 | 1 LU | HSW |
| 1 LU | HSW |
Date/Time: November 6, 2026 | 2:15 – 3:15 pm
Room: TAHOMA 2
Furnished by: Artcobell
Abstract: Educational innovation is often associated with new programs or technology, but the most impactful innovation occurs when planning, policy, and design are intentionally aligned. This session brings together district leadership, facilities experts, and design professionals to demonstrate how a PK–8 magnet campus was conceived as a system-level solution—not just a building.
Faced with overcrowded elementary and middle schools, the district used this project to rethink grade configuration, campus organization, and enrollment strategy simultaneously. A PK–8 model was selected to relieve pressure across multiple grade bands, while proximity-based enrollment priority ensures that students living closest to the campus directly alleviate overcrowding in surrounding schools. Remaining capacity is then opened to students outside the area, preserving the school’s magnet identity and expanding access to innovative programming.
Through the collective perspectives of DISD as owner—represented by the District Architect and Chief of Construction—working in partnership with the architect and master planner, attendees will gain insight into how early collaboration transformed complex challenges into coordinated solutions. From visioning through delivery, the project demonstrates how innovation can be “unplugged” from buzzwords and embedded into how districts plan, design, and build schools that serve both students and communities.
Learning Objectives:
Educational Facility Pre-Design Planning
Manages a master planning process that combines educational planning, facilities assessment and utilization, demographic research, capital planning and educational specifications with a community based vision to establish a plan for learning environments.
Catherine is KAI’s K-12 Market Leader with over 19 years of experience designing innovative and inclusive educational environments. As a licensed architect and interior designer, she specializes in creating engaging and equitable spaces that empower underserved communities through sustainability, community engagement, and impactful design. Recognized with awards from TASA, TASB, and School Construction News, Catherine is committed to transforming educational spaces into cultural and community anchors that foster connection, resilience, and equity through thoughtful design.
Brent is an accomplished leader with a proven record of management and oversight of large capital projects for school districts. He is a registered architect and certified construction manager. With more than 20 years of experience in the design and construction industry, the last 12 focused exclusively on K-12 schools and the learning environment. He has vast experience as a designer, project manager and owner’s representative in the construction field.
Katy is the Design Director for Dallas ISD, contributing expertise in architectural design with over 25 years of professional experience. A licensed architect with advanced degrees from University College Dublin and Texas A&M University, she has extensive experience in educational facility design and historic preservation. Katy has supported the planning and design of several District bond programs and is responsible for oversight of the District’s architectural program. She is an advocate for student-focused learning environments.
Derwin serves as the Principal and Vice President of KAI Enterprises. He is the immediate past President of the Texas Society of Architects (TxA), which is the third-largest component of the American Institute of Architects. Additionally, Derwin is a former president of the Dallas Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects. Originally from South Carolina and a graduate of Clemson University, Derwin is married to his college sweetheart, Michele.
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Seattle Convention Center
705 Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98101
November 4-7, 2026
Email: donna@a4le.org
+1 480.391.0840