Voters say ‘Yes’ to WISD Bond

#3 MAY 10 & DEC 6

Wimberley area voters overwhelmingly approved $45.5 million dollars in bond projects for the Wimberley Independent School District. The projects, aimed at enhancing the quality of education for local students and teachers, include a new 85,000-square-foot primary school at Ranch Road 12 and Winters Mill Parkway.

“We are very grateful to our local residents for their enthusiastic support of our school district. This bond package provides the foundation for improving both the learning environment and tools for our students and teachers,” said Dwain York, WISD Superintendent. “We are especially thankful for the parent and community groups who rallied to make sure these projects were approved for our present and future students,” he added.

New Primary School

Housing 36 classrooms compliant with Texas Education Agency (TEA) standards, a gymnasium, a library and a cafeteria, the new primary school will have capacity for 675 students in PreK through second grade. This new modern school will also include several smaller reading and math intervention classrooms, where students will learn in small group settings.

Scudder Primary

School

Repurpose Project

Improvements to the existing Scudder Primary School campus include repurposing one wing to house the district’s technology department and classrooms for students in the alternative education program. The school district plans to partner with Austin Community College to provide continuing education courses by opening up a wing of the repurposed Scudder building to adult learners.

Other projects that will get underway are improvements and new equipment for both Danforth Junior High School and Wimberley High School.

Danforth Junior High

The junior high will add a 6,000-square-foot building to the campus along with a renovated kitchen stocked with new cooking equipment. The school district will renovate the band hall and purchase new equipment including science instruction and lab tools, teacher desks and chairs, a new public announcement and bell system and finally, the replacement of 56 heat pump units.

Wimberley High School

The high school will also purchase teacher desks and chairs and a new public announcement and bell system, plus some state-ofthe-art science equipment including a laser cutter, robotic kits, and a handheld and table top 3D scanner, camera and printer. Also on the list for the high school are exterior sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a walking path to the Agriculture and Career & Technology Education Buildings. The high school bond also pays for replacing both the student and faculty parking lots and the main gym floor. Additionally, the high school will build a 6,000-square-foot agriculture barn, install new theatre lighting, purchase a new band truck and equipment trailer, along with new band instruments for use by both the high school and junior high students.

Rounding out the projects are purchases and improvements to the administration building, custodial services and athletic facilities.

Administration

Building

The school district will erect a marquee in front of the administration building as a marker to visitors searching for the main offices. In addition to serving as a beacon, the sign will relay important district events, accolades and announcements.

Custodial Equipment

Wimberley ISD will purchase two lift gates for the district trucks and three industrial floor scrubbers.

Athletic Facilities

With the passage of the bond, plans will get underway to widen sidewalks at Texan Stadium, to improve access at the concession area compliant with ADA, a storage building, 1,000 seats at the softball field and replacing the stadium lights with LED 25-year warranty Dark Sky Friendly lights.

The bond proposal comes with a $.065 tax increase. Taxpayers who are 65 years or older will not be affected by the tax increase.

“Our teachers are excited and look forward to the improvements to their campuses. When we get this kind of support from our community, it means the students reap the rewards of both the tools and teachers, whose expertise and creativity are limitless,” said York.