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District reopens Lamar site as Peter E. Hyland Empower Academy; childcare expansion and community services planned
Summary
Trustees received a progress report on renovations converting the former Lamar Elementary into the Peter E. Hyland Empower Academy, including a childcare center expansion, technology upgrades and a proposed partnership with the Houston Food Bank; administrators said roughly $2.8 million has been encumbered for the project.
Goose Creek CISD administrators updated the board on renovations at the former Lamar Elementary campus, now the Peter E. Hyland Empower Academy, describing completed work, additional planned phases and community programming hosted at the site.
Brenda Garcia, the district’s facilities lead, told trustees the largest immediate accomplishment was readying a licensed childcare center. "The capacity went from being licensed at the old campus, from 70 students to a 189 students," Garcia said, describing inspections, playground relocation, fencing and food‑service permitting required for licensure.
Nut graf: Administrators said the repurposed campus will host a child‑care center (Little Giants Academy), the Empower Academy’s virtual‑learning and truancy offices, workforce readiness programming and potential community services in partnership with outside providers. The district said $2,800,000 has been requested and encumbered for marquee signage, construction phases, technology, furniture and playground relocations.
Garcia walked trustees through the scope of interior and exterior work: installation of classroom computers and two computer labs, new main entrances and signage, relocation of play equipment and conversion of library space for labs and staff training. She said some campus furniture was reused and other items redistributed to campuses in need; a limited set of additional purchases remained necessary because the site’s program mix required different furniture sizes and lab tables.
Board members asked about community uses of the campus and raised concerns about cost and transparency. Trustees asked whether the Houston Food Bank would store and distribute food from the site; staff said the district is coordinating with the Houston Food Bank and expects a dry commissary component and possibly refrigerated storage provided through a partner. Trustees also questioned the amount spent on furniture and whether bond or other funds were used; administration described the funding as encumbered for the project and said much existing furniture was repurposed district‑wide.
Ending: Garcia thanked the board and said construction remains in ongoing phases; trustees asked administrators to continue sharing cost and scheduling details as work continues.
