Canutillo Elementary celebrates start of $9.5 million bond renovations

Community leaders, families and students gathered Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the groundbreaking of $9.5 million in renovations at Canutillo Elementary School, a project funded through the historic Canutillo Bond 2024.

The event marked the official start of construction that will bring new safety, technology and facility upgrades to the district’s oldest elementary school. The improvements are part of a $387 million bond package approved by voters in May 2024, the largest per-capita school bond in El Paso County history.

Interim Superintendent Jesica Arellano called the day a proud milestone for the district.

“This is a proud day for Canutillo ISD,” Arellano said. “In May of 2024, our community made history by passing the largest per-capita school bond ever approved in El Paso County. The $387 million Canutillo Bond is a catalyst for progress that will touch every single campus in our district.”

Renovations at Canutillo Elementary will include new entry vestibules designed to control campus access, advanced security cameras, modernized communication systems, a new fire alarm and badge-controlled door access. The project will also bring new HVAC units, roofing and flooring along with fresh exterior paint.

Arellano said the bond program is about more than construction.

“It’s not just about bricks and mortar,” she said. “It’s about peace of mind for parents, pride for our communities and confidence for our teachers and staff. When students walk into a modern, safe, welcoming school, it sends them a powerful message: you matter, your education matters and your future matters.”

District officials estimate the Canutillo Elementary renovations will be completed within a year. The work is being managed by PROCEDEO with GA Architecture as the architect and Banes General Contractors as the builder.

Board President Armando Rodriguez said the ceremony symbolized the board’s commitment to transparency and accountability as construction projects unfold across the district.

“As your Board of Trustees, we carry a responsibility that is both exciting and humbling,” Rodriguez said. “The community entrusted us with $387 million to improve our schools. That level of trust comes with accountability.”

Rodriguez told the crowd that trustees recognize the community is watching closely as the bond projects progress.

“Every decision, every contract, every timeline is under scrutiny and we welcome that,” he said. “Transparency, communication and engagement are the guiding principles of this bond program. From design to construction, from dollars spent to deadlines met, we are committed to honoring the promise made to our children.”

For Canutillo Elementary Principal Andrea Esparza, the renovations represent relief for teachers and students who have worked for years in facilities showing their age. She said the upgrades will make an immediate difference.

“These renovations are not abstract. They are real, they are urgent and they will change the daily experience of our students and teachers,” Esparza said. “For years, our staff has worked tirelessly to ensure students learn even when the conditions weren’t ideal. When it rained, we dealt with roof leaks. When HVAC systems struggled, we improvised to keep classrooms bearable. Yet our teachers kept teaching and our students kept learning.”

Esparza said the new systems and repairs will remove obstacles that have long challenged the campus.

“With this bond, those obstacles will finally be removed,” she said. “These aren’t just upgrades. They are transformations that will allow our students to learn in an environment that is safe, modern and worthy of their potential.”

Students played a special role in the ceremony, wearing hard hats and vests as they used toy sledgehammers to break through a paper-mâché wall. The symbolic act represented tearing down the barriers of the past such as leaky roofs and outdated systems while ushering in a new chapter for the school.

The Canutillo Bond 2024 program covers projects across the district including the construction of new campuses for Davenport Elementary, Alderete Middle and Canutillo Middle as well as the first permanent building for Northwest Early College. In addition, the remaining six campuses in the district including Canutillo Elementary will undergo significant upgrades.

Arellano told families gathered that the district is grateful for their trust and support as work begins.

“On behalf of the district, thank you for believing in us and for helping us transform tomorrow together,” she said.

Wednesday’s groundbreaking was the fifth under the bond program with more ceremonies scheduled in the coming months.

These aren’t just upgrades. They are transformations that will allow our students to learn in an environment that is safe, modern and worthy of their potential.Andrea Esparza Canutillo Elementary Principal