LISD Campus Names Changing
Posted/updated on: February 16, 2011 at 5:25 pmLINDALE — They are still the same campuses that have been a part of Lindale ISD for decades, but they will receive new looks and new names next year. Monday night the Lindale ISD school board approved the name change of the current Lindale Primary School to College Street Elementary School with the start of the 2011-2012 school year. E.J. Moss Intermediate School will become E.J. Moss East and E.J. Moss West next year.
The name changes come in response to the district’s campus realignment after the passage of the 2009 bond election. The $42 million bond includes the construction of a new junior high campus and the addition of classrooms at the high school to eliminate overcrowding. The district approved the realignment of several campuses to help with future student population growth. The current primary campus serves students in first and second grade. Under the 2011-2012 realignment, the campus would serve grades 1-3. Velma Penny Elementary School currently educates students in grades 3-4. The realignment calls for Velma Penny to also serve students in grades 1-3 starting next year.
“A new name was necessary to prevent confusion concerning our two elementary campuses,” LISD Superintendent Stan Surratt said. “College Street Elementary School is a great name because the campus is on College Street, helping to identify the location. It is also symbolic in that we will prepare our young students for college careers if they chose to pursue degrees.”
E.J. Moss Intermediate School will also have a new identity. The campus neighbors the current Lindale Junior High School. The two campuses will be joined to form one school next year. Lindale Junior High School will move to its new building. When the two buildings are connected, the current intermediate campus will be known as E.J. Moss East, and the former junior high building will be E.J. Moss West. Fourth grade students and half of the fifth grade will work out of the E.J. Moss East building, and half of fifth grade and all of sixth grade will work out of E.J. Moss West. There will be functioning cafeterias in each building, two gymnasiums, and two offices. “I am most excited about our plan that prepares this school district for the next 10 to 12 years,” Surratt said. “This plan will provide every campus with room for growth.”
Lindale ISD has grown from 3,338 students in May 2007 to currently 3,778 students, a rate of growth of 13.2%. The campus realignment will give College Street Elementary and Velma Penny Elementary schools capacities of 600. The projected enrollment is 427 students at each campus next year. EJ Moss East and West will have a capacity of 1,200 with a projected enrollment of 838 students. The high school expansion will allow for a capacity of 1,460 students with a projected enrollment for next year of 1,128.