Construction of the new New Braunfels ISD middle school has begun near the intersection of South Walnut Avenue and Settlers Crossing, according to a district press release. Crews began surveying the site Aug. 8 for the 189,500-square-foot building, and construction work is expected to progress as more of the site is cleared, the release said. Along with the new middle school, a football field and four tennis courts will be added to the north side of the site opposite the NBISD transportation facility, and school entrances will be constructed off Settlers, according to the release. The NBISD board of trustees and administration held a groundbreaking ceremony in June for the new middle school. Part of a $118 million bond package passed in 2018, the school will have a capacity of 1,500 students. Upgrades include 12 science labs, three computer labs, full band and choir areas as well as safety and security measures, such as card readers on exterior doors and ballistic glass film at entryways. The project is expected to be completed in 2021. “The goal of the design was to maximize learning space, provide windows in every classroom, and have a compact building footprint with low energy consumption and flexible support spaces for large-group instruction,” NBISD Director of Communications Rebecca Villarreal said.