SISD gets update on district wide bond projects
(Seguin) – Although it has taken a little longer than they had hoped, construction at AJB is finally ending.
Sharing the update with members of the Seguin ISD Board of Trustees is Bill Lewis, the consultant tasked with overseeing the district’s bond projects.
Lewis says A.J. Briesemeister has officially undergone a complete transformation at its current site. He says the 2019 voter-approved project was put into motion approximately one year later.
“AJB is 99 percent complete. Everything that is going on right now is just touchups and is going and finding things that aren’t sealed up right or maybe if we don’t like the way it looks and those kinds of things – kind of getting the touchups done at this point,” said Lewis.
Lewis says the original deadline for its completion was August 2023, the start of this current school year. However, he says there are always challenges when you are building around kids and are forced to provide minimal interruption for the students and the school as a whole.
Nonetheless, he says there has been a great team effort from the very beginning. He especially applauds the staff and administrators for their patience and for making things happen.
Lewis says the final notch on the project wrapped up on the west end of the campus.
“The last was the building that kind of sits off by itself. It used to be a science building. It was the last building that was renovated and was just completed (last week) and so they will be moving in (this) week.
That’s for our special education services. There’s also some CTE classes, robotics classroom – there’s a computer lab in there. There are some offices in there for special education and other folks,” said Lewis.
Lewis was also sure to mention that the final portable for that campus was officially hauled away.
He says once the final details at AJB are addressed, then the school district can turn its full attention elsewhere.
“As soon as they finish, we get the punch list and when we get to the point that we are happy with everything on the building then, it will be finished and then we will move on from there,” said Lewis
Also, it’s only been a few months since the district has been operating with one foot at AJB and the other at the new baseball and softball complex at Seguin High School. Lewis says the $7.8 million project is reportedly running smoothly and on schedule.
“That project is going along great. They are moving fast. They are working fast. Everything is on time. The field turf, the actual turf for the field is coming in about a month early so you will start to see that going down probably the first eight, nine days of April. You will see that going down. That takes about a month or so to get in and get installed but you will see that going quick. The fences will be going up at some point. You already see the fence poles. The light poles come in in the middle of April, the concession, restroom – the ticket booth, the blocking is almost complete for that and then you will see the façade blocking go up. So, it’s going really quick,” said Lewis.
The plan, currently, is to have the field ready to go in time for summer programming and skills clinics.
Behind-the-scenes work is well underway for the Seguin ISD’s first-ever agriculture science facility. The $9 million ag center, being built at 1329 Ilka Road, was approved by voters in 2022. Lewis says the last few weeks have been spent on drafting plans. He says these plans are crucial in ensuring students get the very best.
“So, the planning is going great with our Ag teachers. We meet every few weeks and they are providing all the input of what they need and it’s going to be state-of-the-art for what they ask for. They are getting what they ask for as far as being able to house the animals, clean the animals, show the animals. There is a practice arena there as well. There is a separate building for poultry. It’s going to have all the components that they are needing to raise what I call ‘champion animals,’ and it’s going to be a great opportunity because Ag is such a big part of this community and we’ve never had an Ag barn here, so this is going to be awesome. So, hopefully way more kids can get involved and have great places to care for their animals,” said Lewis.
Another project that is also moving along and will be wrapping up very soon is the expansion of Ball Early Childhood Center.
District officials say they are 90 percent complete at Ball. The project includes new classrooms. A punch list walk-through for that campus is slated for sometime in the next couple of weeks.
