Tomball ISD Superintendent Hosting Public Discussions $275 Million Bond

TOMBALL, TX — Tomball ISD Superintendent Martha Salazar-Zamora will host two information sessions next week to allow residents in the district to discussion the district’s $275 million bond referendum that will be on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The discussions, which are themed Community Conversations, will be held at the Adriatic Cafe, located 19004 Windsor Pointe Dr., on Monday, Oct. 2 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and at Nona’s Italian Grill, located 1025 Alma St., on Tuesday, Oct. 3 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

READ: Tomball Facilities Committee Discusses School District Needs

Tomball ISD, which has a student population of just over 15,000 students, is projected to grow to more than 4,500 students by 2022. (Want to get daily news updates and other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free The Woodlands Patch morning newsletter.)

As a result, the district began exploring their options earlier this year, and convened a facilities study committee in April and presented the proposal to the Tomball ISD Board of Trustees in May.

The $275 million bond referendum calls for the construction of an elementary school campus and a junior high campus on the south side of the district, constructing an additional classroom wing to Tomball Memorial High School, a new Ag Barn, a new football stadium, more renovations at existing campuses, new technology, and additional school buses.

The new elementary school would relieve Wildwood Elementary, which opened two years ago, and where the district has installed two portable buildings to accommodate new growth during the 2017-2018 school year.

A new junior high school would be built to relieve Willow Wood Junior High. There are five portable buildings at this campus to accommodate new growth.

Since 2007, voters in Tomball ISD have approved two school bonds, totalling more than $300 million and resulting in the construction of eight new campuses, a new administration building, technology upgrades, renovations to at least two older existing campuses, security upgrades, additional buses and other district needs.

If Bond 2017 is approved, district officials said it will not impact the tax rate.

Tomball ISD maintained a flat tax rate of $1.36 for seven years, and in 2015, the district lowered the tax rate by two cents to $1.34 and it has remained at $1.34.

Image: Portrait: Martha Salazar-Zamora Courtesy of Tomball ISD

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