Staff report

DRIPPING SPRING — In another illustration of the rapid growth occurring in western Hays County, Dripping Springs ISD’s fifth elementary school is under construction on Darden Hill Road (near the intersection of Sawyer Ranch Road). The school will have the capacity for 850 students and is scheduled to open for the 2021-22 school year; construction currently is on schedule and on budget. Work on developing attendance zones will begin in January.

Currently, a committee is working on developing a recommendation of a school name. The committee will recommend three names for the DSISD Board of Trustees to consider, which tentatively is scheduled for the Jan. 25 board meeting.

Community input is an important part of the school naming process. A Google form is now available for all stakeholders to share their suggestions about the name of the school.

Currently all Dripping Springs ISD schools are named after existing natural springs in the district. Current school names are Dripping Springs Elementary (DSE), Rooster Springs Elementary (RSE), Sycamore Springs Elementary (SSE), Walnut Springs Elementary (WSE), Dripping Springs Middle School (DSMS), Sycamore Springs Middle School (SSMS) and Dripping Springs High School (DSHS).

Board policy states that 1) District facilities may be named for local residential areas, local geographic features, or local, state, or national landmarks; and 2) District facilities shall not be named for persons, living or deceased.

While it is not necessary to choose a name from this list, the following are actual existing springs in or near district boundaries as a point of reference (those that are outside of, but close to, district boundaries are marked with an asterisk (*). Survey respondents may choose a name from the list or suggest one of their own.

·         Bell Springs

·         Belterra Springs

·         Boiling Springs

·         Capt Springs

·         Cave Springs

·         Cherry Springs

·         Cypress Springs*

·         Emerald Springs

·         Jack Springs

·         Kirby Springs

·         Lloyd Spring*

·         Milk House Springs

·         Pfluger/Gay Spring*

·         Rogers/Camp Ben McCullough Spring*

·         Spillar Ranch Spring*

·         West Cave Springs

·         Wildwood Springs

The submission period will close on Dec. 31, 2020. The committee will consider the input in developing its recommendation.