LISD contracts property for three new campuses

LISD contracts property for three new campuses

Written by Staff Thursday, 07 September 2006

Leander ISD signed contracts for two pieces of property for future schools in the south end of the 200-square mile district. The two land parcels will be home to three future LISD campuses.

Nearly 112 acres of the Ribelin Ranch tract off FM 2222, south of 3M was purchased for $25 million. The tract will be home to a future high school and middle school. Funds for the property were included in Proposition 1 of the May 2006 school construction bond package in response to bond committee recommendations that the district become more aggressive in purchasing land for future school needs.

The district also contracted to buy 41 acres of SASOL North America property off RR 620 near Grandview Hills. The property includes a 100,000 sq. ft. building, which will be repurposed to become LISD Elementary #19. The site will likely also host an undetermined future support facility.

Leander ISD elementaries #18 (located in the River Place subdivision) and #19 will open for the 2007– 08 school year. Dates for the future high school and middle school are not set, and the district does not as of yet have funds for the construction of a fifth high school.

#18 and #19 Elementary Schools - open for 2007-08 school year.

Property for future high school and middle school purchased with funds included in May 2006 school construction bond package.

Betsy Gonzales named ‘Teacher of the Year’ by history institute

Cedar Park Middle School hosted a special ceremony honoring Betsy Gonzales, an eighth grade Social Studies teacher, Aug. 30. Gonzales was named 2006 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year for Texas by Preserve America and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American history.

Dan Gattis, Texas Representative; Tom Glenn, Leander ISD superintendent; Pat Hardy, State Board of Education member and Dr. Ned Moss, president of Texas Council for the Social Studies spoke on the commitment, enthusiasm and work ethic that Gonzales has shown in her 23 years of teaching in Leander.

Dr. Joe Ciccarelli, LISD curriculum facilitator told the audience that Gonzales was a lifelong learner and dedicated professional. Since earning her Master’s degree in 1988, Gonzales has participated in summer workshops, which include being one of 60 teachers chosen from across the country for the Supreme Court Summer Institute in 2001. She has developed and implemented curriculum guides for American history for Leander and authored the “Who was George Washington” lesson for the Bill of Rights Institute.