MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Several Waco ISD officials toured some of the schools under construction on Tuesday to take a look at the progress. In November 2021, voters authorized the district to issue $355 million in bonds to renovate South Waco Elementary and replace Waco High, G.W. Carver Middle, Tennyson Middle and Kendrick Elementary.
- The new Waco High and Kendrick Elementary will open in August for the next school year.
- The new portion of South Waco Elementary will be open next semester. Students and teachers will be transferred over, as the old section of the school then starts renovations.
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"I've got two kids at Waco High right now, so knowing that they're going to get to enjoy this space, and then my younger kids are going to get to enjoy this space, it's very exciting," Angelo Ochoa said.
Waco ISD trustee Angelo Ochoa told 25 News he's looking forward to attending everything from sports to teacher conferences at the new Waco High.
As a former teacher himself— Angelo understands the importance of a good learning environment.
"I think kids rise to the occasion," Ochoa said. "I think a learning environment like this is going to have a huge impact, compared to the school that's 50 or 60 years old."
Angelo and several others from the district toured the schools under construction on Tuesday to assess their progress.
In November 2021, voters in the Waco ISD authorized the district to issue $355 million in bonds to renovate South Waco Elementary and replace Waco High, G.W. Carver Middle, Tennyson Middle and Kendrick Elementary.
"It's really going to allow our teachers to invest in their creativity fully, and it's going to give them spaces to really create and spread out and learn in the way that we want them to," South Waco Principal Amy Atnip said.
The total cost of renovations and construction of the four new schools is estimated at $367.1 million. But after a fire at G.W. Carver middle—the proposed bond was reduced to $355 million thanks to payments from an insurance settlement.
The new G.W. Carver Middle School has been open since the fall of 2023.
The new Waco High and Kendrick Elementary will open in August for the next school year, and the new portion of South Waco Elementary will open next semester. Students and teachers will be transferred over as the old section of the school starts renovations.
“We're so grateful that we live in a community and work for a district that invests in its students the way that our district does," Principal Atnip said. "We are so excited to actually have the learning spaces that our kids really deserve and they can really thrive in.”
