The gist
Community members can learn more about the design process Jan. 17 and Jan. 23 at the Center for Learning and Leadership, 300 Sportsplex Drive, Dripping Springs. Both dates will have a morning and evening session at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The background
The design process for a new high school—known as High School No. 2 for now—is funded by the 2023 bond that was approved by voters in May.
The passing of the $223.7 million May bond came months after a similar bond package failed in November 2022. To lessen the cost of the bond, district officials did not ask voters to fund the construction of the new high school, which the district will likely ask the voters for in the future, Deputy Superintendent Elaine Cogburn said.
The new high school is in the works to address the rapid growth the community is facing.
From 2016 to 2021, the district grew by 29.9%, and three campuses faced overcapacity as a result: Walnut Springs Elementary, Dripping Springs Elementary and Sycamore Springs Middle School, Superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz said.
Dripping Springs High School, the only high school in the district, is projected to reach over 3,000 students by the 2026-27 academic year, a 20% increase from its 2,500-student capacity, according to a May 2022 report by Population and Survey Analysts. A new high school would accommodate 2,500 more students off Darden Hill Road.
For more information on the 2023 bond, visit www.dsisdtx.us/bond2023.
