The details
The new high school off Darden Hill Road would include features such as:
- New outdoor learning spaces
- Student union space
- Separate athletics building
- Events plaza
- Improved classrooms
- Designs focusing on natural lighting and safety
The high school design was created using input from DSISD staff, students and families during community meetings held earlier this year and through surveys, project architects said. Top priorities for the new high school included modernized science labs, career and technical education facilities, collaborative learning and community spaces, and a focus on financial responsibility in building the new campus.
The design process began in 2023 after a bond to fund the process was approved by voters in May 2023. A previous bond to fund the actual construction of the campus failed to pass in November 2022.
The board unanimously approved the designs from VLK Architects at the board meeting.
How we got here
The new high school is expected to alleviate issues with overcapacity within the district.
Dripping Springs High School, the only high school currently in the district, is expected to have 3,000 students enrolled by the 2026-27 school year. That’s a 20% increase from the 2,500 student capacity at DSHS, as previously reported by Community Impact.
Three other schools within the district have already reached overcapacity—Walnut Springs Elementary, Dripping Springs Elementary and Sycamore Springs Middle School.
Other projects to account for overcapacity began earlier this year, including an expansion of Sycamore Springs and construction of a sixth elementary school, as previously reported by Community Impact.
What’s next
VLK Architects will now go into the design development phase of the project, following board approval of the schematic designs.
Construction of the new high school is dependent on a voter-approved bond, likely to go up for vote in May, district officials said.
