During its October 22 meeting, the SCUC ISD Community Advisory Committee toured Samuel Clemens High School to examine how investments from the 2016 Bond strengthened CTE and Fine Arts while identifying ongoing needs in safety, athletics, and capacity as part of its preparation for future bond recommendations.
Samuel Clemens High School served as the focal point of the fourth meeting of the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD (SCUC ISD) Community Advisory Committee (CAC) on October 22, as members continued their in-depth review of district facility needs. The visit built on momentum from the first three meetings and will provide a point of comparison when the committee tours Byron P. Steele High School on November 12.
The meeting opened with a discussion focused on strengthening safety and security across Clemens High School and the district as a whole. Ideas discussed included replacing chain-link fencing along public-facing areas to make campuses more difficult to access, exploring the use of master keys to open every door in the district, and reconfiguring parking areas to better control building access.
The campus tour highlighted the lasting impact of the 2016 Bond, particularly in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Fine Arts. Amy Massey, SCUC ISD Director of Career and Technical Education, showcased the Culinary Arts program’s more than 5,000-square-foot commercial-grade kitchen, which has been in use since 2018.
“When they did the bond, they did this space right,” Massey said. “They can actually run two and three classes stacked in here.” She noted the inequity between campuses, adding that Steele High School has a single cooking space compared to five at Clemens.
Other CTE highlights included the J-wing, also part of the 2016 Bond, which houses most of the other programs, including Agriculture, Floral Design, Woodworking, Small Animal Vet Med, STEM/Robotics and a greenhouse fifty yards behind the building.
“It’s very informative,” said Kimberly Steindorf, CAC member. “It’s interesting to see the differences of other schools and it’s great to see we are ahead in certain areas.”
Fine Arts facilities also benefited significantly from the 2016 Bond. The Performing Arts Center (PAC), modern choir rooms, and expanded storage space have supported continued growth in the Clemens Fine Arts program. Beth Bronk, Director of the SCUC ISD Fine Arts Department, described the PAC as a dramatic improvement over the former auditorium.
Another standout improvement is Clemens’ dedicated orchestra space, the only one of its kind in the district. Bronk noted that similar modern features are not available at Steele High School, a disparity CAC members will observe during their November campus visit.
While CTE and Fine Arts spaces reflect strong returns on the 2016 Bond investment, Clemens’ athletic facilities—and those across the district—have lagged behind. Scott Lehnhoff, SCUC ISD Athletic Director, led the committee on a tour of the stadium, pointing out aging infrastructure, limited concession space, and facilities that fall short of regional standards.
Concessions located beneath the bleachers create congestion during events, compounded by nearby restrooms.
“It’s a mosh pit under here,” Lehnhoff said.
The stadium seats fewer than 6,000 spectators, which can be insufficient for large 6A games and occasionally requires temporary seating around the track. The light poles, installed in 1966, are another concern, as they lack capacity for modern LED lighting.
Lehnhoff also guided members through the weight room and locker rooms, many of which still contain equipment from the late 1990s, when he was a student-athlete at Clemens. Limited space makes it difficult for athletes to train efficiently.
“You need to lift five times a week during the offseason,” he said. “To be efficient, you need fewer than five kids per group. You’re just not working fast enough to train at the level you need to.”
The varsity locker room still has original concrete ceilings, contributing to humidity and mold concerns in the confined space.
“We were at risk of having seniors not in the varsity locker room,” Lehnhoff said. “That’s a sad situation for us.”
Melva Rivera Perez, a CAC member and leader of the Clemens All-Sports Boosters, emphasized the need to prioritize students.
“I think the priority should be our kids and providing them with the facilities that they need,” Perez said. “Provide the schools the money to make the facilities bigger so they can accommodate more kids instead of cutting sports because they can’t.”
As the CAC continues its work, members are weighing how to build upon the successes of the 2016 Bond—which also funded Rose Garden Elementary School—while addressing remaining gaps across the district.
“You see the overall look of things and feel like we’re behind,” said Steindorf. “We need to bring our kids up - they deserve this.”
Learn more about the Community Advisory Committee and view the presentation from the October 22 meeting below.
October 22, 2025 Presentation
Community Advisory Committee Page