San Marcos - Buda - Kyle Edition | February 2023

EDUCATION BRIEFS

News from Hays & San Marcos CISDs

COMPILED BY ZARA FLORES

QUOTE OF NOTE

Fentanyl continues to claim Hays CISD student lives

“WE AS A DISTRICT HAVE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON COVID19 LOSE ANYBODY TO COVID19, BUT WE HAVE LOST STUDENTS TO FENTANYL.” PROTECTIONS, ... AND WE DID NOT

HAYS CISD OnJan. 3, two days before the start of the spring semester, a 14-year-old student was found uncon- scious in her San Marcos home. Lifesaving measures were performed but were unsuccessful. While toxicology reports are still pending, an accidental fentanyl overdose is sus- pected, according to city of San Marcos ocials. If conrmed, she will be the fth and youngest student from Hays CISD to die from a fentanyl overdose in the past six months, though the district has not released the student’s name, only her age. Another student’s name and age were not conrmed by the district. There were also three additional suspected fentanyl overdoses that occurred during winter break in students as young as seventh grade. All three students survived. On the heels of the most recent report, Janel Rodriguez has made a statement to the community with a billboard in Kyle that features students who have fallen victim to the deadly opioid, including her own son, Noah. Noah Rodriguez died in August 2021, just days into his sophomore year at Johnson High School. In the days following Noah Rodriguez’s death and memorial service, friends and fellow peers continued to suer from overdoses, Janel Rodriguez said, which sparked the idea for the billboard.

TIM SAVOY, HAYS CISD CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER

The billboard is located in Kyle o Exit 217 going northbound on I35. COURTESY JANEL RODRIGUEZ

HIGHLIGHTS SAN MARCOS CISD The board of trustees approved a resolution Jan. 17 to begin the process of becoming a District of Innovation. From adoption, the board has 30 days to hold a public hearing and create a committee that will pursue the District of Innovation initiatives, which include exemptions for penalties for students who miss class due to extracurricular or academic activities, and exemptions that will allow students more exibility in visiting colleges. SAN MARCOS CISD The board of trustees approved a $7 million contract for the construction of a new administration building. Hays CISD Meets Feb. 21 and March 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Historic Buda Elementary Campus, 300 San Marcos St., Buda. 512-268-2141 • www.hayscisd.net San Marcos CISD Meets Feb. 21 and March 6 at 6 p.m. at San Marcos High School, 2601 Rattler Road, San Marcos. 512-393-6700 • www.smcisd.net MEETINGS WE COVER

The billboard went up Jan. 8 and will be on display at least until April 8. It features three smiling faces: 15-year-old Noah Rodriguez, 17-year-old Kevin McConville and 15-year- old Garrett Garcia. Next to their faces, the billboard reads, “Fentanyl steals your friends.” There is also a website listed: www.forever15project.org, also started by Janel Rodriguez. The hope with the Forever15 Project is to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and provide resources. Janel Rodriguez has started a GoFundMe page to raise money to extend the time the billboard will be up.

$57M Hays CISD central oce project underway

HAYS CISD TheKyle Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional-use permit Jan. 27 for the construction of the Hays CISD Academic Support Center, which will be located next to the central oce at 21003 I-35, Kyle. The central oce building will be renovated to allow for further growth. Other buildings at the site will be demolished as they are in bad shape. The new facility will be home to the superintendent, communications and security, curriculum and instruction,

human resources, and technology support. Other improvements will include new parking lots, bus storage, sidewalks and more. Construction will be split into two phases with the majority of preparation work in the rst. The second phase will see the removal of six existing buildings. The district is in the process of removing portable buildings and fencing the construc- tion area for work to follow. The $57 million project is funded through the 2022 bond and is expected to be completed in spring 2024.

Construction to commence The new academic support center will replace buildings at the existing Hays CISD Central Administration site.

SOURCE: CITY OF KYLE, HAYS CISD COMMUNITY IMPACT

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