Cleveland ISD Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Elementary School
By Jay Srinivasan
The Cleveland Independent School District (CISD) celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Elementary School 05 on Sept. 28th at 6 p.m. The groundbreaking was held at 7054 Road 3540, Cleveland, TX 77327.
The new elementary school is 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 pre-k through 4 will accommodate 22 students in each classroom, Grade 5 will accommodate 25, and special education will accommodate 15.
The school’s design is based on the district’s existing Southside Elementary School. The exterior is brick with a standing seam metal roof over most of the building. Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) is the program manager, Huckabee is the architect, and Pogue Construction is the general contractor. The approximately $30 million elementary school is scheduled to be completed in summer 2021.
“This groundbreaking marks an important achievement toward managing our incredible growth,” said Chris Trotter, Cleveland ISD’s superintendent. “I am so pleased at the support for our district from the community and look forward to welcoming students through the doors of this building.”
“The elementary school will provide students the environment and infrastructure needed to succeed in the 21st century,” said JP Grom, LAN’s vice president.
Other projects in the bond package include:
• Another elementary campus that will accommodate 1,000 students.
• A new middle school to relieve overcrowding at Cleveland Middle School. The new middle school will have a prototype design and accommodate 1,600 students.
• Replacement of the Northside Elementary School that will accommodate 1,000 students.
• Improvements to the existing baseball and softball fields at Cleveland High School, including new turf, press box and other amenities.
• A new administration building.
