Nicholas Phillips wants to showcase the investment Nederland taxpayers have made.
“It’s their school,” the Nederland ISD Board of Trustees president says. “They need to come and see how great it looks. It’s the first new educational building that we have built since 1971. Go see all the hard work that has been put in by everybody in the school district who invested time, sweat and tears getting it to where it is.”
Sitting at approximately 284,000 square feet, the two-story facility projects design elements of neoclassical architecture and state-of-the-art technology to serve students in this generation and those to follow.
H.B. Neild Construction signed on in January of 2020 as the Nederland ISD construction manager, responsible for leading new builds, reconstruction and renovation efforts at all district campuses and the football stadium.
The $155.6 million school bond effort culminated this November with a community open house at Nederland High School, which opened for the 2024-25 academic year, replacing a 50-year-old campus.
“Public schools are the heartbeat of a community,” Phillips said. “If you don’t have a great public school, your community is not going to thrive. Nederland has a great public school system, so the city is going to thrive.”
The school board leader cited an enthusiastic teacher response at the high school, where across-the-board expanded classroom sizes allow educators to interact with students in greater ways.
“The technology in the classroom is up-to-date,” he said. “Having that new space is like moving into a new home and getting to experience all the bells and whistles.”
During an April 2021 construction groundbreaking, Superintendent Dr. Stuart Kieschnick said educators are here to raise young children who come through their doors at age 3 or 4 and walk out at age 18 or 19 by molding, inspiring and shaping them into solid, educated and moral citizens.
He wants students to become difference makers, adding that is only accomplished with backbone and education. He feels the new high school and all it offers carries the Bulldog tradition through the 21st century.
The professionals at H.B. Neild Construction oversaw a wide-ranging team that included 70 subcontractors and vendors, and at least 250 craftsmen.
The high school includes a largescale Career and Technical Education wing with expanded offerings for everything from welding to nursing.
The other side of the building includes a two-court basketball gymnasium that is easily partitioned to hold separate events at the same time.
In between is a café-style cafeteria with individual bays for grab-and-go foods, pizza, hamburgers, hot meals and more.
Neches Federal Credit Union has a branch location just off the cafeteria, conveniently located for hands-on education and working opportunities.
The commercial grade culinary kitchen and classroom serves a growing department with more than 120 students.
The main entrance is welcoming and stretches two-stories in the air with an airy and inviting library looking over it, creating an almost college level-experience for local students.
Those enjoying the amenities are happy to share their initial impressions.
Juliana Borel, an 11th grader, called it a brand-new experience.
“It’s really cool to see a new building,” she said. “I really like the layout of it and how easy it is to find your classes and get around.”
Fellow junior OIivia Nail said the new school makes the high school experience more real.
“I really like the school in general,” she said. “It’s new, and all the people make it better. The first two days I was just trying to learn (my way around), but the teachers and signs made it a lot easier.”
Haven Fontanille, also in 11th grade, said the spacious campus created a whole new world.
“It is more technology heavy,” she said. “The cafeteria is humongous and beautiful. It is more modern. It has all been pretty easy to navigate around.”