The new elementary school under construction at Liberty-Eylau received a new stone face last week, as stonemasons placed pieces of rock from the old "Rock School" on the front entrance of the new building.
Piles of rock were hammered into smaller pieces workers could easily manipulate to not only cover the outside of the building but place on the inside of the entrance as well. It's one of the final stages of the project, which is expected to be complete in August.
District Spokesman Matt Fry said they are on schedule and that Buford Thompson Construction, contractor for the project, has assured them it will be done on time.
"All they do is build schools, and they know what they're doing and how important it is to stick to the schedule." he said. "They will work night and day if they have to in order for it to be ready on time."
The school is part of a $20.9 million bond voters passed in 2016 for district-wide improvements, which also included a new Career and Technology Education building at the high school, new turf and track at Harris Field, a roof at the middle school and heating and air systems.
The rocks come from the previous building, which was demolished in July. It was built in 1938 as a Works Progress Administration project and was an icon for the district. Many community members had worked for years to keep the original building from being torn down and replaced, but voters finally passed the bond for the new school in May 2016.
Once it was torn down, rocks were reserved for the facade, and some were made available for the community to have as a keepsake.
The new school includes a gym, music and computer rooms, a special education suite and four teachers' lounges. One of the three long hallways includes a safety shelter, which the state of Texas now requires for new school construction. The walls of the classrooms in that section are filled with concrete and extra building materials. The space also includes restrooms, water tanks, independent vent shafts and electrical components to function for up to six hours.
Classroom and office furniture has been purchased for the school from Ledwell Office Solutions and includes modular pieces to create more flexible learning spaces.
Last month, trustees voted to spend $133,498.44 for office furniture, plus desks, chairs and couches for the library and school entryways. In March, they approved $812,116 for the classroom furniture, some of which Ledwell custom made for the space. Each of the pieces is movable, including custom teacher podiums which will hold document cameras and laptops. Tables and cabinets have magnetic whiteboards, as well.
The gross maximum price for the project is $17,342,316, and the cost, as of April, was $9,501,653.
For more information on the project, go to www.leisd.net.