Dripping Springs Independent School District
Dripping Springs Independent School District is a public school district based in the northwest portion of Hays County,[1] Texas, United States, serving approximately 7,200 students.
In addition to Dripping Springs, the district serves Driftwood and the village of Bear Creek and rural areas in northwestern Hays County. A small portion of southwestern Travis County also lies within the district.
History
Formal public education in Dripping Springs began in 1876. After being superseded during the 1880s by a private Baptist boarding school, it was reestablished in 1890 with the school continuing to be operated by the Baptist Church. In 1921 the Baptists deeded the school to the state. In 1940 citizens voted to consolidate the Dripping Springs Public School System with 14 other small districts in the area, including the Lake Travis district, after which the district became accredited for the first time and a program of building new schools began in 1949. In 1981, Lake Travis Independent School District split from Dripping Springs, with the boundary approximately following the county line.[2]
In August 2017, two new schools were opened – a second middle school and a fourth elementary school. These schools, Sycamore Springs Middle School and Sycamore Springs Elementary, are connected but function separately. A bond approved by voters in May 2018 will increase capacity with an expansion of Dripping Springs High School (to increase capacity to 2,500 students) and a fifth elementary school.[3]
Schools
High schools
- Dripping Springs High School (Grades 9–12)
Dripping Springs High School is a comprehensive public high school consisting of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. The enrollment is approximately 2,000 students.
Middle schools
- Dripping Springs Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- 2001–02 National Blue Ribbon School [4]
- Sycamore Springs Middle School (Grades 6–8)
Elementary schools
- Dripping Springs Elementary (PK-Grade 5)
- Rooster Springs Elementary (PK-Grade 5)
- Sycamore Springs Elementary (PK-Grade 5)
- Walnut Springs Elementary (PK-Grade 5)
Notable alumni
- Wallis Currie-Wood, actress[5][6]
References
- DSISD website – District Profile
- Gary Zupancic, "Education in Dripping Springs through the years", Dripping Springs Century-News, May 18, 2017.
- DSISD Website – May 5 Bond Election Validated
- Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1982–1983 Through 1999–2002 (PDF)
- Inside DSISD Newsletter – October 2014, Page 5
- Wallis Currie-Wood's Twitter