Renovations and expansion to Castleberry High School remain on track for completion in the fall 2026.
The $98 million construction project, funded by voters in the district’s 2024 bond election, includes:
- Three-story, 108,500-square-foot addition, including administrative wing, eight science classrooms, career and technical education shop with classrooms, buried storm shelter and practice gym, and upgrades to the band, theater, classroom and media center spaces.
- 47,750-square-foot renovation.
- More than 200 additional parking spaces.
- Several open plazas.
- Outdoor amphitheater seating.
“The site presents a substantial grade change of over 22 feet between the new and existing buildings, creating design challenges in connecting the facilities,” WRA Architects, the project architect, said on its website.
“The resulting configuration involves a buried storm shelter gymnasium, an elevated science wing, and a skybridge that wraps around the storm shelter,” the architect said. “This design allows for consistent circulation between the new and existing gymnasiums while providing a more desirable elevation facing White Settlement Road and offering views of the Trinity River and downtown Fort Worth.”
BTC of White Settlement is the general contractor.
Among other updates presented at the Castleberry ISD’s Aug. 11 board meeting:
- The district is merging its culinary arts program into a hospitality program that will better enable graduates to find work, the district said.
- New kindergarten to second grade report cards. The cards are very parent-friendly, including child progress reports and specifics on skills parents can help their children with at home, June Ritchlin, executive director of educational leadership, told the board.
- Ten-year HVAC plan. Lenny Lasher, assistant superintendent of student services, facilities and operations, updated the board on the district’s 10-year HVAC plan. Lasher said he and his crews viewed all 455 rooftop units in the district and rated them 1 to 5 on criteria such as efficiency. The plan includes quarterly maintenance, including examination of belts and changing air filters. The district hired LBK Roofing to deploy infrared technology to look through the layers of all roofs. This allowed LBK to see if sections could be replaced in some instances, as compared to replacing entire roofs.
The board also heard policy updates and recommendations from Wes Jackson, director of school and student support, on bills that were signed by Gov. Greg Abbott from the 89th Texas Legislature.
- Homeschooled students’ participation in athletics and other UIL activities, such as marching band, Senate Bill 401. The bill allows school districts to opt out of allowing homeschooled students who live in nearby districts to participate in athletics and other UIL activities in the Castleberry ISD. So far, several other districts have opted out, Jackson told the board. His recommendation: opt out.
- Create a Library Advisory Council and appoint parents and community members to serve on it, allowed by Senate Bill 13. Castleberry already has a system in place under which, when a student checks out a book, parents are notified of the title of the book via email. A Library Advisory Council would have to approve each book, bought or donated to the library, before it could be put on the shelf. If 50 parents petition the school board, then a Library Advisory Council would have to be appointed. The staff’s recommendation: opt out.
- Students’ use of cell phones during the school day. House Bill 1481 bars the use of cell phones, ear buds and smart watches. Students who need their smart devices for a medical condition are permitted to continue to keep them. The district’s options for adhering to the bill: ban the devices or allow them to be used during the lunch break. Staff recommendation: allow them to be used during lunch.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at scott.nishimura@fortworthreport.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
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Scott Nishimura is a longtime Fort Worth journalist, serving in roles as a reporter and editor for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Business Press, and Fort Worth, Fort Worth Inc. and 360West magazines….
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