Rock Creek School

Rock Creek School has been serving the Frederick County community since its original facility opened in 1972. It is a specialized public school which provides individualized special education programs for students with complex medical conditions and severe intellectual, physical, emotional, hearing, vision, and learning disabilities, from ages 3 through 21. The original school building needed modernization and expansion to continue to meet the changing needs of the students and to support its mission to provide a safe, respectful, caring, and enjoyable learning environment in which students can develop communication and independent-living skills to achieve their full potential at school, at home and in their communities. The design team collaborated with the school system to envision and develop a modern Rock Creek School, one that provides access and equity for all and acts as a responsible steward of the environment and promotes occupant health by achieving LEED BD+C Silver certification. 

The new 80,000 sf facility serves up to 120 students and incorporates specialized features to serve the students’ unique needs, including an outdoor learning courtyard area with play structures, sensory rooms, a movement room, overhead lifts, changing tables, and a large therapy pool. The building wraps around the large central outdoor learning area, which was an important focal point and functional aspect of the design. The facility focuses on energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and incorporation of elements to encourage inclusion, movement, and connection to the natural environment.