Clear Creek High School
By Mary Alys Cherry
Renovations and additions to Clear Creek High School are beginning this spring after Clear Creek School Board trustees gave their approval of the $35.9 million rebuild project.
Included are the demolition and rebuild of the Career Technology Education wing and portions of the fine arts and athletics areas of the school to ensure that Clear Creek ISD “stays at the leading edge,” as Superintendent Greg Smith suggests.
Their okay came at the April 27 meeting with Trustee Dee Scott urging approval in what would be her last vote as a trustee.
“We shouldn’t delay things we know we need,” she told the board. Then, as she closed out her nine-year stay on the board, she noted that part of the money would be spent on a Career and Technical Education wing at Creek that will offer classes in dentistry and health sciences and added, “Health is the place where most of the future jobs will be. The students, citizens, communities and the district deserve this upgrade.”
She was honored earlier in the evening for her many years of service to CCISD.
Some of the project is a continuation of the rebuild of the district’s oldest high school 10 years ago when the campus that first opened in 1957 in League City got a modern look and many of its buildings had to be replaced.
Additions to the Creek campus will include a dental lab, health science classrooms, ROTC classrooms, and space for metals manufacturing, construction technology, agriculture science and engineering classes, after which portions of the old CTE Building will be demolished.
A third gym, expansion of the Athletic Storage Building, Stage Wing and the Dance Locker Room, plus renovation of the Choir Room and support spaces, and replacement of pool lighting and the Softball Field Backstop also are planned, as is an upgrade for the Natatorium.
Carlisle Field House will be renovated, including the gym, restrooms, locker rooms and athletic support spaces, as will the Spring Sports Building.
Foundation work on the kitchen is included, along with replacement of the serving line and priority repairs and replacement of the roof, electrical and heating/air condition systems where needed.
In other action, trustees also:
- Renewed the commercial property insurance with Maxim Insurance at a cost of $2.8 million, with the windstorm limit at $40 million and agreement that it can be renewed at the same rate for 2016-17. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this low,” Ken Ballard said, noting that it has been as high as $3.6 million annually;
- Awarded the $169,000 auto liability contract to the Texas Association of School Boards;
- Voted to file a statement with the Texas Education Agency and State Board of Education about the major impact the opening of three charter schools – YES Prep, Life and Harmony – in the district would have on CCISD;
- Honored the Clear Lake High boys basketball team which played in the state 6A championship;
- Approved a contract with the Harris County Department of Education to provide special education service for students with disabilities and significant behavioral needs at a cost of $324,000;
- Honored Clear Lake Intermediate Principal Michael Alvarez, who was named the Texas Classroom Teachers Association Administrator of the Year;
- OK’d a $244,000 contract with Firetron to replace Ed White Elementary’s fire alarm, intercom and cafeteria sound systems.
