It has been one year since voters for both Humble and New Caney ISDs approved multimillion-dollar bond elections in May 2018. Since then, the school districts broke ground on projects aimed at improving safety and security, expanding existing facilities and campuses as well as creating new facilities to prepare for future growth.

HISD’s $575 million bond referendum included projects to construct new elementary and middle schools, and renovate and repair existing schools and facilities. So far, HISD has completed safety and security upgrades at all campuses and installed turf fields at Kingwood High School, according to district officials.

However, some projects from the 2018 bond are still a few years from completion: the new Middle School No. 10 is scheduled to open August 2022, while complete rebuilds to the aging campuses of Lakeland Elementary and Kingwood Middle schools will be done by August 2021 and August 2022, respectively.

The HISD board of trustees unanimously approved at the April 9 meeting $50,000 design contracts to PBK Architects and Kirksey Architecture for Lakeland Elementary and Kingwood Middle schools, respectively. HISD Public Communications Director Jamie Mount said via email Kingwood Middle School’s rebuild will cost roughly $75 million and will create larger classrooms and increase the capacity to 1,100 students.

“Once the new Kingwood Middle School is complete, the existing Kingwood Middle School will be torn down and the land upon which the current building sits will be converted into the school’s parking lots and athletic fields,” Mount said.

Lakeland Elementary’s $40 million rebuild will expand its capacity from 650 to 950 students, and improve the size and configuration of classroom and administrative spaces.

Meanwhile, NCISD is also making headway on its $200 million bond, which includes building a third comprehensive high school, replacing Keefer Crossing Middle and Porter Elementary schools, and expanding Woodridge Forest Middle School.

Public Relations Executive Director Scott Powers said via email the district is excited to be underway with three of the first four projects in the 2018 bond: the district awarded IBI Group as the architectural services firm for the Keefer Crossing Middle School project, and district will soon enter the design development phase for the third comprehensive high school.

Additionally, construction on Woodridge Forest Middle School broke ground in March and is expected to be completed summer 2020. The roughly $8.2 million project includes expanding the school’s capacity from 1,100 students to 1,500 students to address student enrollment growth identified in the 2017 facilities assessment process.

“New Caney ISD has been one of the fastest growing school districts in Texas in recent years,” Powers said. “These projects will help the district continue to provide students with outstanding facilities for learning.”

Correction: The completion dates for Humble ISD's Middle School No. 10 and the rebuild of Lakeland Elementary School were not correct. The dates have been updated.