House of DIGS, a family-owned re-commerce business, was started in Kyle earlier this year to keep usable goods out of landfills by selling curated secondhand apparel with a real focus on extended sizes — a gap that owners Andrea Candia and Geoffrey Candia found in the resale market.

“It grew out of something I'd already been exploring personally: a concept I call ‘Mining Mentality,’ the idea that you dig inward for the tools you need — self-awareness, discipline [and] courage — rather than waiting for circumstances outside yourself to change,” Geoffrey said. “I wanted to build something that put that idea into practice: a business that combined a real environmental mission with something Andrea and I could build together as a family, using the strengths we each already had — she has an eye for photography and merchandising and I like building systems and sourcing.”

Most recently, the duo launched its community clothing donation program, called Porch-to-Podium, where neighbors and school communities are asked to donate gently-used clothing, apparel and household goods to go toward House of DIGS’ inventory. The business then handles the cleaning, sorting, photographing, listing and selling the items through its resale channels.

This comes on the heels of Hays CISD implementing a sliding scale student athletic participation fee, beginning with the 2026-27 school year. The current fee schedule, according to the district’s website, is as follows:

High school

• Standard: $175 first sport, $90 second sport, $50 third sport and $315 family maximum

• Free lunch: $18 first sport, $9 second sport, $5 third sport and $32 family maximum

• Reduced lunch: $88 first sport, $45 second sport, $25 third sport and $158 family maximum

Middle school

• Standard: $100 first sport, $50 second sport, $25 third sport and $175 family maximum

• Free lunch: $10 first sport, $5 second sport, $3 third sport and $18 family maximum

• Reduced lunch: $50 first sport, $25 second sport, $13 third sport and $88 family maximum

Due to this, House of DIGS is in an active, good-faith partnership in progress with the Hays CISD Education Foundation, who will receive 10% of net resale proceeds — rising to 18% when the foundation contributes assets — from the Porch-to-Podium program and choose how to allocate the funding, whether that is for athletic fees or other initiatives, Geoffrey said.

“Recognizing that these foundations have comprehensive plans to support the entire district, we agreed to allow them to allocate the funds as they see fit. While our contributions help cover direct athletic costs, they can also support broader initiatives, ensuring that students who might otherwise be priced out of extracurricular activities have the opportunity to participate,” Geoffrey said.

Knowing that help should not be limited to just one school district, what started out in July as a simple idea of weekly neighborhood porch pickups has evolved quickly since then. The Candias have built out a route model with dedicated pickup days for each area, such as Hays CISD on Thursdays.

The same model is also in the works for the Comal ISD and San Marcos CISD education foundations.

Additionally, they have added the on-campus “Bags to Bleachers” clothing drives at Hays, Johnson and Lehman high school varsity football games, which has become the main collection method.

For anyone in Hays County who wants to get involved or request a porch pickup, visit www.houseofdigs.com or text 512-636-3922.

According to JHS principal Robert Hensarling, the school has been on a waiting list for the program since opening, with the initial construction including a range and a classroom made for the curriculum. While Lehman and Hays high schools house the Navy and Marine Corps programs, respectively, Johnson will host the Air Force branch.

“You don’t want too many of the same branch. The military has some guidelines in terms of the distance between different programs and my understanding is you can’t have two of the same program in the same district,” explained Hensarling. “Air Force made great sense because of the aerospace engineering program that the campus [has] … We’re the only campus that offers that program study, with the intent that it would coexist with the Air Force JROTC once we had it approved because there’s some carryover between things, like learning to fly aeronautics.”

The school had to be inspected prior to approval, where they were told that the “facilities were top notch,” said Hensarling.

When the first email was sent out gauging interest, 48 responses were received of the required 50 students needed, so the school knew that students were “chomping at the bit to get started,” many of whom are in the aerospace engineering career and technology education track.

Prior to the 2026-27 school year, students interested in JROTC were required to transfer schools to either Lehman or Hays to participate.

The curriculum will be led by aerospace science instructor Senior Master Sergeant Jacequlyn Rider and senior aerospace science instructor Colonel Shelly Mendieta.

Rider served for 22 years in the Air Force and retired in March 2026. She held positions at the tactical, operational and strategic levels of leadership.

Mendieta is retired from the Air Force and also served as a F-15E Weapon Systems Officer. She accumulated more than 2,400 flying hours as an instructor and flew more than 100 combat missions.

In the class, students will learn several basic fundamentals as the other branches, said the principal, but also teach Air Force specific lessons.

“We’ll do a seven-year curriculum planning, but the core components of the curriculum are the aerospace science, which is going to cover aviation history, science of flights, basic exploration, astronomy, cybersecurity, unmanned aircraft systems, but also … we have leadership education. So, it’s a lot of citizenship, traditions, personal growth, financial management, career paths, college preparation and, of course, military drill and ceremonies,” described Rider. “They’ll [also] get [physical education] credit for it. So, we focus on building active, healthy lifestyles through targeted exercise and national fitness standards. It’s not a military recruitment tool, but we have curriculum components that the Air Force dictates that we’ll make sure we’re meeting.”

Because this is the first year, there are currently no outside extracurricular options, but as the program grows and student interest increases, outside opportunities like drill teams will be added.

It’s Rider’s first time teaching and although she’s nervous, she explained that she wants to create a precedent of a great program.

“I went to Hays [High School] and I was in the Marine Corps Junior ROTC all four years of high school and then, I joined [the military] about two years after I graduated and I realized the impact that my Marine Corps Junior ROTC instructors had on me. In fact, when I was promoted to senior master sergeant in 2023, I asked my former instructor to come back and preside over my promotion ceremony and when I think about it, that's the kind of impact I want to have,” said the sergeant. “I want somebody to come back to me 20 years later or 25 years later or whatever and say, ‘Hey, this is the impact you made on me when I was a high school student and I would like for you to be part of this significant event in my life.’”

Both Hensarling and Rider shared that all students should consider joining the program, not just those interested in a military career.

“We want any student that’s interested in learning how to better themselves [or] push themselves. The ultimate goal is not to have all the cadets join the military. I’m sure some are interested in that field and we absolutely want to cultivate that, but we understand that the vast majority won’t go into a career in the military. We want them to be leaders in whatever field they pursue next. Learn some self discipline, learn some leadership skills, learn to take care of your mind and body and be a good citizen — that’s the ultimate goal of the program,” emphasized Hensarling.

Those who participate in all four years can qualify for an industry-based certification, which lets industry professionals know that they’re college, career or military ready. Students can also opt to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, if interested in the military.

When asked what it means for Johnson to have this program, Rider simply said: “Everything.”

As the Air Force JROTC program is in its first year, JHS will allow students to sign up for the class for the first few weeks of school, said the principal. Students in any grade level can join and there are no prerequisites. Additionally, there will be an informational session available for families in the coming weeks.

Director Cassandra Behr developed the idea from the already-established “Ride and Drive” events that the department does as a weekend job fair to recruit drivers, knowing that it can be intimidating to step into a job that involves a 40-foot vehicle. This allows them to practice turning, slowing down, using red lights, etc. to see what it’s like to drive a bus, while also being in the confines of a parking lot.

Through doing these events, Behr shared that they also tried doing on-the-spot, mobile interviews at locations, like in the parking lot at Hays High School near Bob Shelton Stadium, where they don’t necessarily have access to the building.

“We were like, ‘Hey, you know what? What if we were able to take a bus that we're getting ready to auction off and change it into kind of like a mobile office?’ There are other districts that have them for mobile libraries [and] mobile food items,” she said. “But, what if we were able to change this into something where we could sit down with individuals and have that interview with them? Then, they have a place to do an application because we found our laptops were dying because they're sitting out in the heat and the sun's bearing down on them for several hours.”

It took two years for the department to retrofit the school bus — which was already identified to go to auction — from breaking down the seats, taking the metal to a local business to get some funds back and sourcing materials. The total cost, Behr said, was approximately $2,000 for the items on the inside of the bus, as the majority of them were donated or found on sale.

“I have an amazing shop team out there, so they kind of worked it in a little bit here and a little bit there, which is why it took us two years to do the retrofit because we didn't want to impact our normal daily operations,” she said. “From our upholstery tech who redid the seats that we have in there, because those are bus seats from other buses that we were able to utilize, to the mechanics that worked on taking all the seats out and then, redoing the floor in there to getting it all installed. [Also], the mechanic who did all of the welding for the generator on the front, so that we could run it without having bus fumes in that using that diesel because a generator is better able to run any electricity on the inside versus the bus actually running because that can actually hurt the engine because it's not moving.”

School districts nationwide have been seeing a shortage in bus drivers, Behr said, which is another reason why Hays CISD is looking at alternative ways to recruit individuals to join the team.

There are several barriers that come with looking for individuals to drive a bus, from managing 50-70 students, being responsible for the routes to and from school and understanding the split shift schedule, she continued.

“We have individuals who joined us because their own kids were riding the bus and they wanted to make sure that they were safely getting to and from school, but then we have some people who don't have students, they just want to be able to give back to the community,” the Transportation director said.

Currently, Hays CISD is fully staffed with enough bus drivers to start the school year for the nearly 100 routes that are on the map. However, Behr said that they are still looking to hire drivers because they have have seen an increase in enrollment already this year and “we are already in the plans of what routes we're going to need to add in and so, we want to make sure that we are ready to fill those positions as those bus routes get added on.”

The interview bus started as one idea and it has continued to grow, Behr noted. The director shared that they are looking at utilizing it beyond just interviews, rather for the following, as well: parent events — helping them sign up for Secured Mobility Authorized Ridership Technology tag or answer questions about bus routes; helping students get registered; and other ways to benefit the community.

Following the first week of school, the Hays CISD Transportation Department plans to begin rolling out the bus on the weekends and get out in the community, with the possibility of partnering with local businesses to do so.

Those who have questions about the bus or the department, email transportation@hayscisd.net.

The pre-kindergarten and childcare learning center was built for love from the beginning. Terrell shared that the idea sparked after both her daughters were pregnant and she wanted an opportunity to see her grandchildren everyday, while still being a working woman. So, she retired from a career of teaching in Austin ISD to build, design and open Rocking Horse Academy in 2002.

“I built this school for my grandchildren, [but] Emily and Nicholas are now 26; both have graduated from college. Caitlin is 22; she’s graduated from college,” said Terrell. “I’ve literally got to be with my family, my grandchildren and now, I have two great-grandchildren here that are now 1 year old. I get to see them everyday and I am a very vital part of their lives and that’s what I wanted.”

This endeavor has been such an important part of her life, she said, so it was easy to ignore the various emails over the years inquiring about purchasing the company, until last year when, at age 77, Terrell simply asked, “What would that look like?”

From there, she sent the requested documentation to KinderCare, a childcare and early childhood education company operating throughout the nation, and received an offer that, for the first time in 24 years, made Terrell pause and ask herself what she wanted.

“I’m [now] 78 years old and I’m not dying, but reality is, when you look at the calendar, 78’s kind of up there. I just don’t want to spend the rest of my life working,” she said.

But the choice wasn’t easy. Tearing up, Terrell emphasized that choosing to be “selfish” for the first time was difficult.

“It’s been extremely hard. My family works here. My four grandchildren grew up here; that’s all they’ve ever known is the family owning Rocking Horse Academy. Sydney was 2 weeks old [and] Emily and Nicholas were only 2 years old when they started here. They all got their first job here and I now have two great-grandchildren … [that] have four more years of childcare that they need and I am taking all that away,” Terrell said. “I would sit at home at night going, ‘This is such a selfish decision,’ but I also have to say — I’ve worked 62 years. I deserve the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of my labor and to enjoy the freedom that I’ve earned by operating a business. I put a lot at risk and I put in a lot of time and a lot of hard work. So, I do want to reap those benefits and enjoy [life].”

Retirement for the business owner looks like art classes, international traveling — including a trip to Finland this fall — volunteering to stay involved in the community and having a glass of wine at lunch with her girlfriends.

Although excited for her new adventure, she recalled fond memories, like the days of her grandchildren stopping by for a snack from her famous snack drawer or the connections she’s formed with teachers, some of whom have been with her for 15 years.

The effort and care these teachers put into their students is why Terrell was assured that KinderCare has no intention to affect staff during the transition, which will happen over a weekend in September. The concept of Rocking Horse Academy will stay the same, with the age groups served, but some basics, such as procedures, menus and curriculum, may change, she explained.

“I’ve had so many people that have gone on Facebook, people who used to work here, but don't anymore or students who came here or parents have stopped me and said, ‘My kids came here’ and now their kids are coming here,” Terrell said. “I’m so proud of so many of my students that have graduated and who come back and remember Rocking Horse Academy. And for me, I feel fulfilled that I've been successful, but that we have played such an important role in the development of Kyle and all of these children that went to Rocking Horse Academy. There are thousands of them in the world and they, so many of them, have reached out kindly with support and you know how much they loved us and that just means the world to me.”

Rocking Horse Academy will continue to serve its families until Friday, Sept. 18, when KinderCare will begin the transition and reopen Monday, Sept. 21.

To learn more, visit Rocking Horse Academy at rockinghorseacademy.com or KinderCare at www.kindercare.com.

According to the presentation completed by Chief Financial Officer Michael Doyle, the district is currently estimating $37,062,253 of total operating revenues and $29,587,332 of total operating expenditures for the conclusion of its fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 budget. This difference is a fund balance of $7,353,413, which, when added to the beginning balance of $6,629,803, results in an ending fund balance of $13,983,216.

In an effort to understand funding, Doyle discussed estimated enrollment numbers, as this, along with attendance average, directly affects the district’s revenue available from the state legislature.

“School districts need to have students and then, they need to have the students attend class. When you look at roll-up numbers and anticipated students in our classes, you can see that in [20]27, we're anticipating an enrollment of about 2,612,” he said. “That ADA [or] average daily attendance rate is the driving factor in our revenue template … We’ve seen at our high school, a higher number of students graduating early, which is great and I’m glad that they’re able to finish their educational pathway, but once they finish, it affects our ADA rate. I wanted to build that projection now, so that way we’re not projecting higher and actually receiving lower [next school year].”

He then presented several payroll scenarios for potential approval in the compensation plan, including:

•   A 2% pay increase for all employees

•   Increasing the district’s health insurance contribution by $40, for a total of $390 per month

•   Market-based salary adjustments across the district

•   Increase bus driver pay to maintain compensation at 90% of the market

•   Increase the starting teacher salary to $50,000 from the current $48,500

Trustee Rob Campbell asked whether staff considered increasing the starting pay even higher, since only several new teachers are hired each year, but Doyle stated that this can’t be done because it would outpace the other teachers, if this was the case.

“We looked at all positions and we wanted to provide a package that shows that we’re investing in our employees, investing in their benefits. We’re remaining competitive. We’re supporting retention, attracting those high-quality teachers for our district, as well, and staff, not just teachers, but all of our staff,” said Doyle.

Because of these changes, next year’s payroll expenditures would increase by approximately $423,000. This, along with an approximate increase of $200,000 in non-payroll expenditures, leads to a total operating expenditures cost of $30,378,488 for FY 2027, with $31,040,870 in revenue.

“When you take that estimated ending fund balance for this current year of $13.9 million, you’ll see that we’re about breaking even,” he shared, adding that there would still be $28,000 added to the fund balance, totaling $14 million.

The compensation plan passed 4-0. Trustees Chad Canine, Will Conley and Andrea Justus were not in attendance.

The presentation also detailed that the anticipated tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year is $1.0076 per $100 tax valuation, comprising of $0.7065 for maintenance and operations and $0.3011 for interest and sinking, though this will come back to the board in August for approval.

The Wimberley Board of Trustees will meet next Aug. 7.

The team competed at the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF) National Championship in July in Columbus, Ohio, taking part in 11 disciplines over six days, including pistol, revolver, rifle and pistol caliber carbine (PCC) events.

The team — which included the following students from DSISD — brought home 49 topthree finishes, highlighted by 13 individual national titles and four team national championships.

Dripping Springs Middle School

• Addison Gray

Sycamore Springs Middle School • Riley Cook

Dripping Springs High School • Westley Alison

• Shawn Aylstock

• Colin Beckley

• Andrew Cerna

• Thomas Cook

• Niklas Egli

• Brenden Filler

• Brayden Gray

• Quin Hollingshead

• Maddie Johanningsmeier

• Ashton Johnsey

• Trevor LeBas

• Collin McAfee

• Reid McAfee

• Paisley Rosas

• Xavier Sanchez

• Jacob Steffen

• Landon Treague

• Vaughn Vincent

During his 20 years leading the Tiger baseball program, Payne compiled 427 career victories — the third most wins by a coach in any sport in school history, according to a DSISD news release. He guided the Tigers to 17 playoff appearances, five district championships and two state tournament appearances. Under his leadership, 88 student-athletes also committed to continue their careers at the collegiate level.

He was a four-time district coach of the year and earned Texas High School Coaches Association Region 8 Coach of the Year honors in 2025.

Payne led one of the most successful stretches in program history during his final two seasons as head coach, the release continued. In 2025, he led the team to its first state semifinal appearance in 27 years and its first district championship as a Class 6A program. The Tigers followed that success with another state semifinal appearance in 2026, setting school records for wins at 32, hits at 356 and shutouts at 13.

Before becoming head baseball coach at DSHS, Payne served for five years as athletic coordinator at Dripping Springs Middle School. In that role, he was the head football coach, an assistant high school baseball coach and taught special education and physical education.

He is a graduate of then-Southwest Texas State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science.

Payne and his wife, Kristin, have three children, Colton, Coy and Janessa, a daughter-in-law, Macy, and two grandchildren, Callie and Carter.

He will begin his new role immediately.

Annen joins Dripping Springs ISD after serving five years as the head swimming and water polo coach for Lehman High School (LHS) in Kyle. During his tenure, he doubled the size of the Lobos' swim program, while leading athletes to set eight new school records and qualify for the regional meet in each of his five seasons, according to a DSISD news release. His success earned him District Coach of the Year honors in 2023.

In 2022, Annen launched the LHS water polo program and guided the Lobos to a bi-district championship in the team’s inaugural season.

In addition to coaching, Annen will teach social studies at DSHS.

Annen is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice.

The district has always offered what director of Curriculum and Instruction Emily Herrin describes as “à la carte” online classes. These were opportunities for students to take select courses, such as Health or Speech, in the evening or over the summer. Students would often sign up for these as a junior or senior, when both their independence was higher and a two-period class block was needed for an extracurricular activity or a Career and Technical Education course, said Herrin.

“À la carte” options were strictly outside of school hours, due to the way school funding was determined by the state legislature, which is through in-person attendance. However, Herrin noted that in the most recent legislative session, minutes could now be counted toward attendance, opening the opportunity for the district to begin considering virtual learning options, without losing the minimal funding received by the state.

“What we learned during COVID-19 was that the structure of the four walls brought a lot of consistency for [some] students, [but] the students who were successful in COVID didn’t need to come to school. They were the ones that have the skills that you need to time manage, stay on top of things, communicate and advocate for themselves,” explained the director.

Those high school students and families who feel as though online learning would be a good option can fill out an application, which considers grade history, attendance, career and personal goals and whether there are any extenuating circumstances that contribute to this request.

If the district agrees with the notion that the applicant would thrive in this environment, two options are available:

• A hybrid schedule that allows students to come to school for half the day and participate in extracurricular activities, while completing core classes virtually. Though, Herrin stated that the district will need to fit each of the extracurriculars into the same portion of the day, which is not always possible.

• A fully virtual experience, with students having complete control over the pace and time in which classes are completed.

Though, this could bring a potential barrier for families, Herrin noted, as students could ride the bus in the morning or in the evening, but would need to be picked up or dropped off midway through the day, to ensure security and safety.

The courses are completely online and instructed by the same teachers as Live Oak Academy. These professionals would check in regularly to ensure students are performing well and offer additional instruction, if needed. At the same time, a virtual teacher facilitator will check in with the students at the end of each week to keep students on track with the timeline of the courses, similar to a counselor.

“We tried to model the system around what we already have in place with our à la carte model and then, model what Live Oak does and find the happy medium. System wise, it’s definitely a team approach. So, everybody has a little role in it,” she said, adding that each student would still be tied to the high school in which they are zoned to, even if they are virtual. “The counselors, they’re at the point in their scheduling of students, where they’re hand-scheduling students now.”

Although the district is not prioritizing any grade level, Herrin did share that the majority of those requesting the program are juniors and seniors, but the reasoning for applying is vast. One student noted that they needed to get a job to support their family and this would provide flexibility, while another wanted to take on an apprenticeship. As of July 22, 30 students have completed the application, while another 100 are in the process.

The director did state that the legislation requires that no more than approximately 30% of a school’s population can be virtual.

In reviewing these applications, Herrin stated that staff has also able to find students that may succeed more at Live Oak than the virtual option, such as those who may not have the best grades or attendance and are looking for an alternative.

“Live Oak Academy fits the needs of a lot of students [because] it's a small environment. They do traditionally have to come in person a little bit, but we're talking much smaller class sizes and you get to know your teachers very well. That in-person environment is such a different experience than a traditional high school [and] that's where we capture students who are kind of in between,” she explained. “We're going through the applications and saying, ‘Okay, this student missed a lot of school. [It] might not be a hybrid opportunity for this student, but this student sounds like a really good Live Oak student because maybe they just need that support’ … It really is looking at this at the individual student level.”

Some families that previously switched to homeschooling have also applied, seeing this as another chance for their student to receive an education that works for them.

The application and registration for virtual learning will be open until the first day of school, which is Aug. 13. Herrin did state that the students must be committed to complete at least one semester in the virtual option chosen, but can reevaluate at the spring mark, if a change is needed.

“I know that COVID opened our eyes to the flexibility that virtual learning offers students … Every family knows their children best and probably within their family has a student who would do really well [online] and a student who would not,” she said. “I know we have groups of students who this would be helpful for and so, that's where it's nice to be able to offer this because now we can meet the needs of more children.”

For more information on Hays CISD’s virtual learning program, visit bit.ly/4wcffJ2.

An educator with more than two decades of experience, Dr. Karen Kidd has served as DSISD’s assistant superintendent for Learning & Innovation for the past six years and now, she has been promoted to deputy superintendent. During her tenure, she has played a key role in building the academic systems needed to ensure high-quality outcomes for students as a fast-growth district, according to a DSISD news release. She has spent nearly 17 years as a campus and central office administrator, overseeing curriculum, accountability, assessment and professional learning.

As deputy superintendent, Kidd will continue to lead the district’s academic programs, including oversight of campus principals and a newly-created chief academic officer (CAO) position.

As a strategic cost-saving measure, the release stated, DSISD will repurpose the assistant superintendent for Learning & Innovation position vacated by Kidd into a CAO role, which will lead the district’s academic programs, curriculum and instructional strategy, assisting in DSISD’s mission to provide a personal and exceptional education to every student.

Maureen Jamail, who announced her retirement in May as Walnut Springs Elementary School’s principal, will serve as interim CAO as the district begins its search to fill the role.

Jamail has been with DSISD for 21 years, most recently serving four years as WSE principal. A strong academic leader, her successful career in public education includes valuable experience at the elementary and secondary levels, the release stated.

Kidd and Jamail will begin serving in their new roles immediately.

She will now represent the region as one of 20 nominees statewide for the Texas Superintendent of the Year award, presented by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).

Selected for her visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to student success and ability to unite communities around a shared vision for public education, Morris-Kuentz has transformed Dripping Springs ISD into one of Texas' premier fast-growth school districts, stated a district news release. During her five-year tenure, she has strengthened academic performance, restored community trust and maintained exceptional fiscal stewardship while leading the district through unprecedented growth.

"Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz exemplifies the kind of leadership that inspires confidence, drives meaningful change and keeps students at the center of every decision," said Dr. Rich Elsasser, executive director of ESC Region 13. "Her ability to build trust, develop future leaders and navigate the challenges of a rapidly growing district with vision and integrity has made a lasting impact on Dripping Springs ISD and serves as a model for school systems across Texas. We are honored to recognize her as the 2026 Regional Superintendent of the Year."

Since becoming superintendent in 2021, Morris-Kuentz has led the development and implementation of the district's Future Ready 2030 strategic plan, while strengthening leadership development opportunities for students and educators and expanding community engagement through initiatives, such as Taxpayer Tuesday and the Certified Realtor Program.

She has also implemented initiatives that have strengthened student achievement, including the addition of Career & Technical Education (CTE) offerings at middle school, middle school course alignment, Leader In Me alignment across all DSISD campuses and improvements in College, Career and Military Readiness (CCMR) and Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) scores.

Under her leadership, the district has maintained balanced budgets, earned perfect financial ratings and successfully passed its largest bond election with the highest voter approval rate in district history, while continuing to meet the needs of one of the state's fastest-growing student populations, the release continued.

Her leadership extends beyond DSISD through service with the Texas Association of School Administrators, the Fast Growth School Coalition and other statewide organizations dedicated to advancing public education. She is also a registered superintendent mentor and board governance trainer, helping cultivate the next generation of educational leaders.

As Region 13's nominee, Morris-Kuentz advances to the next round of consideration for the 2026 Texas Superintendent of the Year, which will be announced this fall during the TASA/TASB Convention.

A Texas native, Michael Follis recently returned to the state after spending two years in Chicago, where he worked as a music educator, professional singer, church musician and senior associate conductor of the Chicago chapter of the Grammy Award-winning National Children's Chorus.

Follis began his career in public education in 2020 after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin. He served for two years as assistant director of Choral Activities at East View High School in Georgetown, helping lead a choral program of more than 150 students across four ensembles.

Prior to relocating to Chicago, Follis spent more than three years as director of music at Shepherd of the Hills Christian Church in Austin and served as assistant conductor of Chorus Austin, the city's symphonic choral ensemble.

Follis earned a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from UT Austin, where he performed with the University of Texas Chamber Singers and served as a section leader in Texas Choirs. He also made history as the first undergraduate appointed director of the Longhorn Singers, the university's official show choir, in the ensemble's 60-year history. Follis later earned a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from UT Austin.

Elliott brings 21 years of experience in Texas public school theatre programs. Most recently, he served for five years as the Theatre Curator for Fredericksburg ISD, where he managed the district auditorium and served as house manager and lighting and sound designer for district events.

Prior to Fredericksburg, Elliott served as theatre director at middle schools in both Boerne ISD and Round Rock ISD. During his tenure in Round Rock, he led the theatre program to six first-place finishes in One-Act Play, while also growing the program by more than 250 students. He began his career in neighboring Hays CISD.

Outside of the classroom, Elliott owns a bespoke costume company and leads workshops on costuming and pattern making at the annual Texas Educational Theatre Association Conference.

Elliott holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Education from Texas State University.

Dripping Springs ISD trustee Rob McClelland, pictured right, is sworn in to serve another three-year term on the board. Both his and Cousins' terms will expire in May 2029.

The new role will be responsible for providing districtwide campus support to both teachers and campus leaders, stated a news release. The role will lead and coordinate multiple initiatives that are either brand new to WISD, like the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), and systems that have undergone massive changes by the state in recent years, such as the Teachers Education Association accountability system, the STAAR assessments and the College, Career, Military Readiness (CCMR) measurement.

“I am grateful to our board for approving this important position to expand support for our teachers and students. With new programs and increased state requirements created over the past several years, this is a critical moment to invest directly in our students and teachers,” said Superintendent Dr. Greg Bonewald. “Growth in student achievement is dependent on teachers having access to the training, tools and data they need to excel. This position will help bridge an existing gap and enhance our district’s ability to achieve the important goals established by our board in our strategic plan.”

Following the creation of the position, Bonewald announced that current Wimberley High School assistant principal, Errin Jennings, has been appointed to serve in this new role.

Bonewald continued, sharing that “Jennings possesses a rare skill set. Seeing her leadership on the high school campus this past year made it clear that we needed to find a way to more fully utilize her talents in an intentional way for the benefit of our faculty and students. Her prior experience with the TIA program and her passion for supporting teachers and students through data-driven instruction make her an ideal fit for this position.”

“I am so appreciative for the opportunity to serve the students, staff and families of Wimberley High School and I’m thrilled that this position will allow me to expand that impact throughout the district,” said Jennings. “I believe passionately that when teachers feel supported, students will grow and I can’t wait to get started.”

Following the announcement of Jennings, Bonewald also announced that Christy Brothers, who previously led the district’s Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP), would be joining the WHS administrative team as assistant principal to fill the vacancy created by Jennings’s transition.

Brothers has served as the WISD DAEP director for the last five years and has an additional six years of experience as a campus administrator at other districts. Prior to that, she had 14 years of experience working in various special education roles at districts around Texas.

“I’m incredibly excited to keep working alongside our wonderful WISD students, families, staff and community,” said Brothers. “I'm ready to hit the ground running and look forward to serving the students and staff at WHS.”

WHS principal Ryan Wilkes said, “Christy knows our school and our systems inside and out, which will allow us to maintain stability and structure. She has done a fantastic job at DAEP, holding high expectations for everyone, and we look forward to seeing her continue that excellent work at the high school campus.”

Brothers has a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s degree in special education, both from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She is married to her husband Dustin and has one adult son, Aaron. In her free time she enjoys traveling, gardening and taking care of her animals.

WISD is currently accepting applications for the DAEP director position.

According to the presentation, the Wimberley Strategic Plan is set to end in 2027, after its initial stage occurring in 2023. In it, the mission states that the district is “dedicated to excellence in education, empowering the next generation of Texas to have a positive impact locally and globally” through four priorities: empower student excellence, support faculty and excellence, strengthen community excellence and ensure operational excellence.

Focusing on the first priority — empowering students — Grisham noted that she would be sharing the district’s special education demographics and a review of the 2025 results-driven accountability district report, compiled of data from the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years.

“Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, we started that school year on the snapshot day of having 286 students qualified for special education. By the end of that school year, we were at 304. If you skip forward and go into the ’25-’26 [school year] snapshot day, we had 486 students and at the end of the school year, we had 506,” shared Grisham. “That has been an increase of 200 students over those past five years in special education.”

She also explained that the growth for the most recent school year may appear to only be 20, but the district serves more than that. It actually served 575 students, but some may have been dismissed from the program, due to achieving goals, being removed or transferring out of the WISD.

The presentation also detailed the most prominent areas that qualify these students for special education:

•   Specific learning disability: 202 or 40.4%

•   Speech impairment: 110 or 22%

•   Autism: 52 or 10.4%

•   Other health impairment: 71 or 14.2%

•   Emotional disturbance: 40 or 8%

Moving onto the findings of the results-driven accountability district report, Grisham stated that WISD received a Determination Level 1: Meets Requirements, which is the highest ranking.

“Our kids with special learning needs, they are also achieving the district vision of excellence, innovation and service,” she emphasized. “We’re closing the gaps; our students are closing the gaps in their STAAR performance. Our 2026 graduates have all demonstrated essential workplace skills and our students are growing socially [and] academically. We have kids that are involved in almost all of our activities within our district.”

Although there are many areas to celebrate, she did note that there is room for improvement by persisting in closing academic gaps, increasing the number of college readiness testers and empowering students toward the completion of career programs and industry-based certificates.

In response to trustee Chad Canine’s inquiry on any challenges the program is facing, Grisham explained that staff is looking into how to provide training for the special education support staff, paraprofessionals and general education teachers who also play a role in supporting the students.

Trustee Rob Campbell noted that the students make up a large percentage of the overall district population at 21.5% and thanked Grisham for her hardwork.

The Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees will meet next Monday, July 27.

The development began after the district was on the hunt for more housing opportunities for its staff, following incentivized apartment rentals at several apartment complexes in Kyle, said Chief Human Resources Officer Christina Courson. It was then that Upward Communities approached the district in December 2024 to create a development entirely for staff members.

“It was the perfect fit because, now, we were looking at — instead of apartments — mostly single-family homes with their own yard, a neighborhood designed just for Hays CISD employees,” said Courson.

The community comes at no cost to the district and is retained through a 55-year housing agreement, designed to provide Hays CISD with a long-term recruitment and retention advantage, according to the district.

As the idea has begun taking shape, a location was needed. The chief officer stated that initially, Kyle was considered for the site, but, ultimately, a site north of Uhland Elementary School was chosen. The sale is set to be finalized in June 2026.

“We know from the demographer’s report that any growth occurring over the next 10 years … is going to occur moving eastward. So, we want to have a neighborhood that’s situated, first of all where all that growth is predicted, [but] also we want to help incentivize staff to work on our eastern side of the school district, where it’s somewhat harder to recruit,” she explained.

The location is not only going to benefit the district, but residents in Uhland, as well. The development is set to have a small retail area in the center, which Courson noted has been in the talks of including a grocery store and other small businesses.

The community, which sits on more than 100 acres, was designed by DPZ CoDesign, according to the district, and provides four housing choices for staff. The first are the Cottages, which are available in one and two bedrooms and bathrooms, with a private courtyard. These are similar to a duplex, due to having a shared wall, but separate spaces. Then, there is the Blanco, which is a standalone home, with two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a one-car garage and a front and back patio. The Clover and Daytona are similar to the Blanco, but have three bedrooms and a two car garage. Finally, the Fourstar and Cypress have four bedrooms.

The buildings, which Courson noted take inspiration from Kyle’s Plum Creek and Seaside, Florida — a community which was initially built for teachers — were built by Clark Wilson, with interior details by Vida Design.

Broken up into segments, the community will have four “pocket” parks that aim to meet different needs. The “relax” park has a fire pit, hammock grove, barbecue pits, a picnic area and chaise lounges, while the “garden” has a community garden, pollinator plants, herb garden and a picnic area. Those with families may find the “play” park enticing, as it will encompass a playfield, trike track, playground and picnic area. Then, similar to “relax,” the “backyard fun” park will have a fire pit, yard games, soccer field, Adirondack chairs, barbecue pits and a picnic area.

Currently, the first phase of rental housing is set to open for the 2027-28 school year and a list of more than 600 staff is already hoping to be chosen for the site.

This will be the most rewarding part — being able to help those that contribute to the education of the students, as some of those on the list have family members with special needs or are living with family and haven’t had the financial opportunity to move, she continued.

Because of this, she emphasized that when considering the community, the district wanted to do its best to be considerate of staff pay. So, the district is working on creating a tiered system that would allow those that are on the auxiliary and paraprofessional scales, for example, to have a deeper discount than those on the academic or business professional scales.

The projected average monthly rent is as follows:

• One bedroom: $795-$1,195

• Two bedroom: $995-$1,450

• Three bedroom: $1,350-$1,825

• Four bedroom: $1,575-$1,995

To further lessen these costs, the chief officer stated that she is excited for the prospect of staff having the ability to become roommates with each other.

“There’s actually going to be a service where individuals can find roommates to share housing, kind of like dorms,” Courson explained.

The district is currently working on creating a process to select the families and individuals that will move into the development. She stated that they are hoping to do a combination of current staff and those working in hard-to-fill positions, such as special education or bilingual roles, while having space to recruit staff in the future.

“In Hays CISD, when we are faced with challenges like teacher and school staff shortages, as well as funding concerns; we don’t shy away. Instead, that’s when we get to work to create solutions for our parents, students and the entire school district family. This program is an example of what we can do when we all work together and leverage the partnerships that are available to us,” said Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright.

Considering the district has more than 3,000 employees and only 362 units for the affordable housing community, Courson stated that, “depending on the success of this, we would love to see additional opportunities, maybe in Kyle or Buda. That’s for us to think of in the future, but the waitlist right now already shows interest beyond our capacity.”

The district will continue to share updates and information as it becomes available at www.hayscisd.net/hayshomes.

His love for educating people dates back to when he was a first grade student and, because his teacher knew that he was already an avid reader, was asked to help his classmates learn how to read. Wright shared that it was through that joy that he discovered from a young age that he knew he wanted to have a career in education.

Wright started his career as a student teacher in 1988 and then, became a full-time teacher in the classroom and coach in 1989, serving across several school districts in Texas, including Terrell, Channelview, West Hardin, Hardin, Marshall and Lufkin ISDs.

After learning what he could as an instructor, he entered into the following advanced leadership positions: assistant elementary school principal for Lufkin ISD in 1996; principal of an elementary school in Huntington ISD in 1997; principal of Huntington High School for the 2000-2001 school year; assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at Huntington ISD in 2001-2004; named the superintendent for Woodville ISD in 2004; superintendent for Huntington ISD in 2006-2014; and superintendent for Fredericksburg ISD in 2014-2017.

The Hays CISD Board of Trustees hired him in December 2017 to serve as superintendent, thus beginning Wright’s leadership of the district Jan. 1, 2018. Since then, he has watched the district continue to evolve. At the time, there were approximately 19,000 students, Wright said, but now, the district has more than 25,000 students in the fast-growing area.

“Just watching the dynamic growth and trying to keep pace with that growth, so that all students have a nice place to learn has been crucial. Thanks to our community and our taxpayers, we've been able to pass several bonds in order to provide facilities that allow our students to have great spaces in which to learn and then, in fine arts and athletics [to] showcase their talents,” he shared.

Hays CISD is unique in that it serves multiple cities, including Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, Niederwald, Hays, Driftwood, Uhland and parts of Austin, Wright continued. Taking all of the different communities and listening to the various needs they have to give the students the best educational experience has been challenging, but rewarding at the same time, he said.

“I see public education as being the vehicle that can raise all boats and if a student is educated, then it provides opportunities for them,” the superintendent said. “It opens the doors and I think we are able to provide those opportunities, so they can be successful in whatever field that they want to move into later on in life.”

Over the years, there have been several accolades and accomplishments throughout Wright’s tenure.

Knowing that “if you can read, you can do anything,” Wright implemented a reading program during the beginning of his stint at Hays CISD. This emphasized the importance of teaching students how to read on grade level using phonics as a base, as, when he first started, reading scores in the district were in a deficit, but they now exceed state and regional averages.

He also shared that he is proud of the increased number of students taking advanced placement, dual credit and OnRamps courses, as well as the Career and Technology Education Department being able to partner with local business owners to help secure their future employees.

However, his favorite time of the month is meeting with the Student Advisory Panel and having the direct interaction with the students, as he is able to hear from those that are impacted the most from decisions made by the district.

“[It’s] made up of high school kids from all four of our high schools. We bring them in and we run policy decisions and building decisions because we always want to know how it impacts the end user, which always is our kids,” Wright said. “Anything that's curriculum in nature or that deals with the school district, we always want the student voice and so, monthly, I get to have student input and so, that's that's my biggest takeaway and it's probably one of the groups that I will miss the most is having the direct interaction with our students.”

After a nearly 40-year career in public education, Wright has decided that it’s time for him to step away to be able to spend more time with his wife and family, including his young grandchildren.

“I've been doing this work for almost four decades now and so, I just feel like it's time for me to make a change and enjoy my family. I love this job, but it is also all-consuming in volume with 25,000 students and over 3,500 employees. It never stops. It's like I'm on duty 365 [days a year], 24/7,” he said. “I'm ready to do something different. I love our team; I love our kids. I'm not walking away because of any dissatisfaction. I just want to do something different with my life and actually be there for my family moving forward.”

Wright will be retiring in February of next year. According to him, the best time for a superintendent to step down is in the middle of the school year because the budget is already set and “all of the manuals” are provided, leaving his replacement with the opportunity to have two to three months to learn about the district before most of the crucial decisions are made.

Looking ahead to the future of Hays CISD — as Wright vowed he will remain the number one fan and biggest cheerleader — he wants to continue to see the student enrollment and facilities grow, as well as whoever takes over his position to leave it better than they found it.

“I'm just eternally grateful for the original board that gave me the opportunity to work here and I've been blessed to have great trustees to work with … My executive cabinet is by far the best in the state; we've had a great continuity and everything that has been accomplished has been a team effort. I'm so proud of our outstanding teachers and our outstanding students,” Wright concluded. “Hays CISD is a destination district [and] I just want to thank them for all their support throughout all these years.”
 

At the beginning of the process of forming the district’s second high school’s identity, DSISD sent out a community survey that received nearly 4,000 responses. Out of those, the majority — with 28.4% strongly agreeing and 27.1% agreeing — found that both high schools should have one unifying color in common between them. However, a second question of if the two should have the same exact colors garnered more disagreement.

The community feedback was then provided to the Naming & Branding Committee, which recommended the following colorway packages that also aligned with school names:

– Driftwood High School: Navy blue, gold and white

– Driftwood Springs High School: Navy blue, gold and white

–Bear Creek High School: Maroon and sky blue

– Sycamore Springs High School: Maroon and metallic silver

– Cypress Springs High School: Forest green and gold

Ultimately, the committee recommended the official colors for Driftwood Springs High School be navy and gold.

“They liked the connection to Dark Sky. They thought it was a nice complement with gold. They also thought it was a nice complement with maroon, as well,” said chief communications officer Jennifer Edwards, who added that navy was a popular color suggestion from the beginning.

All of the elementary campuses within DSISD also have gold as the unifying color, so this would be a continuation of that strategy, Edwards said. Navy is considered to be a strong color, conveying authority, confidence, trust, intelligence and tradition: “I think it fits into our brand really nicely,” she said.

Trustee Dr. Stefani Reinold asked about the color white in the committee’s recommendation. While there will only be two colors that are officially named for the school, white can be included in the future brand package as a complementary or secondary color, Edwards clarified.

The board unanimously approved navy and gold as the official colors for Driftwood Springs High School, slated to open for the 2028-29 school year. The school’s mascot is expected to be approved this fall.

“I appreciate the community for giving us the extra time and I know that there are some members on this board that wishes we had an entire package, but this is still so exciting,” said trustee Tricia Quintero. “I know when I told my kiddos that will actually go to this new high school what the colors potentially could be, they were super excited about it. We've had a shirt actually at convocation with blue and gold and … it's one of my favorite shirts.”

Budget

The board also unanimously approved the 2026-27 budget, consisting of the general fund, debt service and child nutrition.

As presented by chief financial officer Randy Rau, the budget was based on several key assumptions, including a projected enrollment of 8,940 students, which is a large jump from the 6,008 in the 2016-17 school year, as well as the following:

– Average Daily Attendance: 95.25%

– Property tax collection rate: 99%

– 1% general pay increase, based on pay group midpoint

– District health contribution of $420 per employee per month — an increase from the previous $405

– Non-payroll inflation factor: 1%

The proposed general fund operating budget includes expenditures of $104,486,991, revenues of $102,327,356 and other uses/transfers of $176,000. This results in an overall deficit of $1,983,635 that complies with the board’s policy of a 2% budget parameter by $62,911.

“I want to point out our general fund expenditures by major object category. The biggest ticket item, for the most part, in our budget is payroll just at 80%, which is sitting good. Districts usually try to hit their payroll not more than 82-83% of [their] budget. The one thing we do have to take into consideration is our district is a recapture district and that's an [estimated] 4.55% of our total budget,” Rau said.

For debt service, revenues sit at $46,243,588 and expenditures at $42,832,288, resulting in an operating surplus of $3,411,300.

The final fund of the budget, child nutrition, reflects two separate operations, as suggested by the Texas Department of Agriculture, Rau explained.

The budget for the campuses — mainly the elementary schools — participating in the National School Lunch & Breakfast Program comprises $2,255,523 in revenue, $2,846,475 in expenditures and $590,952 in operating deficit. Secondly, the Self-Funded Meal Program at the secondary campuses has $2,508,179 in revenue, $2,538,640 in expenditures and $30,461 in operating deficit.

Trustee Kim Cousins shared that she is grateful to see that DSISD is not having to make some of the difficult decisions that other districts are.

“We just got back from state conference and we spent a lot of time talking to a lot of trustees and superintendents around the state; they are closing schools [and] they are canceling programs. Their fund balance is not very healthy,” she said. “It's really sad to see the things that are going on out there [but] we have not cut any programs; we are funding this district and our kids are having opportunities. Our enrollment is still growing. There's a lot of enrollment shrinkage throughout the state, which is affecting their budget.”

Currently, the district is looking at a proposed total $1.0610 tax rate, which consists of $0.7110 in maintenance and operations, as well as $0.3500 in interest and sinking.

Trustee Rob McClelland said that while the board is not adopting the tax rate until August or September, it does look like the proposed numbers show a decrease for the community.

To listen to the full meeting, and find the agenda with the full budget documents, visit www.dsisdtx.us/page/board-meeting-livestream.

Arrieta brings 15 years of head coaching experience in Texas, including the past five years as the head boys and girls wrestling coach at Pieper High School in San Antonio. During his tenure at Pieper, Arrieta built the girls wrestling program into a consistent State contender, stated a news release, and his teams recorded top-five State finishes in each of the last three seasons and earned five top-10 State finishes overall.

In recognition of his success, Arrieta was named the 2025 Girls Wrestling Coach of the Year by the Texas High School Coaches Association. He also earned three district coach of the year honors and two regional coaching awards during his career.

In addition to coaching, Arrieta will teach principles of audio/video production, audio/video production and animation I and II at DSHS.

Arrieta earned a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature from the University of Texas at El Paso and a master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Full Sail University.

DI — a global community — inspires students to work together in teams to solve open-ended STEAM challenges designed to teach the “creative process,” which is a step-by-step process that helps the students better understand problems and ask better questions, come up with solutions, learn from failure and celebrate their achievements, according to its website. The ultimate goal is to help them feel empowered and prepare them for success in their future.

Locally, the DI program at Pfluger was started five years ago by Dr. Micaela Vargas — a professor in the Department of Biology at Texas State University with her own degrees in cell and molecular biology — and specials teacher Patricia Segura. Though the two are team managers, the program itself is led by the students.

Pfluger’s most recent team for the 2025-26 school year, named Flying Colors, consisted of seven students in the fourth and fifth grade. In order to be on the team, they were required to write a small paragraph on why they were interested in DI, as well as participate in tryouts, where they were paired with another student to see how well they could collaborate together to complete a building task or performance task.

“This year's team is very special because last year, we had three teams and when you have close to 20 kids that you have to manage, you got to make sure that they're following the rules and making sure they're on track,” Vargas said. “It is very, very hard on us. Last year was very challenging and so, we decided this year that we're only going to focus on one team. We had tryouts and we made sure that the team that we were going to build worked well together … and be able to read each other. This is one reason why this team is so special because four of the seven team members, this was their first year doing this program.”

The team has had recent success, securing second place at Capital Region Finals in February, sixth place at Lone Star Finals in April and then, making a name for itself as third-place winners out of 62 global teams at the Global Finals in May.

For the competitions, the DI teams first have to develop solutions to one of the six categories, of which, Pfluger chose technical, to showcase their months-long work in the team challenge. Utilizing the resources that she has as a professor at Texas State University, Vargas was able to have the campus’ chapter of IEEE — an international organization of electrical engineers — mentor the young team, which included her son as the primary tech, during their journey of developing a game show for the challenge.

“I would bring the kids on campus and have them work on campus on their engineering project and develop out their game show,” Vargas explained. “This wonderful collaboration has lasted [with the help of the IEEE] student group mentoring our kids and teaching them the basic techniques of electrical engineering and building out their challenge.”

The second component is an instant challenge, where teams have to think on their feet by solving an unknown, rapid-fire puzzle or engineering task on the spot.

“They'll do a building challenge where they'll lay out some general [STEAM] materials, like pipe cleaners, paper towel rolls, mailing labels, paper and index cards, and they will be asked to create something within five minutes and they're looking to see how quickly they can execute the challenge,” Segura said.

Although they placed well, the road to physically get to the Global Finals in Kansas City, Missouri, was not easy as the team managers, along with parents, had to do the legwork, due to struggles with securing funding with the school district — despite Pfluger being the first Title 1 elementary school in Hays CISD to reach this level.

“I believe in this program so much. We are advocates of this program. It’s not as big of a push in the district as it used to be when it first got started and, I think, after COVID, it kind of just dwindled down and now, we are losing a lot of funds in our school district,” explained Segura, who was involved in DI even before her time at Pfluger.

She added that DI is important because it lays down the foundation of early STEAM skills for students, as well as helps them navigate a passion for these, as they continue throughout middle and high school levels.

“I’ve seen them literally grow, have confidence in themselves, have a voice and be leaders within their team. I've had parents come up to me and basically tell us, ‘This is what you did for those kids,’” Vargas said, holding back tears. “This is so important and I really do believe in this program.”

Going into the next school year, the team will look a little different, as some of them are now moving on to the middle school level and won’t be competing with each other. However, Vargas and Segura are still looking to a bright future in advocating for the vitality of the DI program at Pfluger.

“These scientists and engineers are bringing the future and this is why I need these kids to challenge themselves because they are the future,” Vargas concluded.

To learn more about the global DI program, visit www.destinationimagination.org.

District administrators and school officials recognized the accomplishments of the graduating class as students closed one chapter of their lives and prepared to begin another.

Class valedictorian Sanvi Surpaneni and salutatorian Bella Rose delivered inspiring farewell addresses, reflecting on the memories, friendships and lessons learned during their years at DSHS, while also thanking teachers, parents and classmates for their support.

The Class of 2026 officers included president Bella Rose, vice president Kyle Kreuz, secretary Adeline Spies, treasurer Sophia Jones and historian Miller Cochran.

The ceremony also featured the official certification of graduates by Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz and Dripping Springs ISD board president Dr. Stefani Reinold.

Following the presentation of diplomas, graduates and attendees were treated to a fireworks display, provided by Half Off Fireworks, to celebrate the conclusion of the evening.

Several members of the DSHS Tiger baseball team were unable to attend the ceremony as they competed in the University Interscholastic League Class 6A Region IV Final playoff series at Calallen High School. The Tigers clinched the Region IV Championship Saturday, May 23, and will next face Memorial High School, the Region III champions, in the UIL State Semifinals.

This update follows Senate Bill 546, which passed during the state’s 89th Legislative Session and took effect Sept. 1, 2025. It requires all buses that a school district in Texas operates or contracts to be equipped with three-point seat belts, which include a strap over the shoulder to keep passengers from jolting forward during an accident.

The bill instructs districts to report their current bus inventory to the Texas Education Agency by May 29 of this year. Districts must also include a cost estimate for seat belt retrofitting, or adding additional features, in their reporting. All districts are required under SB 546 to reach full compliance by Sept. 1, 2029, with no exemptions.

Scharlach gave a brief overview of past seat belts standards in his presentation, stating, “Prior to 1977 — hard to believe — there were very little to no standards whatsoever on school buses for any safety protocols.”

That changed with the introduction of stricter safety standards by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1977 and the subsequent development of lap belt requirements in some states during the 1980s.

“There had been accidents in which we had a number of students injured and unfortunately passed away because of the lack of safety standards,” said Scharlach, referring to school districts generally, not WISD.

The director of Transportation noted that past studies debated the efficacy of seat belts in preventing injuries, but those against seat belt functionality did not take into account accidents where a bus rolls completely over.

Scharlach stated that when a bus flips and turns, “It is safer for any passenger to stay within that seat. If you are not belted in, you will fly.”

In 2017, SB 693 addressed seat belt usage for the first time in Texas and required buses manufactured after 2018 to have three-point seat belts. However, school districts could still purchase or operate buses made before 2018 that did not have these safety measures. This allowed some districts to cut retrofitting costs and bypass SB 693.

Now, SB 546 sets tighter standards than any previous law, which Scharlach feels will be “pretty effective” in preventing injuries.

Currently, WISD has three buses in its 29-bus fleet that fall short of the new requirements. One bus — a 2010 model — has two-point seat belts and two buses — from 2007 — have no seat belts, according to Scharlach.

“Those three buses without the required seat belt will be sold via auction this summer. We’re going to try to get those sold in June but they are out of service,” Scharlach explained.

WISD also had two buses retrofitted with three-point seat belts and certified last December, amounting to $55,000, which Scharlach said was “well worth our money.” The four buses up for auction could not be retrofitted, due to their age.

“We are in good shape and we will have all our buses in compliance by next school year,” Scharlach closed.

The board of trustees had no questions following the director of Transportation’s presentation, though President Rob Campbell noted that he was “very impressed.”

The Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. Monday, June 15.

The Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees discussed the 2026-27 compensation plan, along with general pay increases that coincide, during its Monday, May 18, meeting. According to chief Human Resources officer Linda Hall, the compensation plan reflects a 0.5% increase to the minimum, midpoint and maximums, allowing DSISD to “stay competitive” with new hires coming in.

With last year’s Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA) — at $2,500 for teachers with three and four years of experience, as well as $5,000 for those with at least five years — it made a substantial increase to the teacher pay scale, Hall explained. Approximately 6-8% is what DSISD teachers saw for their increase last year; however, looking at that percentage compared to the administrative professional and other pay grades, they are not matching.

“What that does is we are now seeing some challenges when we have people who are coming off the teacher pay scale and want to move to the administrative professional scale; they are not increasing at the same rate,” Hall noted. “It’s a little bit of a challenge in that they may either … not see as much of an increase as they were hoping or they may not see an increase at all.”

DSISD is still doing everything it can to keep it competitive, said Hall: “It’s a fantastic thing to pay our teachers as much as we can. It’s just that we can not make that same incremental increase to the administrative professional scale.”

Trustee Dr. Mary Jane Hetrick shared that this issue has been recognized by other school districts across the state, as the superintendent with Lorena ISD, for example, has gone before the Texas House Committee on Public Education to speak on midsized school districts. Hetrick said that there are “exceptional teachers who would make exceptional interventionists [and] instructional specialists,” yet they are choosing not to for the reason of pay disparity.

Trustee Rob McClelland pointed out that there are other school districts in the surrounding area faced with difficult decisions, such as closing multiple campuses, the uncertainty of this year's budget and significantly reducing the size of their workforce.

Along with the 0.5% increase included in the compensation plan, the board unanimously approved a 1% general pay increase based on the midpoint for returning staff, including teachers, auxiliary, child nutrition, transportation, clerical/technical and administrative/professional.

The board also heard an updated presentation on the facility that would house the district’s special education and adult transition services 18+ program.

This follows an earlier presentation in March, in which the board was informed that the construction timeline, as it was at that time, was delayed and the team had to go back to the drawing board to determine cost-saving measures. The trustees opted to give direction to only have one General Maximum Price (GMP), rather than two.

Now, the construction documents schedule has been compressed to where they were completed May 8 to give Swinerton, construction manager at risk (CMAR), more time to go out to subtrades in the market to get the best possible pricing, explained Darrell Pearson of PBK Architects. This is also to ensure that the GMP will still be delivered, completed and presented to the school board in June.

Pearson continued, emphasizing that the team ensured that the educational spaces, functionality of the building and aesthetics remain as intended because those are non-negotiables.

“I do want people to understand that the programs and the spaces are what we want to hold onto and the functionality of the building because … there are [specific] needs that go on in this program and we need to make sure that we keep those in place,” said trustee Tricia Quintero.

However, Pearson said, there are cost reduction strategies that went into the site and building plans, which include:

•   Reducing parking and drives

•   Reconfigure parking and drives to avoid retaining walls and cut/fill of hillside

•   Relocate building to avoid cut/fill

•   Remove/simplify utilities

•   Remove items that can be added later: outdoor yard and fencing, greenhouse, rainwater collection system, golf cart path/parking and reduce canopy system

•   Use wood frame construction

•   Simplify building foundation

•   Reduce height of building

•   Utilize all one roofing system

•   Change to split-system heating, ventilation and air conditioning

•   Utilize efficient finishes

•   Remove folding panel wall, which can be added later

Quintero said that the greenhouse is currently pulled from the project, but there is potential for alternative funding for that. She did question if the fencing, however, could be paid for out of the safety allotment.

Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz said that there could be potential for that, but it is a reimbursement, so the district would have to look at that and it depends on at what point if there are still grant funds available at that time.

The project is still expected to be complete by the end of the year. Ultimately, the board unanimously approved the revised construction documents.

To listen to the full meeting, visit www.dsisdtx.us/page/board-meeting-livestream.

The DSISD Board of Trustees meets next at 2 p.m. June 15 for its agenda review meeting.

SB 10 went into effect Sept. 1, 2025, following its passage in the 89th Texas Legislature. The bill requires school districts to display “in a conspicuous place” a 16 inch by 20 inch “durable poster or framed copy” of the Ten Commandments,” which reads as follows:

"The Ten Commandments

I AM the LORD thy God.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.

Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s."

The posters, the bill continues, may be donated by community members for display purposes. They may also be purchased by the district, if no donations are received, but this is not a requirement.

According to Paxton, “The demands issued to these schools also require them to produce documents regarding the display or lack thereof of the Ten Commandments and their policies regarding SB 10.”

The investigation also detailed SB 11, which requires school boards to either adopt or deny a designated time for prayer. The DSISD Board of Trustees opted to deny adding the time unanimously at its Feb. 23, 2026, meeting.

“I will always fight for students’ fundamental right to pray in our schools and work to ensure that Texas kids are able to learn from the Ten Commandments daily,” added Paxton.

DSISD communications specialist Blake Barington stated that the district remains “in full compliance with the provisions of Senate Bill 10,” as the display is contingent on receipt of donated posters and none have been received.

The district did not send out any information regarding the bill or poster donations to parents, due to the injunction placed on the bill in the fall, noted Barington. Although no posters have been received, staff are not planning on purchasing any posters, as this is not required by law, he continued.

“Dripping Springs ISD has not heard from Ken Paxton's office. Once posters are donated by an organization, we will put them up, but none have been donated,” concluded the specialist.

To view the investigation notice, visit https://bit.ly/3RmSjHB. To learn about the details of SB 10, bit.ly/4nPVZOb.