The Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees approved the middle school boundaries, the schematic design of the District’s sixth comprehensive high school and received updates on the Citizens Bond Committee 2017 and Career and Technical Education (CTE) at its Nov. 17 regular Board meeting. Round Rock ISD also honored Board Vice President Pauline Law on her final meeting of her tenure.

Round Rock ISD honors Board Vice President Pauline Law

Round Rock ISD officials and fellow Board members honored Vice President Pauline Law for her service to the District since 2012. Law served as Place 7 on the Board of Trustees and completed her second term as vice president at the Nov. 17 meeting. Law served in leadership roles for several key initiatives during her tenure, including the Strategic Plan Design Team, the implementation of an Early College High School, the selection of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Steve Flores, the expansion of dyslexia services to support various learning styles, and the creation of a national model for instructional technology with NextGen Classrooms. As a result of the recent Board election, Mason Moses will serve as Place 7 on the Board of Trustees following Law.

Round Rock ISD Board approves middle school boundaries

The Board approved the middle school boundaries, effective at the start of the 2017-2018 school year. The approved plan was amended from the Oct. 20 proposal presented at the Board meeting by Round Rock ISD staff. After community and Board input, the approved plan ensures Cedar Valley and Chisholm Trail middle schools will be under capacity. Pearson Ranch Middle School will not be subject to overcrowding within the forecasted 10 year period.

Highlights of the approved boundaries are:

  • All students from Fern Bluff Elementary School will continue to attend Chisholm Trail Middle School and all students from Old Town Elementary School will attend Walsh Middle School.
  • The Northwoods at Avery Ranch subdivision and apartment complexes around Parmer Lane East of U.S. 183 will attend Pearson Ranch Middle School.
  • Forest North Elementary School will also feed into Pearson Ranch.
  • A majority of Joe Lee Johnson Elementary STEAM Academy and all Wells Branch Elementary Arts Integration Academy (AIA) students will attend Deerpark Middle School. A portion of students who reside north of Grand Avenue Parkway will attend Chisholm Trail Middle School.
  • The Highland Horizons subdivision will stay at Cedar Valley Middle School.
  • To better accommodate for growth at Pearson Ranch and allow for better demographic balance, the Ranch at Brushy Creek subdivision will be zoned for Cedar Valley.

There are no changes to current elementary or high school assignments as part of this proposal. Families will continue to attend the schools they are currently assigned to for elementary and high school. [BOUNDARY PRESENTATION]

Round Rock ISD Board approves schematic design for High School #6

The Board approved the schematic design for the District’s sixth comprehensive high school, allowing the project to move forward with facility and curriculum planning. Round Rock ISD High School #6 is slated to be located on the District’s Pearson Ranch property, in direct proximity to England Elementary School, Pearson Ranch Middle School and the Transportation West facility. The campus will have the capacity to serve 2,600 students.

Key components of the high school include 850 square feet of instructional space, collaborative spaces throughout the school and a centralized media center as the campus’ hub. The campus will be designed with energy efficiency, long-term durability and minimized ongoing maintenance in mind.

The Citizens Bond Committee is currently working on a recommendation for the Board to review for a possible Bond election. The Board ultimately determines Bond projects as part of an election. The total high school project is planned to cost $130 million, including the construction, design, furniture and technology costs. It could also include a $20 million, 750-seat auditorium, similar to those the District is building at Cedar Ridge and Stony Point high schools from Bond 2014. The Board approved $11 million in Bond 2008 surplus funds in April 2016 for the design of the project to expedite the process, if voters approve the project as part of a possible Bond 2017 election package. Without relief, Round Rock High School is expected to grow to nearly 4,000 students by 2021. [HIGH SCHOOL #6 PRESENTATION]

Community evaluates potential Bond 2017 projects during third CBC meeting

The Board heard an update on the Round Rock ISD Citizens Bond Committee (CBC), which has met three times to prioritize needs, aligned with the District’s Strategic Plan and financial implications of a May 2017 Bond Election.  As of the latest meeting Nov. 15, two subcommittees finalized the prioritization of projects and the Finance Subcommittee will now work to create its proposal for a potential May 6, 2017, bond election, which could include a sixth high school, two elementary schools, an additional outdoor varsity athletic complex, an aquatics center, a CTE High School, and completed master plans at C.D. Fulkes Middle School, McNeil, and Westwood high schools.

The Innovation and Safety Subcommittees reached a point where they could begin prioritizing projects within their scopes, allowing for the creation of a recommendation to present to the CBC Advisory Committee.  The Finance Subcommittee discussed different scenarios and the potential tax and debt impacts in those scenarios. Their recommendation is also being created for committee review. The Growth Subcommittee discussed some of the larger new facility needs of the District. They will continue to tour facilities and meet to further their progress.

To review all materials and presentations from the meeting, please visit bond.roundrockisd.org.

Board receives update on CTE programs Districtwide

Sheri Bonds, Round Rock ISD director of CTE, and five high school CTE students presented on the impact of CTE programs within the District. CTE classes offer students the opportunity to begin career training in high school while reinforcing state and national academic standards. CTE classes in Round Rock ISD  span 17 campuses and thousands of students under 14 career clusters. More than 100,000 CTE courses are led by more than 160 instructors.

CTE programs offer a unique opportunity for partnerships by inviting community members to serve on advisory boards and work with students through internships, job shadowing and career fairs, among other avenues. Student prepare to receive college credit and/or industry certifications and licensures from CTE classes. In the last year, 5,200 students earned articulated credit through the Austin Community College, with a total of 15,246 credits earned Districtwide. CTE students also earned 6,151 credentials Districtwide through 47 different career and technical certification exams. CTE also invites students to join a number of career-based organizations.   [CTE PRESENTATION]