BELTON, Texas — “It’s been pretty amazing to watch over the few years our enrollment grow over time,” Sheila Surovik said, the principal of Belton Early Childhood School.
Principal Surovik has spent 10 years with Belton ISD. She told me for the last three years they have offered an experience-based learning curriculum at the early childhood school.
It's something they push for every 4-year-old, giving them hands-on experience in all trades.
“A roofer, a tiler, an electrician, a plumber, all the various careers and then we help them make those connections to the outside world,“ Surovik said.
According to a demographic report done every year to help with teacher staffing and identify growth trends, for the last five years the teacher district has gained 1,900 students.
“Usually that growth range has been between 2.4% and 5.2%,” said Mike Morgan, the Assistant Superintendent of Operations.
But this year the district saw a 1.2% increase from the numbers they received in the spring, meaning they still grew but at a slower pace.
"We’re satisfied, it is really exciting to us that families continue to choose Belton ISD,” Morgan said.
Zonda Education reported within the next five years, Belton ISD could have 15,000 students.
In 10 years, 16,200 students could be in the district.
Through the 2022 Bond Election, Belton ISD has added a wing at Southwest Elementary.
Belton High School and Lake Belton Middle are also getting improvements to band halls and CTE classrooms.
James L. Burrell opened in December housing 400 students and Hubbard Branch Elementary will open this fall housing 800 students.
The district will close Miller Heights Elementary at the end of the school year.
According to Morgan, when a campus is taken offline the district can repurpose or sell the facility. As of now they are in conversations for the use and will make a final decision at a later date.
“This is going to allow us to spread all of those kids out, give everybody a little breathing room and prepare for future growth, and also get all of those portables off campus,” Morgan said.
The district is in the final stages of the Hubbard Branch Elementary campus. The next step is to add furniture and they will open the campus up for a preview this May.