Progress as Promised – Bond Project Updates

Construction is underway in the Independence School District after voters passed a $38 million bond in April with an overwhelming majority of 84.95% support. The bond will ease overcrowding, eliminate all mobile trailers in the district and advance the Academy model for all ISD high school students by adding and enhancing classrooms for STEM, Culinary, Vocational and Business coursework.

The district broke ground on its 20^th elementary school on June 29, 2017 at 31^st Street and Hardy Avenue. With a capacity of 450-500 students, the new elementary will be equipped with the latest technology where students will be in a one-to-one setting with Chromebooks and Project Lead The Way as an additional curricular component. The new elementary will open in the summer of 2019.

https://www.isdschools.org/2017/06/isd-breaks-ground-on-new-elementary-school/

At Van Horn High School, the 30,000 square foot “E Building” was demolished to make way for construction projects approved with the bond issue. The exterior walls are going up on the addition which will house a new competition gym and locker rooms. The new wood shop is already being used by students. The bond will also pay for instructional space for our Culinary Pathway, adding five commercial kitchens to be used by students from all three high schools. At Van Horn, the bond will also add a metals classroom, remodel science classrooms and add a physical therapy and athletic training classroom space for the Academies.

Construction fences are up at William Chrisman as the work begins to add four additional classrooms, including two Cisco computer networking rooms for the Academies. Concrete is poured and walls are up for the classroom addition. The physical therapy and athletic training classroom spaces for the Academies are finished. At Chrisman, the bond will also remodel science classrooms and a weight room will be added, allowing the wrestling room to move to the existing weight room.

Construction fences are up at Truman High School as the work begins on a new entry and exterior upgrades, which will address safety concerns and modernize the building exterior. The physical therapy and athletic training classroom spaces for the Academies are finished. At Truman, the floor has been poured for the lunchroom expansion, and exterior walls are in place. The bond will remodel science classrooms along with the addition of four classrooms, moving four math classrooms out of the mobile trailers and into the school.