CCISD: $99.4 million of bond would fund high school classroom expansion, lab space

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

The largest “ticket item” on $175 million bond election for the Copperas Cove Independent School District is the high school expansion, which would add more classroom space, labs, a new cafeteria, expand the band hall, upgrade electrical systems, as well as provide for new/upgraded athletic facilities for the campus’s football, tennis, soccer, baseball and softball programs.

Altogether, projects on this campus total $151 million for the abovementioned construction projects and renovations.

CCISD provided a breakdown of what the anticipated costs are for the project, area by project area.

For the new classrooms and lab spaces, these would cost an estimated $99.4 million – which would add 55 classrooms and science labs to the current campus footprint.

The current high school enrollment is approximately 2,200, and according to the district, the is 29 percent over-capacity with its current layout and floor plan.

The proposed expansion would add more than 750 additional classroom seats. The labs also have not been updated since 2005, according to the district.

The expansion would also serve to transform the current traffic flow into one where each grade stays in a specific area, except for electives, in order to ease the crowded hallways.

Along with the additional classroom and lab space, the proposal includes improved ADA accessibility for students and staff, along with electrical upgrades – to include an upsized main electrical switchgear which is at capacity, replacement of outdated electrical panels, transformers and main distribution panels with new wiring and protective insulation.

As part of the $151 million spent at the high school campus, a 2,000-seat cafeteria would cost approximately $14.5 million and also include outdoor dining space. The project also includes more restrooms in the cafeteria, and the current ones have drainage issues that requires them to close frequently.

Per CCISD, the CCHS cafeteria serves about 900 students per day. The current cafeteria can accommodate 600 students, with some students having to sit on the stage to eat, and other students eating their lunches in the library and Bulldawg U.

The remainder of the CCHS campus projects are P.E. and Athletic Department related. These include tennis and soccer facility construction plus new fields and relocation at approximately $16 million, softball field relocation and facility/parking construction at approximately $2.5 million, with the turf and cover for the outdoor field approximately $10.9 million.

All fields for softball, baseball, soccer, and the covered outdoor practice field, would have artificial turf.

The covered outdoor field would have an open-wall metal pavilion that covers the turf below it.

The field would not be air-conditioned, said Kurtis Quillin, CCISD Director of Communications who provided the cost estimate breakdowns via project on that campus.

An estimated $938,000 would be spent on the expanded band hall.

Early voting is under way for the CCISD special election, with election day being Saturday, May 4.