What’s happening
Two portables will be installed at Sunfield Elementary and four will go to McCormick Middle School.
Chief Operations Officer Max Cleaver said portables at McCormick will stay on-site until a seventh middle school opens, anticipated for 2029. As of press time, HCISD officials did not respond to questions on how long Sunfield portables would remain at the campus.
HCISD officials said the McCormick portables may house three theater arts teachers, one choir teacher, small groups and Inclusion teachers.
District officials are “hoping” to avoid moving elementary students into the portables for the upcoming year, they said during a May 12 board meeting. The district is currently looking at possibly moving an additional Sunfield pre-K class to Buda Elementary, due to high enrollment at the community-based pre-K program at Sunfield, they said.
Still, while HCISD does not have any current plans to move Sunfield students into portables, it may be a possibility in the future, they said.
Trustees discussed installation of covered walkways for the portables due to weather concerns like rainfall. Trustee Courtney Runkle said that covered walkways could be beneficial especially on rainy days.
“I’ve been to Impact [Center] on rainy days and I’ve seen what it’s done to the staff and I’ve seen what that’s done to kids who have been soaking wet and had to go home to get extra clothes,” she said at a May 19 board meeting. “I don’t want to put people in that situation if we’re going to be looking at portables for four years at a campus.”
Trustee Vanessa Petrea said district officials should engage with school principals for input on portable walkways and if they are needed in order to consider the cost.
Current district policy says that covered walkways are only installed at permanent portables, or portables at schools in which there is no plan to replace the school building, Superintendent Eric Wright said.
However, Wright said that he and other district team members will look at potential costs and will work to find a “happy medium” regarding the policy for installing walkways.
About the projects
The Tom Green and Kyle elementary projects will expand both campuses to accommodate 900 students. Both projects are part of the 2025 bond, approved by voters in May.
The projects will begin this summer and are expected to end December 2026, as previously reported by Community Impact.
