The Woodlands Edition | August 2023

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AREAS OF NEED Conroe ISD’s proposed $1.99 billion bond package includes four dierent propositions. The items listed in propositions A and B are considered major necessities while propositions C and D are considered as additional needs, according to the district.

Proposition C would provide $112.88 million to add elementary gyms to all 16 campuses without one—10 of which are located in The Woodlands area—as well as build a new agriculture barn for the Conroe and Caney Creek feeder zones. Proposition D would fund a new 50-meter outdoor pool with expansion and upgrades to the current natatorium. The need Chane Reagan, a co-spokesperson for the bond planning committee, said the district is behind in building schools, which is why the committee made new campuses and capacity expansion the main priority. In 2023, the district opened three schools built with funds from the $653.5 million bond package approved in 2019, including Hines Elementary School in the Grand Oaks feeder zone. “When you look at the growth that our county and our district has, we’re behind,” Reagan said. “In 2027, we are going to have 84,000-90,000 students here in Conroe ISD. We are nowhere near being able to handle that capacity.” According to a presentation in April by CISD Superintendent of Operations Chris McCord, 67 of 73 CISD campuses were operating at an average capacity of 102% in the 2022-23 school year with enrollment projected to increase to at least 100,000 students by 2033. Stacey Chase, a member of the board of trustees, said she believes safety is being compromised due to schools being over capacity. “The three main things that this school is responsible for using tax dollars on is the safety of our students and sta and improving student outcomes,” she said. “Being overca- pacity has negatively impacted all of those things.” Community response At an Aug. 1 meeting, several people expressed opinions for and against the 2023 bond. Holly Moore, who did not identify whether she is a parent in the district, said she is in favor of the bond package. “I think it’s important to remember that maybe it’s not our personal house, our feeder zone or ZIP code that’s aected, but all of our kids deserve the best,” Moore said. However, Stephanie Cox, a mother of a CISD graduate and a member of the bond committee, said she

PROPOSED BOND PACKAGE: $1.99 billion

# Proposed locations of new schools*

KEY:

ESTIMATED LOCATIONS

Proposition A:

336

$1.82 billion • Eight new schools, including: - An elementary school in The Woodlands High School feeder zone - An elementary school in the Hwy. 242 corridor, not specic to a feeder zone - Grand Oaks campuses for grades 7-8 and 9 - A new Grand Oaks elementary school • Three campus additions, including: - 500 seats at McCullough Junior High - 100 seats at Hailey Elementary - 100 seats at Ford Elementary • Five major campus renovations, including: - The Woodlands High School - Oak Ridge High School 9th Grade Campus - Knox Junior High School • Other items, including: - Phase 2 of Oak Ridge High School - Infrastructure - Safety - Land - Transportation - Technology infrastructure 2 1

1314

1488

242

SHENANDOAH

THE WOODLANDS

OAK RIDGE NORTH

99 TOLL

N *Locations for the schools have not yet been chosen, but they will be in the indicated region.

schools, ve major campus renovations, three additions and two master plans. A master plan changes the way a school works by rebuilding a portion of the building, Null said. With the addition of land acquisition, safety, infrastructure and transporta- tion, Proposition A totals $1.82 billion. Of the eight new proposed cam- puses, four schools would be built in The Woodlands area, including Grand Oaks campuses for seventh through eighth and ninth grades as well as elementary schools in The Woodlands High School feeder zone, the Grand Oaks feeder zone and the Hwy. 242 corridor, which Null said gives relief to both the Caney Creek feeder and Suchma Elementary. He said the campus will likely serve as a cross feeder elementary campus. The Woodlands High School and Oak Ridge ninth-grade campuses

would also see major renovations to expand classroom space by 3,200 and 1,250 seats, respectively. Vein said the district has gone from growing steadily by 1,500 students a year to 3,000-4,000 students a year. “If you’re in the driver’s seat and you’re moving forward, look at those new numbers,” he said. “That’s going to be more of what we are looking at over and over again.” According to state Senate Bill 30, which was signed into law in 2019, school districts are required to provide one proposition for general purposes and separate propositions for special purposes to be voted on individually. The remaining $175.77 million in the package would go toward three other propositions. Proposition B includes new technology devices for $40 million, which was left out of the 2019 bond.

C B

Proposition B: $40 million • Technology devices

Proposition D: $22.9 million • Outdoor pool and natatorium mechanical refurbishment Proposition C: $112.88 million • 16 physical education classrooms/elementary gyms • Career and technical education ag barns

SOURCE: CONROE ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM