On Tuesday, Nov. 6, Spring Branch voters will be asked to consider a $597.1 million bond issue to replace some of the district’s oldest campuses, build new classrooms and upgrade safety, security, classroom technology, transportation and athletics.

The Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the bond election during a special Sept. 5 meeting. The $597.1 million bond package will address these major areas:

• Upgrade safety, security and technology
• Rebuild some of SBISD’s oldest campuses
• Upgrade and maintain existing systems
• Upgrade transportation and athletic facilities

After the vote, Superintendent of Schools Duncan Klussmann thanked the Board of Trustees and the community groups involved for a job well done.

“Over the past two years, we’ve utilized a process involving more than 100 community members to analyze all our facility needs for the near future,” the Superintendent of Schools told a large gathering that included community members who had served on district committees, campus principals and local business and education leaders.

Board of Trustees President Mike Falick said that he and his wife grew up in Spring Branch, and moved back to the same street that he grew up on 10 years ago for one reason – the schools in the district.

He spoke after other Board members had expressed their strong personal support for the bond package.

“I am excited about this bond,” Board President Falick said. “I am excited about this bond that will address the needed replacements, renovations and repairs on our campuses.

“I am excited about this bond that will provide for technology funds to replace our aging computers that are 7-, 8- and 9-years-old, and that will provide our students with the resources to prepare them for the technology expectations of the workforce.

“I am excited about this bond that will replace our aging bus fleet that includes 20 buses that were on the road when I was a high school student – a long time ago. And I am excited about this bond that will provide millions of dollars to repair our district and campus athletic facilities.”

“I am proud to be a part of this process and I honor the work of the people in this room and thank each of you for your continuing support of this District and our community,” he added.

The 7-0 vote to call a bond election followed the Board’s summertime review of a community-based committee’s recommendations.

A 65-member Bond Advisory Committee, chaired by two SBISD parents, worked more than five months reviewing the district’s present and future facility needs. This group included business representatives, retirees, teachers and other patrons from every attendance zone in the district.

Their study followed the work of three separate Board approved committees that recommended a Five-Year Educational Plan, a Technology Plan and a Long Range Facilities Plan, which identified more than $800 million in potential facility improvement needs.

SBISD now educates nearly 33,000 students and maintains about 5.6 million square feet – or 130 acres – of schools and support facilities. Most campuses were built more than 40 years ago.

The bond proposal would replace 12 elementary schools built between 1938 and 1967. Recent additions to these campuses – such as library media centers and multipurpose rooms – will be incorporated into the design of the new campuses.

Schools to be rebuilt on their present sites are Spring Branch, Housman, Ridgecrest, Pine Shadows, Valley Oaks, Hollibrook, Shadow Oaks, Frostwood, Edgewood, Westwood, Meadow Wood and Wilchester elementary schools.

A major portion of the bond package will be for upgrading and maintaining campus air conditioning and heating, electrical and plumbing systems; providing required maintenance; and basic necessary repairs at all schools.

Bond funds will be used for classroom additions to accommodate projected enrollment growth, safety and security upgrades, technology infrastructure, athletic projects and unfunded state mandates for enhanced science labs.

The last SBISD bond issue, approved overwhelmingly by district voters in 1999, included renovation and expansion of current schools and construction of four nationally acclaimed Schools for Early Learning serving 4-year-olds.

If approved, the bond issue will cost the owner of a $200,000 home an additional $141 per year in school taxes. However, property taxes were reduced recently by the state Legislature, so voters can approve the bond package and their school property tax rate will still be lower than it was this past year.

In addition, residents 65 years and older with homestead exemption will see no increase in their school tax rate.

For most senior residents, school taxes will be lowered this fall as a result of the constitutional amendment approved by Texas voters in May. Their taxes will remain at the lower level and will not be increased regardless of this bond election.

Early voting begins Oct. 22 and ends Nov. 2. For more information, please visit Bond Facts.