaign, and our hope is that we can transform our buildings and grounds into a space that will enhance student learning and make HA a better place for our children for years to come. 

It's Showtime!

When I first arrived at Houston Academy in 2012 someone told me, “We’re not an arts school.” First of all, that wasn’t true. We already had an incredible band, a fine chorus, a vibrant lower school music program, an award-winning visual arts program, and a talented dance team. What we lacked was a theater program. Secondly, though, that statement angered me. Why wouldn’t we want to be known as an “arts school”? Very few offerings in a school can more positively impact students’ competency in the 6 Cs[1] than participation in the arts. Moreover, people acted like it was a zero-sum game – that we could be good at the arts or we could be good in athletics, but you couldn’t do both. Frankly, that’s nonsense.  Given the caliber of our student body, we can and should be good at everything we do, and our students should have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities.

Well, my message to you today is that we have reached a point where our theater program is first rate. This year, we have already put on our 4^th – 6^th grade play. If you missed our production of Aladdin, you really missed an outstanding performance. It was not just “cute;” it was excellent. Plus, it’s worth pointing out that each performance we have done in each of the the last three years has been more difficult and has had a higher production value than the previous one. Additionally, our participation rate has been consistently high. This year, 44 students participated in the play, which constitutes 43% of the student body in grades 4-6.

Tomorrow night, (Tuesday, November 8^th) at 6:30 PM in Dunning Hall, the Arts Department will be presenting its Fall Showcase. Admission is free, and you will get a chance to hear our jazz band, chorus, and the extracurricular chorus. Furthermore, the drama class will be putting on Café Murder, a family-friendly murder mystery that only YOU can help solve. Admission is free, and having seen the rehearsals, it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Finally, the 7^th -12^th grade students will be putting on a performance of Singin’ In the Rain. This will be an endeavor the likes of which we have never attempted at Houston Academy. It is full of intricate choreography and difficult numbers. From what I’ve seen in rehearsals, it should be outstanding. Singin’ in the Rain is a really entertaining and funny show, and it would be well worth your time to come see it. It will be performed in Dunning Hall at 7:00 PM from Tuesday, November 15^th to Thursday, November 17^th.

In short, in just three years, we have gone from having no drama program, to having one in which approximately 90 students are participating. Moreover, our program is of high quality, despite our lack of a facility. I should also note that our band has 54 members, our show choir has 13 members, our upper school chorus has 20 members, our extracurricular chorus has 20 members, and our dance team has 17 members. These students are not only doing outstanding work, but they are collaborating and learning in ways they would not do in any other environment. When we talk about 21^st Century Learning, this is what it’s all about.

See you on Tuesday!

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[1] Much attention has been paid in the educational literature and in the media to what has been termed “21^st Century Education.” Generally speaking, educators and business leaders have identified the competencies that our students will have to master to be successful in the workplace. Pat Bassett, former head of the National Association of Independent schools referred to these skills as the “5C’s plus 1.”[1] I’ve just started calling them the “6 Cs.” These 6 Cs are:

1.     Collaboration,

2.     Communication,

3.     Creativity,

4.     Critical thinking,

5.     Cross-cultural competence, and

6.     Character.

Let Me Introduce You to Eric Dietz

Prior to my appointment here at Houston Academy, I was the Upper School Director at University School of Jackson in Jackson, TN. In my five years in Jackson, I had the pleasure of getting to know a number of great kids, but one of the young people who stands out in my mind is Eric Dietz. Eric Dietz was the tailback on our state-finalist football team.  He was one of the toughest football players I’ve ever seen.  Eric could hit like a freight train; he would certainly rather run you over than run around you.  Eric was talented enough and hard-working enough to take his football skills to the University of Mississippi.  In high school, Eric also lettered in basketball and track, qualifying for state in track, three times. In addition, Eric was an Honor Roll student. He has continued to make Honor Roll at Ole Miss, while majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

“So what?” you might say, “We’ve had plenty of scholar-athletes graduate from HA – just like Eric.”

True.  We do a great job here at HA in that regard. Our students are more than prepared for college, and they are always talented in a multitude of areas. But, to me, what set Eric apart (besides the fact that he was a gentlemen who was kind to others), was his skill on the stage.  Eric could sing beautifully.  He starred in multiple musicals, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Furthermore, Eric made the Tennessee All-State Choir two times.

In fact, All-West Tennessee Choir auditions took place in Memphis (90 miles away), early on a Saturday morning.  Eric played in a particularly physical football game Friday night, woke up early the next morning, and drove to Memphis. He auditioned for All-West Choir, and then went to our Choral Director to ask if he could help her do anything. She suggested to him that he might want to go home and sleep.

Now, again, Eric is a pretty special young man, but he is not unique in that many of Eric’s peers were athletes, scholars, AND artists/singers/musicians/actors. Being in plays at USJ was “cool.” Almost everyone wanted to do it, and competition for leading roles was fierce.  With their talented students and with their outstanding music teachers and directors, USJ put on productions that were often of professional quality.

Moreover, these students gained immensely from their participation in theater. It is difficult to replicate the pressure that comes with performing in a play. The ability to get up in front of a crowd and perform is an invaluable life skill. After all, how nerve-racking is a sales presentation after you’ve done that?

HA already has a band and a chorus that are better than I have ever seen in a school our size. Too, we already have an amazing visual arts program. However, the one missing component is a true performing arts program. That is a HUGE hole in our curriculum.  And, there is an enormous demand from our students for a theater program. This fall, we had 32 students go out for our lower school musical (which will be taking place the 3rd week in October).  Moreover, in the upper school, we have a large number of students who are participating in drama activities through SEACT, Flagship, and Spark Theater. Now, we have the resources and the teachers in place to have an outstanding theater program. I firmly believe that our drama and musical theater program will be every bit as good as our band, chorus, and athletic programs.

I should emphasize, too, that having a strong drama program in no way denigrates any of our other extracurricular and co-curricular activities.  It’s not a zero-sum game.  We CAN be excellent in all areas, and we SHOULD be excellent in all areas.

I don’t want to hear anyone say we’re not capable of winning state championships in ANY sport.  I won’t listen to someone tell us we can’t have the best theater program in the area. Please, don’t tell me what we can’t do! As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”

We are about to embark on an exciting journey in our school's history.  We are going to strengthen an already strong arts program, and we will have no peer in the state of Alabama. Likewise, we are going to continue to win state championships in athletics. Our students can have it all. And they will.