Demolition Makes Way for Bond Construction at Van Horn

Demolition of the 30,000 square foot “E Building” at Van Horn High School began on July 13. An excavator knocked down the entire structure over several days. The “E Building” sits on the north side of Van Horn High School.

The demolition is part of construction work approved by voters in April as part of a $38 million bond. At Van Horn, the bond will pay for instructional space for our Culinary Pathway, adding five commercial kitchens to be used by students from all three high schools. At Van Horn, the bond will add a metals classroom, wood shop, remodel science classrooms and add a physical therapy and athletic training classroom space for the Academies. The bond will also add a new competition gym and locker rooms at Van Horn.

Voters passed the $38 million bond with an overwhelming majority of 84.95% support. The bond will ease overcrowding, eliminate all mobile trailers in the district and advance the Academy model for all ISD high school students by adding and enhancing classrooms for STEM, Culinary, Vocational and Business coursework. The bond projects include a new elementary school and upgrades at all three ISD high schools.

The district broke ground on its 20^th elementary school on June 29, 2017 at 31^st Street and Hardy Avenue. With a capacity of 450-500 students, the new elementary will be equipped with the latest technology where students will be in a one-to-one setting with Chromebooks and Project Lead The Way as an additional curricular component. The new elementary will open in the summer of 2019.

Construction fences are up at William Chrisman High School as the work begins to add four additional classrooms, including two Cisco computer networking rooms for the Academies. At Chrisman, a weight room will be added, allowing the wrestling room to move to the existing weight room. At Chrisman, the bond will also remodel science classrooms and add a physical therapy and athletic training classroom space for the Academies.

Construction fences are up at Truman High School as the work begins on a new entry and exterior upgrades, which will address safety concerns and modernize the building exterior. Four additional classrooms will be added, moving four math classrooms out of the mobile trailers and into the school. At Truman, the bond will expand and remodel the lunchroom, remodel science classrooms and add a physical therapy and athletic training classroom space for the Academies.