Building for Tomorrow: GISD Bond Tackles Growth Challenges

One of the reasons Georgetown has been named one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States is its stellar school district, causing what Mayor Josh Schroeder calls “the curse of competency. The better the school district gets, the faster the city grows.”

The district has grown by nearly 14 percent in the last five years and is anticipated to grow by another 6,000 students by 2033, with six schools projected to be over capacity in the next two years, according to a recent demographic study. To keep up with the growth, a $649.5 million bond will go before voters on May 4.

PROPOSITION A: $597.4M

• Constructing new elementary, middle, and high school

• Renovating old Benold Middle School as new Frost Elementary

• Renovating and expanding fine arts and athletics classrooms

• Security upgrades at schools

• Renovating vacated labs and classrooms at EVHS and GHS

• Renovating and replacing flooring, lighting, and paint at aging campuses

• Replacing playground equipment at Cooper Elementary

• HVAC upgrades

• Additional instructional equipment

• Replacing risers and sound systems at various campuses

• New buses

• Parking lot repairs, additions, and driveway adjustments

• Land acquisition for future schools

PROPOSITION B: $20.3M

• Repairing and replacing devices for staff and students

• Cybersecurity upgrades

PROPOSITION C: $27.8M

• Constructing a new performing arts facility at EVHS

• New equipment and uniforms for GISD middle and high schools

• Replacing old seating, lighting, and rigging at the Klett Performing Arts at GHS

PROPOSITION D: $3.8M

• Repairing the track at GHS

• Renovating the locker and weight room facilities at EVHS

Mayor Schroeder highlights the need for the bond’s extracurricular improvement projects, saying that “having great sports teams and fine arts is a great way to maintain that smalltown charm.”

Former School Board Trustee Andy Webb adds, “I talk to people all the time who move here from bigger towns and school districts so kids can have a whole variety of opportunities and be in athletics, band, and theater. In many districts with oversized and overcrowded schools, opportunities only exist for the elite. By choosing to keep smaller schools, every young person who wants to partic-

ipate in activities outside the classroom is able to. Building these projects in the path of growth in the community will allow for continued high participation in these critical ages for students and their families.”

Superintendent Devin Padavil also emphasizes the proposition for technology upgrades, which will continue providing students future-ready technology resources and protecting student and staff information. “We have a great team to protect [our] great work, but the software and hardware needs of the future are rapidly evolving.”

BOND IMPACT

While the $649.5 million bond amount might give voters some sticker shock, Superintendent Padavil assures they have done their best to whittle down costs amid skyrocketing construction costs. “The average cost of a high school now in Texas is around $300 to $325 million. Construction costs have just soared,” he says. “It’s really important to us as a school district to come in under the

bond when these projects are finished . . . We have already knocked down $80 million in costs total, and we will keep cutting without sacrificing quality. We will be good stewards of taxpayer money.”

The bond’s tax impact on residents could range from zero to an estimated 1-cent per $100 valuation, or a $33 annual increase for the average home in Georgetown ISD.

“AS SAMSUNG AND RELATED PROJECTS ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY HEAT UP, WE ARE SEEING LOTS OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS EAST OF 130. A LOT OF THAT DEVELOPMENT COULD OCCUR OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, SO THE DISTRICT IS HAVING TO RESPOND TO THAT FAST GROWTH IN THOSE AREAS.” - MAYOR JOSH SCHROEDER

COMMUNITY BOND

Community involvement has also been a crucial part of the process. The ISD’s student committee and Citizens Advisory Committee were formed to ensure transparency and inclusive decision-making.

The student committee consisted of 24 juniors and seniors from EVHS, Richarte, and GHS who were asked about their feelings on overcrowded schools. They said, "The larger a school gets, the harder it is for teachers, administrators, and counselors to know us as people. We just become students. We want to be able to go to school and have the adults build a relationship with us and know us.”

The bond’s Citizens Advisory Committee also made it clear that they value optimal school size and “don’t want to see overcrowded schools with a sea of portable buildings.” The school board’s decision to approve the bond proposal follows a recommendation from this committee, which studied current facilities and facility assessments, demographic reports and enrollment projections, financial information, educational programs, and immediate and future needs of the district.

While it is common for many school districts to rubber stamp bond packages, GISD hosted six public meetings attended by 80 community members from all age groups and campuses. “This is really the community bond proposal,” Superintendent Padavil says. “Some of those meetings were contentious because everyone had different priorities, but at the end, what we’re putting in front of the community is representative of what those 80 members proposed.”

GISD residents can vote on the bond during Early Voting April 22-30 and Election Day Saturday, May 4.

The last day to register to vote in the May election is April 4.

As a community member and real estate agent, I see firsthand the growth in Georgetown. Our community is growing and will continue to grow. We need to keep up with this growth and provide suitable space and quality facilities for all our students in GISD. A "yes" vote for all four propositions will help ensure our kids have quality facilities, adequate space, and technology that will help them all succeed in the classroom and extracurricular activities.

I believe quality public education is a cornerstone of our society. Most of us are products of public education – someone invested in us. Now it is our turn to invest in the children of Georgetown; their future, and the future of our community depend on it. A "yes" for all four propositions will impact our community for generations.

Wendy Cash, Citizen Advisory Committee member and parent of three GISD graduates, with her youngest child serving as a teacher at Williams Elementary