(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT – Jan. 12, 2024) — Coronado High School unveiled significant new improvements to its campus when students and staff returned from the winter break.
On Wednesday, Jan. 10, staff welcomed teachers and students into the campus’ newly constructed building — Building B — which was approved by West El Paso residents during El Paso ISD's last bond election. The $668.8 million dollar bond money that was approved by voters, helps to renovate many of El Paso ISD’s older schools such as Coronado. $68.3 million from that bond money went into modernizing the West El Paso campus, which includes a newer building.
Coronado’s Building B comes equipped with a slew of upgrades that staff say will help create a better learning environment.
“The students are so happy and so proud of how beautiful everything looks,” said Adriana Herrera, an assistant principal at Coronado. “Anything that we’re getting is a benefit to us and more importantly to our kids. When our kids are proud of the environment and happy with the new technology, it makes them more eager to learn and get them more engaged.”
New additions to the campus include comfortable seating spaces for students to do their homework or eat their lunch. It also includes new heating and electrical outlets for students to complete projects on their laptops or other devices.
“Sometimes, teachers let you work outside to complete your schoolwork. Now, it’s easier to work because there’s all these outlets to charge your laptop,” said Valentina Lopez, a student at Coronado High School.
Other additions to the decades-old campus include new classrooms equipped with Promethean boards, which are interactive monitors meant to engage and inspire students in the classroom. Also, upgrades to the athletic fields such as the football turf, baseball and softball fields, and tennis courts were added. These new inclusions will help students thrive outside of the classroom.
There were also renovations made to the plumbing system. Coronado was built in 1962, and with age comes issues. Administrators say the new Building B has an improved plumbing system that will help correct those problems. Other upgrades include improvements to the security at the campus, which administrators say is always being constantly updated to help make sure students are safe in the classroom from any potential threats.
Construction of Coronado’s bond projects began in 2019, though work was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other construction projects are still being completed on the campus. Staff say all projects should be completed in spring 2024.
