New Schools - Round Rock

New Schools - Round Rock

Tuesday, 07 August 2007

In November 2006, Round Rock voters approved a $267.6 million bond package, which addressed the district’s increasing student population and other immediate needs.

More than half of the approved bond money will fund the building of five new schools.

Joylynn Occhiuzzi, RRISD spokesperson, said the district has three ways of addressing growth; adding new schools, portable buildings and redrawing school boundary lines. Many school sites have run out of room for portable buildings, she said.

“We are at capacity in a lot of our schools in different pockets of the district. In order to keep up with the demands, the district has to put new schools on the ground,” Occhiuzzi said.

The district is growing by 1,200 to 1,500 students per year.

Sommers Elementary - 16200 Avery Ranch Road, Austin

• Cost: $15,870,600
• Money from: Proposition two
• Opening: 2008-2009 school year
• Size: 95,000 sq. ft.
• Capacity: 900 students
• Expected enrollment: 650
• Grades: K-5
• Serving Students from: Davis Springs, Avery Ranch, Pearson Place, Ranch at Brushy Creek and Walsh Trails

Middle school at Walsh Ranch - 3850 Walsh Ranch Blvd., Round Rock

A name has not been selected. The public will be allowed to submit nominations.

• Cost: $ 29 million
• Money from: Proposition one
• Opening: 2008-2009 school year
• Size: 175,000 sq. ft.
• Capacity: 1,200 students
• Expected enrollment: 600-800
• Grades: 6-8
• Serving students from: The boundary committee has not met to determine boundaries for the secondary level for 2008-2009.

Fifth High School - 2901 Gattis School Road

A name has not been selected. The public will be allowed to submit nominations.

• Cost: $89 million
• Money from: Proposition one
• Opening: 2010-2011 school year
• Size: Not available
• Capacity: Not available
• Expected enrollment: Not yet determined
• Grades: 9-12, however the board of trustees will meet to determine if the school will open with ninth and tenth graders, or include eleventh grade during the first year.
• Serving students from: The boundary committee has not met to determine boundaries for the secondary level.

Elementary at Teravista - 4419 Teravista Club Drive, Round Rock

A name has not been selected. The public will be allowed to submit nominations.

• Cost: $15.1 million
• Money from: Proposition three for construction, proposition two for design.
• Opening: 2008-2009 school year
• Size: 103,000 sq. ft.
• Capacity: 900 students
• Expected enrollment: 650
• Features: Wireless campus
• Grades: K-5
• Serving students from: Teravista and Teravista Apartments and Paloma Lakes, a new development.

Elementary at Turtle Creek - 1750 Thompson Trail, Round Rock

A name has not been selected. The public will be allowed to submit nominations.

• Cost: $18.2 Million
• Money from: Proposition two
• Opening: 2008-2009 school year
• Size: 95,000 sq. ft.
• Capacity: 900 Students
• Expected enrollment: 800
• Features: Wireless campus
• Grades: K-5
• Serving students from: Louis Henna Town Homes, South Creek, Colonial Village at South Creek, Red Hill Villas, Remington Heights, Stonehaven Apartments, The Mansions, Turtle Creek, Windy Park and Warner Ranch Apartments

Demographic differences

Round Rock’s student demographics are changing, but that change is not always reflected in the teaching staff, according to RRISD spokesperson Joylynn Occhuizzi. While around 23 percent of RRISD students are Hispanic, only eight percent of teachers fall in that category. That is something the school district would like to change, she said, so during recruitment time, especially during the spring semester, recruiting efforts throughout the state focused on a diverse group of universities. While the district is concerned with hiring a diverse selection of teachers, choosing quality educators is top priority, she said.

Students by Ethnicity
	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000	1999	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994
African American	10.3%	9.7%	9.6%	9.0%	8.5%	7.8%	7.5%	7.2%	6.8%	6.3%	5.9%	5.9%	5.8%
Hispanic	23.4%	22.5%	21.1%	20.3%	18.8%	17.8%	16.8.%	16.0%	15.2%	15.2%	14.3%	14.1%	13.6%
Caucasian	56.1%	58.3%	60.4%	62.2%	64.8%	67.2%	69.2%	71.0%	72.3%	73.3%	75.1%	75.9%	76.8%
Native American	0.4%	0.4%	0.4%	0.3%	0.4%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.2%	-
Asian/Pacific Islander	9.7%	9.1%	8.5%	8.2%	7.6%	6.8%	6.2%	5.6%	5.3%	4.9%	4.4%	3.9%	-

Teachers by Ethnicity 2005 - 2006
	Count	Percent
African American	58.3	2.3%
Hispanic	202.9	8.0%
Caucasian	2,232.1	88.4%
Native American	5.0	0.2%
Asian/Pacific Islander	28.0	1.1%