2018 Bond Program
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Dripping Springs ISD voters approved a $132 million bond referendum on May 5, 2018. The bond package included funding for expansion of Dripping Springs HS to capacity for 2,500 students, construction of a new elementary school (#5), construction of a new Walnut Springs Elementary adjacent to Dripping Springs MS, conversion of the current WSE campus into space for the district administration and daycare facility, miscellaneous projects at Dripping Springs MS, Dripping Springs Elementary and Rooster Springs Elementary, turf and track improvements at Dripping Springs HS and Dripping Springs MS, improvements and expansion of the District Transportation facility, district-wide technology infrastructure improvements and maintenance upgrades, and land acquisition. Updates on various projects are listed below.
IMPLEMENTATION OF BOND PROGRAM:
Sale of the bonds occurred on Sept. 20, 2018. Corgan was chosen as the architect for the projects and on Nov. 26, 2018, the Board approved three different Construction Managers at Risk – American Constructors for the high school expansion project, Cadence McShane Construction for the DSE and RSE renovation projects, and QA Construction Services for the Transportation facility expansion. For each of the major projects, the architect team met with stakeholder groups to gather input that was applied to the design of facilities. On July 22, 2019, the Board approved two Construction Managers at Risk - American Constructors for the new WSE construction and the DSMS renovation project, and Bartlett Cocke for Elementary #5 construction. On Jan. 25, 2021, the Board approved Weaver & Jacobs for the DSISD relocation and renovation project.The 2018 Bond projects were:
High School Additions and Renovations*
Dripping Springs Elementary Renovations and Furniture Upgrades*
Athletic Improvements (Turf/Track Replacement)*
Rooster Springs Elementary Renovations*
DSISD Transportation Site and Building Improvements
Walnut Springs Elementary Relocation/Dripping Springs Middle School Renovations
Elementary School #5 (Darden Hill Rd.)
Administration Building Conversion of Walnut Springs Elementary
*COMPLETE
In addition to the projects linked above, the 2018 Bond will also fund the following items: Dripping Springs Administration Relocation ($4,120,000), Land Procurement ($9,000,000), and Technology Upgrades ($7,600,000). The budget for the bond includes a 2 percent contingency ($2,500,000).
VIDEO UPDATES OF BOND PROGRAM:
January 2021 Update
March 2020 Update
September 2019 Update
June 2019 Update
WRITTEN UPDATES/PRESENTATIONS (most recent listed first):
September 18, 2020 Written Update
Written Summary of Elementary Design Meeting (1.23.20)
Dec. 17, 2020 Update on Elementary #5 Design
Nov. 19, 2020 Update on WSE Designs
August 23, 2019 Written Update
BOND PREPARATION/INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS:
In preparation for the bond program, the district’s Long-Range Facility Planning Committee met for many months to assess the status of district facilities and identify potential new facilities or improvements to existing ones that would support DSISD's mission and serve students. The open-invitation group included representation from more than 100 community members, parents, faculty, and district administrators. The committee discussed various options regarding locations and models of future schools, including the concept to place elementary and middle schools at the same location where possible. This concept led to the proposal to relocate Walnut Springs Elementary to the Dripping Springs Middle School site and convert the current WSE building to the DSISD Administration Building and child care facility. Community, parent and staff meetings were held to provide updates on the long-range facility planning process, including the idea of creating shared elementary and middle school campuses where possible.
Starting in early January 2018, the DSISD Bond Steering Committee took the work of the Long-Range Facility Planning Committee and developed a recommendation for a bond package to present to the Board of Trustees. That process included examination and prioritization of the full list of potential projects identified and submitted by the Long-Range Facility Planning Committee, of bonding capacity, discussion of input, and identification of projects to be included in the recommendation for a bond package totaling $132 million.
