HIGHLANDS — Highlands Junior School could see some facilities improvements in the future, if a committee appointed by the school district gets its way.
Last week, a facilities planning subcommittee focusing on the needs of junior high campuses throughout the district named Highlands Junior as one of the sites needing immediate attention.
Donald Dunn, who previously served on the committee which redrew junior high boundary lines, said that a study done of the school by an outside consulting firm found that almost $5 million would be needed to build a new Highlands Junior High. Dunn is the facilitator of the junior high subcommittee.
Approximately 60 community members and district employees make up the committee that are looking at facilities districtwide.
For the past few years, the district has had committees looking into ways to address a growing student population. The current committee was reformed after a previous committee recommended consolidating Lee and Sterling High Schools into one school housed at two campuses. This plan met an almost immediate negative reaction from not only the board of trustees but the community as well.
During the meeting, the committee also discussed requested improvements at Baytown, Gentry, Horace Mann and Cedar Bayou Junior High Schools as well as the Stallworth Stadium.
The committee is expected to meet through November, then make recommendations for a future bond referendum which could come as early as February.
