An Achievable Dream Academy at Lynnhaven Middle School
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Overview
An Achievable Dream Academy at Lynnhaven Middle School expands the long-standing Achievable Dream program, creating a continuous middle-to-high-school educational pathway for students in Virginia Beach. The project included renovations to the existing middle school and a new high school addition designed to support academic achievement, mentorship, student wellness, and long-term success. Thompson Consulting Engineers provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design, Construction Administration, and Commissioning services. The completed facility offers modern, flexible learning environments that reflect the program’s mission and support its distinctive educational model.
Challenges
- Integrating a new high school addition into an active middle school campus while minimizing disruption to students, staff, and daily operations.
- Designing learning environments that support traditional academics as well as the Achievable Dream program’s mentorship-focused educational model.
- Upgrading and extending building systems to meet current educational, energy, safety, and code requirements while working within the constraints of an existing facility.
Goals
- Create a unified middle and high school campus that supports continuous student development from middle school through graduation.
- Provide modern, flexible classrooms and student support spaces aligned with the Achievable Dream program’s academic and mentorship model.
- Deliver efficient, reliable, and code-compliant building systems that enhance comfort, safety, performance, and long-term functionality.
Project Team
- Owner: Virginia Beach City Public Schools
- Architect: Dills Architects
- Structural Engineer: Speight, Marshall & Francis
- Civil Engineer: Kimley-Horn
- Landscape Architect: WPL Site Design
- Geotechnical and Hazardous Materials: GeoEnvironmental Resources
- Contractor: A.R. Chesson Construction Co., Inc.
Results
- Successfully delivered a new high school addition integrated with the existing Lynnhaven Middle School campus.
- Expanded educational opportunities by allowing Achievable Dream students to remain within the program through high school graduation.
- Improved the comfort, functionality, and flexibility of learning environments to support academic growth, mentorship, and long-term student success.
