Richardson ISD trustees will decide Monday whether to proceed with plans to add classrooms and/or gym and cafeteria space to White Rock, Wallace, Merriman Park and Dover elementary schools.
The RISD Board of Trustees spent the bulk of Wednesday’s meeting learning about overflow at Lake Highlands area schools and contemplating a solution, specifically, the expansion of the four aforementioned schools.
I’ll keep it short, since we’ve been over all of this recently: There is a steadily growing overcrowding problem in Lake Highlands-area lower schools. Mostly, it is due to our neighborhood’s abundance of multifamily properties —155 complexes and 15,099 students in 2012. These communities are now pushing maximum occupancy, however some growth is still expected due to families (number of children in each unit) expanding and new construction, *all according to the RISD demographic update.
Wednesday’s meeting—a study session, board members called it—arrived following years of analysis and consideration that pointed to expansion as the overflow problem’s most reasonable fix, Superintendent Kay Waggoner told the trustees.For those wondering what other options were explored and why they are less acceptable, here is, again, the short version presented to the board and attendees (you can see the longer version here):
After conducting enrollment and demographic studies which showed a clear pattern of increased students and overflow, the district explored several options, including — building a new school, which is time consuming (would take at least five years after getting bond funds to purchase property, etc.) and cost prohibitive; building portables, something the district has done in the past but which they feel is not secure for reasons including weather and the inability to secure students in the event of crisis; redrawing the attendance zones, which can cause tremendous stress for affected families (“Everyone seems OK with this idea until their family is involved,” Tony Harkleroad, RISD finance consultant noted.); moving sixth grade to junior high, which is costly and could result in closure of smaller schools.
Or, there is the option of adding square footage to existing campuses, the option deemed most feasible by those charged with the studies.
Action began in 2012 with Aiken and Stultz elementaries, the most overcrowded of RISD schools. In 2013, they remodeled and enlarged the Skyview and Forest Lane Academy campuses. In 2014, Forest Meadow Junior High (our post on that), plus two Richardson area elementary schools are set to add 10, six and six classrooms, respectively.
If approved next Monday, the board immediately will begin taking bids from contractors, architects, designers for the four projects in question, Waggoner says.
Meanwhile, the district is conducting traffic studies in an effort to ensure that increased enrollment does not bring increased risk to the children.
Waggoner stated that she understands concerns of parents who worry about overbuilding and who want to keep the small-school feel, but she wants all children to be able to attend the school in their neighborhood. “Our only intent, she says, is to accommodate the students who live in the attendance area. We realize that when we add students, we need to add resources. We commit to provide the resources — counselors, specialists, educators and accommodations for students with special needs…”
The cost of the construction could range from $1.8-$2.5 million and would not utilize bond funds but rather money from a capital projects fund.
Wednesday’s meeting was a “study session” so comments and questions from anyone other than trustees themselves were not allowed. Monday’s session —6 p.m. at the Greenville Avenue RISD administration building—will be open to public comment from anyone who follows proper protocol. Below, some sketches of the proposed plans (more data here):
*edited 10.31 10:30 a.m.
Wallace Elementary
Merriman Park
Merriman Park
