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The principals applauded the passage of the measure that will not only be used for major upgrades to more than 3 dozen schools, mostly high school campuses across the district, but improve technology, safety and security.
James McSwaim has headed Lamar High School, built in 1936, for 16 years. That campus will see nearly $108 million dollars in improvements.
“Our alumni at Lamar have been extremely supportive of the bond. And we’re talking about people who graduated in 1936-37, and their perception is that they went to school at a cutting edge school at that time, and it produced great things for them. And they want to be part of providing that for future generations for their great grandchildren.”
The bond package will mean $80 million dollars for the construction of a new 750 student campus for the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Principal Scott Allen says it will be located in downtown Houston, near other arts and
theatrical venues.
“The ability to have kids in the spaces of those professional arts organizations, it can only strengthen what’s happening in that building.”
Hernandez: “The passage of this proposal, does it represent the citizens’ vision for the kids?”
Allen: “You know, with such an overwhelming vote to approve the bond, I think this is just across the board. We’re doing what’s right for kids in HISD.”
District Superintendent Dr Terry Grier says that approval of the measure sent a message about the education of students.
“The quality school you live in, and go to and are educated in quite frankly, should have nothing at all to do with your zip code, and no longer does it. This is Houston as a community as a city, stepping up big time.”
Hernandez: “How does this rank in what you’ve done since you’ve been here?”
Grier: “This is right up at the top. You know to me, what I’m most proud of and always is how our schools are doing academically. This was a very ‘Houston’ kind of thing to do, and hopefully we’re gonna make the dreams of a better educational facility a reality for many of our kids.”
The measure will cost the average homeowner $70 dollars per year in school taxes by 2017.