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WEATHERFORD — Though still early, it’s hard not to get excited about the facility taking shape just east of the Weatherford Ninth Grade Center.
WISD trustees Monday afternoon took a tour of the new automotive technology facility, part of the district’s Grizzard Regional Institute of Technology, to see the progress.
“We’re on schedule to still finish when we’ve promised, and we’re making good headway,” Lee Osborne, principal with the PBK architectural planning and design firm, told board members. “The renderings don’t do it justice. When you get inside, you’ll see the scale of this building which is, I think, a little bigger than we all imagined.”
Automotive technology is just one of four new pathways of technology, commonly referred to as P-TECH, through GRIT, which works in partnership with Weatherford College to help students earn a high school diploma, industry credential and/or an associate’s degree at no cost. Other fields of study offered this school year include cosmetology, cybersecurity and welding.
As trustees stepped inside Monday, Osborne gestured to the outer walls of the huge facility, including eight motorized overhead doors, which have been installed to allow for cars to be pulled in or out.
Special bay doors will be at the back of the building as well to allow for bigger equipment to be brought in.
“We’ve got this exhausted so you can have vehicles running in here, and it will be exhausted out the [end wall],” Osborne said. “Each bay will connect to it, so you’re getting all the fumes out of this space.”
The facility, with exception to the teacher’s office and restrooms up front, is not air-conditioned, but will be heated.
“There’s also full circulation around the building for vehicles, and places on the end to park them outside if they’ve got cars they haven’t worked on,” Osborne said, adding that the shop perimeter will be secured via fence.
An air compressor will be placed on a mezzanine above the office, with drop downs to each bay.
Near each door, Osborne noted they’ve left spots of plywood without insulation, to allow for the hanging of any tools or other items. If an issue arises, the plywood can be pulled down and replaced with another, creating easy maintenance.
Teinert Construction contractors said the goal for the Christmas/New Year’s break is to have everything dried in.
Trustees praised the progress, including the size of the facility, in building for the future now.
That future is incredibly bright, not only with state-of-the-art facilities but a tremendous interest from middle-schoolers looking to join GRIT their freshman year.
GRIT Principal Trista Stueart reported more than 100 applicants the first day (Dec. 1) applications were opened for the next school year to now roughly 250 students. And that doesn’t include students from Tison and Hall that Stueart had plans to visit and talk with this week.
“This is all student-driven … these are courses they want to take,” Rees said. “For the board to see that vision and put your money where the kids need, this is hopefully just the beginning of what this looks like.”
The 2024-25 school year will include an additional two pathways, in health science and education/training.
GRIT is designed to serve ninth grade students within WISD and surrounding schools, who have the determination to attend college and earn an industry certification.
Interested eighth grade students who will be freshmen next year can apply for the upcoming school year by contacting Stueart at 817-598-2847 ext. 3760 or emailing [email protected]. Applications can also be found at weatherfordisd.com by selecting Grizzard Regional Institute of Technology from the Quicklinks dropdown menu.
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