Construction is underway on two multischool sites, several new facilities and updates to older campuses as Cy-Fair ISD works to keep up with student growth. “Because of the economic downturn in 2008, there were a lot of construction projects planned several years ago that had to be delayed,” Superintendent Mark Henry said. “We’re in the process of catching up. On the other hand, over the next five years we’re expecting around 9,000 or 10,000 new students, so we’re dealing with growth that occurred over the last seven years and growth that will occur over the next five years.”

Construction projects

CFISD was the fifth-fastest-growing school district in Texas during the 2014-15 school year, adding nearly 1,600 new students, according to a study by demographic firm Population Survey Analysts. “The district is growing rapidly, and we’re pushing 115,000 students this year,” said Dillon Brady, CFISD assistant superintendent for facilities and construction. “Between now and 2017 we’re opening two high schools, two elementary schools and replacing an elementary school. We’re trying to stay in front of our needs.” Construction is nearly 50 percent complete on Cypress Park High School, which is part of a 175-acre property at FM 529 and Westgreen Boulevard. The site will also house a middle school, expected to open by 2019, and an elementary school, which will open by 2020. There are numerous advantages to building a multischool site—or educational village—ranging from cost savings to shared roadways and providing a sense of community for the students, Brady said. “It’s an advantage for students and families in that your child can start kindergarten at that site and go all the way through 12th grade,” Henry said. “We think there are advantages with bus routes and transportation costs, and we have a centralized kitchen so it’s easier to deliver meals to those campuses. There are a lot of cost savings.” The multischool site in Bridgeland is located between the Grand Parkway and future Mason Road, south of the future Bridgeland Creek Parkway. Construction began in late August on High School No. 12, which will be 570,000 square feet and four stories tall. Construction is also underway on an adjacent 120,000-square-foot elementary school that will open for the 2017-18 school year. A middle school is planned for the site as well but has not been included in a bond. The new campuses were designed with flexible spaces in mind, giving teachers the ability to create a unique culture of learning, Brady said. “The way that High School No. 12 is placed and oriented allows for indoor and outdoor learning activities in a safe learning environment,” he said. “Inside you’ll see more glass, learning walls and activities built into the facility.”

Facility updates

Part of the district’s 2014 $1.2 billion bond package also included major renovations to older, existing campuses along with a replacement campus for Matzke Elementary School, which will be on a 20-acre site on Mills Road near Cypress Creek High School. The new campus is expected to open for the 2017-18 school year. The old campus will be used for administrative space. Henry said major campus renovations help reinvigorate a neighborhood and modernize the space to ensure it is in-line with newer schools in the district. “The most important factor to me is that it shows a commitment from this community that all children matter, whether you’re in a brand new community or a mature, developed neighborhood,” Henry said. “All children have equal opportunities.” Other facilities that will begin construction in the coming months include a new transportation center across the street from Cypress Park High School and a new agricultural center. Both are scheduled to open by late 2017, Brady said.

‘A symbiotic relationship’

Over the next decade, PASA projects an additional 31,000 homes will be constructed in CFISD, bringing thousands of new students to the district. “There isn’t a lot of land left remaining that isn’t designated for commercial or residential development,” Henry said. “We’re in good shape for the next four or five years, but if you look past 2020 we’re in desperate need to find land to build new campuses.” Partnerships between developers and the school district are critical to both parties, Henry said. “We need the land to build facilities, and these communities need quality schools that are not overcrowded,” he said. “It’s a symbiotic relationship.” The multischool site in Bridgeland was purchased by the district from developer The Howard Hughes Corporation and is part of the community’s master plan to build schools, office space and retail development. “Smart developers carve out land that we work through on purchasing from them to build a school,” Brady said. “The challenge we face is when we don’t have control over what developers are building. As far as land purchasing goes, we have been fortunate with partnerships we have had.”

If you build it...

According to a demographic update by PASA, the area zoned to the school district is 71 percent built-out. “The majority of this undeveloped land is located in the western portion of the district,” PASA demographer Stacy Tepera said. “The completion of the Grand Parkway has created new access and opened up this entire area for development.” Construction on the Cypress Oaks subdivision adjacent to the site of Cypress Park High School is underway, with 200 homes planned for the residential development. K. Hovnanian Homes and Saratoga Homes are building the development. “Before we started building last winter, there wasn’t a single house out there,” Brady said. “As soon as the developer saw we were serious about building a high school there, about 25 plus houses were built this spring and summer. It’s growing really fast.” Although the development was in the works before construction on the high school began, builders said it is a nice perk to have the campuses nearby. In addition to the campuses under construction, CFISD’s 2014 bond package included money for site purchases. “We’re planning 10 years out now with trying to buy land for future campus sites,” Henry said. “There’s no end in sight for future growth, and that’s a good thing.”