Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Facility at Texas Middle School

Groundbreaking ceremonies will be held Wednesday, April 8, for a new addition to the Texas Middle School.

Texarkana Independent School District will host groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Sixth Grade Center at Texas Middle School on Wednesday at 10 a.m. The public is invited.

The event will be held at 2015 Kennedy Lane, formerly Presbyterian Church of The Redeemer. Parking will be available across the street in the TISD Information Technology, Construction Trades and Performing Arts Center lots.

The new facility, slated for an August 2016 opening, has a total of 65,800 square feet and will house 23 student classrooms and seven student labs. School capacity has been designed for 700 students.

Other lab areas included will be for Art, Music, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Academy and IDEAs (Innovative Design & Exploration of the Arts) Academy along with a Research & Design Center/Library, Cafeteria and Kitchen.

The exterior brick, metal wall panels and metal roof will have similar stylings and colors as the existing middle school building and will feature covered walks for car and bus pick-up and drop-off.  The interior will be modern with a technological feel in colors of gray, cream, green, metals and orange.  The building has been positioned and designed for space add-on for future enrollment growth.

During the November 4, 2014 elections, TISD taxpayers approved a $29.9 million effort to address current overcrowding due to enrollment increases and expected enrollment within the next five years. Those bond monies will be used to construct the new Sixth Grade Center at Texas Middle School and a new elementary school.