The rainy skies and cold winds may have forced the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new San Jacinto and Southmore intermediate schools indoors, but it did not dampen the excitement of the students and teachers that will occupy the new campuses.

With shovels in hand and a carted-in pile of dirt in a trough, principals, teachers, students, school board members and other dignitaries, turned the ceremonial soil at two special ceremonies for the two new schools.

“These buildings will be more than just bricks and mortar,” said Kirk Lewis, Pasadena ISD superintendent. “The learning that will occur inside the walls of these campuses is what will make these schools come to life.”

The new San Jacinto will be located at 3600 Red Bluff, directly behind The Summit, which is the district’s disciplinary alternative campus. Southmore’s new campus will take shape at 2000 Patricia Lane, near the intersection of Pasadena Boulevard and Strawberry.

Both projects were approved by voters as part of a district bond issue in November 2004. The current Southmore and San Jacinto campuses are both more than 50 years old. Southmore opened its doors to students in 1952, while San Jacinto opened in 1959.

Both campuses will be equipped with new technology that will enable teachers to provide innovative learning experiences for their students.

“It will be an exciting time for the students and teachers at these schools,” Lewis said. “We appreciate the support of the community and the investment they have made through the passage of the bond program that will make all of this possible. It is our job to continue to honor that investment and provide a quality environment for all kids to learn and succeed.”

When San Jacinto opened in 1959, it housed seventh through ninth grades that included an active vocational program. The school transitioned into an intermediate campus with sixth, seventh and eighth grades in the mid-1960s.

Students in first through ninth grades attended Southmore when it opened in 1952. Shortly thereafter, it became a junior high campus with grades 7-9. Southmore boasted the only swimming pool in the district and vocational programs. The school became an intermediate campus serving 6-8 grades in the 1960s.

“Throughout the history of these schools, the faces and curriculum has changed, but the focus on academic excellence has remained the same,” Lewis said. “With these groundbreakings, Pasadena ISD reiterates its belief that what is best for students comes first – new facilities to foster new ways of learning to guide our students into the 21st Century.”