GROWTH AND PREPARATION Blue Ridge ISD encourages community involvement in the decisions that will help prepare for upcoming growth in the district. Before putting a $60 million bond package on the ballot, parents, teachers, administrators, grandparents, and community stakeholders were invited to help shape the proposal. “Our community is a key part of where we are headed, and that’s the reason we included them early on, about a year in advance of our school bond election that passed this past May at 69% approval rating,” reports Dr. Floyd. “A big reason for that passage rate was the fact that we included a number of key stakeholders early on in the planning process.” Chief Financial Officer Amanda Ray says the district is planning ahead, especially as the area continues to transform. “We have six developments with over 5000 houses that are going to be coming to us, spread out over the next five to 10 years. Some have already started,” she details. With this in mind, Blue Ridge ISD is expecting enrollment to nearly double over the next decade, from 1,050 students to more than 2,000. Fortunately, the 2025 bond will provide for those needs. “The main part of it is a new intermediate campus, for grades three, four and five, and that will open in August of 2027,” Ray reports. Other projects include new buses, roof and HVAC replacements, a renovated gym, welding booths, a third animal barn, expanded parking, new sound and lighting, and upgraded middle school locker rooms. A BALANCED APPROACH TO LEARNING When it comes to technology, Chief Academic Officer Ashley Helms says, “We view it as a partner in our classroom for high quality instruction. It can’t be a replacement for teachers or for the amazing face to face work and conversations that our students have in academic conversations. But we do feel like technology needs to be integrated in a way that gives kids the skills that they need for right now and for what’s right for their future.” Blue Ridge ISD is a one to one district, providing every student from pre-K through grade 12 with an iPad or a Chromebook. “We have a lot of opportunities for students to utilize technology in various ways, from Google Classroom and Class Dojo to different products and programs that they access on a regular basis,” adds Helms.“We also look at the creation end of it, and how they are utilizing technology to be creative.” 165 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 10 BLUE RIDGE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
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