Lovejoy ISD administrators expect new instructional space for academics, art and theater at Lovejoy High School will be ready in time for the beginning of the school year.
The district on Aug. 22 plans to open a new science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, wing, art classrooms and theater space that were approved in
the district's 2014 bond program, Assistant Superintendent for Operations Dennis Womack told the school board Aug. 17.
The new theater space will house the theater program until crews complete construction at the black box theater classroom in January and the auditorium in October, Womack said.
The high school tennis courts will open behind schedule after recent rains delayed surfacing that was originally scheduled for this week, Womack said. The opening of the new pool will also be delayed at least a month, he said.
Trustees on Wednesday also approved new suspensions for high school athletes who violate the district's drug and alcohol testing program.
Athletes who fail their first test will be suspended for 10 percent of their team's games. A second offense will result in an additional suspension of 20 percent of their team's games. After a third offense, the player will miss an additional 30 percent.
The district's policy has previously called for therapeutic interventions for students who violate its drug and alcohol policy, but not athletic suspensions, Superintendent Ted Moore said.