Category Archives: 2012 bond

Furr HS dedicates new building

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A sea of red flooded the main entrance of Furr High School on Friday morning as the cheerleaders, Sparkle Dancers — dressed in red and white uniforms — and band pepped up the crowd in celebration of the school’s building dedication ceremony.

Music and chants echoed through the air, and lush trees and landscaping lined the length of the brightly colored 182,000-square-foot-building, offering an ornate backdrop to a long red ribbon stretched across the building’s main walkway.

“Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a high school that empowers students to tackle environmental injustice and becomes the central green hub of their community,” said Furr Interim Principal Rosa Hernandez to attendees. “Imagine spaces filled with student voices, trust, school spirit, and a flexible learning environment.” She pointed to the new building, saying “That’s what we have here.”

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Furr HS begins new school year in new facility

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After the storm, Furr High School students were more than ready to start the new school year, but they were especially excited Monday morning to begin their first day of classes in their new building.

“It feels like High School Musical,” joked junior Jose Padron about the colorful new building. “I really like it. I think people won’t skip school as much.”

The three-story, $56 million facility was designed to enhance the school’s science, technology, engineering, and arts programs. It includes flexible, brightly colored learning areas with moveable furniture and sliding glass doors to make the rooms easily adjustable and accommodate changing needs of students and staff. Continue reading

HISD to open nine schools for 2017-2018 school year

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Nine schools across the Houston Independent School District will formally open their doors to all students for the first time on Monday — the first day of the 2017-2018 school year.

New schools set to open this school year include Furr, Milby and Wisdom high schools, as well as Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men and DeBakey High School for Health Professions. DeBakey technically opened to summer school students in May, but Monday marks the start of its first fall semester in the new building.

Another four schools — Kashmere and Waltrip high schools, Sharpstown International School, and Codwell Elementary — underwent major renovations. Continue reading

Furr HS parents get sneak peek of new school

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Furr High School Principal Bertie Simmons celebrated her 83rd birthday last week by leading Trustee Diana Davila and other school supporters on a tour of their new campus, which is being rebuilt as part of the 2012 Bond Program.

“It’s the most beautiful building in the district,” Simmons said. “We can’t wait to move in.”

With construction on the new facility now more than 80 percent complete, anticipation among stakeholders is growing every day as they see the project nearing the finish line. Construction is expected to be completed in mid-June, and the building then will be stocked with new furniture and technology, making way for teachers and staff to move in over the summer. Continue reading

New Furr HS set to open this summer

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Construction on the new Furr High School is now about 75 percent complete, and the building is on track to open this coming summer.

As part of HISD’s $1.89 billion bond program, Furr will receive a new 182,000-square-foot $55 million building to accommodate 1,300 students. The three-story building has been designed to enhance the school’s science, technology, engineering, and arts programs. It will include flexible, brightly colored learning areas with moveable furniture and sliding glass doors to make the rooms easily adjustable.

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Anticipation is growing as Furr High School construction makes progress

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Construction on the new building for Furr High School is set to be complete just 12 short months from now and open to students for the start of the 2017-2018 school year, project manager Michael Scott confirmed at the school’s quarterly Project Advisory Team meeting last week.

“I’m really pleased with the progress that’s been made in the first quarter,” Scott said. “Despite a couple of rain delays, we’re on schedule and we expect to stay that way.”

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New Furr HS project begins vertical construction

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Building progress at Furr High School has reached a noteworthy milestone already this year, as workers have begun installing the concrete and masonry walls, marking the beginning of vertical construction.

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Completion of new Furr HS one year away

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Stakeholders of Furr High School gathered on Oct. 29 to break ground on the school’s new $55 million campus.

The new 182,000-square-foot, three-story building is designed to enhance Furr’s science, technology, engineering, and arts programs and will include flexible, brightly colored learning areas that can be adjusted through moveable furniture and sliding glass doors. Students will remain in the existing facility while the new building is erected on the adjacent athletics fields. Once the new building is complete, the current building will be demolished and new athletics fields will be built on that site.

The new campus will accommodate up to 1,300 students and is expected to be substantially complete in the first quarter of 2017.

Photo gallery of HISD building projects

Furr HS breaks ground on ‘bigger and better’ new school

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Students, staff, alumni and other stakeholders of Furr High School gathered at the school on Thursday to break ground on a new $55 million campus, which is part of HISD’s $1.89 billion bond program.

“It’s a gigantic day for Furr High School,” said Principal Bertie Simmons. “There are so many exciting things about the new school – it’s going to be amazing.”

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M/WBE architectural firm designing new 21st century Furr HS

mwbe_snapshot1_rev1Editor’s note: This profile is part of an occasional series on minority- or women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) that do business with HISD. The district’s minimum M/WBE goal levels are 20 percent for all levels of purchasing and construction, and 25 percent for professional services. In the 2007 bond program, that commitment reached nearly 34 percent. In the 2012 program, contracts awarded are expected to top 53 percent. Continue reading