1. North East ISD to implement 175-day school year for 2026-27
During its Dec. 8 meeting, the North East ISD board of trustees voted unanimously to implement a 175-day school year for the 2026-27 school year.
Presented by Esmeralda Munoz, executive director of learning support, the reduction of the school year to 175 days is due to a change in state law, where districts are still required to meet the 75,600 instructional minutes, but not required to maintain a 180-day school year.
Additionally, the updated school year will also allow the district greater flexibility when using Additional Days School Year, or ADSY, funding for summer school. District officials made the decision to push for a 175-day school year after polling families and district staff.
Munoz said the new calendar will not impact summer school or funding.
Learn more from Reporter Parks Kugle.
2. Shaping Schertz: New retail hub adding national favorites along I-35
Residents of Schertz and travelers on I-35 will soon have access to additional dining and retail opportunities.
In October, Panera Bread opened as the first tenant at Schertz Station, a 257,000-square-foot retail and dining hub that will feature a bevy of national chain restaurants and other shopping opportunities.
The property off I-35 North and Cibolo Valley Drive was developed by San Antonio-based Merit CRE, which is investing over $65 million in the hub.
Schertz’s Economic Development Corp., or EDC, worked with Merit on Schertz Station’s surrounding infrastructure, such as adjacent road construction, EDC Executive Director Scott Wayman said.
Wayman said the development was a response to Schertz’s population growth.
Read more from Reporter Thomas Leffler.
3. San Antonio dining news: new Texas Roadhouse, kolache bakery and more
Here’s a roundup of dining news from across San Antonio over the past week, from a new coffee shop in Stone Oak to a new food truck in New Braunfels.
- Steaks to Go reopens as food truck in New Braunfels
- A new kind of service: Veteran-owned Clean Eatz fuels healthier living through meal prep
- Locally owned Dos Gatos Kolache Bakery debuts in New Braunfels
- CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bistro opens 5th location in North San Antonio
- Texas Roadhouse now open in New Braunfels
4. 4 trail updates to know in New Braunfels
City staff in New Braunfels continue to work on trail projects throughout the community to help improve mobility and walkability for residents.
Jeff Bransford, New Braunfels' park development manager, said trails are the most popular and requested park and recreation amenity in New Braunfels.
"I think one of the reasons that they're so popular is that they can be enjoyed by just about everyone regardless of age or ability," Bransford said.
Read the full story by Editor Amira Van Leeuwen.
5. New restaurant to grace the halls of The Faust Hotel in New Braunfels
As renovations begin to warp up at The Faust Hotel, located at 240 S. Seguin Ave. in downtown New Braunfels, Lark Hospitality is also showcasing a new dining experience—Wilhelm & Werner—ahead of the hotel’s official spring opening.
The boutique hotel closed for renovations in November 2023, as previously reported by Community Impact.
Wilhelm & Werner, a Texas Brasserie with European influences, will operate as a dining space and bar with the ability to seat 130 patrons. The restaurant will serve "Heritage-inspired" food and beverages, according to a news release.
Learn more from Reporter Ethan Thomas.
