Category Archives: District VIII – Judith Cruz

New Kinder HSPVA construction making great progress

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Rising five stories into the air, the new Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts is becoming a real presence in downtown Houston with the building now 80 percent complete and visible progress being made every day.

Permanent power is now connected, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are up and running. Work on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as installation of internal sheetrock and external masonry is ongoing. Workers will focus next on interior fixtures and finishes. Continue reading

HISD Construction Services leads administration members on tour of new HSLJ

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HISD Construction Services on Monday led Board of Education Trustee Diana Dávila and other district administrators on a tour of the new High School for Law & Justice, which is set for completion next month.

An outdoor patio overlooking the Houston skyline, a realistic courtroom classroom, and a large cafetorium with floor-to-ceiling windows were just a few of the areas attendees got a sneak peek of during the tour.

HISD Board of Education Trustee Diana Dávila said she is pleased with the building’s overall architecture and location.

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HISD Board of Education approves contract for construction of four Harvey-damaged schools

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday approved a construction contract for the rebuilding of four elementary schools — Braeburn, Scarborough, Kolter, and Mitchell — severely damaged by Hurricane Harvey.

Trustees authorized district officials to negotiate and execute a Construction Manager-At-Risk — more commonly known as CMAR — contract with Satterfield & Pontikes Construction. A CMAR contract requires the contractor to commit to completing a project within a guaranteed maximum price. Though that price has not yet been negotiated, the agenda item states that the total cost of the project is not to exceed the project budget. Continue reading

Wharton DLA construction project nears halfway mark

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Construction on the new Wharton Dual Language Academy is almost halfway complete, with structural steel erected for the building addition and exterior and interior wall framing underway.

Roof installation and interior wall framing of the existing building also are nearly complete, and the parking and driveway areas have been poured.

“We’re looking forward to having a modern, 21st-century building,” Wharton Principal Jennifer Day said, noting that she and her staff were already looking forward to moving into the facility. “I love how the design incorporates the historical building with the new.”

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Eastwood Academy starts new year in new addition

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Eastwood Academy started 2018 with the opening of a new wing — the first of two additions being built for the school as part of the 2012 Bond Program.

Known as the “blue wing,” the building houses the main entrance to the facility, as well as a new student dining and multipurpose area, career and technical education classrooms, an athletics facility, and a large covered patio.

It eventually will connect to the school’s existing two-story classroom wing.

“Our students are enjoying the new amenities, and we already feel at home here,” Eastwood Academy Principal Brandi Lira said. Continue reading

Austin HS students move into temporary facility while new campus is constructed

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Austin High School students and staff began the spring semester on Monday in a temporary campus in preparation for the start of construction on their new building.

The new Temporary Learning Center — dubbed by school officials as the “TLC” and made up of temporary buildings — was built to ensure student and staff safety during construction. It is located along South Lockwood Drive, directly behind the existing school building.

Located in Houston’s East End, the 80-year-old comprehensive high school is being rebuilt as part of the Houston Independent School District’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program. Plans for the $79.6 million project call for a new facility that preserves the original building’s architecturally significant building structure and can accommodate up to 2,000 students. Continue reading

HISD to open four new or renovated schools Jan. 8

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Three Houston Independent School District high schools and one elementary school will open their doors and welcome students in to new facilities when they return from winter break on Jan. 8.

The schools are Sharpstown, Scarborough and North Forest high schools, and Robinson Elementary School.

Sharpstown was rebuilt and Scarborough was renovated as part of the district’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program. The construction of the new North Forest High School and renovation of storm-damaged Robinson Elementary School were overseen by the bond team, but not funded with bond dollars. Continue reading

Austin HS hosts community meeting to discuss temporary campus move

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Students, faculty, and community members gathered Tuesday in the Austin High School auditorium to learn about the construction plan for their new facility, as well as the logistics of their relocation to a temporary campus.

Austin High School is being re-built as part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program. The $79.6 million project calls for a new facility that accommodates 1,800 to 2,000 students and preserves the architecturally significant structure of the current building.

To accommodate construction and ensure safety, students and staff will relocate to a temporary campus — made up of 15 temporary buildings offering all of the school’s current academic and athletic programs — along S. Lockwood Drive. Students will report to the temporary campus, which is directly behind the current school, when they return from winter break on Jan. 8.

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Eastwood Academy and Austin HS learn about college readiness from UHD president

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Students attend forums to learn about post-high school options

University of Houston-Downtown President Juan Munoz on Thursday visited with upperclassmen at Austin High School and Eastwood Academy, discussing the limitless opportunities of higher education – and bringing some exciting news to a few seniors.

Located less than five miles from UHD and only a six-minute walk between the two high school campuses, both Eastwood Academy and Austin High School are represented by HISD District VIII Board of Trustee Diana Davila, who joined Munoz on the college-readiness tour.

“It’s important for HISD to have forums like today that introduce another college option and allows for our students to interact with the decision-makers of a university,” Davila said. “Hopefully today, the students realize that there are people who care and are working hard to provide resources they need as they continue their education beyond high school.”  Continue reading