Texas K–12 District Debuts Two New Schools for New School Year

  • By Matt Jones
  • 08/15/23

The Manor Independent School District in Manor, Texas, recently celebrated two ribbon-cutting ceremonies for two new schools opening just in time for the 2023–24 academic year, according to a news release. The district partnered with program management firm HPM on the project, which was part of a $280-million bond program that local voters approved in 2019.

Manor Rise Academy covers 116,000 square feet and cost roughly $45 million. Amenities include athletic facilities with two gyms, a media center, three maker spaces and two art rooms, performing arts classrooms, and dedicated spaces for student collaboration, as well as playgrounds and outdoor learning spaces.

Manor Early College High School, meanwhile, covers 85,000 square feet and cost about $35.5 million. Built next to the district’s existing high school, the facility can accommodate up to 800 students in grades 9–12 and focus on CTE education. The school boasts an open-concept design that deliberately emulates a college campus and includes amenities like a student commons area, coffee shop, and cafeteria.

“Education projects require strict scheduling oversight to ensure an on-track completion by the start of the school year, and I am proud of our team at HPM for its dedication to an on-time delivery for Manor ISD,” said Ryan Austin, President of HPM. “We thank the school district for its invaluable support and collaboration during these projects, and to our partners for ensuring success in the construction of these schools. As we move ahead on additional projects with the school district, we look forward to providing more quality program management services as we expand our footprint further into Manor.”

The new schools were built in response to the area’s growing population. The news release reports that the town of Manor’s population has increased by 160% since 2010 and that the school district is expecting an extra 2,800 students over the next four years.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Epson Receives Seven AV Industry Awards

    Projectors manufacturer Epson recently announced that it received multiple awards across the Higher Ed AV Awards, SCN Stellar Service Awards, and InfoComm 2025, according to a news release. The company was recognized for three projectors from its PowerLite L-Series line, accessories, installation process, and its customer support team.

  • Key Considerations for Office-to-Higher-Education Facility Conversions

    Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, office-to-alternative-use conversions have become a recurring subject of urban development discourse. Office utilization rates across major U.S. cities remain below 50%, with vacancy rates exceeding 27% in San Francisco and 16% in New York. Higher education facilities present programmatic and spatial use cases that align readily with the typical characteristics of commercial office buildings.

  • University of Kentucky Sees Positive Results from Energy Efficiency Program

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently announced the results of its Energy Program in Facilities Management, put into place eight years ago, according to a news release. Between the fiscal years of 2017 and 2025, the university’s campus grew by 13.6% while the energy use per square foot dropped by 19.2%.

  • The Role of Unified Communications in Hyflex Education

    Academic technology and pedagogy have evolved in ways few could have imagined a decade ago. Today, hybrid/flexible (or hyflex) learning environments — a mix of in-person and remote instruction — are the new normal. However, as promising as it sounds, making hyflex work smoothly is no small feat.

Digital Edition