INSIDE DSISD

On Jan. 27, the Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees approved Wildwood Springs Elementary as the name for the district’s sixth elementary school that will open in August of 2025. The campus is currently under construction in the Headwaters neighborhood.

Wildwood Springs, an actual spring located west of Nutty Brown Road on Wildwood Hills Lane, was among the top names in the community survey that was conducted in the fall. Wildwood Springs was also one of the top choices by the Name Recommendation Committee, a 15-member group of students, parents, staff and community members. The committee presented three recommendations to the board in December: Bluebonnet Springs, Emerald Springs, and Wildwood Springs. Wildwood Springs and Emerald Springs are existing natural springs in the area. According to board policy, DSISD facilities may be named for local residential areas, local geographic features, or local, state, or national landmarks. Currently, all DSISD campuses are named after existing natural springs in the area: Dripping Springs (ES, MS, HS), Walnut Springs (ES), Rooster Springs (ES), Sycamore Springs (ES, MS), Cypress Springs (ES).

Wildwood Springs Elementary will have an 850-student capacity from pre-kindergarten through fifth grades. In December, current Rooster Springs Elementary principal Steve Novickas was named the new school’s principal. The campus will serve a number of surrounding neighborhoods including Headwaters, Big Sky Ranch, Cannon Ranch, Kirby Springs, Chama Trace, and more. Attendance zones for the 2025-26 school year, which were approved by the board in December, can be viewed here.

Construction updates on the new campus can be found at dsisdtx.us/wildwoodsprings. The campus website will be unveiled later this spring.

Dripping Springs High School will hold its annual CTE (Career & Technical Education) Showcase on Wednesday, January 29, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM in the cafeteria. Join us to learn about the different CTE pathways offered, as DSHS teachers and students share their experiences and answer questions.

The application period for the Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees May 3 Election is now open until Friday, Feb. 14. Two seats are up for re-election in 2025, which are currently held by Olivia Barnard and Tricia Quintero. DSISD trustees do not represent “places”, but rather are at-large representatives.

An application can be downloaded online at dsisdtx.us/elections. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14.

Applications may be filed:

1. In person at: Center for Learning & Leadership (300 Sportsplex Drive, Dripping Springs, TX 78620)

2. By mail to: DSISD, Attn: Supt. Office (P.O. Box 479, Dripping Springs, TX 78620)

3. By email to: katrina.walker@dsisdtx.us

Candidates for the Board of Trustees in Texas must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a United States Citizen

• Be 18 years of age or older

• Not be mentally incapacitated (as defined in policy)

• Have not been convicted of a felony (as defined in policy)

• Be a resident of Texas continuously for 12 months immediately preceding the filing deadline

• Be a resident of the district continuously for 6 months immediately preceding the filing deadline

• Be a registered voter from the territory of the office sought

School Board Candidate Meeting
An informational School Board Candidate Meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 6 at 5:00 p.m. in the Center for Learning & Leadership. Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz will share information about the role and responsibilities of board members and answer questions. Attending the meeting does not commit an individual to running for a trustee seat; it is informational in nature.