GISD details projects and timetable for newly passed $75 million bond
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Board facilities staff outlined how the $75 million bond passed by voters will be issued across 2026–2029 and reviewed priority projects including Chaparral campus construction, Santa Teresa middle-school land options and district-wide roof and systems upgrades.
Gadsden Independent School District staff told trustees the $75,000,000 bond voters approved will be issued over four years and is aimed at campus construction, safety upgrades and deferred maintenance.
Facilities staff said the district intends to sell the debt authorization in four roughly equal issuances from 2026 through 2029; the first issuance is anticipated at about $18,750,000 in October 2026. “We passed the $75,000,000 bond,” staff told the board, and emphasized that inflation and tariffs make modern construction costs higher than past projects.
Key projects and schedule: district staff listed priorities and estimated timing:
- Chaparral campus (middle/high) design and construction: programming complete and design work expected to take about a year; bid release targeted Feb. 2026 and award around April 2026; design cost estimate for Chaparral middle school programming regionally benchmarked at roughly $25 million for planning purposes. - Land acquisition: staff described exploratory conversations with Sunland Park officials and developers about potential land for a new Santa Teresa Middle School; design work for STMS tentatively targeted for 2028 pending PSFA ranking and site availability. - Anthony pre-K and Alta Vista early-college improvements: staff listed early-childhood funding options for pre-K projects and said campus-specific improvements are in planning. - District-wide needs: roof replacements, fire alarms, HVAC, plumbing and accessibility upgrades were flagged as priority maintenance projects; an early estimate for a Santa Teresa roofing project was cited at about $1.5 million.
How projects will be prioritized: the district is updating its facility master plan and working with a capital planning firm; that report will feed a priority list (levels 1–5) trustees expect to see in January or February. Staff also noted PSFA ranking plays a role in state funding eligibility for major campus replacement projects.
What to watch: trustees asked staff to return with refined cost estimates, updated facility-master-plan priorities and a recommended schedule for community input on design work. Any land purchases or contractor awards will return to the board for formal approval.