The additional funding, which was needed for mechanical, engineering and plumbing services, was approved at the board of trustees’ March 10 workshop.
What’s happening?
The culinary arts program, which is one of the district’s career and technical education programs, is expanding to Clear Lake High School for the 2025-26 school year, and will be constructed at the Learner Support Center, which is located next to the high school, officials said.
The program is currently only offered at Clear Springs High School, according to the district’s website.
At its November meeting, the board of trustees approved $2.5 million for the expansion of the project through capital and contingency funds, as previously reported by Community Impact. The additional required funding of $646,500 now brings the total cost of the project to nearly $2.7 million, according to district agenda documents.
The additional funding will be paid through the district’s 2017 bond, and the original $2.5 million budgeted for the project will continue to be funded through capital and contingency funds, according to district documents.
Also of note
Paul Miller, CCISD’s assistant superintendent of support services, said students will not notice any changes made to the expanded project, as the additional funding will focus on plumbing and mechanical needs.
For plumbing, the district is filling plumbing spaces with grout and running new lines, which significantly reduces the amount of trenching and saw cutting normally required for plumbing needs, Miller said at the workshop.
Mechanical needs were related to exhaust hoods and the new culinary arts lab. The district will use existing air systems and a balanced exhaust hood, which allows any fumes in the building to release, Miller said.
How we got here
After the board approved the expansion of the culinary arts program in November, district officials submitted a construction permit in December, and opened proposals for construction companies to take on the project in February, Miller said.
While there was a delay in approving a contract as planned, Miller noted the district’s facility team continued to work with PBK Architects, a Houston-based architectural and design firm, to ensure architectural work was able to be completed as originally planned.
The project is still slated for completion by July 31, according to district documents.
One last thing
The culinary arts program expansion allows 60 more students to participate in the program at Clear Lake High School, according to district documents.
Since applications for the program at Clear Lake High School opened in February, Miller said all 60 spots have been filled for the first class, which will begin in August.
“I’m excited because, once again, it’s bringing fidelity to the east side of the district and providing an opportunity for our kids that can’t necessarily participate in culinary arts at [Clear Springs High School],” board member Jay Cunningham said at the workshop.
