Wylie calls $45 million bond election

While Wylie Independent School District, Texas, students returned to class Monday, the district school board made a decision that could affect them for generations to come.

Trustees approved, 6-0, a measure to place a $45 million bond election on the Nov. 7 ballot to build, essentially, a new school and expand a second on the east side of Highway 83/84.

These new facilities would alleviate traffic congestion and overcrowding concerns as the Wylie population of Abilene continues growing, Superintendent Joey Light said.

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"After long consideration, we decided we need the $45 million bond," Light said. "This is not something we took lightly."

Estimates are the property tax rate in the Wylie district would increase 18 cents if the school bond proposition passes. The proposed tax rate for the upcoming year is $1.125 per $100 valuation.

If approved in November, these two projects would have an expected completion date for the start of the 2019-20 school year, Light said.

Board President Steve Keenum was the only trustee absent for the special meeting held Monday morning as students returned to classes. Some curious onlookers peeked through glass walls at the proceedings as the meeting was held in the library of the district's early childhood facility.

First-day enrollment in Wylie schools was up by 146 compared to 2016. Total enrollment at Wylie schools was 4,348 students on Monday, 3.5 percent increase over the first day of school last year.

The biggest gains were on the elementary campus (grades 1-2), junior high (grades 7-8) and high school (grades 9-12). The elementary campus gained 43 students for a total of 686, the junior high added 34 to bring it to 670, and the high school grew by 68 to 1,159.

The $45 million bond will help the district construct a new campus for fifth through eighth grades while adding second-, third- and fourth-grade classrooms and a large gym to an elementary school the district is about to begin work on later this month or early next month.

Both schools will be built on Colony Hill Road near Maple Street if voters approve the measure in November.Demographers have told the district it will grow about 200 students per year for the next decade, causing overcrowded schools like the district's current middle school on FM 707 to stress.

Tribune Content Agency
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