Latest News
09/19/2024 – Administration provided an update to the Board of Trustees on the Long-Range Planning Committee
Mission
Beginning in April 2023, the Long-Range Planning Committee (LRPC) will serve in an advisory role to guide the district and ensure alignment with the Strategic Plan by:
- utilizing the 10-year plan as a framework
- engaging in shared learning about components and programs involved in long-range planning, and
- assisting with community education and reciprocal communication strategies regarding long-range planning.
In January 2022, the Long-Range Planning Committee (LRPC) was charged with developing a ten-year facilities plan, focused on student learning and anchored in our core beliefs that take
into consideration the following criteria:
- student access to learning experiences that interest them
- facility optimization
- fiscal responsibility
- changes in population over time
Ten-year Long-Range Plan (Updated 1/09/2025)
Committee Members and Meetings
2024-25
Members
LISD Board of Trustees
Trish Bode, Trustee, Place 1
Sade Fashokun, Trustee, Place 5
Anna Smith, Vice President, Place 4
LISD District Administrators
Dustin Binnicker, Asst. Supt., Adv. Academics & Pathways
Brandon Evans, Sr. Exec. Dir., Facilities & Operations
Erin Garner, Dir. of Early Childhood
Jimmy Disler, Retiring Chief Operations Officer *
Bruce Gearing, Superintendent *
Sarah Grissom, Deputy Superintendent *
Mike Howard, Dir. Fine Arts Music
Shannon Lombardo, Asst. Dir., Comm Relations
Rachel Mackey, Exec. Dir., Human Resources
Melody Maples, Exec. Dir., Office of Educational Access
Marty O’Neill, Business Solutions Developer *
Jeremy Trimble, Chief Operations Officer *
*non-voting members
LISD Campus Administrators
David Barnes, Asst. Principal, Giddens Elem
Deana Cady, Principal, Block House Creek Elem
Britteny Clifford, Principal, Steiner Ranch Elem
Clay Currier, Sr. Dir., Innovative Learn. Prog. & Principal NHHS & ECHS
Vincent Hawkins, Principal, Rouse HS
Christine Hilbun, Principal, Giddens Elem
Kim Payne, Asst. Principal, Early College HS
Jayme Spexarth, Principal, Stiles MS
Wendy Sturdevant, Principal, Canyon Ridge MS
A selection of parents, students, community members, and campus staff representing all feeder patterns in the district will also serve on the committee this year.
Meetings
Tuesday, Sept. 24
Sept. 24 – Agenda
Sept. 24 – Presentation
Sept. 24 – Notes
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Oct. 29 – Agenda
Oct. 29 – Presentation
Oct. 29 – Notes
Tuesday, Nov. 19
Nov. 19 – Agenda
Nov. 19 – Presentation
Nov. 19 – Notes
Tuesday, Dec. 17
2023-24
Members
LISD Board of Trustees
Trish Bode – Trustee, Place 1
Christine Mauer – Secretary, Place 3
Anna Smith – Vice-President, Place 4
LISD District Administrators
Matt Bentz, Chief Academic Officer
Chrysta Carlin, Asst. Supt., Pathways & Innovation
Jimmy Disler, Chief Facilities Officer *
Brandon Evans, Exec. Dir., Campus Support
Erin Garner, Senior Early Childhood Coordinator
Bruce Gearing, Superintendent *
Sarah Grissom, Chief of Staff *
Mike Howard, Director, Fine Arts
Shannon Lombardo, Asst. Dir., Comm. Relations
Rachel Mackey, Exec. Dir., Human Resources
Marty O’Neill, Business Solutions Developer *
* non-voting members
LISD Campus Administrators
Deana Cady, Principal, Block House Creek Elem
Britteny Clifford, Principal, Steiner Ranch Elem
Clay Currier, Sr. Dir., Innovative Learn. Prog. & Principal NHHS & ECHS
Christine Hilbun, Principal, Tarvin Elem
Melody Maples, Principal, Stiles MS
Jayme Spexarth, Assoc. Principal, Vandegrift HS
Wendy Sturdevant, Principal, Canyon Ridge MS
A selection of parents and students representing all feeder patterns in the district will also serve on the committee this year.
Meetings
June 18
Agenda | Presentation
May 7
Agenda | Presentation
April 16
Agenda | Presentation | Notes
March 19
Agenda | Presentation |Notes
Feb 13
Agenda | Presentation Revised | Notes
Jan 16
Agenda | Presentation | Notes
Dec. 7
Zoom Meeting
Nov. 14
Agenda | Presentation | Notes
Oct.17
Agenda | Presentation |Notes
Sept. 19
Agenda | Presentation |Notes
Aug. 29
Agenda | Presentation | Notes
July 25
Agenda|Presentation|Notes
June 6
Agenda|Presentation|Notes
2022-23
Members
LISD Board of Trustees
Trish Bode, President, Place 1
Christine Mauer, Member, Place 3
Anna Smith, Secretary, Place 4
LISD District Administrators
Laurelyn Arterbury, Chief of Staff
Matt Bentz, Chief Academic Officer
Chrysta Carlin, Asst. Supt., Pathways & Innovation
Jimmy Disler, Chief Facilities Officer
Brandon Evans, Exec. Dir., Campus Support
Sarah Grissom, Chief of Schools
Mike Howard, Dir, Fine Arts
Shannon Lombardo, Asst. Dir., Comm. Relations
Rachel Mackey, Exec. Dir., Human Resources
Marty O’Neill, Business Solutions Developer
LISD Campus Administrators
Deana Cady, Principal, Block House Creek Elem
Britteny Clifford, Principal, Steiner Ranch Elem
Clay Currier, Sr. Dir., Innovative Learn. Prog. & Principal NHHS & ECHS
Christine Hilbun, Principal, Tarvin Elem
Melody Maples, Principal, Stiles MS
Jayme Spexarth, Assoc. Principal, Vandegrift HS
Wendy Sturdevant, Principal, Canyon Ridge MS
Meetings
May 3
Presentation
April 17
Presentation
Mar. 7
Presentation
Jan. 18
Presentation
Agenda
2021-22
Members
LISD Board of Trustees
Elexis Grimes, Secretary, Place 7
Aaron Johnson, Member, Place 6
Anna Smith, Member, Place 4
LISD District Administrators
Laurelyn Arterbury, Chief of Staff
Matt Bentz, Chief Academic Officer
Chrysta Carlin, Asst. Supt., Pathways & Innovation
Jimmy Disler, Chief Facilities Officer
Shannon Lombardo, Asst. Dir., Comm. Relations
Marty O’Neill, Business Solutions Developer
Resources
Communications
Sept 19, 2024 – Board Meeting Update on Long-Range Planning Committee
Mar 22, 2023 – District’s Long-Range Planning Committee Update from Subcommittees
Dec. 8, 2023 – District Develops and Presents Attendance Zoning Recommendation
Nov 28, 2023 – LISD Releases Third Scenario in Elementary Attendance Zoning.
Oct 27, 2023 – Elementary School Attendance Zoning Underway
Oct 26, 2023 – Board Approved BOC Recommendation of Early Childhood Center
Oct 24, 2023 – Update on Expanded Long-Range Planning Committee
Sept 21, 2023 – LRPC Recommend Building Early Childhood Center in Northern Area of District
April 28, 2023 – Long-Range Planning Committee accepting applications to expand membership
April 19, 2023 – Long-Range Planning Committee met to Review and Update Plan on Monday, April 17
April 6, 2023 – LISD Board & Superintendent Begin Redefining Repurposing Options
March 23 – Board Meeting – Long-Range Plan Presentation
Feb 16, 2023 – Board of Trustees voted to call a bond election during a special called meeting
Feb 7, 2023 – Board Discussion of CFAC recommendations and alignment to LRP
Jan 23, 2023 – 1st Scenarios Released in Secondary Zoning
Jan 13, 2023 – First Step in Long-Range Plan is Underway, Zoning for Secondary School Relie
Community Feedback and Forums
Elementary Attendance Rezoning for ES#30 Opening
Scenario 2
Nov. 16, 2023 – Community Forum: Attendance Rezoning at Bagdad Elementar
Nov 15, 2023 – Community Forum: Attendance Rezoning at Tarvin Elementary
Scenario 1 – ThoughtExchange Feedback | In-person Feedback
Nov 8, 2023 – Community Forum: Attendance Rezoning at Plain Elementary
Nov 2, 2023 – Community Forum: Attendance Rezoning at Plain Elementary
Long-Range Plan Community Forums
April 12, 2023 – Community Forum: Long-Range Plan at Vandegrift HS
Mar 6, 2023 – Community Forum at VHS Presentation | ThoughtExchange Summary
Secondary Zoning for Relief Community Forums – Presentation
ThoughtExchange Summaries from each Forum:
Plan Parameters
Strengthen the student experience
- Establish long-term stability
- Access to choice options
- Elementary: Honor neighborhood school concept
Secondary: Honor neighborhood school concept where secondary schools are still able to meet the intent of the Long-Range Plan
Prioritize fiscal responsibility
- Maximize usage of district facilities
- Strategic rezoning
- Optimization Opportunities
- Defer timing of future construction
Demographic Report
The district receives an annual demographic report that predicts population shifts within LISD boundaries. This helps in planning for new facility construction and the balancing of staff and district resources.
Attendance Zoning
Leander ISD attendance zones outline where children in a particular neighborhood will attend elementary, middle, or high school. Each October, Leander ISD receives an annual demographic update from Population and Survey Analysts (PASA). By studying student residential locations, potential growth and decline, housing trends, and economic factors inherent to the district, PASA considered the expected long‐term trends for the district and created a dataset to use in planning for the next 10 years.
Innovative Academies
In coordination with the long-range facilities planning board committee, a cross-functional group of district and campus leaders met to research possible innovative academies for Leander ISD.
An Innovative Academy is a public school offering specialized educational opportunities that utilize a non-conventional approach, designed to meet the diverse needs and interests of students throughout the LISD community in order to:
- Provide choice and equitable access for students
- Optimize varied educational opportunities for all students
- Maximize efficiency in the use of school facilities, transportation, and other capital and operational resources
Plan Development Timeline
November 2021–April 2023
April 2023
April 27: Board Meeting: Long-Range Planning Committee Update
April 17: LRP Committee Meeting – Presentation
March 2023
March 23: Board Meeting: Long-Range Plan Presentation
March 7: LRP Committee Meeting: Presentation
March 6: LRP Community Forum at Vandegrift HS: News Article
February 2023
Community Forums – Secondary Zoning Process: Presentation & ThoughtExchange Summaries:
Feb. 28: Community Forum on Zoom
Feb. 27: Community Forum at Wiley MS
Feb. 15: Community Forum at Vista Ridge HS
Feb. 13: Community Forum at Henry MS
Feb. 8: Community Forum at Leander HS
Feb. 7: Special Board Meeting – LRP’s alignment with the CFAC Recommendation
January 2023
Jan. 26: Board Meeting: CFAC presented a Bond Recommendation to the Board of Trustees
Jan. 23: District Releases First Scenario in Secondary Zoning Process
Jan. 19: LRP Committee Meeting: Presentation
December 2022
Dec. 8: Board Meeting – Attendance Zoning Charter Approved for Middle Schools and High Schools
November 2022
Nov. 15: Special Board Meeting
Nov. 15: Principal/Admin Meeting: PASA report presented new 2022 data
Nov. 10: LRP Committee Meeting
Nov. 7: Cabinet Meeting: Present LRP with new PASA data
October 2022
Oct. 13: Board Meeting: Schools of Choice Survey Results
September 2022
Sept. 26:- CFAC Steering Committee and Subcommittee: Kick-Off Meeting
August 2022
Aug. 31: Schools of Choice Survey Communication
Aug. 25: Schools of Choice Committee Research and Considers options
June–July 2022
July 21: Board Meeting – School of Choice and LRP Update
June 23: Board Meeting – CFAC begins to prepare for a bond election
June 13: Board Meeting: News Article & Presentation to the Board
May 2022
May 23: Cabinet Meeting May 31 – LRP Committee Meeting
- Data requested regarding Travisso area exercise
- Updated 10-year plan
- Board presentation for June 9 (including SOC timeline)
May 10: Committee Meeting
- Reviewed data from last meeting: enrollment projections in southern portion of the district
- Discuss implications of NET zone vs. 2 mile walkout
- Review enrollment projection data for central and northern portion of district
- Schools of Choice discussion
April 2022
April 18: Committee Meeting
- Review a draft 10-year plan (for discussion)
- Presented data requested from last meeting
- Lots of discussion around relieving campuses that are over capacity, ways to maximize facilities and allow space for choice and provide stability
April 7: Board Meeting: Presentation
March 2022
- Updates provided by Transportation and Special Programs directors
- Requested data was reviewed
- Begin to work through exercises and draft a timeline
- Parameters defined
- Zoning – NET zones
- Maximize facilities (minimize empty seats)
- Stability over time
- Feeder patterns
- Create space for choice
- Good stewards of taxpayer money
- Data needed by March 11
- Land that we currently own
- Functional Capacity of each campus
- Programs currently at each campus
- Transportation
- 10-year campus projections (from the first meeting)
- Portables on each campus
February 2022
- CI tools to identify Code of Cooperation further define the Purpose
January 2022
Jan. 25: LRP Committee Meeting
