Coolidge Middle School has opened a Fine Arts Center on a largely unused second floor. The center includes a new dance studio. The Chicago Tribune reported on the opening.
The center adds dedicated spaces for several disciplines, but it sits within a district that already describes arts and related subjects as part of its regular instruction. South Holland School District 151 says its encore curriculum includes Art, Music, STEM, Culinary Arts, Social Emotional Learning, and Fine & Performing Arts. The district’s overview lists those offerings but does not report how many students take part.
Coolidge serves students in sixth through eighth grade and is located in Phoenix, according to the district’s profile. That location is distinct from the school district’s name: the center is at Coolidge Middle School in Phoenix, not in the village of South Holland.
A project developed over several years
The project was in development for years. In January 2025, Harvey World described a then-estimated $4.2 million facility, with construction expected to finish by May 2026 after a planned July 2025 groundbreaking. The district’s superintendent’s office page later listed an August 2026 opening and credited the design to JMA Architects, based on a vision from former district leaders.
The Van Moody Arts Academy, founded in 2019, describes its work on its website and partners with the district. The center provides dedicated space for arts activities at the school.
