Education Focus - Round Rock ISD | August 2008

Education Focus - Round Rock ISD | August 2008

Friday, 15 August 2008

Editor’s note: Although the majority of students in the Leander and Cedar Park area attend Leander Independent School District, a portion of the expanding Avery Ranch and Walsh Trails subdivisions are in the Round Rock school district.

Board considers 2008 bond election

In June, the 2008 Citizens’ Bond Committee presented a final report to the school board assessing the need for a future bond. The committee recommended $293 million in projects, including three new schools and land purchases for future schools.

Catherine Hanna, co-chair of the Citizens’ Bond Committee, said the committee’s recommendations mostly address crowding in the district.

“This district is still growing by leaps and bounds, and we’ve got some elementary schools that are still crowded and projected to be crowded as far as 2012.”

The committee recommended an estimated $88 million for the construction of three new elementary schools — one in Stone Oaks subdivision, one in the central Parmer corridor and another near Paloma Lake. In addition, the committee recommended land purchases for two more elementary schools, one middle school, a traditional high school and an alternative school of choice.

The school board will have until the end of August to decide if a bond election will be necessary for November.

Round Rock adopts $311 million budget for 2008-2009 fiscal year

The Round Rock ISD operating budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, which began in July, is 3.5 percent higher than last year’s. The $311 million budget includes an increase of $740,300 for fuel costs, up 30 percent from 2007.

Approximately $4.7 million has been allocated for new staff, including 46 teachers, 12 campus administrative and clerical positions and 25 potential additional employees.

Other costs include a $1,500 pay increase for teachers, librarians, counselors and nurses and a 3 percent pay raise for all other employees.

New campuses get ready for first day of class

The number of students in the Round Rock ISD has increased by nearly 21 percent over the past five years, and annual growth of 3.5 percent is expected. In 2006, voters approved a $267 million bond package to address, among other things, the district’s growing student population.

Walsh Middle School and Callison, Sommer and Teravista elementary schools will be ready for students when classes begin later this month. Cedar Ridge High School will not be ready until the 2010-2111 school year.

• Callison Elementary School
  • In 1957, Neysa Callison beat out eight male candidates to become the first woman elected to the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees. The school named in her honor will have 95,000 sq. ft. and an expected enrollment of 870.
• Walsh Middle School
  • The school is named after longtime Round Rock resident James Garland Walsh, whose family owned the land where the school and nearby Walsh Ranch subdivision are now located along Sam Bass Road. Walsh Middle School is 175,000 sq. ft. and has an expected enrollment of 800 students.
• Cedar Ridge High School
  • Round Rock ISD broke ground on its newest school located off Gattis School Road in May. Cedar Ridge High School, the district’s fifth high school, is scheduled to open in Fall 2010 with an expected enrollment of 1,200 to 1,800. The $83.9 million facility will be approximately 375,000 sq. ft. and will be able to house as many as 3,000 students when filled to capacity.
• Sommer Elementary School
  • Named after Patsy Sommer, who served as RRISD assistant superintendent for elementary operations, the school is 95,000 sq. ft. and has an expected enrollment of 619 students. A ribbon-cutting took place at the school Aug. 11 from 5-7 p.m.
• Teravista Elementary School
  • Near IH 35 and University Boulevard, Teravista Elementary is named for the master-planned community within which it is located. The 103,000 sq. ft. school has an expected enrollment of 571 students.