Jarrell ISD $325M bond package aims to address expansion
JARRELL, Texas - Jarrell ISD is one of 17 school districts in Central Texas to call for a bond election this year.
The 2023 bond is nearly $325 million that focuses on expansion.
"What you see right now are we're wrapping up the first bond with the expansion of the middle school, expansion of the high school," said Jarrell ISD superintendent Dr. Toni Hicks.
The school district is expected to see enrollment double by 2030.
Over the summer, the school district has been working on finishing up construction on one of the elementary schools, which will be ready this year.
"We are welcoming 634 families to that campus to open the doors at Double Creek Elementary," Dr. Hicks said.
Construction is ahead of schedule, according to the superintendent.
"To get ahead of that growth was that first bond, and our second bond to make sure that we've got the room necessary to keep our kids safe," Dr. Hicks said. "And so that first elementary that we're opening is Double Creek, and then we're already looking at the next elementary that will soon be coming."
The school district used money from the bond to purchase new school buses.
"We are happy to share with our community that not only do we have those buses now currently, but we also have all of our bus drivers ready to go for the first day of school," Dr. Hicks said.
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Not only did the district upgrade their campuses, they also upgraded the security.
"Those cameras now have artificial intelligence installed in them that we worked on this summer," Dr. Hicks said. "They can detect certain items that individuals may have that they should not have on a school campus."
The school district wants to cross their T’s and dot their I’s when it comes to student safety.
"We're also adding film to windows, to doorways so that it's shatter resistant," Dr. Hicks said. "But also, if you walk into the vestibule, there is a film on that side of the glass also, so that you cannot see into our school."
The first day of school for Jarrell ISD is Wednesday, August 16.
Jarrell ISD is hosting a ribbon cutting for Double Creek Elementary school Thursday, August 3 at 6 p.m.