The school—which will be home to a number of district programs, including advanced-level career and technical education classes; Richarte High School, the district’s academic alternative school; Bridges 18+, a program that serves students with special needs for up to four years after high school; the early learning center; and the health and wellness center—will be located at 5001 Airport Road, Georgetown.
The future-ready learning center is expected to open ahead of the 2024-25 school year.
The custom-built center will give each of the programs there additional room to grow, allowing them to serve more students and expand their offerings.
“I believe this is the groundbreaking for a comprehensive complex that meets the needs of all students from the littles ... to our post-high school special education students to help them secure lifelong training after high school,” GISD Superintendent Fred Brent said at the event.
The $99 million facility is funded through the district’s 2021 bond package, and it is the first project from that bond program to break ground, according to district officials.
A site plan for the future complex shows two buildings: one housing the early learning center and the other housing CTE classes, Richarte, Bridges, and the health and wellness center.
Board President Elizabeth McFarland attributed in part the growth of the Georgetown community to GISD.
“One of the main reasons that is bringing families to Georgetown is the quality of our schools, the quality of the education and the opportunities that we give our children—opportunities like those that they will have at this new facility that bring them outside the traditional classroom [and] give them opportunities to prepare them for their future,” McFarland said.
