First to open this century
Decked out in purple and white, the Florence ISD community — as well as members of the chamber of commerce, American Legion and city staff — gathered around to see the district’s highly anticipated new elementary school for the first time, July 30.
“What a truly exciting day,” FISD Superintendent Rick Kirkpatrick said. “This [celebration is] not just for our district, but for every student, teacher, parent, community member who has helped make this moment possible.”
The 82,000-square-foot campus includes 38 classrooms and can serve up to 600 students. Other features include two playgrounds, basketball courts, a gym, a cafeteria with a stage, science classrooms and a library.
District staff said the design incorporates natural elements that help bring the outdoors into the learning space. Limestone flooring is present throughout the building. Hallways feature graphics of native plants, such as prickly pear cactus, bluebonnets and other wildflowers. Staff said the hallway decorations were inspired by scientist's field notes.
Construction began in May 2024, but the district first identified the need for a new elementary campus in 2014 with the passage of a maintenance tax note. Former Superintendent Paul Michael Lewis launched the effort to build the school.
Voters passed two bonds totaling $36 million to fund construction. After the second bond passed in May 2022, the district announced it would need an additional $4.5 million due to inflation-related cost increases.
The new Florence Elementary is the first campus built by the district in the 21st century. It replaces the former elementary school, whose newest classrooms were added in 1974.
“Thank you to the community for the huge, roaring support when we passed that bond,” School Board President Ed Navarette said. “We needed to either completely renovate the current facility or build something new. We went to the community, and you guys with a resounding yes, said ‘Yes, build it.’ ”
During the ceremony, a representative from U.S. Rep. John Carter’s office presented Mr. Kirkpatrick with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. State Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, also shared his congratulations by sending a representative.
“In Dr. Buckley’s role as chairman of the public education committee, we get to attend a lot of these types of events, ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings and grand openings of schools,” spokesperson Jessica Diem said. “Typically, when these schools are being built, it’s because of incredible community buy-in. Communities see the need for investing in the next generation, and they pass a bond that invests money into building these types of schools.”
Joeis Construction of San Antonio served as the general contractor. Fort Worth-based VLK Architects designed the building.
“On behalf of the entire design team, I want to say thank you,” said Barry Nevitt from VLK Architects, “Today is the beginning, but for those of us on the design team and on the construction team, today is graduation day. Today, we get to turn this over and watch the impact that our work is going to have on your community, and we couldn’t be more proud of the opportunities that this building is going to create.”
As for the future for the old elementary school, Mr. Kirkpatrick said FISD’s Headstart program will move out of portable buildings into one of the vacated buildings. The district has also leased space in the former complex to Education Connection, Florence’s only child care center, which is set to begin operations this fall.
Florence ISD’s central office will remain at the old elementary site, and the district plans to consolidate administrative operations under one roof. Mr. Kirkpatrick said the district has not identified the use of two other buildings that make up the elementary complex at this time.
The new Florence Elementary School will open to students on the first day of school, Wednesday, August 13.
“When I look at this great campus here today, that has been constructed and built for every future scholar that’ll walk through these doors,” Florence Mayor Ben Daniel said. “This campus and this community is saying to this next generation, ‘You’re worth it.’ ”