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Leander Liberty Hill Edition VOLUME 2, ISSUE 8 DEC. 14, 2024 JAN. 21, 2025
Water quality in question Wastewater runo drives algal blooms in San Gabriel
Soon after, Bunnell led his rst complaint to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and he’s not the rst. The presence of algae has been traced back to high phosphorus lev- els found in the e uent, or treated wastewater, discharged from Liberty Hill’s wastewater plant. After years of ongoing litigation, the TCEQ is now requiring Liberty Hill to look at improving the plant.
BY ANNA MANESS
When Dave Bunnell bought his Georgetown home in 2017, he envisioned his seven grandchildren swimming, tubing and shing in the South Fork San Gabriel River behind his property for years to come. By spring 2018, Bunnell and his wife noticed algae had formed in the once-pristine river, which smelled like “rotting garbage” in the heat. “The algae was so thick, you could literally walk across the river,” Bunnell said.
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Georgetown homeowner Dave Bunnell picks up algae in the South Fork San Gabriel River, which ows behind his property.
ANNA MANESS COMMUNITY IMPACT
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Impacts: Daddy’s Chicken Shack opens third Texas location in Leander—read about the new restaurant’s menu (Page 6)
Community: Looking for senior living facilities in the Leander and Liberty Hill area? Learn more about local options (Page 30)
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LEANDER LIBERTY HILL EDITION
Impacts
2 Mojo Coffee The new coffee shop serves a variety of beverages made from locally roasted beans. The business is known for its Mojo Famous Frappe, featuring a frozen blend of milk and espresso. • Opened Nov. 6 • 2875 W. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. 100, Cedar Park • www.mojodrivethru.com 3 Remnant Resale The shop sells hand-selected and curated vintage apparel, decor and collectibles, including men’s and women’s clothing. Customers can shop by appointment only. • Opened Nov. 1 • 11520 Hero Way W., Ste. G, Leander • www.remnantresale.com 4 TopShot The business offers badminton, pickleball and gym memberships, which customers can use to book court reservations, participate in training courses and join leagues for each sport. • Opened Nov. 24 • 840 N. Vista Ridge Blvd., Cedar Park • www.topshottx.com
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BUILDING DREAMS TOGETHER CREATING YOUR IDEAL SPACE WITH TOP-NOTCH CONSTRUCTION 5 Bagel Bear The new bagel shop will serve New York-style bagels with cream cheese as well as coffee, teas and smoothies. The business will make its dough onsite, with options ranging from za’atar and curry-spiced bagels to classic offerings. • Opening in March • 12301 W. Parmer Lane, Cedar Park • www.bagel-bear.com 6 Eggs Up Grill The restaurant will serve breakfast, brunch and lunch at its new location in Cedar Park. Signature dishes include corned beef hash, omelets, blueberry muffins and croissant-style donuts. The grill will also serve burgers, salads and melts, and provide catering. The new Cedar Park restaurant is one of several locations franchisees
AVERY RANCH BLVD.
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Cedar Park & Leander
45 TOLL sandwiches, popcorn chicken, fries, salads, burritos and breakfast sandwiches. The new business is the franchise’s third location in Texas. • Opened Nov. 22 • 3501 N. Lakeline Blvd., Ste. 110, Leander • www.daddyschickenshack.com LAKELINE MALL DR.
Now open
1 Daddy’s Chicken Shack The restaurant serves chicken tenders, chicken
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BY DACIA GARCIA, CLAIRE SHOOP & CHLOE YOUNG
Michael and Rana Boselah plan to open in the North Austin area. A total of eight new Eggs Up Grill locations are planned to open in the greater Austin area. • Opening in March • 202 Walton Way, Ste. 142, Cedar Park • www.eggsupgrill.com
Now open
Now open
Relocations
7 Culver’s The North Austin location at 2240 W. Braker Lane will close on Dec. 22, but the franchise will reopen in Leander. The Wisconsin chain is best known for its cheese curds and fresh, frozen custard. It also offers a range of burgers, chicken tenders, sandwiches, seafood entrees and salads. • Relocating in February • 1631 Crystal Village Blvd., Leander • www.culvers.com
10 Shipley Do-Nuts The Texas-based brand serves fresh, handmade doughnuts, including its classic plain glazed as well as filled, iced and cake varieties. The shop also offers bear claws, kolaches and coffee. The Leander location is owned by franchisees David Howell, Richard Howell and Patrick Smith. The trio plans to open another location in South Austin later this year. • Opened Nov. 11 • 15237 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Ste. 702, Leander • www.shipleydonuts.com 11 Blackbird Massage The family-owned business expanded in October as co- owner Michael Gagnon joined his wife, Rachael Gagnon, in offering services at the business. It also leased the entire building after previously operating out of a single rented room. The business offers traditional massage services, including Swedish, deep tissue, maternity, sports and manual lymphatic drainage massage. • 1464 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. 1302, Cedar Park • www.blackbirdmassage.com 12 Shops at Lakeline On Nov. 15, CenterSquare Investment Management acquired ownership of the Shops at Lakeline, a 22,443-square-foot shopping center off South Lakeline Boulevard. Tenants of the shopping center include Morning Sunshine Cafe, Cedar Park Dental and Braces,
13 Summer Blends Cafe Located at The Crossover, the food truck offers an elevated, salad-bar-on-wheels experience. Customers can choose from options such as wraps, paninis, soups and açaí bowls. Food trucks Coat & Thai and Habibi ATX closed on Nov. 9 at the center. • Opened Dec. 1 • 1717 Scottsdale Drive, Cedar Park • www.crossovertx.com
8 Texas Orthopedics Sports & Rehabilitation Associates
The business closed its office at 1401 Medical Parkway, Bldg. B, Ste. 120, Cedar Park on Oct. 30, and will relocate to Leander. The business offers services including general orthopedics, sports medicine, joint replacement, trauma and fracture management, and spine care. • Relocating in January • 10861 183A Toll, Bldg. 1200, Leander • www.txortho.com
Domino’s Pizza, Champion Taekwondo, Lakeline Nails and Spa, and Beauty Triq Salon. • 115 S. Lakeline Blvd., Cedar Park • www.centersquare.com 14 San Gabriel Shopping Center Many businesses, including Furniture Market, Salon Suites & Spa, Sabino’s Pizza Pub, Frontier Bank, and Perky Beans Coffee & PB Cafe, celebrated their five- year anniversaries in late September at the shopping center. Co-owner of Perky Beans Angie Diaz said the businesses hosted a block party from Nov. 4-8 to mark the milestone. • 2080-2082 N. Hwy. 183, Leander
In the news
9 Frontier Direct Care The primary care clinic will open Jan. 1 exclusively to Leander ISD staff members at a shopping center off Hero Way West, according to a permit filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The clinic will provide LISD staff access to health care services and providers, including same- or next-day appointments. The 3,675-square-foot building will feature a reception area, exam rooms, offices, restrooms and support spaces, per TDLR. • Northeast corner of Hero Way West and North Bagdad Road • www.frontierdirectcare.com
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LEANDER - LIBERTY HILL EDITION
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Impacts
BY SAM SCHAFFER
In the news
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5 Royal Bliss Med Spa The spa marked its fifth anniversary serving Liberty Hill on Oct. 1. The business, locally owned by Brandy Whitecotton and Brylee Horinka, offers massages, facials, chemical peels, wellness injections, Hydrafacials, full body waxing, brow and lash tint, lash lifts, Botox and more. • 12701 W. Hwy. 29, Ste. 5, Liberty Hill • www.royalblissmedspa.com
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Liberty Hill
• Expanded Oct. 15 • 3106 RM 1869, Liberty Hill • www.joyfulfamilycounseling.com
Now open
In the news
1 The Vinew The boutique offers affordable resale and vintage clothing, accessories and gifts. A portion of sales from donated items go to local nonprofits. • Opened Nov. 21 • 209 CR 214, Ste. 100, Liberty Hill • www.thevinewshop.com
3 Parker’s Corner Market The store reopened Nov. 22 after temporarily closing in April. The market offers groceries, snacks, nicotine products, a meat market and more. • 1017 Main St., Liberty Hill • 512-515-0770 4 Pep & Punch The business marked its five year anniversary on Oct. 8. The store sells women’s apparel and gifts and offers in-house customization.
6 PamCakes Bakery Owner Pamela Wooten opened the first storefront for her business in far Northwest Austin on Nov. 16. For the past decade, she’s operated out of her Liberty Hill home. However, she will continue serving the Liberty Hill area, according to the business’s website. The bakery has cupcakes, cookies, cheesecake, muffins, brownies and more available in store, and people can order custom cakes for special events.
Expansions
2 Joyful Family Counseling The business expanded operations to allow more appointment availability. The counseling service, locally owned by Nicci Bontrager, was previously sharing a room in the Hughes & Company Real Estate building. The practice now spans across three rooms to better accommodate adult, adolescent, family and couples counseling.
• 13450 N. US 183, Austin • www.pamcakestexas.com
• 2023 Loop 332, Liberty Hill • www.pepandpunch.shop
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Government
BY ANNA MANESS
Rebecca Clemons named as first-ever Williamson County manager Williamson County named Rebecca Clemons as its very first county manager Oct. 1—a position created to help navigate the county’s continued growth. In December, Clemons will have been employed with Williamson County for 18 years, most recently serving as the senior director of human resources prior to her new managerial role. On the one-month anniversary of her start date as county manager, Community Impact sat down with Clemons to discuss what the job entails. What brought on the need for the county manager role? As our population has grown, obviously, the complexities of what a county has to address has grown also. Whenever you look at the fact that we have over 16 county leaders and 25 county departments that report up to the Commissioners Court, it’s hard to keep that oversight whenever you’re a county of our size. ... It made more sense to bring somebody in that could help centralize things, follow up on some priorities and policies and funnel stuff up to the court as needed. You’ve been employed with Williamson County for almost 18 years. Why do you enjoy working here, and what’s kept you around for so long? Hands down, it’s the people. It’s the citizens that we serve; it’s the people that we work with. Service is a really important aspect to me. I’ve always enjoyed having a job where I feel that I can help others and contribute, and I think that’s something that definitely spoke to me. As far as keeping me around, I really love what I do, and I like the people that I work with, and so I am excited that I keep getting different challenges and different opportunities, and I’m able to stay within the county and utilize my skill set to do that. How do you feel like you’ve been able to apply your previous work experience as the senior director of HR to your county manager role? One of the things I love the most about HR is that I got to interact with so many other departments, from leadership down to entry- level employees. I think building relationships across the county is really going to help me going forward, as well as knowing how a lot of the departments function and work. I know who I can reach out to for assistance on something, or
Williamson County population growth
As the county continues to grow, Williamson County Commissioners Court created the county manager position, and hired Rebecca Clemons. Residents
720K
680K
640K
10TH FASTEST-GROWING COUNTY BY NUMERICAL GROWTH
600K
0
2020 2021
2022 2023
Consistently, Williamson County has ranked as the 12th largest county in the state.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU/COMMUNITY IMPACT
ANNA MANESS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
maybe if there’s a more efficient way we could do something, I have that relationship with that leadership. ... I think it’s just going to benefit me because both of these positions—my previous role and my current role—are so relationship-heavy; it just helps to already have that foundation. You’ve been in this position for one month. What has this role been like so far? It’s been busy; I think that that’s no surprise. I’m still wearing two hats, as I just recently found someone internally that we promoted into my previous role, and so doing a lot of training and stuff with that, working with the departments that have already been assigned to me ... and then just getting out a little bit more into the community and meeting community leaders. Tell me about what your day-to-day role looks like. Right now, [a] main focus [is] getting my replacement up and trained. ... I’m working a lot with the Pretrial Services team. ... We are starting up the death inquest investigator department, and so we’re working on policies and meetings and stuff for that. And so right now, that, and getting to know other people that I haven’t maybe had to interact with as much along and around the county, I think are the main priorities. What do you see as the biggest challenge within this role? The biggest challenge is probably just the fact that it’s new. And so really getting people to understand what my role is going to be within the
county, and probably the philosophy of the court as to what they would like for that to look like over the next year. Where are you from originally, and what brought you to Williamson County? I grew up in the north Dallas—Plano area. ... Whenever I was in high school, we moved to East Texas to a really small town named Canton. ... I ended up at Texas A&M. I graduated from there and met my husband. ... We just always really liked the Central Texas area, we’re both very into [the] outdoors and thought it’d be a great place to raise a family, and so we ended up moving to Round Rock. Is there anything else you think Williamson County residents should be aware of with your new position? One of the things that excites me about the role is the fact that I do think it will be very impactful over the next decade as we have so much growth. We’re always at the top of the fastest growing cities list. You know, we’re the 12th largest county in the state of Texas—I think that we’ll probably move up on that list. I think our last number was the 10th fastest-growing county in the nation. ... Along with all of this growth [are] a lot of changes, and my hope is that this position can help provide some of that stability as we move through that.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .
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LEANDER - LIBERTY HILL EDITION
Government
Leander approves Hero Way West development Leander City Council approved a zoning change to allow commercial development southeast of the intersection at Hero Way West and North Lakeline Boulevard at its Nov. 21 meeting. The details The approximately 5-acre property was pre- viously zoned for single-family suburban use. Council approved rezoning for general commercial use, a change that allows for commercial and retail centers, gas stations, car washes, office spaces or restaurants, according to agenda documents. Dig deeper Jennifer Jensen of Pohl Jensen applied for the change on behalf of John and Nancy Gilpin, the owners of the property. In a letter of intent, Jensen said a proposed development for the land would include retail stores, office spaces, restaurants and
Leander PD receives funds from DOJ grant The Leander Police Department received funding from the U.S. Department of Justice that will allow the city to improve its service infrastructure. A closer look The DOJ’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Service awarded $236,000 on Sept. 30 as part of a federal grant program the department applied for in 2023. Leander Police Chief Greg Minton presented the details of the grant at the Leander City Council meeting Nov. 21. The new funds will go toward needed improvements, including furnishing the city’s first license plate reader cameras, a new forensic computer station, new dis- patch equipment and two new dispatchers.
Commercial development
N
entertainment venues. The backstory
This was the second time council considered the zoning change, the first being at its Nov. 7 meeting. According to Community Impact reporting from the Nov. 7 meeting, Jensen told council the development would bring 8,500-9,000 square feet of single-story retail and a 4,500-6,000-square-foot convenience store to the site. Jensen said the development should bring about 60 jobs to the area.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BY SAM SCHAFFER
City manager calls for contract training Liberty Hill City Manager Paul Branden- burg told City Council he believes there is an immediate need to review processes and training regarding engineering contract management. What they’re saying “We’re spending quite a bit on engineer- ing,” Brandenburg said. “We’re talking millions of dollars. We need to work on contract management training for all of our applicable staff.” Brandenburg recommended adding a dedicated position to monitor engineering contracts. Council requested Brandenburg provide a report on his recommendations before moving forward with any further engineering service tasks at its Nov. 21 meeting.
Liberty Hill applies to be dark sky community Liberty Hill submitted its application to become an International Dark Sky Community on Nov. 20, according to a release. What you need to know An International Dark Sky Community is a legally-organized entity that has shown dedication to preserving quality views of the night sky by reducing light pollution, according to the release. DarkSky International will review the applica- tion and submit it to the Dark Sky Places Com- mittee for approval. The process could take up to three years. How it happened In 2020, community members expressed concern about how light pollution would affect the city. Former Mayor Liz Branigan signed a res- olution in 2022 declaring the city would pursue
“I am really proud and excited that our city has reached this major milestone in
our e orts to save our night skies for future generations. This next step exempli es our dedication to being a small town with a big heart.”
DIANE WILLIAMS, COUNCIL MEMBER
the certification. Since then, city council, the panning and zoning commission, city staff and the Save Our Stars volunteer group have worked toward the goal. They did community outreach, conducted a night sky quality survey, audited city facilities, began retrofitting city owned lighting and more, according to the release. ”The application is strong, thorough and shows the dedication that the city has for protecting the night sky,” said Dark Sky consultant Amy Jackson. “I believe it will be well received by Dark Sky International.”
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LEANDER - LIBERTY HILL EDITION
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Government
BY ANNA MANESS
Hope Alliance, Yellow House receive $1.3M Two Williamson County nonprofits—Hope Alliance and the Yellow House Foundation—will receive funding after county officials approved an American Rescue Plan Act update Oct. 29. The federal act provides emergency funding for various government bodies, according to a White House fact sheet. At the county meeting, commissioners updated how to spend Williamson County’s ARPA dollars. Two-minute impact Commissioners approved allocating ARPA funds to Hope Alliance and the Yellow House Founda- tion, which are currently located in Round Rock and Cedar Park, respectively. Funding will go toward construction projects, as both nonprofits are in separate phases of opening new Leander locations, a county official said. Each nonprofit will receive $95,000, according to
County health district offers free flu shots The Williamson County and Cities Health District will administer free influenza shots at its clinics throughout flu season for those older than six months. The gist Following a brief exam, eligible patients can receive the vaccine at one of WCCHD’s three clinic locations in Cedar Park, Round Rock or Taylor. To schedule an appointment, call the WCCHD at 512-943-3600 or 512-248-3257. No health insurance is required, and some walk-in days are available. Monday-Thursday: 7 a.m.-noon, 1-5 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m.-noon Saturday-Sunday: closed
ARPA funds were allocated to several new positions, including: Juvenile security positions A domestic violence investigator
County Attorney positions District Attorney positions District clerk/jury clerk Child Protective Services Project Bluebonnet contract CPS legal assistant
SOURCE: WILLIAMSON COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
county documents. The Yellow House Foundation broke ground on its new permanent location in June 2023, and construction is nearing completion, county officials said. Hope Alliance held a groundbreaking June 28 for its facility in Leander, which will double the amount of people the organization can serve. Along with nonprofit funding updates, commis- sioners discussed the county’s allocated funds for all ARPA projects, which total $1.3 million.
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LEANDER - LIBERTY HILL EDITION
Transportation
BY SAM SCHAFFER
The New Hope Drive extension from Ronald Reagan Boulevard to Sam Bass Road in Cedar Park is now open to through tra c. O cials held a ribbon-cutting Nov. 20. The project will open opportunities for development, according to a city release. The road will connect east and west Cedar Park, City Council member Heather Jefts told Community Impact. Williamson County Commissioner Valerie Covey said the project shows the city and county working toward improvements voters have repeatedly made clear they want: mobility and safety. “We have designed this area to have some really interesting and cool projects going on, and we needed a road to be able to access the property,” Jefts said. New Hope Drive extension opens
How we got here
Design for the project began in 2017, and construction began in November 2022, Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin said. The project is now substantially complete. The 1.8-mile four-lane divided arterial features raised medians, tra c signals, sidewalks, shared-use paths, dedicated bike lanes and LED streetlights. It also has the needed water infrastructure $29.5 million, Penniman-Morin said. A 2019 county road bond provided $7.75 million in funding for the project, and $12.4 million came from the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, allocating federal funds for the project. Cedar Park’s portion of the funding came from a voter- approved 2022 bond program. for incoming developments. The project cost a total of
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Cedar Park council members and Williamson County commissioners stand on the newly opened road.
SAM SCHAFFER COMMUNITY IMPACT
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Development
BY SAM SCHAFFER
Economic development director discusses goals for Leander community Leander hopes to be a place where people can work, live and enjoy themselves, said Randall Malik, director of economic development for the city. Malik sat down with Community Impact to discuss the development aims of the city. How is development changing in Leander, and where do you expect it to go? Historically, Leander’s had a ton of residential development. ... Now, it’s shifted to where we’re seeing those commercial businesses come in and really take advantage of all the residential develop- ment that’s occurred. I think Leander is now also primed to see major employers move to the area. Right now, from a development standpoint, most of the companies that are in the market are looking for existing space to lease out, and we’re seeing a good amount of speculative ex industrial developments underway, and that’s going to really be home to some of our larger employers in the future. Are there any speci c major employers Leander is trying to bring to town? In this area, and this isn’t unique to Leander, we still have a good amount of Samsung-related support companies looking around to service that big facility that’s going up in the eastern part of Williamson County. Anytime a project of that magnitude comes into an area, you have suppliers follow suit, so those suppliers are in the market and looking for space. Tesla being here also brings suppliers.
Leander Economic Development Director Randall Malik stands by planning documents at Leander City Hall.
SAM SCHAFFER COMMUNITY IMPACT
What work needs to be done on streets and roads? It’s a mixture [of] new roads to help relieve existing roads. ... We’re expanding San Gabriel Parkway. ... It will eventually now expand out to Ronald Reagan Boulevard to make another east- west connection. When people think of Leander, what do you want to come to mind? Full-service community where they can get everything they need from restaurants that they enjoy and those services that they can utilize, but that also has employment opportunities here. It’s a work in progress getting to that point.
How do you convince developers to come to the city and build these ex developments? There’s really not a one-size- ts-all. On the Titan [Development] project, there were some unique infrastructure challenges with that site, especially when you look at potentially getting larger vehicles into the site. CR 270 isn’t equipped right now to handle that sort of tra c, so we went in and said we’ll jointly cost share that CR 270 road, so in our [Chapter] 380 agreement, we’re splitting the costs down the middle [for] that portion. Does Leander have any major issues it will need to overcome? The real focus here in the next few years is going to be on streets and roads—making sure we can handle all of the new [development], not only residential, but businesses as well, so that’s a big priority for us.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Concordia starts state’s rst college women’s ag football team
Concordia University Texas formed a women’s ag football program this fall, making it the rst university in the state to do so, per Concordia. The move by Austin’s private, Lutheran col- lege comes as women’s ag football is gaining momentum worldwide. The sport will debut at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 and is being considered by the NCAA through its Emerging Sports for Women program, Concordia’s Director of Athletics Ronda Seagraves said. The setup Concordia launched a pilot program to begin o ering women’s ag football under the direction of head coach Keenan Hughes and his son Kaden, who is the team’s assistant coach. The father- son duo lead Texas Fury—an all-girls select ag football program that has teams across the state. The university opened applications for the spring sport in August. The team currently has around 15 players who practice for a couple of hours every week, the coaches said. They hope to grow the team to around 20-24 players and are actively recruiting. In April, Concordia will host a tournament of Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference universi- ties with women’s ag football teams. The university expects to o er women’s ag football as a club sport by 2026, featuring more structured competition opportunities. By 2027, Concordia is aiming to o er women’s ag football as a varsity sport, including daily practices and the ability to compete in conference championships, Keenan Hughes said. The background Concordia decided to launch a women’s ag
Concordia University Texas’ new women’s ag football team currently practices at the university’s baseball eld.
COURTESY CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY TEXAS
football program after joining the Southern Colle- giate Athletic Conference this fall, Seagraves said. Around four of the conference’s 12 universities have expressed their intention to participate in the sport, she said. Meanwhile, conference o cials are continuing to recruit more universities to o er these programs, Keenan Hughes said. The sport has been popular among East Coast high schools for nearly 20 years, he said. Nearly 21,000 high school girls participated in ag foot- ball in the 2022-23 school year, up by 32% from the previous year, per the National Federation of State High School Associations. Despite seeing growth across the country, wom- en’s ag football has not gained much traction in Texas, he said. However, he and Concordia
Concordia student body
Concordia student athletes
40% male 60% female
60% male 40% female
SOURCE: CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY IMPACT
o cials hope to change that. “We’ve provided a platform for [female athletes] to compete at a high level, promoting gender equity in sports,” Keenan Hughes said. “It’s giving them opportunities that were historically limited to them.”
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LEANDER LIBERTY HILL EDITION
Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Leander ISD high school bands celebrated historic wins at the 2024 UIL State Marching Band Championships at the Alamodome in San Antonio. This was the rst time all six LISD high schools quali ed for the state competitions, Superintendent Bruce Gearing said at a Nov. 7 board of trustees meeting. For the sixth year, the Cedar Park High School band was named the rst place state champion of the 5A high school competition Nov. 4-5. At the 6A high school contest Nov. 11-12, the Vandegrift High School band walked away as the silver medalist in second place. The Cedar Park High School band placed fth, and the Leander High School band placed 12th overall at the Bands of America Grand National Championships in Indianapolis on Nov. 14-16. “The feeling was unlike any other,” LHS percussionist Justin Kelly said about placing third at the state contest. “Because after all the struggles and after all of the pain and sweat that we went through to get there ... we were all just extremely proud of ourselves.” Leander ISD bands celebrate success
State marching band results 5A high school contest
6A high school contest Vandegrift High School band- second place Vista Ridge High School band - fourth place
Cedar Park High School band - rst place Rouse High School band - second place Leander High School band - third place Glenn High School band - 16th place
For the sixth consecutive year, the Cedar Park High School band was named state champion of the 5A UIL State Marching Band Championship. COURTESY LEANDER ISD
The bottom line
What they’re saying
The approach
When re ecting upon the recent success, Kelly said he and his bandmates are fueled by a desire to live up to the decades-long legacy of the LHS band. Now, the band wants to leave a legacy of their own for students to come, he said. “Thinking about the legacy that we were going to leave behind really pushed us and really helped motivate us to want to be the best that we directors who he said are dedicated and understanding while also pushing students to succeed. Leander ISD denied Community Impact’s request for interviews for this article. possibly could be,” Kelly said. He credited the LHS band’s accomplishments to his band
Gearing said he believes the success of LISD’s bands was an outcome of the district’s culture of continuous improvement and strategic plan goals. Students in LISD band programs attend band class for 90 minutes each school day, arrive at campus at 7 a.m. to attend master classes, assess their progress on performance goals, and are encouraged to take private lessons outside of school, he said. To prepare for the season, Kelly said he and his LHS bandmates practice for several hours Mon- day through Friday from June through August, during which the heat can push students to their limit, he said. During the school year, the band rehearses after the instructional day four days a week, he said. Being a part of the LHS band has provided Kelly with community as well as a sense of discipline, he said. “The payo comes later,” Kelly said about being in band. “If you’re willing to wait for that payo , and you’re willing to work for that payo , then it makes it even better.”
“For our students to be able to do something like that, especially
to that magnitude ... it literally takes every single one of their teachers to help them get there.” FRANCESCA ROMANS, PLACE 6 BOARD MEMBER
“It’s di erent here, and that’s just a testament to so many people
putting in their blood, sweat and tears into
this program.” CHRISTINE MAUER, FORMER PLACE 3 BOARD MEMBER
20
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
LISD demographic report projects reduced enrollment growth
Diving in deeper
In LISD, the population of school-aged chil- dren ages 5-17 has declined while the preschool population of students ages 0-5 has declined even more significantly. The district’s largest cohort of students at the high school level will be replaced by smaller incoming kindergarten classes over the next few years, resulting in a loss of around 300-350 students each year. While birth rates have increased in recent years, kindergarten class sizes have still declined due to more students pursuing charter, private and virtual schools, Tepera said. The district has seen a 71% increase in students transferring to these options since 2017 with six new charter schools in the area.
Enrollment growth in Leander ISD is projected to continue slowing over the next decade, according to a recent demographic update by Population and Survey Analysts, or PASA. The decelerated growth comes as older grade levels are being replaced by smaller incoming kindergarten classes, and more students are attending charter schools and other educational options, PASA President Stacey Tepera said at an Oct. 24 board of trustees meeting. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, LISD experienced significant, steady and high enrollment growth that dipped in 2020 and 2021, Tepera said. Enrollment began growing again in 2022 and 2023 but at a slower rate. Until this year, PASA
was uncertain if the district’s slowed growth would be temporary or develop into a larger trend, she said. “Now, I think it’s pretty clear that we can say there are many factors impacting this deceleration of growth in Leander ISD,” Tepera said. With 42,537 students, LISD has around 500 less students than it was projected to have this fall. The district’s enrollment dropped by 56 students since the 2023-24 school year when its enrollment was 42,593. The 2024 demographic report projects the district will have 44,474 students by 2034, which is around 4,800 students less than its projections last year for 2033.
The impact
Student enrollment over time LISD is projected to gain around 2,000 students over the next 10 years based on current data.
Due to housing trends, enrollment is expected to continue growing in the north, stabilize in the central and decline in the southern portions of the district, Tepera said. Tarvin Elementary, Danielson and Stiles middle schools, and Rouse and Glenn high schools are expected to see the most growth. Meanwhile, Camacho Elementary, Canyon Ridge Middle School and Vandegrift High School are expected to lose the most students.
Historical enrollment
Accelerated projected enrollment
Projected enrollment
Reduced projected enrollment
50,000 45,000 40,000 35,000 0
SOURCE: POPULATION AND SURVEY ANALYSTS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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LEANDER - LIBERTY HILL EDITION
Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Leander ISD explores opening enrollment Leander ISD is considering opening enrollment to students living outside of the district’s boundar- ies as its enrollment growth slows. District o cials provided an update on the work of the Long Range Planning Committee’s open enrollment subcommittee at a Nov. 21 board of trustees meeting. A closer look The district would need to assess how open enrollment would impact its resources and sta ng, and determine which campuses and grade levels could accept transfers based on their available space, said Mike Howard, LISD director of ne arts and administrative co-chair on the subcommittee. Additionally, LISD would need to determine what the cost-bene t of open enrollment would be and what enrollment caps would be needed to
LISD considers digital learning platform LISD is exploring collaborating with Softchoice, an IT solutions provider, to build a digital learning platform for its students. The gist The platform would house students’ academic and nonacademic information that district sta and parents could access. Students could set and monitor goals, display their work, and provide information about their interests and activities. This data could help teachers and parents better support their students and drive decisions for campuses, Softchoice said. Some context LISD’s district improvement plan includes implementing a comprehensive data warehouse tool.
LHISD adopts lower tax rate amid failed election The Liberty Hill ISD board of trustees adopted the district’s tax rate of $1.1669 per $100 valuation for scal year 2024-25 at its Nov. 18 meeting. The backstory The action comes weeks after voters failed to pass a $0.06 increase to the district’s tax rate during a Nov. 5 voter-approval tax rate election,
LHISD considers technology upgrades Liberty Hill ISD o cials recommended several technology upgrades in the coming years at a Nov. 18 board meeting. The big picture The upgrades are needed amid “a period of unprecedented growth” in the district, said Gregg Burcham, LHISD’s new executive director of technology. Manufacturing short- ages, shipping delays, rising construction costs and state-required online testing have also impacted district technology, he said. A closer look Burcham recommended upgrades to the internet bandwidth, rewall, content lter, wide area network and local area network equipment. Short- to long-term improve- ments range from $1.6 million-$4.94 million.
or VATRE. The district is now facing a projected $7.5 million shortfall and is expecting to deplete its fund balance by 2026. The impact LHISD is now projected to receive $7.2 million less in revenue than it would have under the higher tax rate and is unable to provide 2% raises for sta , district o cials said. The budget shortfall will cause the district’s fund balance to decline, putting it well behind its goal of maintaining at least three months of operating expenditures, Guerrero said.
“Our public schools are where it’s at, so if we can provide open enrollment …
that means they’re making a choice to come to a public school, not go to a voucher, not go to a charter school.” ANNA SMITH, PLACE 4 BOARD MEMBER
ensure adequate space for current students. What they’re saying School board President Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia asked district o cials to consider only opening campuses below a certain enrollment level and determine when the district might see a nancial bene t. Gonzales-Dholakia said LISD could charge an application or registration fee while Place 1 board member Trish Bode asked if LISD had considered charging tuition.
LHISD general fund balance The Texas Education Agency recommends districts maintain at least three months of operating expenditures in their general fund.
Fiscal Year
Fund balance amount
Three months of operating expenditures
Gap toward three-month goal
$22,019,122
-$6,304,976
2023-24 $15,714,146
$8,186,651
$25,913,770
-$17,727,119
2024-25
-$6,903,872
$28,678,248
-$35,582,120
2025-26
SOURCE: LIBERTY HILL ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
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