The board of trustees previously authorized the district to move forward with the due diligence phase for the possible site in July, Community Impact Newspaper reported.
"As we were going through the bond development process ... last fall, we talked about the need to relieve Keenan Elementary School as well as Stewart Elementary School, so this location allows us to accomplish both of those tasks," said Kris Lynn, MISD assistant superintendent of finance and operations, during the meeting. "We have not adjusted any attendance boundaries yet, but this location will allow us to pull students from Stewart Creek as well as from Keenan to help reduce that overcrowding that those campuses are experiencing."
As of a Sept. 20 release from MISD, the community will receive a survey in the coming weeks to suggest the name and mascot for the new elementary school. A district committee with staff and parents in the Lake Creek High School feeder pattern will also meet to make a recommendation to board members later this year.
Lynn said the elementary campus will sit back off FM 2854, using essentially the same entrance to Lake Creek High School from FM 2854.
"It is way off the road and ultimately we anticipate will be part of a larger development, so we like the location, the security, not being on [FM] 2854 or any other major thoroughfare," Lynn said during the meeting.
Lynn said the May 2022 bond referendum included $15 million for future land purchases, which includes funds for the purchase of the 20 acres the board approved.
Trustees also selected Stewart Builders to serve as construction manager at risk for two bond-funded projects: the district's proposed career and technical education center and the agricultural science center.
According to information presented during the meeting by Lynn, Stewart Builders has constructed projects, such as Katy ISD's agricultural science center and a CTE center addition to Channelview High School.
“We are very excited to work with Stewart Builders in the design and construction the MISD CTE and ag science centers,” Board President Matt Fuller said in a Sept. 20 news release from the district. “We truly want these educational spaces to be strong points of pride for this community, and we are confident that the district will benefit from Stewart Builders’ expertise and commitment to innovation, efficiency and collaboration during all phases of the project.”
For additional bond projects—facility upgrades at Montgomery Junior High, Lincoln Elementary and Montgomery Elementary schools—trustees also approved selecting Marshall Construction as the construction manager at risk Sept. 20. Lynn said the firm has done work in neighboring districts, including Conroe and Willis ISDs.
“We believe Marshall Construction will be an excellent partner for our district,” Trustee Trey Kirby said in a Sept. 20 release. “We were impressed by their track record of delivering client projects with exceptional quality, on time and on budget, and are eager to get started on these renovations that will result in enhanced learning environments for our students.”
