With 66 percent approving, voters gave a thumbs up in November 2015 to a North East Independent School District $499.95 million bond referendum, a package that included 69 projects, including a much-needed expansion of the band hall at Johnson High School. The CTJ band hall expansion is a project that when completed in 2019 will go a long way to effectively house the band program and its rapid growth — more than 330 band members with a nationally acclaimed marching band, four concert ensembles, three jazz bands, performance ensembles for clarinets and percussion, and a championship color guard and winter guard program.
“We are so excited for the construction of the new band hall,” said Jarrett Lipman, director of bands at Johnson. “While our current space is wonderful, we have outgrown it the last three to five years as the program enrollment has exceeded 300 students. The new facility will be beautiful and will allow us ample capacity to rehearse.”
Here’s what you need to know about the project.
Project Start Date: May 1, 2018
Fencing installation was completed on May 9, 2018, meaning there is no access to the CTJ band hall or auditorium from the rear of school through July 30th, 2018. Students, parents, and staff will need to access the band hall through the front of the school, or by the entrance near the cafeteria.
Beginning July 30, 2018, there will be a pathway from the small band hall to the street to move equipment and provide access for students, parents, and instructors.
The driveway behind the school from the band entrance will be down to one lane, and as a result, one-way traffic flow. The gate behind the athletic building will remain open for traffic to help ease congestion (see the map below).
Also, NEISD and construction officials are researching adding a driveway off the back of the band parking lot to allow access for the equipment trailer to load directly on the band parking lot during construction. There will be more information to come on the loading plan for the equipment truck this fall.
Estimated project completion date: June 1, 2019.
Until then, where do we park?
Students with Band Lot Parking Permits continue to park on the band pad, and access the school by walking toward the cafeteria and behind dumpsters. After June 7, 2018, all students should park in the student parking lot.
Parents should park in the front of the school using visitor spaces if you are arriving for meetings or to work.
Private lesson instructors, clinicians, and staff may park along the fenced area of the band parking lot.
Please do not drop-off or pick-up band members behind the building until the project construction is finished. Front of school only.
Please do not park in the spaces behind the cafeteria or anywhere along the back driveway — these are reserved for contractors and cafeteria workers only. This includes over 2018 summer vacation.
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