Older schools in this district were built with few windows, and students complained they felt "claustrophobic." Based on these comments, as well as concerns about energy efficiency, the school board decided that natural light was essential to the learning experience. In the early 1980s they directed architects to maximize natural lighting in all new buildings.

Since then the district has built 16 new schools that feature skylights in the classrooms. One successful design uses an inverted plastic pyramid diffuser recessed into the ceiling to distribute light evenly. Most of the skylights also have built-in louvers, allowing classrooms to be dimmed for video presentations.