• The Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees and district leadership have announced plans to retire Bray Elementary School. The campus will no longer serve scholars or staff effective May 26, 2023.

     

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    Bray Elementary School is more than a landmark, it represents an idea from years ago that sparked development, innovation, growth and education in our community.

     

    The district’s decline in enrollment, failed bond elections and lack of funding to respond to the critical facility needs has led to the decision to retire the building from service. Unfortunately, the building does not provide our scholars and staff with a safe school environment that meets the needs of learning or teaching in the 21st century.

How We Got Here

  • Bray Elementary is dedicated to Floy Bray, who was a first grade elementary teacher in Cedar Hill for over fifty years. Cedar Hill School, as it was known then, was built around 1901, and was a large brick two-story building with massive white columns in front. The gym was constructed in 1936, and when the brick two-story school was demolished in the early 1950's, the current first grade wing was built. The school then added additional wings in 1948, 1952, 1972, 1988 and 1998.

    • Three single-story buildings and four portable buildings that are more than 20 years old.

    • Most security cameras are not digital and the server is beyond the end of life.

    • All mechanical systems are past their useful lives.

    • The roofs are in poor condition.

    • Scholars & staff must walk outside to enter adjacent buildings.

    • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance issues throughout the building.

Where We Go From Here

  • Based on the current capacity of CHISD elementary schools, there are campuses within five miles of Bray that have the space to absorb some of the students projected to attend Bray next school year (231 students). 

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    CHISD is working with Zonda Education, a trusted demographics and planning company, to re-zone the Bray attendance boundary and assign new home elementary campuses for Bray students. Zonda Education is expected to present to the CHISD Board of Trustees on March 6, with a final Board vote on the new attendance boundary expected on March 20.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO CURRENT BRAY STAFF?

  • The CHISD Human Resources Department will meet with current Bray staff individually and finalize placement at another campus within CHISD by April 14. There is a place in Cedar Hill ISD for any current Bray employee who wishes to stay in the district.