Board hears construction update: $400M in bonds sold, Arcadis chosen for two projects and covered practice facility approved

Trustees received an update from the district's construction and facilities planning committee on May 6 and heard highlights at the May 19 board meeting about bond sales and ongoing projects.

Trustee Jeff Trout reported that "so far, 400,000,000 of the voter authorized 695,000,000 in bonds have been sold" and that more than $300,000,000 of that amount is currently encumbered on projects. Trout summarized project timelines: West Fork additions and covered practice facility work, Highlands Elementary and Highlands Middle School schedules, completion and opening timelines for New Caney High School CTE and athletics phases, and other site-specific work including demolition and remodeling at the old operations building and designs for central office and transportation operations.

The board approved two architect selections. Trustees voted to select Arcadis (referred to in the meeting also as IBI/Bay architects in prior projects) as architect for Porter High School Phase 3 and separately as architect for Elementary Campus No. 13. The Porter Phase 3 work will include covered practice facility, fine arts additions and renovations, CTE additions and renovations, and athletic turf; trustees approved authorizing the superintendent to negotiate and execute a contract.

The board also approved CPR 27 A and B to add scope for Duratech as part of West Fork High School Phase 2, allowing construction of a covered multipurpose practice facility while the contractor is mobilized on-site. Staff told trustees this approach saves remobilization costs and leverages existing site presence.

No dissenting votes were recorded in open session for the architect selections or the CPR 27 approvals. The board discussed scheduling and sequencing across bond projects and noted continued design work for future phases.