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ALTAIR — Rice CISD's Community Bond Advisory Committee will meet Aug. 6 to discuss whether to recommend construction of a new elementary school as part of the district's long-term facilities planning.
According to Superintendent Kendall Center, the committee was formed after district officials reviewed demographic information and a facilities assessment conducted by the Texas Association of School Boards.
The committee includes community members, three school board members, and district representatives working with architectural firm O'Connell Robertson.
If the committee recommends moving forward, district officials envision constructing a new elementary school near the existing junior high and high school campuses in Altair. The proposal would eventually consolidate the district's existing elementary campuses into one facility.
Center said maintaining a single elementary school would be more cost-effective than continuing to repair and update multiple aging campuses.
"Based on estimates, you're talking close to a million dollars for sure a year," Center said.
Center said no current employees would lose their jobs if the district moves forward with the project. Instead, staffing reductions would occur through attrition as positions become vacant. Additional bus drivers would likely be needed to transport the students to the centralized campus.
While some residents have expressed concerns about potential tax increases, Center said any financial impact has not yet been determined. He said the advisory committee will discuss those issues before making any recommendations.
Following the Aug. 6 meeting, district officials plan to release additional information explaining the committee's recommendation and the findings of the demographic and facilities studies.
