SAN ANTONIO – Burbank High School got quite a facelift for the new school year.
“Oh it’s fancy,” Nevaeh Hernandez, a Burbank High School senior said about the upgraded digs.
Nevaeh has a connection to Burbank.. Not only did she spend her first three years of high school at the old building, but her mom and most of her family also attended school there.
So to have a brand new building with all the bells and whistles of design and technology, Nevaeh said its an amazing way to spend her senior year.
“I’m excited, it’s a new start,” she said.
The new three-story main school building with over 211,000 square feet is a big upgrade to the campus. It’s part of a 2016 SAISD bond and cost $78 million dollars to build.
From a skywalk to big open windows, Burbank High School Principal Irene Talamantes said it’s design allows for open concept classrooms and work spaces in the hallways along with smart technology available at every corner.
“We have a lot of seating in certain areas where students can sit down and charge their Chromebooks in front of a smart board and work together,” Talamantes said. “Teachers are going to be able to be very innovative in the way they teach.”
Kedrick Wright, deputy chief of operations for SAISD, has overseen the building and design of the new campus. He said it was built for and by the community.
“The community has been engaged and involved throughout, from alumni to existing students to community,” Wright said. “My favorite part is the fruition of dreams, hopes, aspirations for the entire Burbank community, that really came to fruition.”
Even though there are a lot of new updates and technology in the new building, one tradition remains. The original statue of Luther, the school mascot that has been there since 1970, still greets students as they walk into the school.