Chief Operations Officer Victor Valdez provided the PfISD board of trustees with information on these projects during the Dec. 12 board meeting.
Something to note
Valdez said the 2022 bond has funds set aside for campus renovations, which is typical of every bond passed. Connally High School is nearly 30 years old and has only had a few renovations in its time, Valdez said.
Breaking it down
Valdez said some of the planned projects include:
- Phase 1: Network infrastructure updates; updated restrooms; fine arts and band improvements, including a practice area away from traffic; and athletic improvements, including expanding the weight room and renovating the floor, bleachers and scoreboard in the main gym. Safety fencing around the campus was grant-funded and has already begun.
- Phase 1.5: Junior ROTC facility for practice and storage
- Phases 2-3: Deeper modernization of lab spaces, the kitchen and cafeteria, library, administration building, hallway tile and carpeting and exteriors
Looking ahead
Workshops are being planned in the spring for campus administration and teachers, students, community partners and district administration to discuss the future of Connally’s modernization.
In a “perfect world,” Valdez said plans would be laid out next summer following these workshops, and the district’s next bond would include a massive component of modernizing the school in order to wrap up projects in phases 2 and 3.
“I will caution, it will take time,” Valdez said. “... It’s going to be a continual process that will take several years for the district to see.”
In the meantime, Valdez said district officials are working on “knocking out” projects such as restroom, gym and fine art area updates.
“We’ve involved Principal [Daniel] Garcia; these are some of the areas he’s identified,” Valdez said. “... We’re working on at least the surface level items while we plan for a longer term vision for the campus.
