Category Archives: District I – Elizabeth Santos

Garden Oaks Montessori additions set for first quarter completion

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Construction of two new buildings at Garden Oaks Montessori is nearing the finish line as both structures, as well as the first phase of campus renovations, are scheduled to be complete next quarter.

In the new buildings, external masonry and metal panels have been installed, as have most windows. All interior walls have been inspected and now are being insulated and covered.

Much of the remaining work will focus on interior finishes, including installation of ceiling panels, drywall, doors, and other built-ins.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, but the project has made great progress,” said Garden Oaks Montessori Principal Lindsey Pollock. “We’re planning to move in over spring break, and that’s very exciting.” Continue reading →

2012 Bond launches Twitter to provide easy access to latest construction updates

Wish you could get the latest information and updates on construction progress at your child’s school? Now you can. Just follow @Build_HISD on Twitter, and you’ll have all that information at your fingertips.

The new page was launched last month to provide families with quick and easy access to the latest information — photos, videos, project updates, meeting recaps — about 2012 Bond projects across the district.

Follow us. Re-tweet us. Tag us with your questions. Or tweet your own construction photos, and we can retweet you. You can also look for and use our hashtags #BuildHISD, #2012Bond, and #BuiltForLearning. Continue reading →

Bond Oversight Committee tours Milby HS, hears update on third quarter construction progress

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The Houston Independent School District’s Bond Oversight Committee got an inside look at the new Milby High School while touring the campus as part of their regular quarterly meeting on Tuesday.

The eight-member group got to see 21st century learning in action as they made their way through the dining commons, library, gym, and various classroom spaces, including the welding, science, and culinary arts labs.

They also walked through the large central courtyard and got to see the historic main entrance, which now leads to a park-like green space. Continue reading →

Waltrip HS celebrates ribbon-cutting and homecoming

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Waltrip High School students, staff and alumni roared with excitement Friday as they gathered before their new three-story building addition and watched as administrators cut a large red ribbon stretched across the entrance.

As the Ram Band began to play, cheerleaders and dance team members led the crowd in singing the Waltrip fight song.

“Go Rams!” Senior Class President Coby Johnston said, smiling at the energetic crowd.

Continue reading →

Workers install tilt-walls and steel beams at Sam Houston MSTC

Construction on the new Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center is well underway and moving forward as scheduled with no significant impact to the timeline resulting from Hurricane Harvey.

Since breaking ground last spring, workers have completed underground mechanical, electrical and plumbing installation, along with most of the foundation work. Tilt walls are currently being raised, and are more than halfway complete.

“The project has been running very smooth so far,” said Skanska Project Manager Scott Conley, who oversees the Houston MSTC construction for the Houston Independent School District. “We’re on track with the schedule and pleased with the progress.” Continue reading →

Scarborough HS construction more than halfway complete

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Construction at Scarborough High School is over halfway complete with renovations to classroom spaces and common areas finished in time for students to enjoy on the first day of school on Sept. 11.

The remaining portion of the project — a 13,000-square-foot JROTC and fine arts building addition — is nearly complete with roofing underway and brick installation set to begin in the coming weeks.

“Although our construction timeline is slightly delayed, the crew has us back on track,” Scarborough Principal Rod Treviño said, referring to initial delays in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. “Our classrooms and hallways look great, and students are excited about the look of their new 21st century building.”

Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education to vote on extended days for schools with delayed start

Sept. 14 2017 – In its first regular meeting since Hurricane Harvey, the Houston Independent School District Board of Education Trustees will consider a proposal to make up instructional time lost because of the storm.  The Texas Education Agency approved waivers that exempt students from making up the first nine days the storm took away.  However, students at the 12 schools that suffered the most significant damage will have to make up any lost time beyond those days.

Here’s how the proposed plan works:  Students at the four schools scheduled to start on September 18 would be in school for 25 additional minutes every day.  Students at the eight schools scheduled to start on September 25 would go for an extra 55 minutes.  That extended school day would be effective from their first day of school until the end of the first semester in December. Continue reading →

Completed renovations mark new start for Waltrip HS

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Waltrip High School students and staff had an unusual start to the new school year — and not just because of the two-week delay caused by Hurricane Harvey. For the first time in almost 10 years, the school is not under construction.

“I’m thrilled that construction is complete, and we have a facility that is well suited to supporting instruction,” Principal Dale Mitchell said on Monday. “Educating students is much easier to do when classrooms are sized correctly and with new equipment.”

The first day of school initially was planned for Monday, Aug. 28, but that start date was delayed as a result of damages and flooding sustained from Hurricane Harvey. Most HISD schools — including Waltrip — opened on Sept. 11, but some were further delayed or even relocated to temporary campuses as crews worked to repair buildings that sustained the most significant damage during the storm. 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 →

Get an up close and personal look at district construction progress

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High School for Law and Justice

Want an up close and personal look at the construction underway at 2012 Bond schools throughout the district? It’s now just a couple of clicks away. Follow the progress from the comfort of your own home thanks to cameras that have been installed at several bond schools.

The cameras, which are mounted on a pole or roof of a taller adjacent building, capture an image once every 15 minutes — 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Go online and view individual images or check out a time-lapse video and watch as the building comes together. The views also can be zoomed into and panned for more detail. Continue reading →