An article by staff writer Lauri Zachry in the Round Rock Leader, the local newspaper serving Williamson County, caught my attention recently. Since I live in Round Rock, my kids attend school there, and about 40% of my home sales are in the area, I am very much attuned to what's going on in the community. But that being said, I was still amazed at the growth that this area continues to see, and hence ANOTHER bond proposal for MORE new schools!

The most recent bond election voters approved for the district was in November 2006. Voters approved four propositions totaling more than $267 million. Projects funded by the 2006 bond include the opening of three new elementary schools and one new middle school this fall. The district's fifth high school, Cedar Ridge High School, will open for the 2010-11 school year.

In spite of the last bond package passed only two years ago, and in spite of the Nov. 4 general election being dominated by the presidential race, Round Rock ISD wants to remind voters that a two-proposition bond package for $293.9 million will be there to vote on. Most of the first bond proposition is devoted to new facilities and schools. The first bond proposition totals approximately $156.6 million.

The district wants to construct three new elementary schools in the Stone Oak, Paloma Lake and Parmer Lane corridor areas. The Paloma Lakes subdivision is in the northeast quadrant of the district near U.S. Highway 79 while the Parmer Lane corridor is near the RRISD Athletic Complex.  These two schools would accommodate up to 900 students. The Stone Oak elementary location will be a smaller school (for 700 students) located north of FM 1431 near the Stone Oak subdivision to help relieve overcrowding at Cactus Ranch Elementary.

RRISD will have four public hearings throughout October to provide input on construction for the new facilities, upgrades, technology and land and bus purchases. These public hearings will also give residents a chance to ask questions regarding the election. The dates and times for the public hearings are as follows:

· Oct. 14 - Westwood High School, 12400 Mellow Meadow Drive, Austin, and Round Rock High School, 300 Lake Creek Drive 

· Oct. 21 - McNeil High School, 5720 McNeil Drive, Austin

· Oct. 28 - Stony Point High School, 1801 Bowman Road

The pro-bond Political Action Committee, Classrooms 4 Kids, also wants voters to be informed before making their decision regarding the school bonds, said Classrooms 4 Kids co-chair Raymond Hartfield.
"We want to get the awareness up of this bond election," Hartfield said. "Yes, you'll be voting for president, state representative and for county commissioners but we don't want people to forget about this important election too. Since people will be voting for school bonds, we want them to make an informed decision."

The second considered bond proposition is totaled approximately at $137.4 million for school additions and renovations, curriculum, more buses and technology infrastructure. The RRISD Citizen's Bond Study Committee presented bond package recommendations to the school board and the community June 5.

The citizens study committee presented its tentative list of new construction, upgrades and technology infrastructure projects May 19 during a public hearing in the lecture hall at Round Rock High School. The original list the group started with totaled almost $440 million, but the committee reduced the list to $350 million, even though the district bond finance committee suggested further reducing the list to $300 million, said Catherine Hanna, 2008 Citizens Bond Study Committee co-chair and Classrooms for Kids co-chair. "We had some hard decisions to make," Hanna said. "We really don't have any fluff on this list."

During earlier bond study committee meetings, the district considered creating a 500- to 700-seat auditorium in the eastern portion of the district, smaller, 600-seat auditoriums at Round Rock and Stony Point high schools and an alternative high school. The citizen's bond study committee was unable to justify displacing other needed priorities for the two auditoriums, said Dwayne Kostiha, citizens bond study committee co-chair, in June. The board had until Aug. 26 to call the bond election to be placed on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. Early voting for the November bond election begins Oct. 20.

For information about Round Rock, contact Phil Hutson for a free relocation guide, or call (888) 410-5858.