Texarkana Independent School District held groundbreaking ceremonies for the new sixth grade center Wednesday.
Mayor Bob Bruggeman, the TISD Board of Trustees, Superintendent Paul Norton, and members of the fourth grade class which will be the first to inhabit the building participated
The new facility, slated for an August 2016 opening, has a total of 65,800 square feet and will house 23 student classrooms and seven student labs. School capacity has been designed for 700 students. Other lab areas included will be for Art, Music, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Academy and IDEAs (Innovative Design & Exploration of the Arts) Academy along with a Research & Design Center/Library, Cafeteria and Kitchen.
The exterior brick, metal wall panels and metal roof will have similar stylings and colors as the existing middle school building and will feature covered walks for car and bus pick-up and drop-off. The interior will be very modern with a technological feel in colors of grey, cream, green, metals and orange. The building has been positioned and designed for space add-on for future enrollment growth.
During the November 4, 2014 elections, TISD taxpayers approved a $29.9 million effort to address current overcrowding due to enrollment increases and expected enrollment within the next five years. Those bond monies will be used to construct the new Sixth Grade Center at Texas Middle School and a new elementary school.
