All Posts By

Grant Van Hoose

Dec 18
0

Huckabee celebrates 2018

By | News

Huckabee celebrated another great year with our annual Christmas festivities. Not one, not two, but three parties took place for our teams across Texas. More than 400 combined guests—which included employees from our five offices and their loved ones—gathered to enjoy food, fun and togetherness.

This is one of our favorite times of the year, a time when we reflect on the incredible people we’ve met, projects we’ve embarked on and experiences we’ve shared. At each party, there was a deep sense of gratitude in the air. As a firm, we are so thankful for each other, for an incredible 2018 and for the opportunity we have to promote the success of all students.

During the events, our team honored employees for years of service and achievement. Notably, Huckabee recognized Josh Brown, Vice President and Director of Dallas, and Will Smith, Associate Principal, for 15 years of service. Josh and Will have held multiple roles within Huckabee, both providing impact to our team and clients.

Congratulations to Josh, Will and all of our colleagues who were recognized for their years of service!

  • Josh Brown, 15 years of service
  • Will Smith, 15 years of service
  • Devin Wilson, 10 years of service
  • Brian Eilerts, five years of service
  • Matthew Perez, five years of service
  • Becky Petter, five years of service
  • Heather Bryce, five years of service
  • Jason Andrus, five years of service
  • Mike Vermeeren, five years of service
  • Ray Dameron, five years of service
  • Hans Schmidt, five years of service
  • Josh Gomez, five years of service
  • Ricardo Davalos, five years of service
  • Konrad Judd, five years of service
  • David Anderson, five years of service
  • Kerri Ranney, five years of service
  • Crystal Vasquez, five years of service
  • Kenny Martin, five years of service
  • Walter Medrano, five years of service
  • Heather Barksdale, five years of service
  • John Papa, five years of service
  • Susan Carter, five years of service

This year, Mike Hall, our Austin Director of Design, was honored with the Huckabee Achievement Award; this prestigious award recognizes an individual who is characterized by their dedication to our clients and our team. Mike embodies our core values; he consistently demonstrates exceptional client focus and always looks to improve our firm.

This year’s WHOA Award was bestowed on Jeff Bryant, Regional Structural Engineer, in Fort Worth. The WHOA Award is a special distinction that recognizes an individual who “took hold of the reins” and expertly guided the team with wisdom, integrity and spirit; the award honors the legacy of Jerry Hammerlun, a dear colleague and friend who left us too early in 2017. Jeff was critical to our team this year, and we were pleased to recognize his unwavering integrity, ability to manage challenges and commitment to excellence.

Jun 13
1

Longview ISD Montessori

By | Clients

Summer is here (pause for teacher applause) and the East Texas Montessori Prep Academy just finished its first year in their new building. Longview ISD’s new academy, with a 1,400 student capacity and area of 123,000 sq ft, is one of the largest public Montessori schools in the nation. It can accommodate district-wide Pre-K / K student population.

This academy has been very successful in its mission, which was to enhance and consolidate the Montessori educational delivery process and to create immediate classroom capacity in existing elementary schools. Before construction of the new academy, the Montessori education efforts of the district were spread throughout multiple campuses, with some campuses performing better than others. The centralized academy provided much needed equity and continuity while also freeing up space in other schools.

The academy was designed with the student’s learning experience in mind. 100 percent of classrooms have natural light, which saves on electricity costs, but more importantly, establishes a connection to nature for the students and staff. Many of the windows are installed at student height, providing play ledges for the students. The classes and corridors wrap around two large courtyards, which provide safe and secure outdoor learning. Every micro and macro design choice shows the prioritization and importance placed on the learning experience.

With many more years to come in the East Texas Montessori Prep Academy, the district’s and the students’ futures look bright.

May 18
0

CTE Addition at Anna HS

By | Clients

Anna ISD and Huckabee developed a master plan for Anna High School to increase capacity and utilization, as well as support a more engaging environment for career and technology programs. The process encompassed a comprehensive review of program needs, site visits, interviews and collaborative meetings.

Phase 1 includes a new CTE wing and renovations to existing spaces, including administrative offices and a classroom conversion to a ninth grade wing. A new lecture hall / multi-purpose space features retractable seating; it is designed to be used as a tornado shelter if needed.

The new CTE addition is modern with a collegiate and professional feel. Programs include health science, art, media and broadcasting, and STEAM. A maker space was added as well. Exterior materials on the addition match those on the existing facility: red and cream color bricks with large expanses of glass to provide natural light and showcase learning. Notably, the design supports dynamic scheduling with the use of central teacher planning areas (TPA). Classrooms can be used during each period while teachers utilize TPAs for office space and collaboration. This maximizes square footage, efficiency and flexibility now and in the future.