Ferndell Henry Center for Learning is an alternative school for middle school-aged students in Rosharon that’s set to be renovated and open this fall as an elementary school, according to board documents from the Jan. 13 agenda review meeting.
The details
The request is within the contingency fund “ballpark” of less than 10% of the total $22.8 million cost estimate released after adjusting for inflation last May, trustee David Hamilton said. The Ferndell Henry project was initially approved for $20.4 million as part of the 2023 bond, Community Impact reported.
“We can't go back to [the initial bond estimates], but we do have a solution, and so I know that the team has done their due diligence and finding out exactly what the students need in order for that to be an elementary campus,” Deputy Superintendent of Operations Kathleen Brown said.
If $2.3 million is used to furnish Ferndell Henry, the district’s remaining 2023 bond contingency funds total $48.79 million, which is meant to address any unforeseen construction costs related to the bond. From the 2014, 2018 and 2023 bonds, FBISD would have about $67.92 million in contingency at the end of January, Chief Financial Officer Bryan Guinn said.
Chief Operating Officer Damien Viltz said the board will review costs in the coming months related to the remaining 23% of bond projects without final estimates, which could need contingency funds.
The context
In May 2023, voters approved for FBISD to spend $1.26 billion on school construction projects, technology upgrades and an aquatic facility. However, FBISD staff notified trustees in early 2024 it would cost $163.2 million more to complete the projects than anticipated.
Since then, staff and the board of trustees have been deliberating which bond projects to progress, delay or eliminate from the bond package to free up funds for others.
In October, the board voted to eliminate Elementary School No. 55 in the Harvest Green community from the 2023 bond plans, freeing up $47.57 million for other bond projects. The additional elimination or delay of turf installation, fine arts additions and a transportation facility added more to the contingency fund, Community Impact reported.
FBISD trustees also voted in October to use $18 million of contingency funds for the Clements High School rebuild, according to board documents.
District officials didn't provided an update on the total bond overrun at the Jan. 13 meeting.
What they’re saying
Hamilton said the Ferndell Henry project is a necessity because neighboring Heritage Rose Elementary School is at 112% capacity, with about 138 students overenrolled. Opening Ferndell Henry would rezone students within that area to alleviate the school's capacity, he said.
Trustee Sonya Jones said Heritage Rose is a Title 1 school, where 83% of the student population is low-income, according to the district’s website. She asked for the project to be more “purposeful and supportive” of the communities by repurposing the campus to address gaps in student learning.
“Go ahead and build [Ferndell Henry]. Do everything you need, but look at it a little differently, rather than just having [Heritage Rose and Ferndell Henry] side by side or two minutes away from each other,” Jones said.
Next steps
The board will consider using $2.3 million of contingency funds for the Ferndell Henry project at the upcoming Jan. 29 board meeting, according to board documents.
