INSIDE DSISD
The latest news from Dripping Springs ISD
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 14, 2022
DSHS BOYS' WRESTLING WINS REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP; 12 WRESTLERS QUALIFY FOR STATE
Twelve Dripping Springs High School wrestlers qualified for the UIL 5A State Meet by placing in the top four of their respective weight classes at the Region IV-5A Championships in Austin.
The boys’ team captured a third-straight regional title, finishing with 258 points to easily beat out the competition. Second-place Mission Sharyland High School totaled 118 points followed by Cedar Park with 100 points for third.
Taylor Van De Walle (113 pounds), Hagen Shipley (126), Seth Rill (160), Alec Rill (195), and Grant Clarno (220) won their weight class to earn regional crowns. Dominic Parmeson (182) finished as runner-up, and Abel Silverman (106) and Ben Lourens (170) took third place in their weight classes. Shane Bookbinder (138) rounded out the state qualifiers for the boys by taking fourth place.
Cole Sides (120) and Nathan Prehar (285) were also placers, finishing in fifth and sixth, respectively.
The DSHS girls’ team recorded a program-best third-place team finish at the regional meet with 86 points. Corpus Christi King High School won the meet with 104 points and McAllen Memorial took second with 91 points.
Dripping Springs advanced three wrestlers to the state meet with Carson Crow (110), Alyson Brownson-Welch (128) and Caroline Nix (138) finishing in second place in their respective weight classes.
DSHS head coach Joe Kirksey and assistant coach Eric Koontz each earned regional coaching honors.
The UIL State Meet will be held Feb. 18-19 at the Berry Center in Cypress. Additional information on the state competition can be found here.
STATE QUALIFIERS
Girls
Carson Crow - 2nd place (110 pounds)
Alyson Brownson-Welch - 2nd place (128 pounds)
Caroline Nix - 2nd place (138 pounds)
Boys
Abel Silverman - 3rd place (106 pounds)
Taylor Van De Walle - 1st place (113 pounds)
Hagen Shipley - 1st place (126 pounds)
Shane Bookbinder - 4th place (138 pounds)
Seth Rill - 1st place (160 pounds)
Ben Lourens - 3rd place (170 pounds)
Dominic Parmeson - 2nd place (182 pounds)
Alec Rill - 1st place (195 pounds)
Grant Clarno - 1st place (220 pounds)
DSHS HOSA QUALIFIES 12 STUDENTS FOR STATE CONTEST
A school-record 12 Dripping Springs High School health science students advanced to the Texas HOSA State Leadership Conference after placing among the top three competitors or in the top 10 percent of their respective events at the Texas Area 1 Spring Leadership Conference in San Antonio.
Dripping Springs had three students win their event with Rosalyn Brysch (Biomedical Laboratory Science), Jasmine Zogaib (Prepared Speaking), and Alyssa Stradling (Medical Reading) taking first place. Arysta Visser (Pharmacy Science), Rylea Bernhard (Research Poster), Bailey Inglish (Medical Reading), and Connor Johnson (Health Informatics) claimed second-place finishes. Earning third-place honors were Kareena Edwards (Healthy Lifestyles) and Teresa Brod (Medical Reading). Priya Chandrani, Yasmeen Saba, and Isabella Villanueva advanced to the state competition by placing in the top 10 percent of students on the Healthcare Issues exam.
HOSA is an international student organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Education (HSE) Division of the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE). HOSA's two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.
The Texas HOSA State Leadership Conference will be held Apr. 19-22 in Galveston.
STATE QUALIFIERS
Biomedical Laboratory Science
Rosalyn Brysch - 1st place
Health Informatics
Connor Johnson - 2nd place
Healthcare Issues Exam (Top 10%)
Priya Chandrani
Yasmeen Saba
Isabella Villanueva
Healthy Lifestyles
Karenna Edwards - 3rd place
Medical Reading
Alyssa Stradling - 1st place
Bailey Inglish - 2nd place
Teresa Brod - 3rd place
Pharmacy Science
Arysta Visser - 2nd place
Prepared Speaking
Jasmine Zogaib - 1st place
Research Poster
Rylea Bernhard - 2nd place
February is Love the Bus Month! The month-long celebration highlights appreciation for bus drivers who transport students to and from school every day and the importance of school buses. Dripping Springs ISD drivers transport approximately 3,800 students between home and school, and buses collectively drive more than 4,000 miles each day.
DSISD is currently hiring bus drivers with pay starting at $18.75/hour, and $20.75/hour for drivers working both morning and afternoon shifts. To apply, click here.
LRFPC MEETING RECAP
The Long-Range Facility Planning Committee (LRFPC) held its fifth meeting of the 2021-22 school year on Wednesday, Feb. 9. Presentation slides and a video recording of the meeting can be found here.
Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz opened the meeting by reviewing the LRFPC’s recommendations thus far. Dr. Morris-Kuentz stated the committee has been divided on whether to expand Sycamore Springs Middle School to 1,200 student capacity. The district will hold community meetings to gather stakeholder input on how to move forward.
Director of Facilities and Construction Clint Pruett presented several aerial photos of high schools in the area to overview campus layouts. The committee also discussed athletic facility needs. Mr. Pruett reviewed projected elementary enrollment numbers and stated a sixth elementary school would be needed for the 2024-25 school year.
The committee also reviewed land the district currently owns including 64.5 acres in the Headwaters neighborhood, 24 acres at Ranch Road 12 and East Mt. Gainor Road and approximately 130 acres next to Cypress Springs Elementary on Darden Hill Road. Mr. Pruett presented projected housing occupancies for the next five and 10 years to the committee to show areas that will grow the most over the next decade.
DSISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES COMPLETE XG TRAINING
The DSISD Board of Trustees recently completed the eXceptional Governance (XG) Board Development program. The XG program teaches practical models of board governance, works to strengthen essential perspectives, builds governance capacity, and equips school boards to act confidently with a focus on improving student outcomes so the board can continue to implement best-practice strategies to chart the future for DSISD.