Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Texas District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/12/22

The Bushland Independent School District in Bushland, Texas—located near Amarillo, in the state’s panhandle—recently broke ground on a new elementary school. Local news reports that the new facility will accommodate enrollment growth within the district. Voters approved a $94.3-million bond in May 2021 to go toward the project. The new school is projected to open in August 2023, according to the district website.

“We’ve been working on the design and the bond for about a year and a half now,” said Chris Wigington, Superintendent of Bushland ISD. “Our district is growing pretty quickly, and we felt like it was time to build a new elementary school.”

The new elementary school kicks off a series of construction projects in the district’s queue. The new facility will house students in grades PreK-2. The district middle school will undergo a series of renovations and then house students in grades 3–5. All middle school students will move into the existing high school, and the district will build a new high school for students in grades 9–12, which is scheduled for completion in fall 2024.

The new elementary school will feature eight classrooms per grade level, flex classrooms and designated co-teaching areas, local news reports. Wigington also revealed that there will be a multipurpose outdoor courtyard with learning stations for a variety of active learning experiences.

"We are busting at the seams. All of our classes are full, and we just received two new students today," said Bushland Elementary School Principal Brandi Rankin. "We are very excited for the new elementary school. It will allow for more early childhood development for the preK through second[-graders], and then allow for our third- through fifth-graders to have their own space to prepare for their curriculum, which involves state testing."

Project renderings are available on the Bushland ISD website. The district is partnering with Dallas-based architecture and design firm Corgan for all three components of district construction.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Announces 2026 Product Award Winners

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2026 Product Awards! The award program spotlights outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to enhance K–12 and higher-education learning environments.

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.

  • Opportunity by Design Framework

    Opportunity by Design

    Educational improvement efforts often focus on curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional development, and intervention systems while treating the physical school building as background. But school design is not a passive backdrop to learning — it is a structural lever for equity.