Residents in western portions of Cy-Fair ISD will see some relief from several schools nearing student capacity by 2013, following the board of trustee's decision Dec. 12 to approve opening dates for two new elementary campuses and one middle school.

In 2007, voters approved bond funds that included 14 new schools, four of which have been constructed to date. One of the three newly approved campus opening dates is for Elementary 53, located in Bridgeland by 2013. Set to open by 2014 are Elementary 54, which will be constructed in Canyon Lakes West, and Middle School 18, adjacent to Rennell Elementary in Towne Lake. Since the bond election, trustees have modified the opening dates for several of the campuses each year, due to slower student growth and inequitable funding, said Pam Wells, associate superintendent for governmental, community and planning initiatives.

"Our district has had the bond capacity and community approval to build new schools, but the Texas Legislature didn't provide the necessary operations funding to make us feel comfortable about opening new campuses," she said.

A group of homeowners in the master-planned community of Bridgeland formed a group called Start 53 Now to address student growth at Warner Elementary, which is approaching 1,400 this year, along with the proposed start date for Elementary 53.

Paula Gay Luebsen was one of several residents who spoke in favor of the 2013-14 opening date and cited several occurrences from 2011 that may have attributed to student growth in the western portion of the district.

"Who knew Segment E of the Grand Parkway, which bisects the very heart of Bridgeland, would break ground and be set for completion in 2013," she said. "Who knew when ExxonMobil announced their 360-acre corporate campusit would create immediate draw into Bridgeland for those couples with one partner employed by Exxon and the other employed in the Energy Corridor off I-10Who knew Cypress Creek Lakes, the subdivision that surrounds Warner, would start work on its third phase. If you build it, they will come."

Since the district's growth rate this year was higher than expected, several schools are or will be over capacity in the near future, according to Wells.

"The growth in the western part of the district, particularly in the area of Warner, represents the most pressing need of enrollment relief at the elementary level," she said. "Enrollment at Warner is projected to reach 1,675 by 2013 if no new school is constructed [in Bridgeland]."

Additionally, thousands of acres of land are being developed south of Bridgeland, in communities such as Canyon Lakes West and Towne Lake. Trustees accepted a donation of a school site at West and Greenhouse Roads from Land Tejas Companies to build Elementary 54, which will open for the 2014-15 school year.

"This is an ideal location for a school, and while Warner has the highest enrollments, we will have other elementary schools that will be overcrowded and would benefit from having another school open," Wells said.

The land for Elementary 54 marks the second time in district history that a site for a school has been donated to CFISD.