From inside the gymnasium at the Tuloso-Midway Independent School District’s planned new junior high school, students will be able to shoot some hoops, put on a play and even bowl.
Tuloso-Midway ISD intends to start construction on the new school this summer. On May 18, the school board approved a guaranteed maximum price of $84.5 million.
During the meeting, students who were invited to be recognized for their athletic, musical and academic achievements stopped to gawk at a model of the school, which is expected to open in the 2028-29 school year.
Sergio Láinez, from Láinez Architects, explained the model to a handful of intermediate school University Interscholastic League competitors who will attend the school when they are in seventh and eighth grade, pointing out the “modern library” media center and the indoor jogging track located above the gym.
What will the new school include?
The new school is designed with Tuloso-Midway ISD’s programs in mind. This is clearest in the gym.
To save money, the district opted against a separate performance art center. But due to a strong theater arts program, it didn’t want to cut a stage entirely from the plans.
The stage was added into the main gym. Gym bleachers will provide seats for 650 attendees. If chairs are added to the gym floor, there’s room for more than 1,000 attendees.
The bleachers themselves are a unique feature. Unlike the common school gym layout where families attending games walk in on the gym floor and climb the bleachers to find a seat, the new junior high school’s main gym bleachers will be accessible from the second floor.
This design aims to prevent interference during games. It also creates space under the bleachers.
Here, Tuloso-Midway envisions four full-length bowling lanes.
The district is a strong participant in Special Olympics bowling, Superintendent Steve VanMatre said.
Currently, students frequently travel to a bowling alley in Alice. The junior high school’s new lanes will reduce the need for travel and create a space specifically for these athletes.
Surrounding the bleacher perimeter will be a jogging track about half the size of a typical outdoor track.
The school will also feature a small secondary gym and a weight room, as well as space for the band and the special education life skills program.
Near the building’s main staircase, the designers have added learning stairs, an informal area for students or classes to gather on tiered seating.
The building will surround a courtyard with shaded outdoor learning space on three sides. The fourth side will be enclosed with a fence. The exterior of the property will also be fenced.
The main entrance to the building will feature two layers of security vestibules.
The outside of the building will also be distinctive, with decorative sun shades.
The design includes water scarcity considerations, including spots for wells or piping in reclaimed water for irrigation.
How will the new school impact the district?
By adding a junior high school, Tuloso-Midway ISD is preparing for a district-wide reshuffle.
Instead of replacing an existing school, it will be a new campus for seventh and eighth graders that ultimately creates more space for early childhood education on another campus.
In comparison, students in the Corpus Christi and West Oso school districts move through just three levels of K-12 schools, while Calallen students move through four and Flour Bluff students move through six.
VanMatre said that though the new school is being built with additional capacity for growth, it is not a response to growth. Instead, the goal is to create a smaller environment for students before high school.
How much will the junior high school cost?
The junior high school project, approved by voters in a 2023 bond election, was delayed due to difficulties securing land for the project.
Ultimately, Tuloso-Midway ISD relied on eminent domain to acquire 40 acres for the school.
According to prior Caller-Times reporting, the district paid $2 million for land.
The maximum price for construction is $84.5 million, slightly higher than the expected cost to build the facility.
Fulton Construction is working on the project.
Since the last time the district considered costs, it was able to cut nearly $20 million. Areas where the team found savings include reducing the size of a secondary gym, eliminating plans for a stand-alone auditorium and switching the air conditioning system to an air-cooled system.
Contact education reporter Olivia Garrett at olivia.garrett@caller.com.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: New Tuloso-Midway junior high to have versatile gym, bowling lanes
Reporting by Olivia Garrett, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
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