EDUCATION BRIEFS
News from Eanes, Lake Travis & Leander ISDs
QUOTE OF NOTE
Voters approve LISD’s $762.8M bond LEANDER ISD Voters who live in the district in both Travis and $328.41 million for modernization and repurposing projects; $193.53 million for new facilities; and $49.13 million for designs of future con- struction and remodeling projects. BY GRANT CRAWFORD
HIGHLIGHTS EANES ISD Diane Hern was elected May 6 to the Eanes ISD board of trustees Place 3 position, according to nal voting tallies. Hern received 50.56% of the vote, or 2,732 votes. Chandler Hatchett received 47.15% of the vote, or 2,548 votes. Robert Morrow received 2.29% of the vote, or 124 votes. LEANDER ISD O cials held a groundbreaking ceremony April 28 to celebrate the start of construction on Elementary School No. 30. Located near Devine Lake Park close to the Bagdad Road and San Gabriel Parkway intersection, ES No. 30 is intended to address LISD’s quickly growing district—which is all taking place in the northern portion. ES No. 30 will have the capacity to hold 800 students, which will tackle issues of overcrowding in nearby schools, district o cials said. EANES ISD Trustees unanimously adopted their 2023-24 District Improvement Plan, which outlines the district’s priorities Eanes ISD board of trustees will meet May 23 and June 20 at 7 p.m. at 601 Camp Craft Road, West Lake Hills. www.eanesisd.net Lake Travis ISD board of trustees will meet June 21 at 6 p.m. at 607 RM 620, Lakeway. www.ltisdschools.org Leander ISD board of trustees will meet May 25 and June 8 and 15 at 6:15 p.m. at 300 W. South Drive, Leander. www.leanderisd.org MEETINGS WE COVER for the upcoming school year, at a meeting May 9. “I AM ALL IN ON 10 POLICE OFFICERS . I DON’T THINK WE HAVE A CHOICE. OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT HAS COMPELLED US TO SEEK OPTIONS … THE ONLY OPTION IS TO GO IT ALONE.” JOHN HAVENSTRITE, EANES ISD BOARD PRESIDENT ON CREATING A DISTRICT POLICE DEPARTMENT NUMBER TO KNOW Total amount of the Eanes ISD bond package approved May 6 $131.43M
ELECTION RESULTS Eanes ISD voters approved three propositions May 6. Proposition A passed at 76.82% Proposition B passed at 64.32% Proposition C passed at 74.27%
Williamson counties approved three propositions totaling $762.8 million to fund new facilities, vehicles and technology. Proposition A, which includes $698.33 million in funding for facilities, school buses and vehicles, received 62.04% of the votes. Propo- sition B was supported by 64.43% of voters, while Proposition C received 60.52% of votes in favor. Superintendent Bruce Gearing said while there was a small voter turnout with about 15,000 votes cast for or against each measure, the results re ect the trust the community has in the district. “I’m just very relieved that we can go forward as a fast-growth district and be able to plan for the growth that’s coming to our district, and also ensure that the facilities that our current students deserve are put into place,” he said. The big picture Proposition A will fund 52 school facilities, transportation and infrastructure projects, including
Proposition B includes $50.82 million for eight projects related to technology equipment, such as $18 million for interactive panel installations and $7.86 million for new devices for students and sta . Proposition C allocates $13.67 million for renovations to the Don Tew Performing Arts Center and the South Performing Arts Center. The context District o cials originally pro- posed to repurpose three elementary schools and the Leander Extended Opportunity Center to address uneven growth. However, they changed their approach and will instead reorganize the long-range planning committee to evaluate how the district will spend dollars meant for repurposing facilities. Gearing said the ballot language for the bond election gives the district exibility for how it spends funding received through the propositions.
SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Eanes ISD bond to fund district improvements
BY APRIL KELLEY
EANES ISD All three Eanes ISD bond propositions have been approved, according to nal voting tallies. Proposition A received 76.82% of the vote, or 4,243 votes. Proposition B received 64.32% of the vote, or 3,541 votes. Proposition C received 74.27% of the vote, or 4,091 votes. Proposition A, totaling $117.77 million, will target safety and secu- rity upgrades, physical repairs, and refurbishments at every campus. Funds for Proposition B, totaling $2.41 million, will be used for repairs at Chaparral Stadium, including track surface replacement and pole lighting replacements. Proposition C funds, totaling $11.25 million, will be used for replacing student and sta digital devices as well as labs, classrooms and o ces.
LEANDER ISD BOND PROPOSITIONS Voters approved the three Leander ISD bond propositions May 6.
PROPOSITION A
PROPOSITION B
PROPOSITION C
$698.33 million in funding for facilities, school buses and vehicles
$50.82 million projects related to technology equipment
$13.67 million for renovations at two performing arts centers
SOURCE: LEANDER ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
LTISD begins negotiations for possible elementary school site
BY APRIL KELLEY
for district use. One site is approxi- mately 7.967 acres, and the other is approximately 14.62 acres. The sites are anticipated to be used to build a new elementary school, district o cials said. The background After the city of Lakeway denied a development agreement with LTISD for the construction of Elementary School No. 8, the district had to
rezone elementary campuses for the 2023-24 school year to deal with overcrowding issues. Trustees ultimately decided to rezone portions of Rough Hollow Ele- mentary to Serene Hills Elementary and West Cypress Hills Elementary. Trustees said this is merely a short-term solution, and the need for a site for the construction of a new elementary school is still a top priority for the district.
LAKE TRAVIS ISD District o cials will begin negotiations for the purchase of several acres of land for a possible elementary school site after the board of trustees approved the items at a meeting April 19. In a nutshell The district intends to begin negotiations with landowners at two sites near Hamilton Pool Road
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LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION • MAY 2023
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