Officials from The Langley School broke ground June 18 for a new state-of-the-art building on its 9.2-acre McLean campus, which they said would support the school’s evolving program.
The school this summer will raze an existing library building and begin construction on the new Crossroads Building, scheduled to open in fall 2022.
The facility will house the Langley’s preschool, junior-kindergarten, kindergarten, fifth-grade and after-school programs, and will have a library/media center and a multipurpose space as well.
The project, which will cost more than $18 million, was designed by Cox, Grae + Spack and its general contractor is Coakley Williams.
The building is part of the school’s Next Generation Campaign to expand Langley’s programs and learning environment for current and future students. With a goal of $20 million, it is the largest fund-raising campaign in Langley’s history.
In addition to funding construction of the Crossroads Building, the campaign aims to double the size of the school’s endowment.
“Like Langley itself, the Crossroads Building isn’t about flashy surfaces, but about providing our children with the best possible resources to create meaningful, dynamic, learning-rich lives,” said Class of 1987 alumna Lara Ramsey, co-chair of the Next Generation Campaign and parent of a Langley student. “This building – along with a more robust endowment that reflects the quality of our program – will allow Langley to advance its mission for generations to come.”
Designed with flexible, collaborative, light-filled spaces, the Crossroads Building will foster countless opportunities for Langley community members of all ages to interact and learn from each other, school officials said.
The Primary School’s large, sunlit classrooms will be connected closely to the outdoors and provide safe, inspiring spaces to enable dramatic play, hands-on discovery and creativity, officials said.
The expansive, flexible hallways and classrooms for fifth-graders will allow them to move freely, gather spontaneously, take more responsibility for managing their schedules and achieve greater levels of independence.
Their close proximity to Langley’s youngest learners will give fifth-graders the opportunity to serve as leaders and role models, school officials said.
While celebrating books and reading, the building’s new library/media center will incorporate advancements in design, programming and technology to expand its role as a campus hub that will bring together students, faculty and parents.
A vibrant new space on the facility’s lower level will enhance the after-school experience for the growing number of students in Langley’s extended-day program, while a large multipurpose space will provide an additional area for students to gather or perform.
Founded in 1942, The Langley School now serves about 500 students from preschool through eighth grade.