PROGRESO — The school board here is asking voters to approve a $10 million bond in the upcoming election, which would fund multiple campus renovation projects and upgrade athletic facilities.
Among the several renovations Progreso ISD hopes to start, the most pressing is to either repair its air condition systems or purchase new units.
Superintendent Sergio Coronado says all of the district’s campuses are facing AC problems and, as it prepares to welcome students back to classrooms as early as June for summer programs, renovations are needed.
“We need to take into consideration that in order for our quality of education to be good, we need to make sure that our classrooms are ready,” Coronado said, “… and we need to make sure that our AC units work.”
Coronado visited campuses last week to observe students taking their state standardized tests and said because of AC problems, students had to be moved around that morning.
The bond would not increase taxes for Progreso residents. Instead, it would repurpose funding from a past bond for the district.
If the bond passes, the district also hopes to fix the roofs of all five of the district’s campuses, build a gymnasium for North Elementary (the only school in the district to have one), and make a softball field.
The district currently only has a baseball field, and its softball teams have to practice on the city’s softball field.
Roof repairs, Coronado said, are much needed since “every time it rains we have different leaks across the district, and with those leaks we have other problems because the water gets into the building and ruins some of the things we have in our classrooms and offices.”
If the bond passes, the district also plans to purchase three or four more buses, adding to the dozen they already have. Some buses, however, do not have an AC system — Coronado is hoping to have all Progreso ISD buses with an air system.
“These units are key components for the quality of education we give in this school system,” he said.
“Basically we want the best quality of education for our students here at Progreso ISD and we are going to continue working hard for our community and children.”
