EDUCAT ION & T R A DES & LE A R NING
photo by Marsha Hood
Superintendent Steven Snell • Kat Yanez, a VASE (Visual Arts Scholastic Event) medal winner, Liberty Hill Middle School • School Board President Megan Parsons • School Board member Kathy Major • School Board member Kristi Hargrove • School Board member Michael Ferguson • Liberty Hill Elementary Assistant Principal Aaron Russo • Kaleb Wells, Rancho Sienna Elementary • Thor Spalding, Liberty Hill Elementary • Ella Glidewell, Liberty Hill Elementary • Logan Anguiano, Liberty Hill High School • Dalton Svatek, Liberty Hill Middle School • Paula Kaderka, administrative assistant at Santa Rita Middle School • Valerie Baca, fourth grade math teacher at Bill Burden Elementary • William Barfield, Santa Rita Middle School • School Board member Anthony Buck • Brayden Rivera, Louine Noble Elementary • School Board member Kendall Carter • School Board member Terry Smith • Not pictured: Jackson Weidright, Bill Burden Elementary School, and Justice Bokelmann at Santa Rita Elementary School
Liberty Hill's May Champions Recognizing Panther Pride
W
hen it comes to educating the next generation of Panthers, Liberty Hill ISD is committed to building champions inside and outside the classroom. Every month, the school board celebrates champions who demonstrate everything from integrity to academic excellence to community involvement. Superintendent Steven Snell says, “Part of our mission is to make our students become the best versions of themselves and make sure they get everything they need to maximize their potential. We want to cultivate the ideals of hard work, perseverance, and grit. Part of life is learning to overcome difficulties.”
ed to have more than 20,000 students. Part of Liberty Hill’s growing pains is trying to plan building schedules and attendance boundaries so schools don't become overcrowded,” Superintendent Snell says.
PLANNED DISTRICT BUILDS Elementary #6 in the Bar W subdivision scheduled to open August 2023 Elementary school #7 in the Santa Rita subdivision (across from SRMS) scheduled to open 2024 Middle school #3; Seward Junction area in fall 2024 High school #2 in the Seward Junction area coming in fall 2025
PLANNING FOR GROWTH
POTENTIAL & PROJECTED BUILDS
When he came to the district three-and-a-half years ago, Superintendent Snell engaged more than 100 community members to help him and his staff plan for growth. His objective was and continues to be prescient—one in four students was new to the district this year. The result of his strategic planning was the passing of a $491 million bond, passed last year, that will fund four school expansion and renovation projects: two new elementaries, one new middle school, and one new high school. “Three years ago we had an enrollment of 4,000 students. Today we’re at 7,100 and growing. By the end of the decade we’re project-
Eight elementary schools before 2030
4
J U N E 2022 LIBER T Y HILL D IGES T
High school #3 in the SH183 & 3405 area
SCHOLASTIC SUCCESS AGAINST THE ODDS Managing thousands of student absences and hundreds of missed teacher and staff days during the pandemic period made 2021-22 a difficult school year for LHISD. “It’s tough when you’re on a skeleton crew,” Superintendent Snell says. “Talk about a championship effort. For instance, in January, we had as much
