Chronicle Reports: Relief From Over-Crowded Sienna Plantation Schools On The Way!

Fort Bend ISD trustees approve land purchases for future campuses
Elementaries would be built in Sienna and Aliana areas

By ZEN T. C. ZHENG
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

The Fort Bend school board on Monday approved purchases of two elementary school sites, one in the Sienna Plantation subdivision east of Missouri City and the other in the Aliana development in the district's northern sector.

The planned Sienna campus has been selected on12 acres northwest of Baines Middle School, to be bought for more than $601,100.

The school would be built to an 860-pupil capacity and scheduled to open in August 2008, said Lee Petros, associate superintendent of facilities and planning.

The project aims to lessen crowding at two elementary campuses, Sienna Crossing and Scanlan Oaks, Petros said.

Sienna Crossing, with a capacity for 820 pupils, had an enrollment of 912 last October. Scanlan Oaks, also designed for 820 pupils, enrolled 1,061 pupils in October.

The Sienna project would cost $16.7 million, including the land, design, construction and furnishings, Petros said.

The project will be initially financed through a district fund balance. District officials are considering calling a bond referendum in November to fund new campuses and other improvements, including the planned elementary campus for Sienna, he said.

Zoning Picture for Sienna Area Clearing//Bond Election On The Way (is it the best plan?)-click title link for full FBN story

FBISD May Seek $600 Million Bond Issue; Wants New Elementary Now
by Bob Dunn, Feb 23, 2007

In October, Fort Bend Independent School District officials indicated they would tackle challenges stemming from the district’s rapid growth by proposing a May bond issue for about $260 million to finance the building of about eight schools.

Then, a second bond issue would be prepared for some additional building and renovation needs a year later.

On Friday evening, however, FBISD Superintendent Dr. Timothy Jenney proposed waiting until November to hold an election on a bond issue that could reach $600 million.

Jenney also proposed borrowing about $15 million from the district’s fund balance in order to proceed almost immediately with plans and construction of a new elementary school in Sienna Plantation. . .

. . .The new elementary would relieve severe overcrowding at Scanlan Oaks and Sienna Crossing elementaries. According to district figures, Scanlan Oaks has a functional capacity of 738 students, but its actual enrollment is 1,061. Sienna Crossing’s functional capacity also is 738, but actual enrollment is 912 students.

Jenney said he has been advised the district can legally borrow from the fund balance, which now contains $104 million.

“And we would immediately pay that back when the bond passes,” FBISD Board President Steve Smelley said.

In the event the bond issue doesn’t pass, Magee said the district’s finances still would be sound with $89 million in the fund.

Get more at http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/2604/in-final-fort-bend-isd-rezoning-proposal-k-6-concept-would-be-delayed and attend the Monday FBISD board meeting!

***Update to this story: Monday nights board mtg. produced a 6-1 vote in favor of the current zoning plan.


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Comment: The zoning proposal still leaves the long-term problem in place. Can the district continue to keep up with the rate of future growth in east FBISD (our area). One group involved in this hasn't been heard from. Will they get involved in the open and help solve this unsustainable growth problem.

From the Chronicle: Sienna School Zoning Gets FBISD Attention--

Fort Bend ISD, trustees get barrage of queries on zoning
Some parents object to repeated rezoning of pupils

By SESHADRI KUMAR
Chronicle Correspondent

The proposed zoning for Elkins and Hightower high schools, which hinges on splitting Sienna Plantation into two groups, is among issues eliciting a large number of comments from parents in the Fort Bend Independent School District.

Other issues are implementing a kindergarten-to-sixth-grade campus concept at nine elementaries and housing only grades 7-8 at Missouri City and Christa McAuliffe middle schools, establishing a gifted-and-talented middle school academy, and zoning for a new elementary in Telfair. . . .

--One resident made a popular suggestion for helping with over-crowding--

. . ."Leslie Bauer of Lake Olympia has two suggestions: one for long term and one for the short term. Bauer said the school district should lobby the Legislature and pass a law to make developers of big master-planned communities donate land and contribute to building schools. This is being done successfully in other states, she said." . . .(click title link above for more).


Don't miss the Hightower zoning meeting Feb. 15th at 6p. at the campus!


--Stay informed and keep in touch!--