From left, Dripping Springs ISD Superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz, board President Stefani Reinold, board member Rob McClelland, board member Kim Cousins and board member Tricia Quintero attend the groundbreaking of a new elementary school located in the Headwaters neighborhood of Dripping Springs. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
From left, Dripping Springs ISD Superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz, board President Stefani Reinold, board member Rob McClelland, board member Kim Cousins and board member Tricia Quintero attend the groundbreaking of a new elementary school located in the Headwaters neighborhood of Dripping Springs. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
District leadership and community members gathered at a groundbreaking ceremony June 18, celebrating the start of construction.
The Dripping Springs ISD board of trustees and superintendent were adorned with hard hats and shovels to dig into dirt on the construction site of the district's newest elementary school June 18. From left are board member Mary Jane Hetrick, Superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz, board member Stefani Reinold and board member Kim Cousins.
“We are excited to begin construction on this much-needed project,” DSISD Superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz said. “Part of the vision of this campus was to bring the beauty of the Texas Hill Country and our Dark Sky community into the design, and we cannot wait to see it come to life for our students and our staff in 2025.”
Elementary students in Dripping Springs ISD participate in the ceremonial groundbreaking of the new school. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
Members of the Dripping Springs High School cheer squad (front left) and the hi-steppers (front right) join district leadership at the groundbreaking ceremony June 18. In the back row from left are Shanda DeLeon, Mary Jane Hetrick, Holly Morris-Kuentz, Stefani Reinold, Rob McClelland and Kim Cousins. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
The backstory
This will be the district’s sixth elementary school in the district, located at 294 Mira Vista Drive, Dripping Springs.
DSISD officials' budget for the new school is $66.26 million, which voters approved the construction of in May 2023 as part of a $223.7 million bond.
Pfluger was the architect and American Constructors is the construction manager for the newest elementary school in Dripping Springs ISD. (Rendering courtesy Dripping Springs ISD)
Some context
At a state-of-the-district presentation in February, Morris-Kuentz said district officials have seen an upward trend of students for the past 15 years. Dripping Springs has seen a 40% increase in the birth rate over the last four years, she said.
For the 2024-25 academic year, 8,900 students will be enrolled in the district, which has a capacity of 8,850. This is a 4.24% growth from the 2023-24 school year.
Other bond projects to alleviate crowding are underway, including the expansion of Sycamore Springs Middle School. Officials broke ground on the project Feb. 16, which will increase the school’s capacity from 850 students to 1,200.
What’s next
Naming of the school will take place during the 2024-25 academic year. District officials will work on rezoning for the campus in spring 2025, and students are expected to be welcomed into the school for the 2025-26 school year.
Elle joined Community Impact in November 2022 and is the editor of the Central and Southwest Austin editions of Community Impact. She previously covered Austin ISD, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and all things Dripping Springs as a reporter. Elle graduated from St. Edward's University with a degree in communication and minors in journalism and Spanish. As a student, she served as editor-in-chief at Hilltop Views. Prior to CI, she interned at Austin Woman. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @byellebent.
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