Humble ISD Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Schools

HUMBLE, TX — A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held for two new schools. The schools, a new elementary campus and a new middle school, are being constructed in The Groves at the The Groves Welcome Center.

The new elementary school, which has not yet been named, will be Humble ISD's 28th elementary campus. The new school will open in August 2017.

Elementary 28 is designed for 950 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The building will be approximately 111,000-square feet.

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Dr. Brian Peters, former Summerwood Elementary Principal, has been appointed principal of the new school. PBK Architects designed the new elementary school. Construction cost is $23 million.

Elementary 28 will be a two-story building with classrooms on three two-story wings. Each wing includes six classrooms, a flexible learning area, and support spaces such as teacher workrooms. Each two-story wing will be oriented to allow a maximum amount of natural light into classrooms.

An additional one-story wing will house the pre-kindergarten classrooms and special needs classrooms. All wings will have direct access to play areas and outdoor learning areas.

The building's entrance includes a security vestibule for controlled visitor access. The cafeteria and gym will share a folding wall to allow for a large multipurpose space, and the gym will also include a stage.

The library is designed to allow maximum natural light. A multipurpose learning area will be incorporated into a library loft and can be accessed from the library as well as the second floor classrooms.

A courtyard with seating and garden areas will join the cafeteria and library so students can learn outdoors. Elementary 28 will be similar in floor plan to Ridge Creek Elementary School, which Humble ISD opened in 2013.

Middle School 9, which has not yet been named, will open in August 2018. The 200,000-square foot facility will serve 1,050 students in grades 6-8. Joiner Architects designed the new middle school. Construction cost is $44 million.

Middle School 9 will be a three-story building with collaborative and enhanced learning spaces. Classrooms are designed to allow natural daylight in all spaces. Within the learning center wings are break-out areas for small group and individual study, and the design will provide visual oversight by instructors from the main classroom.

The classroom wing courtyard design will provide a secure and easily-monitored large outdoor space for educational activities. The classroom wings will be located so that they are separated by sight and sound from the athletics and commons areas.

The athletics’ lobby will be a multipurpose space serving as an entry/gathering space for evening events, visitors and daily morning student bus arrivals. The school design will include a 1,056-seat competition gymnasium. The boys’ and girls’ PE and athletic locker rooms will be adjacent to the football and practice fields for easy access.

The fine arts wing will include a large, open teaching space for band, choir, and orchestra. Each of these spaces will include individual support rooms such as libraries, storage rooms, practice and uniform storage rooms. The fine arts wing will also include a 164-seat amphitheater with adjacent changing rooms and a drama classroom. Art will be taught in the classroom wing.

The career technology wing will feature a state-of-the-art workshop with adjacent storage and computer classroom.

The café style cafeteria will include a variety of dining options, including indoor and outdoor seating. The middle school's entrance includes a security vestibule for controlled visitor access.

Purcell Construction, Inc. will build both schools. A bond referendum approved by voters in 2008 provided funds to purchase the land, construct both campuses, and furnish the new schools.

These two schools are the first of six new campuses that are needed due to Humble ISD's growing enrollment. Humble ISD is among the 10 fastest growing school districts in Texas.

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