After passing its first bond package since 2008, Hays CISD is aiming to make progress on the $59.1 million in projects voters approved last year.
Board President Robert Limon said he is excited to see the projects come to fruition, especially the $35 million construction of a new middle school.
The middle school will begin construction on Dacy Lane in Kyle in the spring and is scheduled for completion by the 2016-17 school year, Limon said.
"It's been a long time coming," he said. "The kids in that far eastern part of the district who go to Barton [Middle School], some of them are on the bus for an hour. This is going to alleviate a lot of that wasted time for the kids."
Limon, along with the rest of the Hays CISD board of trustees, voted in December to approve the architectural designs for the new middle school.
Limon also said the district's drive-your-own-device initiative is underway, which encourages students to bring their own mobile device to school for use in the classroom.
In addition, trustees chose to purchase iPads for a bond-funded program that will place a mobile device in every district classroom.
To accommodate more demand for Wi-Fi, the district's wireless infrastructure will be upgraded. Phase 1 of the upgrades will be completed by spring, district officials said. Upgrades at elementary schools will begin summer 2015.
Hays CISD 2014 Year in Review
- May 10: Teresa Tobias, Willie Tenorio and Sandra Bryant win their respective races for a place on the board of trustees. Voters also approve the districts $59.1 million bond.
- Aug. 28: The Hays CISD board of trustees unanimously decides to locate its sixth middle school, which will be funded by the bond issue approved in May, on Dacy Lane. The site is in Kyles unincorporated area.
- Nov. 15: Superintendent Michael McKie announces Hays CISDs enrollment has exceeded 18,000 for the first time in its history with a total enrollment of 18,005.
- Dec. 15: Lucio Calzada Jr. is selected as Hays CISDs new assistant superintendent of secondary schools. The board of trustees unanimously approved the hiring.
