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Excitement filled the air at the new High School for Law and Justice as students gathered in the central dining commons to pick up class schedules and connect with friends on Monday — the first day of the 2018-2019 school year.
“When I first walked into the building, all I could say was, ‘Wow!’” HSLJ senior Cecilia Marenco said. “The grand staircase is breathtaking, and the design is modern and innovative.”
Part of the 2012 Bond Program, the $40 million campus features a realistic courtroom, crime-scene investigations lab, emergency communications center, law library, and flexible dining commons space with a three-stories-high sky bridge and a dramatic grand staircase.
HSLJ Principal Carol Mosteit said that the new technology and features of the building will enhance the learning experience for students.
“I’m really happy with the building,” Mosteit said. “It’s a state-of-the-art school that will enable us to provide our students with real-world experiences and more meaningful hands-on activities.”
The 115,000-square-foot facility – which also includes spaces for JROTC, athletics, fine arts, and other traditional high school classes – was funded through a combination of 2012 Bond program funds and real estate proceeds. Its new location on 3505 Coyle St. is centrally located just east of Downtown Houston at the intersection of Pease and Scott streets.
“We all like the new building,” sophomore Clarissa Palacios said. “It’s so big and open. It looks like a college instead of a high school.”
HSLJ is one of more than a dozen schools to formally open to students for the start of the 2018-2019 school year – the largest number of openings at one time in district history.
Follow @Build_HISD on Twitter for the latest construction updates on the 2012 Bond Program and school construction across the district.