EDUCATION

, , , , , , , , , Wimberley Independent School District educators and students were applauded by the Wimberley Lions last week during a meeting at the Community Center in which top students were also awarded scholarships. Principals from each WISD school recognized their Student of the Year and Teacher of the Year during the presentations. Blue Hole Primary Principal Dara Richardson named student Gunner Williams, and teacher of the year, Kimberly Wood; Jacob’s Well Elementary Principal SueAnna Thomas acknowledged student Bryson Thibodeau and teacher of the year, Ben Campbell; Danforth Junior High Principal Christi Moeller honored student Corina Joyce...

The teacher job fair for Dripping Springs ISD will take place June 12. (Courtesy Adobe Stock) Dripping Springs ISD officials will welcome anyone interested in becoming a teacher in the district at two job fairs June 12. The overview. Those interested in elementary education can attend the job fair at...

DRIPPING SPRINGS — Parents who are wanting to request a transfer for their student from an overcrowded Dripping Springs ISD campus have until June 1 to submit their application. The district is experiencing a high concentration of growth on three campuses — Dripping Springs Elementary, Walnut Springs Elementary and Sycamore Springs Middle School — that has caused them to exceed functional capacity. Parents may request a transfer for their students out of the three campuses into one of the following campuses: Cypress Springs Elementary School, Rooster Springs Elementary School, Sycamore Springs Elementary School and Dripping Springs Middle School. The Temporary Transfer Program was implemented for the 2023-24 school year and was approved for another year in April. The primary purpose of implementing the program is to address the exponential growth in the district, as all three campuses were in need of portables as of March 2023 and they all have more than 11.5% growth, according to Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz. As of Monday, April 1, 2024, Dripping Springs Elementary is at 119% capacity, Walnut Springs Elementary is at 109% and Sycamore Springs Middle is at 119%. Families will need to apply for a temporary transfer annually and the applications will be evaluated for space availability each year. To apply for a transfer: • Students must live within the boundaries of DSISD. Proof of residency is required and must be included with the transfer request. This can be a current lease agreement and a current electric bill or a settlement statement with signature page/warranty deed and a current electric bill or a current tax statement indicating Homestead Exemption. • Transfers will be based upon campus and grade-level availability. • Transfers are for one full academic year. A student may return to their zoned campus at the completion of the academic year for which the transfer was approved. • Upon completion of elementary school, transferred students will return to their assigned zoned middle school campus. • District transportation will not be provided for transfer students, except as provided by law. Temporary transfer applications for the 2024-25 school year will be accepted until June 1 and requests will be considered in the order they are received. Incomplete forms and requests received via other means will not be considered. Parents will be notified of approval or denial by Aug. 1. The application form and additional information can be found at www.dsisdtx.us/page/transfers .

BUDA — The Hays CISD Board of Trustees voted 6-1 to adopt a resolution declaring hazardous traffic conditions for several roads throughout the district at its May 20 meeting. The following areas were listed as hazardous: • Blanco Vista Elementary School: - Old Stagecoach Road - IH-35 • Buda Elementary School: - Main Street railroad tracks - Bridge on FM 967 - Old San Antonio Road • Camino Real Elementary School: - Rhode Road - Highway 21 - FM 2001 • Carpenter Hill Elementary School: - FM 967 - FM 1626 • Cullen Elementary School: - FM 150 • Elm Grove Elementary School: - Cullen Country • Fuentes Elementary School: - Dacy Lane - Casetta Ranch subdivision - South Lake Ranch subdivision • Tom Green Elementary School: - FM 2001 - CR 119 (Old Goforth Road) - CR 133 (Hillside Terrance Road) • Hemphill Elementary School - FM 150 East • Kyle Elementary School - Rebel Road/ FM 150 - Old Stagecoach Road - IH-35 - Railroad tracks - Scott Street from Opal Lane to and including Hitching Post Drive - Bradford Meadows • Negley Elementary School - FM 2770/ Mountain City • Pfluger Elementary School - Windy Hill Road - FM 2001 • Science Hall Elementary - Bebee Road - Dacy Lane • Tobias Elementary School - FM 150 • Uhland Elementary School - High Road - Highway 21 - Pradera Subdivision • Barton Middle School - FM 2770 (Hidden Oaks subdivision only) • Chapa Middle School - Dacy Lane - Bebee Road - Windy Hill Road • Dahlstrom Middle School - FM 967 - FM 1626 - Old Black Colony Road - Cole Springs Road • McCormick Middle School - Dacy Lane - IH-35 - FM 150 • Hays High School/ Live Oak Academy - FM 2770/ Mountain City • Lehman High School - Lehman Road • Johnson High School - FM 967 - FM 1626 Trustee Johnny Flores began by relaying his concern that adding sidewalks could cause some families to lose access to bus service. Specifically, he noted the Casetta Ranch subdivision and its bus service to Lehman High School or Fuentes Elementary School. He also mentioned the city of Kyle's road bond and how the city is planning to build sidewalks in approximately eight areas, which could, again, affect bus service. Assistant Director of Transportation Cassandra Behr said that the Transportation Department met with the city of Kyle to discuss the road bond and what possible changes to transportation could occur. She confirmed that Kyle is supposed to provide the district with additional maps detailing the bond and they are set to meet in person on June 17 to further discuss plans. Next, trustee Courtney Runkle immediately notified the board that she will be voting “no” on the item due to Campo Del Sol Parkway not being included on the list of dangerous roads. “As it stands today, I do believe that Campo Del Sol is a hazardous road; however, I do hear and I do see the responses of the county working on the improvements of Campo Del Sol. Unfortunately, I have not seen exactly what those are,” said Runkle. “I can’t tell you where they want to put a crosswalk, where they want to put the lights, where they’re doing the painting. That’s not a visual that I have seen and that has not been provided.” She continued by stating that the school board began conversations with Hays County in October and there have been Zoom meetings, numerous emails, signs put up at Sunfield Elementary School and more, but that there has been no indication what these improvements are supposed to be. “I’m going to vote no on this without the inclusion of Campo Del Sol, but I want to be real clear. It’s not that I don’t agree with the other areas on the hazardous map,” concluded Runkle. “We have a lot of kids that travel that road and we need to make that road safer, so if this is not going to be included as a hazardous road, then I am going to be coming down hard on the county.” The item was motioned for approval by trustee Vanessa Petrea and seconded by trustee Byron Severance, passing 6-1, with Runkle dissenting.

Dripping Springs High School will recognize 569 seniors on Friday, May 31, with the Class of 2024 Commencement Ceremony at Tiger Stadium. Graduation begins at 8 p.m. with the gates opening at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free and tickets are not required; seating is firstcome, first-served. The ceremony will also be streamed live at dsisdtx. us/livestream. Parking is available in all DSHS lots, and a shuttle will also be available for those who park in the A and B lots. All guests must follow a clear bag policy. No outside food, drinks or drink containers will be allowed in the stadium. Water will be available for purchase. In the case of inclement weather while the ceremony is taking place, graduates will be escorted to the Tiger Stadium Field House and guests can shelter in their vehicles. DSISD will provide guests with updates via email, text and social media. If the ceremony is postoned, graduation will e moved to Saturday, June 1.

DRIPPING SPRINGS — The Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved its hazardous transportation route designations, as well as a course that teaches braille for visually impaired students, during the consent agenda portion of its May 20 meeting. For state funding purposes, student transportation riders must reside two or more miles from their campus of regular attendance, unless they reside in an area that may subject them to hazardous traffic conditions if they walk to and from school, according to agenda documents. In order to establish eligibility for the transportation of these students who live in hazardous traffic areas, the Texas Education Agency requires the district’s school board to adopt a local policy that meets the criteria established in the TEC, 42.155(d) and a copy of the policy, and any subsequent changes to the policy, must be submitted to the TEA School Transportation Unit to establish eligibility for service that may be provided as a result of the policy. The policy must define the hazardous traffic conditions that are applicable to the district and exist within two miles of its campuses, as well as identify the specific hazardous traffic areas within the district that contain the hazardous traffic conditions that the board has defined. TEC 42.155(d) also provides that a district may apply to the commissioner of education for an additional amount of up to 10% of its regular transportation allotment for students that would be subject to hazardous traffic conditions if they walked to school. The board shall provide to the commissioner the definition of hazardous conditions applicable to the district and shall identify the specific hazardous areas for which the allocation is requested. A hazardous condition “exists where no walkway is provided and children must walk along or cross a freeway or expressway, an underpass, an overpass or a bridge, an uncontrolled major traffic artery, an industrial or commercial area or another comparable condition,” the agenda documents stated. The modifications/additions to the hazardous routes recommendation for the 2024-25 school year are as follows: • Dripping Springs Elementary: Updated map to include new development, Cannon Ranch • Walnut Springs Elementary: No change • Rooster Springs Elementary: No change • Sycamore Springs Elementary: No change • Cypress Springs Elementary: No change • Dripping Springs Middle School: No change • Sycamore Springs Middle School: No change • Dripping Springs High School: Boundary adjusted due to opening of North Roger Hanks Parkway Other previously designated hazardous routes will remain in effect. Additionally, the board approved the TEA Innovative Course for Braille Reading and Writing for visually impaired students. According to the agenda, TEA allows for the provision of innovative courses with local board approval. There is a DSISD student with a need to learn braille due to her failing vision and Gretchen Douglas, the district’s teacher of the visually impaired, will be available to instruct the student, so that she will have the necessary skills for lifelong learning. This course provides instruction in pre-braille skills, tactual discrimination, the reading and writing of the braille code and the development of efficient braille reading including fluency and comprehension, according to TEA. The course also emphasizes the conventions and mechanics of braille. While there was no discussion because the item was on the consent agenda, board member Olivia Barnard spoke about her thoughts on the braille course during the agenda review meeting on May 13. “That was very touching. As we move forward, I would like to just learn how that goes because right now, we only have one student that is going to be using that. I would love to get an update on that and see if it’s something that we might have more of a need for,” she said. “It’s emotional. It says a lot about the district … to make sure that we have every child’s needs met and I think that we’re making that move for her, it’s really wonderful.” The district will monitor if the course would be provided and needed for more students. Administration will also update the board of trustees throughout the process. To listen to the full DSISD meeting, visit www.dsisdtx.us/page/board-meeting-livestream . Full details on the TEA braille course can be found at bit.ly/3VciOid .

Jody Nix’s art project at Pfluger Elementary was a labor of love where she drew inspiration from the various artists her students have studied during the course of the school year. From Vincent Van Gogh to Claude Monet, Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian and more, Nix put her own personal touch on recreating some of the most famous works of visual art in the world. (PHOTO COURTESY OF HAYS CISD) Jody Nix, an art teacher at Pfluger Elementary School, poses for a photo in front of her artwork. (PHOTO COURTESY OF HAYS CISD) Jody Nix, an art teacher at Pfluger Elementary School, paints a project to help beautify the windows overlooking the campus library. (PHOTO COURTESY OF HAYS CISD)