Plans for a new, multi-million dollar high school were approved during a Belton ISD school board meeting Monday evening.

According to Kyle DeBeer with Belton ISD, trustees approved a schematic that will accommodate 2,500 students. The district hopes to complete construction of the school at FM 317 and FM 2483 in Temple by fall of 2020.

The estimated cost of the new school is $125.6 million. In May, voters in the district approved a bond package totaling $149.7 million, which officials say will also be spent on a new elementary school and improvements to two other facilities.

DeBeer said plans for the new high school include "shared spaces to foster collaboration among both students and teachers," as well as specialized spaces for comprehensive fine arts and athletics.

“Throughout the schematic design process, we’ve been focused on equity,” superintendent Susan Kincannon said at Monday's meeting. “Whether a student goes to Belton High School, Belton New Tech High School @Waskow or the new high school, she should have the same educational opportunities and receive the same high-quality instruction.”

DeBeer said district officials have also worked to update the existing Belton High School with a new digital learning center and renovated cafeteria and library.

“High school students and their families already have two great options in Belton ISD,” board president Randy Pittenger said at the meeting. “The schematic design that we approved tonight will give them a third. It will also give us enough capacity to meet our fast growing enrollment. Without this new campus, our existing high schools would be projected to reach capacity around 2021.”

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