Highland Lakes Elementry Is Not Enough

[Immune]

This school is highly over crowded and too small for the huge amount of kids that go there. I kept thinking it would expand like the Marble Falls school but it doesn't look that way. I even went to a Christmas program of my sons and every fire code in the book was broken because of lack of space and lack of parking. Handicap spots were used up by non handicap vehicles, so my handicapped mother in law could not park. The fire lane was completely blocked by cars and trucks that decided to park in the red zones. The cafeteria was so full and packed with people that if you could slide a pencil between you and the next person you were doing pretty good for space. The fire alarm went off during all this because someone in the lounge burned popcorn and no one even moved while it was blaring for about 6 minutes. If it had been a real fire people would have died from fire or being crushed trying to get out the door. It is insane. I think law enforcement should enforce the parking violations with the fire zones and handicapped spots. A chief or fire marshal should enforce capacity requirements. The school should split up the grades of these programs to different nights. We need more room and more teachers and less kids per class.

This has been a problem for the last couple of years. I thought this kind of stuff would be resolved before something like a massive football field.:banghead:

[lmam88]

What grade is your son in? Yes, we have had a huge growth spurt out here especially last year. A very large Pre-K class came in and since the property taxes doubled in Marble Falls a lot of folks have moved out here. The parking lot has been an issue for some time...Friday was really something else!!!

[Immune]

My son is in second grade

[lmam88]

I do know they had to bring a 2nd grade teacher up to the 3rd grade to make another class. I love the Staff and Administration, they are WONDERFUL! Have you talked to Mr. Powell about your concerns? He is a very caring man who has the best interest of ALL our kids at heart! The only thing I have noticed different this year is the morale seems to be lower...
2nd grade is a very important year...it's the Pre-Taks year so PLEASE voice your concerns!
Best of luck,
lmam88

[Shire_Driver]

I am not a huge sports fan or anything, but the comment about somthing being taken care of before a massive football field....
I understand what you are saying, but do you realize how long our High School has been there and we didn't have a field to play on? Yes, we have the one at the Jr. High, which has been our field for a long time. We completely outgrew our stadium there and with more and more buildings being built, there wasn't enough parking places. I was the second class to attend the "brand new" High School, I was in our drill team and marching band....it would have been nice to have a field that went along with our pretty new school. That field has been a long time coming. I feel they went a bit overboard with just how big they made it...our visitors were sitting on the home side (at least for the Freshman games) because it was not convenient to get to the Visitors side.
Anyway, the point I'm getting at, is they didn't decide just to up and build a new stadium and field...this was something that should have been done when the school was built about 21 years ago.

I am not disagreeing with you at all about the crowding problem.....unfortunately I suppose this is what happens when everyone wants to move out here and we can't build quick enough for them....
Although, I am all for the town staying as small as possible, unfortunately we have all the city people that can't seem to stay away.

[Frank_Reilly]

The last bond issue that funded expansion at all of the other schools in MFISD (and the football stadium) also included added classrooms to HLES, which were completed this summer. HLES is the district's largest elementary, and MFISD will likely start sending some children in Granite Shoals to Marble Falls to ease the growth pains. We'll end up with a second elementary school in Granite Shoals before long. I concur that you should share any concerns with HLES' principal, Mr. Powell. He is a great administrator and really cares for the students.

[lmam88]

A 2nd Elementary out here would certainly be nice but I have to wonder where the $ would come from since the bond money is depleted. I have heard (and talked to Mr. Powell about it as well to verify) that they have wanted to extend the school out here to the 8th grade to relieve the over crowding at the Jr. High but it has never come about. Considering that we are the largest Elementary school seems the issue will have to be addressed soon!
Thanks for the info.!

[Immune]

Shire I understand your point about the parking at the old stadium but it is just as bad at the new one. They have to shuttle people to it. Not to make this into another stadium thread but they went overboard on the stadium. A 2 story pressbox which I am told has an elevator? Come on...lol

I feel the Granite Shoals school is getting the short end of the stick and I will voice my concerns to Mr. Powwell when school starts back up.

[lmam88]

I will also be talking with Mr. Powell as I do NOT want our son being bused into MF! He has been out here ever since his Kinder year...
Unfortunately the side of town we live on will be the first to be bused since we are closest to MF. I would like to know when they plan on starting this and is there a way we can opt our kids that have been out here the longest out of being bused.
The KIDS NEEDS and NOT wants in the ISD should have come way before any stadium was ever even thought about. That's just my opinion though...

[Shire_Driver]

Hi Immune---You're right, the press box does have an elevator...I also feel they went overboard with all of that. I feel it's all too big...but I guess they are building for the future. This town has done nothing but grow bigger and bigger. J

Imam88--Do you realize how long ago our High School was built? Was the stadium not thought about back then? I believe that school opened in the Spring of 1989, because when we came back from Christmas break they opened the doors for the 2nd semester of '88/'89. This town has grown a LOT since then. They have built other schools before ever starting the new stadium.
So I believe the kids NEEDS have been thought of in that respect.....
My husbands Grandmother attended school in the old Spicewood schoolhouse, which is now used as a little community center. I can’t believe we have an elementary in Spicewood now….
My husbands family has owned land out there since the very early 1900's!! There used to be almost nothing out there.
Anyway, my Father in law attended the high school that is now the elementary (where the old granite building is). That campus was where we attended Jr. High, and what is now the Jr. High used to be the High School, but only the 2 story building was the school. (None of those other buildings were there.)
However, my husband started his Freshman year at the “new” high school, and never attended the 2 story school, his class was the 1st Freshman class to attend a whole year in the new school. Now our kids are attending MFISD
So, you see, we keep on building schools… before we thought of adding a new stadium to our “new” 21 year old school. :banghead:
So what exactly do you mean when you say the kids NEEDS aren’t being met? I guess I’m confused on that, because it looks to me like we have done nothing but build more and more schools trying to keep up with the growth, which has come way before our stadium was built. :confused:
I would imagine it isn't easy to keep up with the growth of this town and all of the kids that we have in our schools.

[lmam88]

I also attended the old two story high school behind McDonalds! Yes, our ISD has grown by leaps and bounds there is no denying that.
I am glad we have a new stadium to boast about...that is all good! I still feel the needs of the kids are not being met when they are being faced with having to be bused to another campus because of an overcrowding problem and there is no solution in sight. At least when the kids from Colt were being bused out here they knew it was temporary. Being bused will disrupt their education by having to get use to all new kids, teachers and adminstration...that is truly NOT fair!
This school was built in 1998 out here, we do have some portables and the parking lot is becoming a real safety hazard. Do you NOT see the problem in in meeting the kids NEEDS with all of that??? But we have that new stadium to boast about! The SCHOOLS should have been looked at closer before that was built plain and simple especially with the taxes doubling in Marble Falls. A lot of folks have had to move because they can no longer afford it so they have moved out here.
PS. Yes, there were classrooms added and a set of bathrooms with the bond $ however even that did not solve the problem or even give temporary relief...obviously.

[Shire_Driver]

Hi Imam88—My children are no longer in Elementary School. I have one in the 8th Grade, one who is a Freshman and one who is a Sophomore. So, no---I didn’t know what you were talking about and that’s why I said I guess I am confused when you stated that the kids NEEDS are not being met.
Thank you for explaining that to me.
I would agree with you when you say it isn’t fair to the kids having to be bused to another campus, and being put with new teachers and administration---I wouldn’t like it if my children were having to do that.
What solution would you have for it?

I made my comments about the stadium because it was thrown out there about the overcrowding should have been thought of BEFORE a stadium/football field. My response to that was our High School is 21 years old. It isn’t like we just slapped a new school together and threw a new stadium & field with it. I do feel they went overboard with how big it is….but that’s just my personal opinion.
It has been in the works for a long time now, right? That is where I was coming from on this.
Do we just keep building school after school because people won’t quit moving in? Forget about sports, etc., because we have to build another school?? Honestly, what is the ideal solution??

[lmam88]

In my opinion they should stop accepting new students and send them to MF. If busing is absolutely necessary then bus the new students. Don't up root the kids that have been born, raised out here and never attended another school. As for the building of another school I doubt that will happen anytime in the near future despite the NEED. In the mean time we will have to make do with what we have...which is a GREAT staff and administration but just not enough room!!!
I have not even set foot in the new stadium but have driven by it. Our oldest graduated from MF in 2004, was very active in the Band and marchid many half time shows on the old field as did I. As we were out and about one day during one of his visits home we drove out there. It's nice and yes there was a need but athletics or any other extra-circular activity should come AFTER educational needs.

[butchkemper]

Do not overlook the fact that the last bond election contained multiple capital expansion items, one of which was the high school stadium while other items dealt with school expansion needs. The issues surrounding the pros and cons of building the stadium were dealt with back then. There is nothing to be gained by revisiting those issues.

Capital expansion projects require debt service money which is obtained by selling bonds and bonds are paid for by taxes. At this point the previous bonds have not been retired so new bonds will require new taxes.

While it is never a popular project, redrawing the attendance zone lines to balance student populations at the various schools maybe necessary. If this is an important issue to you, then call the school district office and volunteer to serve on the committee when the time comes. You will be amazed at how complicated the process is.

Butch

[countryboy]

While I agree that the issues of building the stadium were dealt with back then along with the expansion projects. There is Much to be gained by revisiting these issues.. For instance.When the elections were held if they would have mentioned that the tax payers in the city of MFs were going to have to pay additional funds to build A New Road to Colt Odds are It would Not have passed..Another reason it should be revisisted is that During the process the road issue was either conviently left out and/or one of the leaders dropped the ball..Should be a reminder for the citizens to pay attention in their community.

To be nice I will leave out any comments about Bonds and Taxes.

[lmam88]

If we wanted our son to attend MF Elementary we would be living in the city. We live in Granite Shoals and have for 12yrs.and he will be attending HLES! I don't care where they redraw their lines. I would rather Homes School him rather then send him into MF!!! This is the plan when he finishes out here anyway we just may be having to activate the plan a little early from the looks of it!