Construction on new Sherman ISD schools nears finish; CORE donates $25,000 to education foundation

CORE Construction representatives told the Sherman ISD Board of Trustees that construction on the district—s five bond projects — including the rebuilt Crutchfield and Fairview elementaries, Parker Elementary finishes, high-school additions and a new stadium — is moving into final interior and site-work phases.

Gary Anons, executive vice president of CORE, said interior finishes such as flooring, tile and millwork are in place or near completion at multiple campuses and demolition work continues where old buildings are being removed. "We're down to the fun home stretch," a CORE representative said, describing upcoming finish work and exterior items including playground installation at Fairview.

Why it matters: The projects are financed with voter-approved bond proceeds. Trustees heard specifics on schedule and materials while asking for updates about the stadium and Wakefield demolition permitting.

Progress and schedule highlights presented to the board included:

- Crutchfield and Fairview: Demolition began and interior classroom pods and finishes are nearing completion; crews continue work on flooring, painting and millwork.

- Parker Elementary: Finishes such as tile and casework are being installed.

- High school additions: West-wing classrooms and interiors are complete and protected while exterior work continues.

- High school stadium: Underground site prep and foundations were under way; CORE reported a plan to accelerate crews to recover schedule after wet weather with pier work and foundations starting as weather allows. CORE said the stadium project is scheduled for completion next June.

Construction-scale facts shown to trustees included material quantities and counts: more than 1,030 doors installed, roughly 349,049 square feet of roofing, 1,162,917 square feet of sidewalks and 33,642 cubic yards of concrete placed (CORE noted that volume would equal more than 10 Olympic-size swimming pools), and 1,513,422 bricks installed across the projects.

Trustees asked about timing for the stadium to "go vertical" after recent heavy rains and about the demolition schedule for Wakefield; CORE said permits and final engineering for Wakefield remain in process and demolition is planned to begin in mid-July, with pier and foundation work starting on the stadium in the coming weeks.

Donation and partnership: CORE presented a $25,000 check to the Sherman Education Foundation; the company—s representatives said the donation reflects a collaborative relationship with the district. CORE also told the board it will donate book-vending machines for elementary campuses to support student literacy, and the foundation accepted the check in a brief presentation.

Discussion vs. decision: The presentation was informational; no formal board action was recorded on construction contracts at the meeting. CORE—s check to the Sherman Education Foundation was a philanthropic gift accepted by the foundation; the board acknowledged the donation in open session.

Trustees thanked CORE for the update and for the gift as work progresses on the bond projects.