The district has heard feedback from other junior high staff members, students and parents that they want to be included in the transformation project as soon as possible, according to Hayes. Hayes said the district is still dis- cussing the best method for how to finance the remaining projects, including potential adoption in a 2026 bond election. We’ve heard from the community now that they would love to accel- erate and get these other [six junior high schools] done sooner,” Hayes said. “Once we have been able to identify funding for those six, we would like to go ahead and just finish them up as [one] project rather than try to spread them out.” Project scope Hayes said construction will take a minimum of 24 months for the two campus projects in development. “Because our buildings are older and were built under a different instruc- tional model, we need time to make some significant changes,” Hayes said. “In some of our buildings, we’ve identi- fied a need to rebuild them completely because of their age.” Construction at Forest Meadow
Junior High will rotate along different parts of the campus to accommodate students, and portable classrooms will also be used for classes during the school year. The district broke ground Sept. 6 on construction for the new Lake High- lands Middle School. “This campus has a longstanding place in the fabric of this neighbor- hood and the new building is going to build upon those traditions,” RISD Board President Regina Harris said. According to district officials, Lake Highlands Junior High was chosen to be demolished and rebuilt because the cost to repair “systemic founda- tion issues” there was more than the price to build a new campus. Forest Meadow Junior High is being renovated because it and Lake Highlands Junior High both send stu- dents to Lake Highlands High School. The junior high campus will be demolished once the new school is built. Other middle school ameni- ties will be constructed in its place, including new paving and parking, tennis courts, landscaping and more.
Richardson ISD officials have spent the last five years figuring out how transform its junior high campuses into middle schools. Many of the district’s junior high buildings are over 50 years old. Planning for change
RISD Secondary Schools are built as junior highs to serve grades 7-8.
‘50 s -’70 s
Officials begin discussing renovating junior highs into middle schools.
2017
The RISD bond is approved, including $694 million for the Middle School Transformation Project.
2021
The guaranteed maximum prices are approved for work at Lake Highlands and Forest Meadow junior highs.
2022
Construction is expected to be complete on both Forest Meadow Middle School and Lake Highlands Middle School.
2024
Construction will begin on six other junior high campuses to transform them into middle schools.
2026
A potential bond election is held for middle school transformation for the rest of the district.
2026-30
All middle schools will be open and serving sixth through eighth grade students.
2030-31
BRAND BUSINESS your WITH STICKIES For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
SOURCE: RICHARDSON ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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