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

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part I

    We asked, you answered, and the results are in! Last year, we put out a call for submissions to collect our readership’s opinion on trends and predictions for K–12 and higher education facilities in 2026.

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).