Huckabee | Architecture | Engineering | Management

This upcoming election season, Marshall residents will only have one item on the ballot to consider: A $41.9 million school bond vote called by Marshall ISD to fund needed renovations at Marshall High School. The bond proposition will have “This is a property tax increase” printed above it on the ballot, though Assistant Superintendent Andrew Chilcoat said that this is not the case. view article arw

The Beckville ISD Board of Trustees heard a report indicating the time line for construction of bond-funded projects on district campuses has been pushed back about a month. Included in the $17 million worth of projects approved by voters in early 2022 is a new competition gymnasium, new high school classroom space, renovation work at Beckville Junior High School and a revamping of parking on the campus. view article arw

From the facilities to overcrowded classrooms, Bells ISD said it’s time for repairs. “You can tell if you walk through it that it’s in pretty rough shape,” said Bells ISD Assistant Superintendent Josh Weger who’s talking about the field house. It’s one of four budget items included in Proposition A. The price tag, “is $24,755,000,” said Tricia Meek, Bells ISD Superintendent. view article arw

Replacement of aging school buses is a focus of a proposition in La Porte ISD's $234 million bond package on the May 6 ballot. "Currently, our buses have poorly functioning air conditioning or no air conditioning, and they have limited seatbelts," said Adam Holland, the district's communications director. view article arw

An outdated layout design at the Lufkin High School’s cafeteria serving lines is causing disruption and shortening students’ lunch period. “How can we design this space to be the most efficient where we get kids in, and get them fed, and taken care of,” said Lufkin ISD nutrition services director Amanda Calk. She first brought the cafeteria’s need for renovations to the school board in 2019. Calk says the current serving line layout was designed to feed 800 students during the ‘90s. Today, they are serving 1,200 students a day. view article arw

Ysleta Independent School District is celebrating the opening of their new school, Riverside Elementary. The district will be having a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, March 22. The event will take place at 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 22, at 218 Barker Road. Ysleta ISD trustees and Superintendent, Xavier De La Torre will make a special appearance at the ribbon cutting ceremony. view article arw

Roma school district voters will decide in May whether nearly $42 million in bond projects move ahead. The district’s board voted in February to call for a bond election split into three propositions totalling $41.92 million that would include a variety of renovations and additions, a news release said. view article arw

For more than 170 years, schools and students in New Braunfels ISD have exclusively carried the Unicorn as their mascots. However, a new NBISD campus breaking ground this week will be the first to break that tradition.Long Creek High School will be the first in a group of district schools to receive the heavily debated Dragon as their mascot. NBISD will also rebrand existing schools in the new high school's feeder pattern, including New Braunfels Middle School. They will eventually all trade Unicorn blue and white for the Dragon's dark green and navy blue. view article arw

For decades, portable buildings were used to house students and faculty throughout Tyler ISD. Now, the school district is preparing to sell the last building. “It’s not one of the last, it is the last,” said Tim Loper, the director of facility services at TISD. The online auction for the last portable container is open through April 4. TISD bought the portable buildings years ago to fulfill only one purpose. view article arw

Spring ISD has successfully sold its first round of bonds for a total of $300 million, according to a March 6 news release, as part of the district’s $850 million bond package approved by voters in November. view article arw

Athletes, coaches, architects, and members of the Bullard ISD board of trustees held a groundbreaking today for a new athletic complex. The 22-million-dollar complex will feature 12 tennis courts, artificial turf playing surfaces for the baseball and softball fields, covered batting cages, in-dugout team restroom facilities, spectator restrooms, and full concessions. “It’s a reflection of our community, it’s a fast-growing community. It just we’re growing, and we just had our superintendent and the school board, over a period of time, put a plan in place,” said the athletic director, Scott Calloway. “It’s about the kids; this is going to be a great complex for our kids for the future to compete.” view article arw

A school bond will impact the taxes a property owner in Midland pays. It is matter of how much. Midland ISD is attempting to come up with the right bond for future growth and to update older school buildings. A committee has been formed to help decide how much is the right amount. That committee hasn’t started talking about costs, tax rates or impact on homeowners. view article arw

Midland ISD held its first meeting of the 2023 Bond Planning Committee on Thursday night at Midland High. More than 100 participants met the facilitators from N2Learning, learned about planning areas, the bond timeline and process, received presentations from Midland ISD staff and went through an exercise about learning spaces. The following is information from the meeting view article arw

Voters in Fort Bend County will be asked to approve a $1.2 billion bond issue in May. Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Christie Whitbeck, Ph.D. says there is much to be done that parents and residents need to know about. view article arw

The Midland Independent School District began work Thursday night on a potential bond issue. The district's bond advisory committee got together for the first of several meetings over the next few months, and this was an important initial step. Discussions went well as a committee of over 100 people from around the district were introduced to each other and the job they have moving forward. view article arw

Alejandro Avendano, a Katy ISD parent and volunteer, was announced as chairperson for the district’s Community Bond Advisory Committee at the Feb. 27 Katy school trustees meeting. Avendano will lead the 150-member committee as it assesses budgets and campus capital needs, as well as through important decision-making processes leading to the development of a potential November 2023 school bond. view article arw

Former Katy ISD educators Steve and Elaine Robertson were joined by the Robertson “Bulldog” Family during the Feb. 21 official dedication ceremony of the district’s newest elementary school. During the ceremony, the school community enjoyed performances from the Bulldog Choir, presentations from elected officials, and heard heartfelt remarks from district leadership and the Robertsons. “We are so proud of this school and everyone in it. It has been such a privilege to be a part of this wonderful school as it was being built and when it opened its doors,” Steve Robertson said. “The joy on the faces of our staff, students and their families will always be remembered in our hearts.” view article arw

PBK Architects will oversee the $79 million bond project to overhaul Columbia High School, Columbia-Brazoria ISD trustees decided. Project Management Consultant Vergel Gay addressed the board during its Feb. 13 recommended PBK as the company that would provide the best value as its construction manager at risk and ensure the success of the project, he said. view article arw

allas ISD hosted a groundbreaking celebration on Tuesday for an elementary school named after a prominent Black leader who has lived in Dallas all his life. Albert C. Black Elementary School is set to open August 2024. "I didn't know it would go this far," community advocate Albert Curtis Black Jr. said. view article arw

The Austin Independent School District plans to modernize more than two dozen campuses over the next six years. Some campuses will be partially renovated, while others will be completely rebuilt. The projects are part of the district’s historic $2.4 billion bond program voters approved last November. view article arw

Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'AAA' rating based on the Texas Permanent School Fund (PSF) Guarantee and a 'AA' underlying rating to the following Lockhart Independent School District, Texas' unlimited tax (ULT) bonds: view article arw

The desperate facility needs of the Marion ISD are apparently not going anywhere. That acknowledgement is why the area school district says it will again be asking voters to approve a $78.8 million bond package this May. This will be the district’s third attempt in less than a year to go out to voters. Voters first said no to a $39 million bond issue in May 2022. They then said no later that year in November 2022 to a $50 million bond issue that was being promoted as historic to the district because it was not going to increase the district’s current tax rate at all. view article arw

Denison ISD is hosting a series of town hall meetings to address the proposed $132 million dollar school bond. The bond would bring expansion to the district, which they say is a necessity. The Lamar Elementary Principal, Emily Barnett, said her school is beyond capacity and even some closets have been repurposed as offices. Her staff is being creative in utilizing spaces but it is not ideal. She said the expansion would be amazing for her students. “Would be life-changing for them, that they can see they have that same experience as all the other students in the city,” Barnett said. view article arw

A state-backed program that for decades has helped school districts get the lowest interest rates possible on bonds and keep their credit scores high has reached its debt limit — and it could cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Texas’ Permanent School Fund promises lenders who buy bonds from a school district that the state will pay them back if the district can’t. But it can only vouch for so much debt. view article arw

Calallen ISD is eyeing a slate of projects to address security, facility face-lifts and space for fine arts, athletic activities and academic programs. To go forward with the $67.8 million priority list, the district will need support from voters in May. The Calallen ISD board of trustees voted this month to call for the bond election, which includes two propositions. If both pass, it would amount to a 4-cent increase in the interest and sinking portion of school district property taxes. view article arw

The Waco Independent School District and Transformation Waco, invited the community to a steel beam signing event to celebrate the new build of G.W. Carver Middle School. In November of 2021, Waco ISD voters authorized the district to issue $335 million in bonds to replace four schools, one of those schools being G.W. Carver Middle School. A fire destroyed the old G.W. Carver School in July of 2021, and students moved over to Indian Spring Middle School while plans for the new school were made. view article arw

For Waelder ISD, it is time to see whether the third time is the charm. For the third time in a calendar year, Waelder ISD will attempt to pass a bond issue to make improvements to their aging school campus while also lowering interest rates and refinancing existing debt. Superintendent Ron Lilie said the board has authorized a $10.3 million bond measure to be placed on the Saturday, May 6 ballot — a decrease of about $3 million from the $13.745 million Waelder ISD tried unsuccessfully to pass last November. view article arw

In November 2022, voters approved the largest bond in Austin ISD history, which was $2.44 billion. On Wednesday, the district released a timeline of when projects will start and when they are expected to finish. view article arw

At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Presidio ISD School Board got much-needed facilities updates and brainstormed projects to make the district’s campuses more secure. To cap everything off, they decided to formally name the district’s volleyball field after local legend and school booster Daniel G. DeAnda — a dedication that’s been two years in the works.  view article arw

A common subject at Tuesday’s school board meetings in College Station and Bryan was future facilities needs. In College Station ISD, the board is considering another bond issue. CSISD members heard an overview of the work done by a facilities consultant since last September. view article arw

Two school districts are asking voters to approve bond issues totaling $621 million in the upcoming May election to address aging buildings, security, technology needs and athletic facilities. Bexar County voters have had a mixed history of approving bond issues in recent years, with two school districts getting their bond proposals approved in 2022 following defeat in the previous election. view article arw

New ag facility at San Diego ISD

February 2308:24 AM
 

A new 5,000 square foot building will soon be an addition to the San Diego Independent School District. The new building will house animal pens for students within the Agriculture Department. On Monday, Feb. 20, school board members and school board administration broke ground at the building’s site… view article arw

Fitch Ratings - Austin - 22 Feb 2023: Fitch Ratings has affirmed the following Ennis Independent School District, Texas (the district) ratings at 'AA-': view article arw

Three school districts are asking voters to approve bond issues totaling $660 million in the upcoming May election to address aging buildings, security, technology needs and athletic facilities. Bexar County voters have had a mixed history of approving bond issues in recent years, with two school districts getting their bond proposals approved in 2022 following defeat in the previous election view article arw

The Pampa Independent School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved calling a School Bond Election for May 6, 2023. A committee of community members developed the proposal in conjunction with the staff and administration. Their primary task was to develop and present to the Board of Trustees a long-term plan that included a recommendation for implementation. view article arw