CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Tuloso-Midway Independent School District is growing and has plans to add a new school in the next few years.
The district is in negotiations for three potential locations for a new junior high school. It will house about 750 students in Seventh and Eighth Grade, according to T-M ISD Superintendent Steve VanMatre.
He said that it would be the district's first new school in decades.
"We haven't built a school in T-M in over 24 years," VanMatre said. "So, we need some infrastructure replacement, all new exterior doors, new HVAC."
The new Tuloso-Midway Junior High School was approved by voters last November as a part of T-M ISD's $165 million school bond.
T-M High School was built in 1984. T-M Middle School used to be the old high school, and two T-M ISD elementary schools were built in the early 2000s. VanMatre explained that the district is due for an upgrade.
"We need these new facilities, and the good part about that is the community recognized that when they overwhelmingly supported the bond," VanMatre said.
VanMatre said that now is the best time to build a new junior high school thanks to the district's growth—crediting strong academics, fine arts programs and quality teachers.
T-M ISD must acquire 40 acres of land to build it. VanMatre said that it is challenging to find in their school district because of the nearby airport, industry, pipelines and wells.
"Finding 40 acres where you can meet the guidelines where it's safe to have a school has been difficult," VanMatre said.
VanMatre explained what the message will be to the T-M ISD community as the district plans to share the new school's location in the next month.
"This is where your new junior high is going to go, because we've got the design, we've got the renderings, we're ready to go," VanMatre said.
After the new junior high school is built, VanMatre said what will happen to the district's other schools.
T-M Primary School will transition into an early childhood center for Pre-K 3 to First Grade. T-M Intermediate School will be Grades Two through Four, and T-M Middle School will be Grades Five and Six.
The new junior high school is expected to welcome Seventh and Eighth Graders in January 2027, but VanMatre said it could be sooner.
All schools would eventually feed into T-M High School.
