Texas School District Prepares to Renovate All Elementary Schools

The Nederland Independent School District (NISD) in Nederland, Texas, is preparing for renovations of all four of its elementary school campuses. District officials are expecting to receive design plans and a budget by August 2021, leading to an anticipated start date (for two of the schools) of October 2021. The primary goal is to keep the work within the $49.1 million budget that voters have already approved.

“[Our construction partners] are working together to look at the scope of the elementaries to make sure we can flesh out any work that would be excessive and use every ounce of dollars to get what we promised the voters,” said Superintendent Dr. Stuart Kieschnick. “We’re taking a harder look at the elementary schools because we are later in the process. The global pandemic has affected so much of the supply chain and the prices of building materials. There may not be some bells and whistles we want, but we will deliver what we promised the voters. But we have to look at it from a tighter point of view.”

Upgrades to the district’s four elementary schools—Helena Park, Langham, Highland Park, and Hillcrest—include additional classroom space for science labs and individual learning; restroom renovations; ADA modifications; and expansions to the gym, cafeteria and kitchen spaces.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the prices of materials like metal, wood and PVC are up to three times what they were when plans were made in 2018. Material and worker shortages are also contributing to slower project delivery times. In addition to the elementary school upgrades, voters have also approved upgrades to district middle schools and football stadiums, as well as the construction of a new Nederland High School.

The district is partnering with architectural firm IBI and construction supervisor H.B. Neild & Sons.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Case Study Highlights Texas District’s Campus Security Upgrades

    The Taft Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently partnered with Intech Southwest Services to revamp its campus security technology system, according to a news release. Intech has released a case study on its website detailing the process that advanced the district’s technology by more than 20 years in less than three weeks.

  • Tufts University Breaks Ground on Two New Residence Halls

    Tufts University in Medford, Mass., recently broke ground on two new residence halls with a total capacity of 664 beds, according to local news. The project’s ultimate goal is to expand on-campus housing and reduce pressure on the local housing market.

  • UC Riverside Completes $285M, Multi-School Student Housing Development

    The University of California, Riverside, recently announced the completion of a $285-million student housing complex offering 1,568 beds across 429 units, according to a news release.

  • Spaces4Learning Announces Winners of 2025 Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2025 Product Awards! The award program recognizes innovation and excellence in products that enhance learning environments in K–12 schools and institutions of higher education.

Digital Edition