Dorothy C. York Innovation Academy: Building the Future
See how Ernie Morris and MooreCo helped bring a new K–8 campus in Apollo Beach to life with flexible, future-ready learning spaces.
Dorothy C. York Innovation Academy is a new K–8 campus in Apollo Beach, Florida, created to serve a growing community with a state-of-the-art learning environment. As population growth in Waterset increased demand, the district moved forward with a new academy designed to support students from kindergarten through eighth grade in beautifully planned, modern educational spaces.
Ernie Morris partnered with MooreCo on the project, continuing a proven collaboration that had already modernized another elementary school and supported multiple projects in the area. Working closely with district leaders, teachers, students, and community members, the planning team developed spaces that reflect the future of education while meeting the real needs of everyday learning.
Each area of the school was thoughtfully planned by grade level and learning style. Pre-K and kindergarten classrooms were furnished with blue, navy, and green Hierarchy cantilever chairs and trapezoid-shaped Hierarchy Creator Tables to support collaboration and early learning. Dot Soft Seating Stools, Schoolworks Bookcases, Trend Podium Desks, and Hierarchy Activity Tables helped create rooms that feel engaging, organized, and flexible for both instruction and individual support.
As students moved into first, second, and third grade, the classrooms evolved to provide more structure while still maintaining familiarity. In fourth and fifth grade spaces, blue-centered color palettes created a calm, focused environment, and connected Hierarchy Fender Desks with student chairs supported both collaboration and testing flexibility.
For sixth through eighth grade, the spaces shifted again to support more independent and technology-rich learning. Enroll Tablet Chairs, MoorePower Towers, and Hierarchy Twister Tables were used to encourage mobility, collaboration, and group work. Purpose-specific rooms such as art, ESE, reading resources, foreign language, health science, STEM, business tech, and science lab spaces were also designed with products tailored to each environment, including Compass Makerspace Tables, Cocoon Community Tables, Brawny Tables, soft seating stools, and additional Hierarchy seating solutions.
The result is a campus designed to grow with its students while supporting creativity, focus, movement, and connection across every grade level. Through careful planning, modern product selection, and a strong collaboration process, Ernie Morris helped deliver a learning environment built for both present needs and future success.
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