January 25, 2012

Dear Bushland ISD Staff and community,

Bushland ISD has proven over and over its ability to withstand the pains of growth and progress as we enter into the second decade of the twenty-first century. The average number of students per grade in the 2000-01 school year was 60 (536 total students). With a vision of new horizons, the community turned a page of history in 2003, took a leap of faith, and passed a Bond Issue to build a high school.  As word got out, subdivisions sprang up with new homes and by the time the doors opened to the new high school in 2005 the average number of students per grade had increased to 79 (953 total students).  Today, our total district enrollment is 1,384 with an average of 99 students per grade. The 10^th grade is the largest class with 129 students. 

The grassroots of vision, hard work and commitment to excellence has never wavered as Bushland continues to grow. But, we are once again facing challenges that must be addressed. BISD ordered a Demographic Study from Templeton Demographics (the same company that conducted the study in 2007), and future projections are astonishing. In the next five years, BISD is projected to grow 279 students, and in ten years the number jumps to 648. This projected growth has forced us to examine when the capacity of our current facilities is likely to breach.   In five to ten years we will have outgrown our facilities.

Furthermore, we are in immediate, dire need for facility improvements and upgrades.   Many of these issues present health and safety concerns. Amarillo Globe News recently published an article (click here), summarizing the January 23^rd School Board meeting where initial discussions of a new bond issue began. In the next several months, we have some major decisions to make concerning the future of Bushland ISD. While we cannot control the growth of our community, we can be proactive and prepare for the inevitable. But we need your help. This is your community and your school and our goal is to plan in the best interest of this community. We will hold several community meetings to get your input on issues such as:  New Facilities, Campus Expansions vs. a New Campus, Location, Grade Configuration of Campuses (if a new one needs to be built), Student Programs, Prioritizing Athletic and Extracurricular Facility Improvements (and there are many), Technology Upgrades/Initiatives, Revenue Sources, Timing and what to include in a Bond Issue(s), and many other side issues that relate to all these things.

Please keep a watchful eye to when these meetings will begin because we need and want community participation. In the mean time, please stop by, call, or email me about any ideas or concerns you have. We are in a volatile time in American history where the nation’s economy is very unpredictable, but “WE ARE BUSHLAND!” and I am confident that we will rise to the occasion and continue on the path of excellence.

Respectfully,

 

Don Wood