Fort Worth ISD trustees review bond progress, key projects underway

Fort Worth, Texas – At the board meeting on March 26, the Fort Worth ISD trustees got an update about the 2021 bond from the Citizens Oversight Committee. So far, the district has spent $71.5 million of the $1.2 billion bond on 27 different projects. By February, a good chunk of the projects, 59%, were still being planned out in the design stage. Another 33% were at the starting point, known as the programming phase. Just a few, 4%, were getting ready for construction, and another 4% had finished building.

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The Rolling Hill Elementary School has finished building, while W.C. Stripling School is just getting ready to start. The bond program is also making an effort to work with businesses that haven’t gotten as many chances in the past, giving them 38.29% of the contracts. Now, the committee wants to figure out a better way to hear from people while they’re designing new projects.

Some of the architects on the middle school bond projects include Wyatt Hedrick, Preston Geren, Birch Easterwood, Joseph R. Pelich, and Wiley G. Clarkson.

Trustees Approve Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Updates

When it comes to improving the schools, the school board said yes to five big decisions. Two of these were about finishing up and paying for the work done by Reeder General Contractor Inc. on Carter-Riverside and Western Hills high schools. This marks the end of their projects from the 2017 improvement plan. They also moved some money around to help other projects along.

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Trustees Approve Wedgwood Consolidation 

There’s also news about Wedgwood 6th grade campus. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, it will consolidate with Wedgwood Middle School. This change allows students emotional and social growth, have more chances in arts and sports, and be part of a larger community with more friends. The district is figuring out the details, like bus routes, but doesn’t think it will cause much trouble for the staff. This move is a piece of a bigger plan for improving the school facilities.