By Lisa Kopochinski
CLEVELAND, Texas鈥擜 groundbreaking ceremony was held in late September by the Cleveland Independent School District (CISD) for its $30 million new elementary school.
With a completion date slated for next summer, the new school鈥攚hich has not yet been named, but is referred to as Elementary No. 5鈥攊s part of the $198 million bond measure that voters passed in November 2019 to handle the explosive growth in the district. Cleveland ISD is the fastest-growing school district in Texas. Over the last three years, the school district has grown approximately 20 percent each year. Last year, 1,000 new students enrolled in Cleveland ISD, resulting in the district spending more than $3 million on portable buildings.
The two-story elementary school will accommodate approximately 1,000 students. The school features 49 classrooms, a gymnasium, a library with a maker space where students can gather to create, invent, and learn, and a cafeteria with stage, music, and art rooms. Grades PreK through 4 will accommodate 22 students in each classroom; grade 5 will accommodate 25; and special education will accommodate 15.
The school鈥檚 design is based on the district鈥檚 existing Southside Elementary School. The exterior is brick with a standing seam metal roof over most of the building.聽Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN)聽is the program manager, Huckabee is the architect, and Pogue Construction is the general contractor.
鈥淭his groundbreaking marks an important achievement toward managing our incredible growth,鈥� said Chris Trotter, Cleveland ISD鈥檚 superintendent, in a statement.
鈥淚 am so pleased at the support for our district from the community and look forward to welcoming students through the doors of this building.鈥�
Added LAN Vice President JP Grom, 鈥淭he elementary school will provide students the environment and infrastructure needed to succeed in the 21st century.鈥�