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

  • Barbara Vick Western Branch

    Barbara Vick Western Branch

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Barbara Vick Western Branch has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Western Kentucky University, Gilbane Announce “Elevate WKU” Partnership

    Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., recently announced that it has reached the financial close on a on a public-private partnership (P3) with Gilbane Development, according to a news release.

  • Washington State District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Cheney School District No. 360 in Spokane County, Wash., recently announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school, according to local news. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 18 in Airway Heights for the yet-to-be-named school, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.