Two WISD Citizens’ Committees meet to discuss District needs

The WISD Citizens’ Capacity Planning Committee (for enrollment, growth, and grade structure) met Nov. 27 and the Citizens’ Financial Planning Committee met Nov. 28 to discuss District needs.
     During the Nov. 27 Capacity Planning Committee meeting, citizens discussed 2009 projected enrollment numbers from Populations and Survey Analysts (PASA), the cost of an additional elementary and/or middle school, ideal size of a school in the community, grade structure in regards to the alignment of curriculum and maturity level of students, and transportation issues.
     Currently, Roberts Road Elementary is over capacity and, according to PASA’s conservative projections, all of Waller ISD’s elementary, middle, and junior high school campuses will be at or over their usable capacity by 2009. Minutes and handouts from the meeting are available at WISD’s website (www.wallerisd.net); click on “Facilities Planning" on the top right of your screen or call Sarah Stephenson at 936.931.4078 for more information. The next Citizens’ Capacity Planning Committee meeting will be held Monday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Waller ISD Administration Building’s Board Room; all are invited to attend.
     During the Nov. 28 Financial Planning committee meeting, Waller ISD Assistant Superintendent for Finance Mike Marcus, presented citizens with various Waller ISD tax information including WISD’s estimate of Taxable Value per the Waller County Appraisal District, Financial Advisor Correspondence, Debt Service Information, and an illustration of Annual Debt Service tax. Handouts and minutes from this meeting can also be found on WISD’s website (location listed above). The Citizens’ Financial Planning Committee’s next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Waller ISD Tax Office located at 1918 Key Street; all are invited to attend.
     These committees along with a Citizens’ Existing Facilities Planning Committee were formed following a Citizens’ Committee meeting held Nov. 14. The Existing Facilities Planning Committee will meet Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at WHS; all are invited to attend.
     If you were not present at the Nov. 14 meeting, or either of the meetings listed above, but would like to join, you can! Simply attend the next scheduled meeting listed above or contact Tracy Pershall at 936.931.3685 or tpershal@wallerisd.net.
     Each of the three committees will meet Dec. 13 to share interim reports and again Jan. 29 to share summation reports. Feb. 19 the planning committee will present a recommendation to the Waller ISD Board of Trustees. If construction is chosen, an additional elementary or middle school would be available to open in fall 2009.
     For more information on any of these committees, please contact WISD Public Information Coordinator Sarah Stephenson at 936.931.4078.