Staff presented completed furniture refreshes, technology updates and other first-sale projects, as well as outlined ongoing work and projects slated for 2025 from both bond packages.
The district did not have time to design most of the larger projects from the 2023 bonds, but completed smaller-scale work, said Randy Fite, LISD executive director of construction. District staff have started the design process for some projects beginning in 2025.
The context
Voters approved three of seven propositions from the $1.23 billion bond package in November 2023. Bond propositions allocated funds for technology updates, safety and security updates, and maintenance, repair and renovation projects across multiple LISD campuses and facilities, according to bond details.
This May, voters approved a $101.8 million bond package featuring three propositions that will generate additional funding to conduct maintenance, repairs and renovations at various athletics and recreation facilities across the district.
The details
LISD staff have completed furniture refreshes at eight elementary and eight middle schools, Fite said at the workshop. The project was part of the 2023 bond package. District officials are working to secure purchase orders for furniture at Hebron High School and Lewisville High School by the end of the year. Furniture would be installed at those locations next summer.
“The reason it's only those two locations is because the other high schools each have a 20-year maintenance and repair project that will include new furniture,” Fite said.
Additionally, playground and shade structures renovations were completed at seven elementary schools enhancing the accessibility of each, Fite said. Campuses that received playground and shade structure renovations include:
- Forest Vista Elementary School
- Indian Creek Elementary School
- Lakeland Elementary School
- McAuliffe Elementary School
- Morningside Elementary School
- Polser Elementary School
- Southridge Elementary School
- Bridlewood Elementary School
- Donald Elementary School
- Ethridge Elementary School
- Garden Ridge Elementary School
- Hebron Valley Elementary School
- Heritage Elementary School
- Lewisville Elementary School
- Parkway Elementary School
Zooming in
According to district documents, bidding for a new fire suppression system in the district administrative center, which the school board considered at the Aug. 12 meeting, is underway.
In addition, new districtwide cellular antenna system updates are in progress. This system will ensure cellular connectivity during emergencies, according to district documents. Bidding is ongoing for classroom audio-visual equipment replacements.
2023 bond construction projects are ongoing for multiple facilities, including facade replacements at Lamar Middle School, Garden Ridge Elementary and Old Settlers Elementary, Fite said. Crews are also working on installing new track and field lighting at all five high schools.
Forty-six LISD campuses are also in the process of receiving a new emergency responder radio system, he said. Weapon-detection scanners for the high school and middle school campuses are in the demonstration phase.
More details
No projects have been completed yet from the 2024 bond that passed in May related to athletic facility improvements, but several are moving forward in the design phase, Fite said.
Trustees approved architects for athletic facility projects in June as part of the 2024 bond, according to previous Community Impact reporting. These projects included:
- New football stadium lighting at four high schools
- Football scoreboard replacements at four high schools
- Eastside and Westside Aquatics Center renovations and repairs
- Stadium maintenance and repairs at Flower Mound and Hebron high schools
- Hebron High School field house maintenance and repairs
- Hebron High School baseball and softball facilities renovations
Additional projects being designed include the East and West Aquatic Center renovations, maintenance and repair at all high schools, tennis court resurfacing at three high schools, turf and track installations at various middle and high schools, and stadium lighting upgrades, he added.
Going forward
Several projects are in design and slated to begin in summer 2025 from both the 2023 and 2024 bonds, Fite said. District staff will bring several items from both bonds back for full board approval at the Oct. 21 meeting.
Maintenance and repair work, electrical upgrades, roof updates, hardware replacement, security upgrades and other renovation projects from the 2023 bond are scheduled for various campuses across all grade levels, Fite said. The district also plans to bring forward a plan for teacher iPad replacements in December.
The district plans to begin work on all the 2024 bond projects in design by next summer or earlier, Fite said.
“We will bring a lot of items before the board especially in springtime of next year,” he said.
