Part of the 2021 "Building the Future of Elementary Learning" bond program, this project delivered a brand-new Central Elementary for students in Portage, Michigan. Central and Haverhill Elementary were the first two schools delivered under the bond, with Woodland Elementary to follow in 2027.

Tower Pinkster and Fielding International shaped the design in close partnership with Portage Public Schools, students, and staff, creating a two-story building organized around how children actually learn. Rather than traditional classrooms, the school is built around flexible learning studios, with shared spaces that bring the whole school community together.

The project scope included:

• A library at the heart of the school, visible from the main entry and adjacent to the Gathering Stair
• A gymnasium with climbing wall, art room, music room, and cafeteria and servery with walk-in freezers
• Dedicated Young 5s, Education Supports and Intervention, and Flex learning studios
• Sensory rooms to support students with varied learning needs
• A main office suite with reception, conference room, staff lounge, principal's office, and clinic
• A durable EPDM membrane roof and polished concrete floors, including a reinforced art room floor
• A metal-panel and wood-fascia entrance canopy
• A new playground with swings and climbers, a basketball court, a bus loop, and a separate parent pickup and dropoff loop

O-A-K led the project through every phase of construction, guiding the Central community with regular site walkthroughs for staff and transparent progress updates. Project Superintendent Mike Hoeksema led the work on site, with the school opening for the 2025-26 school year.

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Photos by Jason Keen.