SANTA MARIA — Construction workers manning a backhoe digging up dirt and a truck to haul it out are hard at work behind Santa Maria High School.
They began last week to form the foundation of the new school building for high school students.
And everything’s going according to plan for Superintendent Dr. Maria Chavez and the school board’s project to expand the school.
Chavez was not immediately available to comment.
But at tonight’s school board meeting district leaders will consider issuing funds needed to keep the construction on track.
The two items up for discussion today are for the district to release $10,000 for construction materials and another $10,000 for windstorm certification of the building.
The new school building will come equipped with classrooms, a computer lab, science classes, a library and administration offices.
The project is expected to be completed by April 2019.
The price tag for the project is $5.2 million, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Last week, the school administration held its official groundbreaking ceremony and invited the community to attend with a mail-out card.
Those who attended were serenaded by the high school band to celebrate the event.
Santa Maria resident Cesario Torres, 82, said “the expansion to the school is a good thing.”
He said it will help educate the growing number of students living in town and surrounding colonias.
The new building is being constructed by D. Wilson Construction and the engineering architects assigned to the project according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is Fulcrum Consulting Services based out of La Feria.
Construction management overseeing the building of the new high school facility said the project will be completed in one year.
If you go
Santa Maria ISD special meeting
Today, 5:30 p.m.
Administration office at 11119 Military Road, Santa Maria
By the numbers
Number of students enrolled at the district and three main schools
Total number of Santa Maria students 691
Santa Maria High School 208
Santa Maria Middle School 73
Tony Gonzalez Elementary School 283
