22 Feb 2010
Ebby Halliday Elementary School Set to Open Fall of 2011
DALLAS—Dallas ISD students, administrators and elected officials celebrated the construction of the new Ebby Halliday Elementary School recently at a groundbreaking ceremony.
Located in southeast Dallas, Ebby Halliday Elementary School will welcome its first students in 2011. The elementary school, located at 10210 Teagarden Rd., is one of 14 new schools beginning construction in the next three years as part of the Dallas ISD 2008 Bond Program. The $1.35 billion bond program also will fund the addition of 177 new classrooms to 12 existing schools.
"Today, we began the first phase of construction of a new school that will expand our ability to educate and prepare students for the future," said Dallas ISD Superintendent of Schools Michael Hinojosa. "In the fall of 2011, I hope you will join me in opening the doors of Ebby Halliday Elementary School and welcoming its first class of students."
Designed to accommodate 810 students from the Nancy Moseley and Richard Lagow elementary school attendance zones, Ebby Halliday Elementary School will be a two-story 96,196-square-foot facility on 8.9 acres. In addition to standard academic and special education classrooms, the new school will include science labs, computer labs and a media center, space for performing and visual arts, a gymnasium, a multipurpose room, and outdoor playfield and playgrounds. It will serve students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade and will have a total of 43 classrooms.
Dallas ISD students entertained trustees, city officials and other guests who attended the ceremony. Superintendent Hinojosa summarized the progress of the 2008 Bond Program. District 4 Trustee Nancy Bingham and Dallas City Councilman Tennell Atkins welcomed the new school and spoke of how it will support and stimulate further growth in the southeastern sector.
The school is named to honor Ebby Halliday, a feminist pioneer and Dallas business leader who owns one of the largest, independently operated real estate companies in Texas. Halliday, who spoke at the celebration, expressed her thanks for the honor and best wishes for the students who will attend the new school.
"I am deeply honored by this grand gesture and accept it with gratitude," said Halliday. "Growing up on a farm taught me the importance of hard work and provided me with a strong work ethic, but a good education is the foundation upon which to build a livelihood. It has been a big part of our company's 65 years of service to support programs that benefit children and education. I am humbled to have my name associated with a school touching many young minds well into the future."
In May 2008, Dallas voters strongly supported a $1.35 billion bond program, paving the way for the district to build eight elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools, and construct 177 new classrooms on 12 existing campuses. In addition, the bond program will provide roughly $521 million to renovate more than 200 schools, add 19 science labs at secondary schools and updates to 16 school kitchens and 22 lunchrooms. Information on the allocation of bond funds can be found at www.dallasisd.org/bond2008.