BRIDGE CITY, Texas — The Bridge City Independent School District board of trustees is hoping for some major support in the form of your votes.
They have placed two new bond proposals on the ballot for the May election.
They're for a new middle school campus and a new career and technology facility.
Several parents on Thursday said these two bond proposals are much needed to meet the area's growing population and support students' growth.
Christina Johnson has three students in Bridge City ISD schools. She said she's fired up about the new bond proposals.
"One [is] in high school, one in the intermediate and one in elementary so as my two little ones move up through the campuses, it's very important that we have the adequate classroom space to accommodate the growth that our area is about to experience," Johnson said.
Johnson said it's time for a new middle school since the current one has been there for 60 years.
The school district proposes the new middle school with a capacity to accommodate 900 students, but Johnson said that's not enough considering the current middle school has close to 900 kids enrolled.
"I'm thinking 1,200 at minimum. That's giving us an additional 300," Johnson said.
Johnson is also excited about the proposed career and tech facility.
She believes it will offer kids like hers targeted hands-on experience.
"It's going to encourage and inspire them. We're going to have kids graduating with certificates that can put them to work in a field that they're interested in," Johnson said.
Parent Rachael McGuire agrees the two bond proposals are key for students' growth, especially a brand new middle school.
"There [are] fire hazards,” McGuire said. “It leaks when it rains. We don't want kids living in that much less going to school in that."
Bridge City ISD superintendent Mike Kelly said the new middle school and CTE facility were on the ballot in 2019.
He said the need remains for both and with construction costs going up every month due to inflation, now is the time to get them passed.
"Inflation right now in construction is about 1% a month, so the longer this district waits or any other district waits, the more expensive it's going to be,” Kelly said.
Kelly also said if both bond proposals pass this time, the tax increase will actually be six cents less than had they passed in 2019.
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