Design work continues on a new middle school planned on the current site of the Renton Academy in Newcastle.The Renton School Board approved NAC Architecture’s design development plans at their meeting Jan. 8.

The construction is expected to be start in 2015 and complete in 2016, in time for the new school year.

Middle school no. 4, as it’s being called now, will have many sustainable design features, similar to the district’s Secondary Learning Center. The building will be super insulated, harvest daylight for energy and it will also have a specially designed storm water runoff system, among other features.

Middle School no. 4 is being funded by an April 2012 bond measure, which also includes improvements to other schools across the district. The school won’t be named until later this year in a special process. The school board will approve a committee to recommend a name to the school board.