EISD's Long-Range Facility Planning Committee co-Chairs Holly Noel and Craig Boyle presented the committee's recommendations to the board of trustees during the May 20 board meeting.
The recommendations could later go to the district's bond advisory committee, who would package one or more bonds to complete the projects.
Some context
The current LRFPC first convened last January and later split into three subcommittees to survey the elementary, middle school and high school campuses.
The subcommittees presented its initial recommendations at the April 9 LRFPC meeting, and the committee voted May 5 to bring these recommendations to the board of trustees for further discussion.
Elementary school highlights
The committee is recommending EISD move to a four-elementary model and repurpose Eanes Elementary as a central hub for the district's early childhood programs.
Eanes students would likely have to be rezoned to either Bridge Point or Cedar Creek, Noel said, and outlying buildings could be repurposed into play areas and other community uses.
Reconstructing or modernizing the Valley View Elementary campus—which will close at the end of the current school year—would present architectural challenges, according to LRFPC member and architect Tom Oehler.
Recommendations for the remaining four elementary campuses include constructing two- or three-story classroom buildings organized in grade level pods with outdoor learning patios on each level, as well as:
- Barton Creek Elementary: campus modernization with new art rooms, library and gym; enlarged cafeteria and secured play field; reoriented front entry; and relocated bus loop
- Bridge Point Elementary: campus modernization with expanded art and music rooms; modernized library; and improved administrative area
- Cedar Creek Elementary: a full campus replacement with new art rooms, library and gym; expanded music rooms and administrative area; additional parking; and reconstructed bus and car access
- Forest Trail Elementary: a full campus replacement with expanded gym, library, and art and music rooms; relocated playground; expanded administrative area; reoriented front entry; and increased parking
Recommendations for both schools include new 450-seat auditoriums, new competition and auxiliary gyms, enhanced Special Education areas and expanded administrative areas, and larger cafeterias with outdoor spaces. Other projects include:
- Hill Country Middle School: a full campus replacement with a three-story classroom building; expanded fine arts programs; track and field upgrades; new art room and library; increased parking
- West Ridge Middle School: campus modernization with Professional Development and teacher collaboration spaces and traffic improvements
Some of the Westlake High School recommendations also present revenue-generating opportunities such as the addition of three parking garages, according to the LRFPC. Other projects include:
- Multistory academic building with classrooms, science labs, Special Education rooms, art and flexible learning spaces
- Dedicated fine arts wing
- Expanded band and orchestra facilities with new band practice field
- Relocation of the baseball field
- New business incubator area, and robotics field and drone areas
- Expanded Career and Technical Education, robotics and engineering space
- Enlarge gyms from three to five courts
- New weight room, training facilities and wrestling area
- Multistory library with outdoor courtyard
The current recommended timeline outlines at least a seven-year process to complete the projects.
The committee is also recommending that Valley View and Eanes Elementary be used as a staging site to accommodate Cedar Creek, Forest Trail and Barton Creek students during those campus rebuilds.
Additionally, the high school's ninth grade center could accommodate Hill Country Middle School students during its campus rebuild, and a new classroom building at the high school would be completed to accommodate ninth grade center students during this time.
What they're saying
Trustee Catherine Walker voiced financial concerns with the scope of the project.
"I think in order to get this through to our community we have to sell something other than the finances here, because to me, the finances actually aren't the reason you have to go do this," Walker said. "I think it's a fallacy in the strategy that we think that our taxpayers are going to believe that. I think we actually have to come at this [with] a very different strategy."
Trustee Laura Clark said that while "heavy community engagement" is needed, current discussions are just preliminary and the district is "nowhere near ready to make a recommendation" toward a bond.
"I don't want to say it was a risk, but it was a calculated decision to go after something that was going to improve student outcomes, it was going to allow us to attract and retain teachers, and it was just going to overall build us stronger," Clark said. "... It may not happen as fast as some people like or would want, but we're going to do it right."
Stay tuned
Per agenda documents, the LRFPC is recommending the board to form a bond advisory committee by this summer so work to begin packaging a bond—which would include a more concrete construction timeline and project costs—could begin by September.
"I think, frankly, this is going to consume our 2025-26 school year, at least leading up to the point where the board may want to make a determination about a possible referendum," Superintendent Jeff Arnett said.
