CITY & SCHOOLS
News from Plano, Plano ISD & Collin County
City looking to apply for gondola system
District begins process that will align mascots, colors across grades 912
BY TERI WEBSTER
oors, updating signs and rede- signing high schools so they match senior highs. Funding will be provided through existing annual budgets and projects approved under the November 2022 bond election. The new alignment will be as follows: UNIFYING MASCOTS Wildcats (maroon and white) • Plano Senior High School (11-12) • Clark High School (9-10) • Vines High School (9-10) Panthers (black and gold) • Plano East Senior High School (11-12) • McMillen High School (9-10) • Williams High School (9-10) Wolves (blue, white and black) • Plano West Senior High School (11-12) • Jasper High School (9-10) • Shepton High School (9-10)
PLANO ISD The school district will begin unifying mascots and colors across grades 9-12 starting in the fall. “Starting this fall, all 9-10 campuses are going to be vertically aligned with their senior-high counterparts,” Plano ISD Superin- tendent Theresa Williams said in a video presentation. “That means that we’re unifying our mascots, our colors and celebrating together as wildcats, panthers and wolves.” The change is partly intended to increase student engagement, student participation and create a greater sense of school pride and belonging, Williams said. Uniforms will be aligned starting in the 2023-24 school year, and facility changes will be made in phases. Changes to facilities are expected to include repainting the gym
BY TERI WEBSTER
PLANO The city is looking to move forward with an application that could bring it a gondola public transportation system. Plano City Council opted to move forward with the application for the system developed by Swyft Cities during its March 21 meeting. The appli- cation is part of a program by the North Central Texas Council of Governments that reviews emerging technologies designed to ease trac congestion. In turn, companies that are approved for the program can solicit interest from local governments. At this point, the plan is under study, but city sta will devote time to conduct a feasibility study for the gondolas, Plano Transportation Engi- neering Manager Brian Shewski said.
Plano is considering a gondola system.
RENDERING COURTESY SWYFT CITIES
Shewski said the city is considering a 2-mile area for a starter program that would include a loop around Legacy West and Legacy Town Center North. If the project moves forward, Swyft Cities’ gondolas would be part of a fee-based aerial transit system that runs on a cable system. “I’m absolutely in favor of this,” Council Member Anthony Ricciardelli said. “I think that’s a great deal to get in on the front of something that, if it does work out, could really help trac in the city.”
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