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Hutto ISD using last of $128 million bond for new high school

It's been about 10 years since the $128 million bond was approved, but the district is finally putting the last of it to use.

HUTTO, Texas — More than 10 years after voters approved a $128 million bond in Hutto to accommodate growth, the school district is putting the last of it to use.

"You don't want kids packed in like sardines," said Hutto ISD Superintendent Celina Estrada Thomas.

While she said that's not the case currently at the high school, she does feel it's important to act now.

"We're not overcrowded by any means, but they're kind of nice and snug though," said Thomas.

Right now, just more than 2,000 students are enrolled in Hutto High School. Thomas said they expect to reach capacity, which is 2,400 in the next two years.

"No one likes to drive by a school and see portable buildings," said Thomas.

The board of trustees just approved to use the last $54 million of the $128 million bond voters approved in 2008 to build a new ninth-grade center, with plans to eventually make it a second high school.

"Our current Hutto High School is really out of real estate," said Thomas.

Thomas said they're currently in the design phase and hope to break ground in the next few months. They plan to complete the project by 2020.

They will also add a new agriculture facility.

"The ag facility that we have now is that of a 2 high school, we're definitely at 5 status," said Thomas.

The district didn't use the money right away, since the 2008 recession didn't initially allow for the growth they anticipated.

"The student numbers that the district was expecting just didn't arrive, homes were foreclosed on, and business development kind of came to a halt as well," said Thomas.

But now, that growth is here and they don't see it stopping.

"The district held onto the bond until it was the right time to spend those bond dollars," said Thomas.

More than 7,500 students are enrolled in Hutto ISD. That's a 3,000 student growth since voters approved the bond back in 2008. Demographers predict the district will grow by an additional 2,500 students in the next five years.

"It's just anticipating and being prepared," said Thomas.

The district used the rest of the bond money to build things like a new bus facility, two new elementary schools, and four new classrooms at three existing elementary schools.

Thomas said they still have plans to one day add a middle school and another elementary to the 165-acre site of this new high school.

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