How Jackson-Madison County School System Transformed a Historic Campus into a Cutting-Edge STEM Hub at the Malesus STEM Innovation Center
When Jackson-Madison County School System (JMCSS) set out to launch a new STEM school tailored for middle school students, they faced two major challenges: finding the right space and meeting an ambitious one-year timeline. Our team at Wold understands the complexities of designing a school that meets hyper-specific educational needs, aligns with the community’s vision and secures strong community buy-in. At the start of this project, we asked the million-dollar question: How can we rapidly transform an outdated building into a state-of-the-art STEM school while ensuring it’s adaptable to the evolving needs of students and the community?
For over 130 years, the Malesus school building in Jackson, Tennessee, served as a pillar of education and community connection. After its closure in 2016, the building sat vacant for eight years until JMCSS saw an opportunity to reimagine its purpose.
The School System sought to transform the vacant Malesus Elementary School into a forward-thinking STEM Innovation Center. Inspired by research showing middle school as a critical time for career exploration and engagement, the district aimed to create a space that would immerse students in hands-on, career-focused learning.
With support from the Tennessee Department of Education’s Innovative School Model Grant, JMCSS partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers to fast-track the transformation. Originally designed in the 1960s by Wold’s Tennessee predecessor, Hart Freeland Roberts (HFR), the building held deep roots in the community. This connection made the project especially meaningful, as the team worked to modernize the space for today’s educational needs while honoring its legacy, blending past and future with a shared sense of pride.
The 38,500-square-foot building required a complete rebuild into a STEM Innovation Center within an incredibly tight timeframe, with the goal of opening less than a year from the project's design start. Traditional design and construction processes typically span several years, but with a clear goal to open in time for the 2024-25 school year, Wold needed to fast-track the process without sacrificing quality or flexibility.
To achieve this challenge, Wold developed a comprehensive master plan that both met the immediate goals of Phase 1 and laid the groundwork for the district's future needs as the curriculum continues to evolve. By employing a phased approach and prioritizing essential renovations such as new learning pods and labs, our team enabled the district to open the school on time while minimizing disruptions to future phases. Working closely with the district, we streamlined the design process through two meetings and moved directly into construction documents with a phased occupancy approach.
Through this rapid yet strategic approach, we worked with the district to reimagine the space, merging traditional classrooms into expansive, hands-on lab environments, transforming the cafeteria into an exhibit hall to showcase student work and designing collaborative areas and additional office space for collaborative events like robotics competitions. By August 2024, Phase 1 of the Malesus STEM Innovation Center welcomed its first class of middle school students into a forward-thinking STEM environment, marking a significant milestone and providing a second innovative option for middle school students in the district.
"Wold has consistently demonstrated a high level of professionalism, creativity and responsiveness,” said Dr. Marlon King, Jackson-Madison County School System Superintendent. "Their ability to balance aesthetic appeal with functionality has transformed Malesus into a hub for STEM education."
Inspired by real-world work environments, the design team introduced what they referred to as “Chipotle Labs” - open, industrial-style spaces featuring exposed ceilings, concrete floors, flexible furnishings, garage doors connecting adjacent spaces and hallway-facing windows. This intentionally raw and unpolished aesthetic mimics the environments students may encounter in future careers, fostering a sense of practical, hands-on learning and allowing students to experience working in a space where others can observe their process.
“We believe we should 'see' learning, so the windows also provide the platform for the 'visible learning' happening in the classrooms,” said Dr. Teresa McSweeney, JMCSS Chief Innovation Officer. “The building looks more like a manufacturing facility than a traditional school, which is intentional design. The community sees that JMCSS has a vision for how our educational practices can transform to better prepare students for 21st-century jobs, and that builds the trust they need to re-engage with our school district.”
The flexible design allows the school to easily adapt its learning spaces over time, ensuring it remains a future-ready educational hub where students can engage with technology-driven community partnership programs like the Toyota EM2 Institute, Cyber Command Institute and MakerSpace.
The reopening of the Malesus STEM Innovation Center has not only transformed the educational experience for students but has also deepened the district’s connection with a community deeply tied to the original Malesus Elementary School. For many, the closing of the beloved school was a bittersweet moment. It marked the end of an era, honoring the building’s rich history while embracing the promise of a reimagined future as the Innovation Center.
“When renovating a building that holds such an emotional connection to the community, it is important to involve the community in as many ways as possible,” said Dr. McSweeney.
The success of the Malesus STEM Innovation Center is driven by JMCSS’s commitment to community engagement and transparency throughout the planning and construction process. From the start, the district focused on securing buy-in from key community leaders, launching the commUNITY campaign to address district-wide capital improvements. The vision to transform Malesus Elementary into a school-within-a-school model centered on STEM and career pathways quickly gained community support through strategic meetings and open forums. To honor the school’s legacy, a “Preconstruction Open House” allowed residents to say goodbye and see the design renderings. Throughout the project, JMCSS kept stakeholders informed via social media, podcasts and media coverage, while a dedicated Malesus Team of district leaders, community members and construction partners ensured ongoing collaboration and progress. This approach reinforced community trust and pride in the district’s vision.
"Wold's partnership extended beyond design; they have been engaged collaborators, addressing challenges proactively and ensuring the project remained on schedule and within budget,” said Dr. King.
Today, as visitors walk through the Innovation Center and witness students immersed in building robots, designing automotive systems and applying math and science in real-world contexts, they see more than just a new school; they see history honored and a future reimagined.
This transformation not only represents a major step forward for the Jackson-Madison County School System (JMCSS) but also highlights the power of future-ready design to inspire hands-on, career-focused learning. The success of the project has reinforced the district’s commitment to expanding opportunities for students while maintaining strong community engagement.
With Phase II construction, which includes expanding classroom space and facility updates, already in motion and future phases on the horizon, the Malesus STEM Innovation Center continues to gain momentum, serving as a powerful example of what’s possible when vision, community and design align. Looking ahead, JMCSS anticipates completing a Phase III and potentially a Phase IV, including a full replacement of the campus’s oldest building, ensuring the school remains adaptable and sustainable for years to come.
"This strong partnership has set a benchmark for how effective collaboration can lead to exceptional outcomes,” said Dr. King. “From the initial planning phases through project completion, Wold has consistently demonstrated a high level of professionalism, creativity, and responsiveness. They have been attentive to the unique needs of the STEM curriculum, ensuring that the design supports cutting-edge technology integration, flexible learning spaces and an environment that inspires both students and teachers.”
Wold’s continued partnership with JMCSS supports its long-term vision, driving innovation through educational spaces designed to meet the evolving needs of students, the workforce and the broader community. Reach out to learn how we can help your district plan and deliver transformative educational projects on accelerated timelines.
