When students at John Lewis Social Justice Academy at Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle School and Henry W. Longfellow Career Exploration Academy begin classes this week, they will do so in brand-new, purpose-built campuses.
John Lewis Social Justice Academy and Longfellow Career Exploration Academy are brand new state-of-the-art buildings, totaling an estimated $143 million combined. They are part of the district’s voter-approved 2020 Bond Project, which includes $3.2 billion for new schools as well as infrastructure repairs and upgrades to more than 200 of the district’s 228 schools.
Longfellow Principal Michael Tatum said that he’s excited about the district’s innovative work at his school.
“This building is something that makes me very proud of Dallas ISD, because it is a campus built for these students to get the best possible chance at success in their life,” he said.
The $63 million campus will feature specialized spaces for each of the school’s six pathways—business, law, culinary arts, multimedia, STEM, and career/college readiness—a new production studio, and a new library. In addition, Longfellow will also honor tradition by displaying a timeline of the school’s history, preserving a portion of the old gym floor with the hand-painted school logo on it, and retaining the lettering from the original building
“We have some of the best visual performing arts and other elective CTE spaces in the district and probably in the state,” Tatum said. “This campus was built to be a collaborative space for students and for adults to work together. Everywhere you look, there are spaces for people to break out of a traditional school model and to sit down and be creative together—everyone’s very visibly learning together. And that is something that’s very, very exciting about this building.”
John Lewis Social Justice Academy, formerly known as Oliver Wendell Holmes Humanities/Communications Academy, is also starting the year in a brand new building. The school was renamed in honor of civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis, who advocated for African-American causes. The $80 million replacement campus will house between 800-900 students.
Principal Monique Paige views the new campus as a promise of resilience, justice, and success.
“The new John Lewis campus is more than a building; it’s a promise,” Paige said. “A promise to our students that their brilliance will be seen, nurtured, and celebrated. A promise to our staff that their commitment and craft are the foundation of transformation. A promise to our families and community that we are not just rebuilding a school; we are reimagining what’s possible.”
The new John Lewis Social Justice Academy campus incorporates elements from the old building’s façade, includes a spacious new chamber for board meetings, and has a black-and-white mural of Lewis above the main entrance.
“This campus represents resilience, justice, and the belief that every child deserves to thrive in a space built intentionally for their success. It is both a fresh start and a powerful continuation of our legacy,” Paige said.
