Granger to break ground on new high school
GRANGER – Granger Independent School District is staying active in its preparation for future growth.
The district breaks ground on its new high school next week, Tuesday, Aug. 1. The school will be built at a new location, set about a mile east from the current campus, and is expected to hold a higher capacity of students.
Jenifer Neatherlin, the superintendent of Granger ISD, said the district is excited the students will have the opportunity to learn in a building that is ready for what is next.
“Granger has not had a lot of new, and so for this to be coming is something that the community has needed for a very, very long time,” Neatherlin said. “We’re just excited about growth, opportunity and all of the above.”
Construction should take anywhere from 18 to 23 months, Neatherlin said. Students and faculty will move there once the building becomes operational in fall 2025.
The school will be a two-story building and will hold roughly 375 students. It will have an administrative suite, a single point of entry for visitors, a 500-seat competition gym with locker rooms and a weight room, a commercial kitchen and cafeteria, a band hall and a vocational welding shop.
Additionally, there will be 14 classrooms, including science labs, a computer lab, a life skills suite, a media center, an audio/visual lab and a vet technician classroom.
In the meantime, the students and faculty are at a school that was built almost 100 years ago.
Granger’s current set up is essentially merged with the elementary school. As it stands, the district only has room for a little over 600 students total. “We are all essentially one big campus,” Neatherlin said. “Now, we’ll be able to spread out a little bit more. Our new high school will be designed for growth as well, so there will be the opportunity to add on and expand when timing is needed.”
The new high school is a part of the May 2022 bond. The bond, which was $44 million, will also bring in a new athletic complex.
Construction on the athletic complex is scheduled to begin June 2024. It is expected to bring a new football stadium with an outdoor track, a baseball field and softball field.
The district is partnering with Berry & Clay Construction, GLS Architects and Project Control for the project.
