UVALDE, Texas — The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation has received a private donation of more than $10 million for their new school that will replace Robb Elementary.
“Our main goal also is to do everything we can to help honor both the victims and the survivors of the tragedy at Robb Elementary," said Dolph Briscoe IV, president of the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation.
In a press conference on Tuesday, the foundation said they have received a $10 million donation from the donor. That same donor will also be donating a $5 million matching grant to the foundation. Every donation to the "Hope Blooms in Uvalde" campaign will be matched to the dollar.
The foundation has now raised more than 80 percent of the funds necessary to fund the school's completion. Raising the $5 million and receiving the $5 million matching grant would complete the foundation's fundraising.
The school, which broke ground in October, will feature state-of-the-art safety features and a special tree that honors the Robb Elementary victims.
“The State of Texas recently increased the level of safety and security for all schools and so this will meet or exceed all those issues. This school will be very safe, very secure and will be a model for all schools across the state," said Tim Miller, executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation. “There’ll be a large tree installed in the walkway between the outdoor courtyard and the library. And that tree signifies – will have two main branches – signifying the teachers who lost their lives and then branching off from those two large limbs will be 19 smaller limbs representing the children that lost their lives that day."
Uvalde CISD Superintendent Ashley Chohlis said the name of the new school could be decided on in the coming months.
“Our committee is meeting again in September and we hope to have a name for the committee presented for the board of trustees in October," Chohlis said.
The school is set to be located at 820 E Leona Rd., adjacent to Dalton Elementary School.
The construction is expected to be finished in Fall 2025.
The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation was created due to the tragedy of Robb Elementary School through gifts from H-E-B and the Butt family totaling $10 million.
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