Texas District Selects Program Manager for $247.7M School Bond

The Sheldon Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, recently announced that it has selected a Program Manager for a recent voter-approved bond of $247.7 million, according to a news release. Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) will spearhead the district’s new construction and renovation projects designed to match the area’s rapid enrollment growth.

Sheldon ISD’s master plan includes building a new campus for ninth- and tenth-grade students, renovations and expansions of Null Middle School and Cravens Early Childhood Academy, and district-wide facility upgrades, the news release reports. The district will also upgrade safety and security solutions in all of its facilities. Funding will also go toward upgraded technology in classrooms, as well as new school buses with GPS tracking systems, cameras and radios.

“The district is committed to providing the best education and resources for our children. The positive changes we’re making are only possible because of strong community support and involvement,” said Superintendent Dr. King Davis. “These changes will provide greater learning opportunities in the district for every age group, from infants to high-school seniors.”

Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2023 and has an estimated completion date of summer 2026.

“For some students, the new learning spaces and access to the technology will be life-changing,” said LAN Program Manager Michael Scott. “We understand the significant trust the community has placed in the district, and as we collaborate, we’re ready to help uphold that responsibility.”

LAN has previously provided project management services for Sheldon ISD. It served as the program manager for a 2016, $285-million bond program—the largest in the district’s history—that resulted in a new high school, football stadium, and elementary school, as well as the conversion of an existing high school to an intermediate school. The news release reports that since the 2016 bond passed, the district has grown by 2,100 students, or 20 percent, to a total of about 11,000 students.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • Colorado School District Breaks Ground on Unified PK–12 Campus

    The Haxtun School District No. Re-2J in Haxtun, Colo., recently announced that ground has been broken on a renovation/addition project that will unite its two schools, Haxtun Elementary and Haxtun Jr/Sr High School, according to a news release.

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.