Back-to-school supplement,

Pleasant Grove Independent School District is taking steps toward construction of a new elementary school. Earlier this week, the district’s board of trustees selected Steve Elliot of Lewis Architects, based in Little Rock to design the building. District Superintendent Dr. Jason Smith said they are also in negotiations for 12 acres of land on Galleria Oaks, which is owned by CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System.

“We are still in negotiations with the owner,” he said. “We are down to the final part of it and we are hoping to wrap this up by mid to late September.”

Smith said they are hoping to have the project complete by 2020. Before that happens, the board of trustees will approve an elementary design committee of 15 to 20 people, he said.

“We will choose people that are staff, administration, community members, business leaders that will have input for the design of the school. Of course we want it to be designed for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math curriculum and will include collaborative spaces for 21st Century learning.”

He said the committee will consist of people he recommends and that he will work with the district’s leadership and technical directors, principals and teachers to identify what is needed in the building.

“It will be made up mostly of teachers from the district because we want them to have a lot of input in the design process,” he said, adding that the committee would be formed within the next four weeks.

“We will also start the process for hiring a construction manager at-risk in September,” he said. “That’s earlier than normal, but the reason why we’re doing that early is for the design team and architect and the construction manager at-risk to all work together early on in the design phase. I think that’s going to be a critical component to make sure what the design committee wants and what the architect can draw, the construction manager can actually build.”

Funds for the new school come from a $19.9 million bond voters approved in May, which includes $18,519,862 for the new school, $1.2 million for district technology upgrades and $250,000 for increased school security.

“We will also start the process for hiring a construction manager at-risk in September.”

—Dr. Jason Smith, PGISD superintendent