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Cutline: Student Luke Williams of Bridge City Intermediate School explains his class’ Genius Hour project at Monday night’s board meeting for the Bridge City school district.

Photo by Dave Rogers

For The Record

A highly anticipated renovation of the Bridge City High School band hall is at the mercy of the elements.

John Scales, director of operations for the Bridge City Independent School District, told school board members Monday night that winter rains weather and the humidity they left behind kept the project with its $1 million-plus of improvements from finishing on schedule earlier this month.

The problem is a concrete foundation for a 4,000-square foot side addition that will include an ensemble hall and large practice room, he said. Until the foundation passes engineering tests, flooring cannot be put down on top.

“We have hit a snag on moisture testing,” Scales said. “The new concrete has not quite cured. This could go on for months.”

Besides modernizing and adding to what had been a 7,000-square foot building, the project also includes a virtual acoustic recording system.

“We won’t really have an exact completion date until we can get this moisture solved and get that floor laid,” Scales said.

Good news for the school trustees came a couple of minutes later when Scales told them a separate project to add 10 classrooms at Bridge City Intermediate School was on schedule to hit its projected finish line in late April.

Gina Mannino, BCISD’s assistant superintendent, presented the remaining timeline for the “District of Innovation” project being worked on by a committee of citizens and district employees that would allow the district more flexibility if the committee’s plan is adopted by the district.

The timeline calls for BCISD to post its DOI plan on the district website for 30 days, beginning March 10, prior to seeking school board approval at the April 17 meeting.

Students from Glynis Gothia’s Bridge City Elementary class opened Monday night’s meeting with a President’s Day presentation

Students included Hudson Hoffman, Carter Coleman, Caden Evans, Addison Cruise, Madeleine Doyle, Carson Bounds and Hadley Fults.

They were followed by Bridge City Intermediate students who explained their Genius Hour and See Saw programs, in which they were taught to use their Chromebook laptops to research individual or class projects and share their work and discoveries with classmates and teachers.

Students Lyndsay Ballard, Chloe Doyle, Sami Heathcoe, Branned Groff and Luke Williams highlighted work overseen by teacher Rebecca Cullums.

Cathy Riley, director of the Bridge City Strutters, retold the story of how nine members of her group ended up joining Lady Gaga and nearly 800 other dancers in the Super Bowl halftime show.

Avery Harris was joined by fellow Strutters Mia Woodruff, Lauren Guidry, Lyvia Ebarb, Chelse Cisneros, Madison Esquivel, Ashlynn Koons, Sydney Hanson and Victoria Doan in two weeks of secret rehearsals before the big Feb. 5 reveal.

I just really want to thank Ms. Riley for this opportunity,” Harris told the trustees, administrators and parents at Monday’s meeting.

“That is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We’re never going to get a chance like that again. She wanted us to get this amazing experience that was just like ‘Wow!’

“It’s something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. It’s something I get to tell my kids. Thank you, Ms. Riley. It was really awesome. You’re awesome.”