KELLER CITIZEN / SANDRA ENGELLAND - 8/26/2009

A number of changes were in store for more than 31,000 students who headed back to Keller district schools Monday.

The district’s fourth high school, Timber Creek, opened with 850 freshmen and sophomores. District officials said the first day went smoothly at the new campus on Timberland Boulevard.

Despite the new school, the other three campuses had strong enrollment numbers. Fossil Ridge enrollment was 2,208, a few students higher than it was a year ago. At 2,841, Central was down by about 150 students, and Keller, at 2,859, was down about 50.

The enrollment numbers showed that the new high school was needed, officials said.

Overall, first day district enrollment was 31,102.

"That’s a good sign. We’re a little bit above our projection," planning director Jeff Baker said.

Last year’s enrollment numbers were below projections, causing lower-than-expected revenues from the state. State money for public education is allocated according to a formula based on enrollment.

This year’s enrollment exceeds last year by more than 1,500 students as of the first day of classes.

High school boundary changes across the district went into effect with the opening of Timber Creek. Incoming high school students in the northern portions of Central and Fossil Ridge feeder patterns – those coming out of Trinity Springs Middle School – were zoned for the new high school.

Freshmen in part of the Willis Lane Elementary School attendance zone were moved from Keller to Central and some in the Bluebonnet Elementary School area changed from Central to Fossil Ridge.

All high school students had to adjust to a schedule change, from eight credits to seven. Students have one class that meets daily for 60 minutes and six 90-minute classes that alternate days. Most students attend from 9:06 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. while some go from 8 a.m. to 2:30.

Last year, students had two 50-minute daily classes and six alternating 90-minute classes and were in school 30 minutes longer each day.

District officials reduced the standard number of credits to save $1.5 million.

Seniors have had schedule changes for three of their four years in high school.

Full-day kindergarten
Another major change affected the youngest students in the district. For the first time, most elementary schools have full-day kindergarten. In the past, only students from low-income families or who had limited English proficiency were eligible for a full-day program.

"We’ve had a very positive response," said Karin Holacka, executive director of elementary education. "Parents are very excited about the educational opportunities for kindergartners to go all day."

Hidden Lakes, Independence and North Riverside are the only campuses that will not offer a full-day program to all students this year. Independence and North Riverside have a few full-day classes for low-income and limited English proficiency students.

Holacka said those campuses were not included in standard full day because of over-crowding.
All elementary schools will have full day next year when the district opens an early childhood education center at the multipurpose instructional facility under construction near Old Denton Road and Golden Triangle Boulevard.

Holacka said that this year’s kindergarten class is about 350 students larger than last year’s. Most of that growth is attributed to families who would have placed their children in full-day private kindergarten programs when Keller offered the half-day class.

Other changes
All elementary, intermediate and middle school campuses will have new visitor check-in procedures later this fall.

The 2008 bond package included $148,500 for V-Soft Visitor Software, a program that scans the visitor’s driver’s license, checks sex-offender databases and prints out a photo identification badge.

The program was piloted last spring at Eagle Ridge, Keller-Harvel, Liberty and North Riverside elementary schools.

Baker said the software would standardize visitor check-in and help ensure student safety.

District officials are also completing the installation of another 300 security cameras funded by the bond.