The HISD Board of Education held a workshop on Sept. 19 to receive progress updates on the district’s capital building programs, which are progressing within budget and on schedule.
As the Houston Independent School District moves forward with planning for the 2012 bond program to renovate, build or replace 40 schools, work is underway to finish all the projects in the 2007 bond program by the end of 2014.
Editor’s note: This profile is part of an occasional series on minority or women-owned companies 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, the contracts awarded to date reflect a nearly 51 percent M/WBE commitment.
Existing facility to be demolished while design for new facility is underway
The HISD Board of Education unanimously approved during Thursday’s monthly meeting the motion to fast-track the construction of a new Delmar-Tusa Fieldhouse by demolishing the existing facility while design for the new facility is underway. The goal is to have the site ready for construction as soon as possible and complete the replacement facility by late 2016.
District residents will soon be receiving an update on the 2012 bond program in their mailboxes.
As the $1.89 billion building program gets underway, HISD administrators want to ensure that all stakeholders stay informed and have the opportunity to get involved.
Read the bond program update mailed to HISD households
“We are updating our website and social media channels frequently, but we understand that some people still like to get their information on paper,” said Tiffany Davila-Dunne, HISD’s chief communications officer. “We’ve made tremendous progress on the 2012 program, and we are moving forward quickly to create 21st century campuses for our students.”
Delmar-Tusa Fieldhouse
UPDATE 09/12/13 @ 6:39 p.m.: This article has been updated to reflect the approval of this recommendation during the meeting held on Sept. 12.
___________________________________
The HISD Board of Education approved a recommendation at its regular monthly meeting to fast-track the construction of a new Delmar-Tusa Fieldhouse by demolishing the existing facility while design for the new facility is underway. The goal is to have the site ready for construction as soon as possible.
The Delmar-Tusa Fieldhouse, located at the athletic complex at 2020 Mangum Road, adjacent to the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, was built in 1958 and is currently in poor condition with major roof leaks, flooding problems in the locker rooms and a sports medicine area that falls short of athletic league standards.
More than 400 people, including a long list of elected officials, turned out Friday to celebrate the opening of the new Atherton Elementary school, rebuilt under the 2007 bond program in Houston’s fifth ward neighborhood.
“It’s beautiful,” said Judy Day-White, who attended the original Atherton Elementary back in the 1950s and came out Friday for special event. “When we have a better environment for our students, it uplifts them and it uplifts the community. It makes a difference.”
[photoshelter-gallery g_id=’G0000zJLzeQge5aQ’ g_name=’20130906-AthertonDedication’ width=’600′ f_fullscreen=’t’ bgtrans=’t’ pho_credit=’iptc’ twoup=’f’ f_bbar=’t’ f_bbarbig=’f’ fsvis=’f’ f_show_caption=’t’ crop=’f’ f_enable_embed_btn=’t’ f_htmllinks=’t’ f_l=’t’ f_send_to_friend_btn=’f’ f_show_slidenum=’t’ f_topbar=’f’ f_show_watermark=’t’ img_title=’casc’ linkdest=’c’ trans=’xfade’ target=’_self’ tbs=’5000′ f_link=’t’ f_smooth=’f’ f_mtrx=’t’ f_ap=’t’ f_up=’f’ height=’400′ btype=’old’ bcolor=’#CCCCCC’ ]
The HISD bond program was featured recently in the Summer 2013 issue of Cite magazine, which is published quarterly by the Rice Design Alliance and covers the latest in urban planning, architecture, arts and preservation in Houston.
Three articles in the issue delve into what will be built with funds from the $1.89 billion bond, which was passed in November. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier explains the district’s campaign to build 21st century schools and implement blended learning curriculum.
Houston Independent School District students will be planting and weeding gardens, and participating in other environmentally friendly activities on Sept. 28 as part of a global movement to transform schools into healthy and sustainable learning environments.
The Green Apple Day of Service is sponsored by the Center for Green School at the U.S. Green Building Council. The goal of the second annual event is to help raise awareness among parents, teachers and students about the importance of improving the school environment.
Two HISD schools – Herod Elementary and Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Education Center – have already signed up with projects designed to help their own facilities create greener and healthier campuses.
HISD opened the doors on Friday for the media to get a closer look at Atherton Elementary School, one of the district’s new schools opening on Monday for the 2013-2014 school year.
Atherton, located in the city’s historic fifth ward, is an 86,000-square-foot facility that is nearly twice the size of the original school, built in 1957.
[photoshelter-gallery g_id=’G0000HoxFBo1BwGo’ g_name=’20130823Atherton-MediaTour’ width=’600′ f_fullscreen=’t’ bgtrans=’t’ pho_credit=’iptc’ twoup=’f’ f_bbar=’t’ f_bbarbig=’f’ fsvis=’f’ f_show_caption=’t’ crop=’f’ f_enable_embed_btn=’t’ f_htmllinks=’t’ f_l=’t’ f_send_to_friend_btn=’f’ f_show_slidenum=’t’ f_topbar=’f’ f_show_watermark=’t’ img_title=’casc’ linkdest=’c’ trans=’xfade’ target=’_self’ tbs=’5000′ f_link=’t’ f_smooth=’f’ f_mtrx=’t’ f_ap=’t’ f_up=’f’ height=’400′ btype=’old’ bcolor=’#CCCCCC’ ]
Continue reading
More than 300 people turned out to Lockhart Elementary on Thursday to formally dedicate the new building, which opened to students in Houston’s Third Ward last year.
The event drew students and families, as well as a long list of Lockhart supporters, including HISD Trustee Paula M. Harris and the Rev. William Lawson, pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.