Updates on School Building Projects
By John Earp
The Jal School District has several major construction projects ongoing presently, several of which are projected to be completed by the end of this calendar year. At the most recent school board meeting, R.J. Lopez, architect with Parkhill, as well as Dusty Loftis, Associate Administrator for the district, updated board members on the ongoing construction projects.
The Baseball Restroom Addition is estimated to be finished by May 1st. The Elementary Addition, which will expand the total elementary school classroom capacity by eight, is expected to be completed by June 1st. The new bus barn and storage building are expected to be completed in December. The new bus barn will allow the maintenance crew to be able to do mechanical work on the district’s buses and other vehicles more effectively and quickly than they presently do, and will include the ability to lift buses in order to service them more efficiently. The Indoor Athletic Facility, which will allow for athletic practices to be indoors during untoward weather, the construction of which will begin in August, has an estimated completion date of June 1, 2026. The Junior High Addition, which will greatly expand Jal Junior High’s facilities, including a new junior high commons area, has an estimated finish date of December 2025. Construction on the Oil & Gas/Auto Tech Vocational Addition will commence in September 2025, with completion estimated to be in August 2027.
