Gibbes Middle School In recognition of the school's exceptional architectural design, the Council for Educational Facilities Planners International (CEFPI) has named Richland One's Gibbes Middle School as the 2008 Best Middle School in the Southeast in the new construction category.

The new Gibbes was built on the site of the old school on Summerlea Drive. The old school was demolished. Students, faculty, and staff moved into the new school January 2007. The new school was built as part of the district's Schools for

the 21st Century bond construction program.

Gibbes was designed by the Charleston, SC- based Liollio Architecture education design studio led by Cherie Liollio. The topography of the school site presented a particular challenge to the architects, but that challenge was met with a unique two- story design that is accessible to all students. The new school features classrooms grouped in grade- level "houses" and a range of special classrooms, such as home arts, industrial arts, fine arts, dance, band, and strings. Other features include a lecture hall, state- of- the- art media center, food court- style cafeteria, and a full- size gym divisible

to allow multiple events to be held at the same time.

CEFPI is a professional association whose sole mission is improving the places where children learn. CEFPI members, individuals, institutions, and corporations are actively involved in planning, designing, building, equipping, and maintaining schools and colleges. The CEFPI Southeast region is comprised of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as Jamaica and Puerto Rico.