WAUNAKEE, Wis. — The Waunakee Community School District celebrated the opening of its new middle school Sunday, inviting residents to tour a building designed around smaller learning communities, specialized instruction and energy-efficient infrastructure. Waunakee Community Middle School, at 501 South Street, covers 235,637 square feet and serves students in seventh and eighth grades. The building hosted summer school programming in 2026 before opening for the 2026-27 school year. The school’s classrooms and shared spaces are arranged into smaller learning neighborhoods. It also includes dedicated areas for music, art, science, world language, technical education, family and consumer sciences, business and agriculture. The building features a geothermal heating and cooling system, solar panels and extensive natural lighting. Superintendent Monica Kelsey-Brown said the design was intended to accommodate students with different needs while creating more opportunities for learning and growth. “We are fortunate enough to have a diverse setting, modern learning spaces, natural lighting,” Kelsey-Brown said. “We have a geothermal system, we have solar panels.” Athletic and collaboration spaces include a gymnasium with three full-size basketball courts, along with flexible areas where students can work together. Kelsey-Brown said the district’s focus will extend beyond the new facility itself and depend on how educators use the space to support students each day. “It’s not about the building specifically, but it is about what happens inside of the building,” she said, pointing to the work of administrators, school leaders and teachers in meeting students’ needs. Dick Greffin, one of the community members who toured the school after the ceremony, described the facility as modern and well-equipped for students preparing to enter high school. He said the updated environment could support academic learning across subjects including math, history and social studies.