In August, I had the pleasure of writing about two new Wimberley ISD community groups: the Ambassador Task Force and the Facility Needs Task Force. Both groups were charged with critical tasks and have been incredibly busy during the first semester of the school year.
The Facility Needs Task Force began meeting in September and has spent hours analyzing the facility needs of our district. Some of our buildings are nearly 40 years old, and while our teams do an excellent job maintaining and nurturing our buildings, some require more than routine care. In addition, our student population has grown steadily over the last two decades, and some of our facilities are no longer appropriately sized for students, staff and community.
Analyzing, prioritizing and considering the potential financial impacts of addressing those needs was the assignment bestowed upon the task force. Throughout many meetings, and with the help of input provided by consultants and district staff, the task force arrived at a recommendation that they presented to the Board of Trustees last week. Our trustees are grateful for their dedication and respect the broad perspectives they shared while gaining expertise on the status of WISD facilities. I look forward to learning more about the potential projects at a workshop meeting scheduled for January 29. The board is eager to receive the baton from the task force and to continue the process they started. As the proverb says: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The secondbest time is now.”
Our Ambassador Task Force also began meeting in September and is another group with the potential to provide a far-reaching impact. These community members spent many hours learning about the complex public education funding issues with which WISD is grappling to prepare them to advocate locally and at the state level for Wimberley students and educators. With elected officials convening in Austin this week for the 89th Legislature, the time is now for our community to have its voice heard so that lawmakers can provide significant increases to its student funding formula, which has not increased since 2019.
Our state officials are undoubtedly aware of their policy’s negative impacts on districts like WISD, but hearing directly and consistently from informed and well-versed Wimberley community members has the potential for a more significant effect. Our ambassadors are now able to be at the forefront of this effort in our community. They will be able to share the information they’ve learned with other community members while they sit at a ballgame or visit the grocery store. Our ambassadors also assisted our trustees by giving feedback on the board’s recently adopted Legislative Priorities. Their input helped drive the conversation on the board dais, which improved our Priorities Document by making it more focused and refined. I’m excited to see how this group grows and evolves.
Our board is grateful for the time and passion each member of these task forces have given. The Wimberley community is known for pitching in and giving of themselves when needed. I’m proud of their progress and can’t wait to see how their actions positively impact our district and our community.
Sincerely, Dr. Rob Campbell, WISD Board President
