BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD REVIEWS TIMELINES, ROUGH COSTS FOR BOND PROJECTS
A bond update shared with Brenham ISD trustees on Monday gave estimated cost figures and timelines for some of the work that campuses and district facilities will undergo.
Rice & Gardner principal-in-charge Eric DiPasquale gave an overview of the roofing repairs, flooring replacements, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) improvements planned across the district.
Speaking on roofs, DiPasquale said the rough order of magnitude to take care of six roofs deemed most in need of attention – the junior high, middle school, early childhood, Krause and high school campuses and the administration office – is $9.58 million. He said the project team is “knee-deep in design” and hopes to have those documents ready in November, with a goal of getting work underway in the spring.
DiPasquale noted that the junior high campus’ current cost projection for the roof is $75,000, as it is targeted at the administrative area of the campus and is considered a short-term fix, given the broader discussions that will be occurring on the junior high as a whole. Should the district decide to pursue a long-term roof replacement, that cost would increase to $3.19 million.
For flooring, DiPasquale showed timelines for the flooring replacement that is planned at the Krause Elementary School gym and cafeteria, Brenham Elementary School cafeteria, and Brenham High School gym. Work at Krause will start over the Thanksgiving holiday, while work at Brenham Elementary will begin during the winter break; the goal is for both campuses to be done before classes resume in January. As for the high school gym floor, that work will take place in the summer. Cost estimates were not provided for the flooring projects.
DiPasquale said the MEP improvements are currently projected at $7.5 million, with HVAC being a primary piece of that, but the full scope of work is still being determined. He said the age of the equipment means identical replacements will not always be possible. He also said short-term fixes will have to be used for some items, like a condenser unit that went out at the Kruse Fieldhouse, given the “invasive” nature of the larger work that will need to take place while students are out.
Superintendent Clay Gillentine thanked DiPasquale and the project team for their partnership and progress thus far, and he expressed gratitude to the community for providing the support to address these needed improvements.
Also at Monday’s meeting, trustees approved the purchase of the iCEV Multimedia Texas Enterprise plan for CTE curriculum. The subscription covers a 12-month license, from October 1st through September 30, 2027. The purchase of $55,400 will be funded through the instructional materials allotment provided by the state.
In other business, the board:
- Approved certification of compliance with certain laws under Texas Education Code as enacted by Senate Bill 12 from the 89th Legislative Session. The laws pertain to parental rights in education, student clubs at public schools, and certain requirements and prohibitions regarding instruction, diversity, equity, and inclusion duties and social transitioning.
- Reviewed the district’s goals and performance objectives for the 2026-27 school year.
- Held a public hearing prior to the approval of library book purchases. No comments were received.
Click here to view Brenham ISD's bond update webpage.
Below are slides shown during the bond update at Monday's Brenham School Board meeting.
