Three years after the bond approval, the majority of the projects have been completed on time and under budget, District Communications Director Maggie Dominguez said. Aside from finishing touches, one of the only major bond projects left to be completed is the construction of the Aquatic Learning Center.
At the start of the 2025-26 school year, students have the advantage of expanded high school facilities that house Career and Technical Education, or CTE, courses.
Chief Instructional Officer Larissa Flores said these programs help provide pathways for students who may not pursue a traditional college education.
“It keeps kids interested in what they love and what they want to do, and it helps keep kids engaged in the subject they might not always want to be engaged in,” she said.
The overview
Campus improvement projects in the 2022 bond included expansions at both district high schools, increasing the number of classrooms and space for programs.
These expansions helped add students to the Pathways in Technology Early College High School, or P-Tech, program. Boerne ISD has two P-Tech programs—cybersecurity and health science, Flores said.
Christine Poulis, director of advanced academics and college, career and military readiness, said in April that the program was expected to draw in around 150 ninth-grade students.
Through vocational education and CTE programs, students can earn certifications and gain hands on experience while in high school, which can help advance their college education or enable them to enter the workforce, Dominguez said.
Alongside high school expansions, the district’s 8th elementary school, Viola Wilson Elementary, was completed in 2024, offering a campus to residents on the western portion of I-10 in Boerne.
Other campus enhancements included library remodels, student furniture updates, technology additions for classrooms, new buses, outdoor projects and other facility improvements to make campuses more accessible, Dominguez said.
Director of CTE Heather Willis said campus improvements help the district give students an edge for their futures.
“We focus on this region because we have had many community members say they want their children to come back here to live and be able to afford to live here,” Willis said.
The cost
Dominguez told Community Impact that completed bond projects have come in at or under their projected budgets, resulting in savings for the district.
During the Aug. 18 board of trustees meeting, Chief Financial and Operations Officer Wes Scott said the district was on track to pay off debt early, resulting in less interest paid.
The approach
The expansion at Champion High School focused on providing spaces for CTE classes, including business classes, technology classes and other programs.
For high school students in the district, shuttle buses run between each campus, allowing students to take classes at either high school.
This system allows students to take a course offered at only one of the high schools, such as health science offered at Boerne High School, or cybersecurity offered at Champion High School.
Willis said that through community partnerships with nonprofit organizations and local businesses, the district can provide more resources for students.
Willis said all school districts are focused on student success and employability, and utilizing CTE programs helps students achieve those goals.
“We know on their resumes, CTE helps them retain an occupation, and we want our kids to be employable after graduation,” Willis said.
What they’re saying
Willis said the success of students is dependent on the staff.
“It doesn’t matter how fantastic your bells and whistles are; the person in the classroom is what matters,” she said.
Flores said the variety of programs allows students to explore different career options and extracurricular activities.
“Just like athletics and [University Interscholastic League], these programs exist to give kids opportunities and engagement.”
Moving forward
One of the final major bond projects to be completed is the Aquatic Learning Center, located on Herff Ranch Boulevard behind Champion High School and next to Cibolo Creek Elementary School.
While this project was originally projected to be completed in 2024, Dominguez said multiple delays altered the completion timeline.
Despite contracting and construction challenges, the new facility is still projected to come in under budget.
In 2023, the district signed with Tegrity Contractors Inc. to build the nearly $10 million complex, which broke ground in September 2023.
During a May meeting, the board of trustees was informed that the center had a substantial completion date of May 28,
which did not materialize. In a May special meeting, trustees authorized the superintendent to oversee the aquatic learning center project and ensure the completion of the bond-funded facility. This process led to an agreement with a new contractor to complete the project.
While the center is under construction, students on the swim team and other aquatic programs utilize the pools at Boerne City Park and other facilities.
Dominguez said the Aquatic Learning Center is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year, planning for a ribbon cutting in December. Remaining work includes finishing the facility pools.
