JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Randolph Field Independent School District officials,
students, teachers and staff members gathered at Randolph High School Sept. 24
for the groundbreaking of a new high school campus that will be constructed
behind the current high school building.
RFISD school board members broke ground on the new
77,000-square-foot high school complex in the courtyard of the current high school
campus, which will be demolished once the new school is completed.
Project plans for the new school include 25 classrooms, five
science labs, two computer labs, gymnasium, cafeteria, restrooms and
administrative offices. The classrooms will be housed in a two-story
44,000-square-foot building, with the new cafeteria and gymnasium being housed
together in a separate 33,000-square-foot building.
Lance Johnson, RFISD superintendent, said construction on
the new high school campus will begin in October and should be completed in
June 2016.
The cost of the project is being covered by a $7 million
grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which owns the current high school
building built in 1962. For the school district to receive the grant, Johnson
said the Department of Education stipulated the current high school building be
torn down.
Johnson said the new high school complex will benefit
students because it will have more classroom space, wider hallways and
technology infrastructure upgrades.
“I’m really excited for this groundbreaking ceremony,”
Johnson said. “Next year’s seniors (the
class of 2017) will be the first to graduate from a brand new
44,000-square-foot building with classrooms sizes that are adequate and
technology that is 21st century ready. It will prepare you to go the next step
in your futures, students.”
Johnson thanked school board and community members who have
worked to help get the project started.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to be part of this
process,” he said. “It’s not about anyone but the kids in this district and
we’re going to continue that focus.”
Johnson said the current band hall, athletic facility and
fine arts building at the high school campus will remain intact and not be
demolished. The athletic facility includes the current gymnasium, weight room
and locker rooms.
The current gymnasium, which seats 300 and includes a stage,
will be used by athletic teams from Randolph Middle School, which is adjacent
to the high school campus.
In addition, the new gymnasium will have seating capacity
for 700 spectators and have a curtain that will split the gym in half, allowing
multiple athletic teams to use the facility at the same time. The new
cafeteria, which includes a stage, will seat 400 students, exceeding the
capacity of the current cafeteria that holds up to 170 students.