By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

A large-scale expansion project at Vandegrift High School should soon help to ease overcrowding issues for the school, which has seen a rapid increase in enrollment since it first opened in 2009.

The construction project consists of four new science/flex labs and 20 new classrooms and should be completed by the end of March, said Jimmy Disler, executive director of capital improvements for Leander ISD.

The Vandegrift HS construction project should be completed by the end of March.
Photo by Linda Courtney

Disler said the additions are needed to deal with overcrowding and future growth at the school. Once completed, the additions will increase the campus capacity to 2,400 students. The school currently has 1,693 students enrolled.

“It was always anticipated the additions would be needed but not this soon as growth at VHS has surpassed expectations,” Disler said.

The cost of the addition is $7,774,000 which was paid for by the original bonds sold for VHS construction.  

“During the 2007 bond election, the bond committee thought that a future bond election would have to include the VHS additions, but due to the construction market prices falling during the original construction of VHS, we were able to see enough savings to do the classroom and science/flex lab additions out of the original 2007 funding for VHS,” Disler said.

Vandegrift High School Principal Charlie Little said the original design of VHS accommodated 1,800 students with the common core areas such as the library and cafeteria able to accommodate 2,400.

“With the additional 20 classrooms and four science labs, our facility will be the same size as all of the other LISD high schools and be able to accommodate up to 2,400 students,” Little said.

“The original building plans always accounted for an eventual expansion as our community grew. Since we are projected to have just over 2,100 students next year, the extra space will be in place just as we need it,” Little said.

The Vandegrift HS construction project consists of four new science/flex labs and 20 new classrooms. Crews poured sidewalks this week
Photo by Linda Courtney