SMA celebrates re-opening of Davidson Hall on campus

During a March 9 ribbon cutting with the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce, San Marcos Academy celebrated the reopening of Davidson Hall, the school's Lower School building, which underwent a renovation recently from the foundation up.

As designed by Balcones Architects, PLLC, and managed by general contractor S.B. Thompson Construction, the building boasts a security vestibule for secure access. It also houses a computer lab, 10 classrooms, three offices, a teacher workroom, and a library that features a light design created by artist Tim DeJong of the Wimberley Glass Works studio. Each classroom in the building has a large window and contains state of the art lighting and technology to better serve the 98 students currently enrolled in grades K-5.

At the ribbon cutting event, the Academy Color Guard posted colors and fifth grade students recited a passage from the book of Proverbs. On hand to celebrate with Academy administrators were Dr. Ruth Welborn, chair of the Board of Trustees; Billy Belcher, vice chair of the Board; and Board members Judy Renick and Dot Renfrow. Jana Rodriguez and Robin Nunez of Balcones Architects, PLLC, and Scott Thompson and Sidney Thompson of S.B. Thompson Construction were also on hand for the event.

Davidson Hall was one of the last buildings to be completed on the Academy's Ranch Road 12 campus and was first dedicated in the fall of 1985. At the time, it was a Military Science Facility for the Junior ROTC program, including classroom and office space, a rifle range, a supply room, a barber shop, and other features.

In 2004, the JROTC transitioned into a voluntary rather than a required program for Academy boys, and the number of participants declined. In order to better utilize the space in Davidson Hall and to keep Upper School students in one building during the school day, the military classroom and JROTC offices were relocated to the main academic building. This freed up Davidson Hall to serve as home to the SMA Middle School.

In 2017, when the Academy added elementary grades to their academic program, Davidson Hall became headquarters for the Lower School. However, the tremendous growth of the K-5 program in the following two years made additional classroom space a necessity. The SMA Board of Trustees approved a complete renovation of Davidson Hall, and construction began in the spring of 2020. The building was completed in January of 2021, allowing K-5 students to begin the spring semester in their beautiful new classrooms.

Applications for the 2021-22 school year are now being accepted for all grades at San Marcos Academy. Those interested in learning more about the Lower School are invited to attend an Open House at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 11. This event will include a tour of the new facility and of the campus. Please call the Admissions Office at 512-753-8000 or email admissions@smabears.org to register for the Open House and to learn more about enrollment at SMA.