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Alvin preparing for influx of new students
Published February 14, 2008
ALVIN — Even with the planned summer openings of one new elementary school and two new junior high schools, an Alvin ISD official is recommending the district plan for yet another elementary and a third high school within five years.
The 15,000-student school district is growing at rate of 900 students per year, Board President Pete Vincent said. Trustees can expect that level of growth for at least the next five years, a district official said.
“We need to start looking at two elementary schools, a junior high and getting at least a head start on a high school with land and design and maybe land clearance if not the construction of one,” said Patrick Miller, Alvin ISD’s executive director of support services. “The next bond referendum is going to need two elementary schools and a new junior high.”
In 2013, Miller said the district could reach capacity. To keep that from happening, trustees need to make a decision about a new high school by 2009 and a new junior high school needs to be open by 2012, he said.
There is not a bond referendum planned and there have not been any meetings on the issue, but the district could offer one on a new high school at the latest within five years, Vincent said.
“We have mentioned it from time to time that yes, there is going to be a third high school,” Vincent said. “At the rate we are growing, it’s going to happen.
“When it happens — there have been some differences of opinion — some say 2011,” Vincent said. “It changes because of the numbers. It’s slowing down a little bit right now, but not too much.”
In the early part of the decade, the district had been growing at a rate of just more than 1,000 students per year, Vincent said.
By 2010, six of the district’s 13 elementary schools will reach or exceed capacity, Miller said. And if district officials are not careful, students from one area might have to be taken to schools in other areas with classroom space.
“We probably need to do that fairly quickly,” Vincent said. “I suspect there will be some activity in a fairly short order — a workshop or something like that — to start talking about buying property for elementary school 14. “
Vincent estimated the next bond issue could come in a couple of years, and it would only encompass elementary schools. He did not place a monetary value on the future bond.
“I don’t want to say it will happen the year after next because we will keep watching the numbers,” Vincent said.
Trustees called a $135.8 million bond election in 2005. It allowed for construction of Phase II of Manvel High School, Nolan Ryan and Fairview junior highs and Lakes of Savannah Elementary School, district spokeswoman Shirley Brothers said. The two junior high schools and the elementary school are set to open this summer.
Also at their meeting Tuesday, trustees announced the principals for the three new schools.
Kelly Andrews was named principal of Fairview Junior High. She is moving from Jeter Elementary School, where she has been principal since 2002.
Deborah Roberson was named Nolan Ryan Junior High’s principal. She has been the Alvin Junior High principal since 2004.
Terri Constantine was named the Lakes of Savannah Elementary School principal. She has been principal at Alvin Elementary School since 2002.
All three were moved from other schools because trustees were more comfortable with them opening new schools than principals who are new to the district.
“We like the experience,” Vincent said. “For one thing, we know these. These are known quantities, and opening a new school is not an easy chore, so you want a known quantity going into a new school.”
To fill the vacancies at Jeter Elementary, Alvin Junior High and Alvin Elementary, the district will post openings at the administration building and in educational publications, Vincent said.
Nathaniel Lukefahr covers Alvin ISD for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 849-8581.
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