Round Rock ISD is planning its eleventh middle school, and district officials say it will be open in time for the 2017-18 school year. RRISD board of trustees and Superintendent Steve Flores hosted a March 3 groundbreaking to celebrate the start of construction at the site of the future campus on Pearson Ranch Road in Austin. “As Round Rock ISD continues to grow and thrive, we are excited to open a new school and create more innovative opportunities for students to succeed,” Flores said in a news release. “Our team looks forward to working with staff and community stakeholders as we design programs in support of our drive to become the destination district for public schools.” The new middle school will have a floor plan similar to Walsh Middle School and will include a dance gym and ensemble space in the fine arts wing. The school aims to alleviate overcrowding at Walsh and Cedar Valley middle schools. The board is scheduled to begin discussing the school’s attendance zone in the spring, and it will likely make a decision on boundaries in the fall. “It’s an exciting time to be part of Round Rock ISD,” board President Paul Tisch said in a news release. “The joint efforts of the 2014 bond and the 2015 Strategic Plan have created a pathway for RRISD to offer students the best facilities and educational opportunities in Texas.” Trustees voted to approve a $34.2 million construction contract to Bartlett Cocke General Contractors for the project in November. Voters approved $49.8 million for construction of the school in the 2014 bond election.