proposed project
PHASE 1 of a new high school
The Venus ISD Bond Committee — made up of parents, staff, and community members — studied about a dozen scenarios that would address the current and future facility needs of Venus ISD. Their overall focus was to address overcrowding in schools while staying within the district’s ability to issue bonds. The committee developed a recommendation for the school board to take the first steps toward Venus ISD’s future with Phase 1 of a new high school. The Board of Trustees voted to hold a $76m bond election to fund the committee’s recommendation.
FAQs about the new high school
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Faculty and student representatives will be invited to give input on the design. Having teachers, campus leaders, and students involved in the design phase is critical to ensuring the spaces are designed with teacher and student needs.
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To develop the initial project budget for the bond, some general spaces and features were included in the plans:
Career & Technical Education (CTE) - Career focused classrooms for programs determined by the district
Athletics - Two practice fields, one JV-level track and field with bleachers, gymnasium with locker rooms
Fine Arts – Art rooms with storage, kiln, marching band practice lot
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The detailed design process of the new Venus High School will begin once funding is secured. If voters approve the May 2025 bond election, VISD will immediately engage architects to begin the design phase of the new campus.
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The Venus Bond Committee looked at many options for campuses and additions, but prioritized keeping the bond amount within a 50 cent I&S tax rate and not overextending to future bonds. This led to a budget of $76M and the committee nearly unanimously agreed that Phase 1 of a new high school was the best plan to add student seats and fit within the 50-cent tax rate.
This bond is intentionally planned as a phased approach to pace the expansion of facilities with the community's growth and enrollment demands. This bond serves as a step toward expanding space, but does not commit the district to what the next step is. After a few years of growth, the district and community can determine where the next greatest needs have arisen and plan additional spaces to meet the needs of our students, which could include extracurricular and cocurricular facilities and/or other schools. Future funding will require voter approval at that time.
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Questions like, “Will I have to move my classroom?” and “Will ninth graders be considered high school for UIL?” are important pieces of the puzzle when planning new spaces.
Over the next couple of years (during the design and construction process of the new campus), VISD will assemble a task force of community members to assist in planning the detailed logistics between the two high school campuses, such as:
How the master schedule will dictate how much movement between the campuses will be needed
Meeting school minutes requirements
Bussing between the two HS campuses
Freshman participation in upper level courses and activities
The task force will have the opportunity to analyze best practices from districts with campuses that are not 9-12 such as freshman centers, junior high models, and senior high models.
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Yes. All Venus ISD facilities were considered and have varying levels of need for updates. The Bond Committee studied the need for additional space due to current enrollment and future growth.
To study possible solutions for facility needs, the district formed a committee of community representatives in 2022 and again in 2024. The committee studied enrollment projections, facility utilization, facility conditions, funding, and options. The committee looked at about a dozen options, including expansions and new buildings at other grade levels. Just as in 2022, the 2024 committee identified a new high school as the priority.
The high school is the most overcapacity already (132%), plus new square footage at a fifth campus allows the other grades to spread out among the four existing campuses and minimize use of portables. Three out of four campuses have already hit capacity and use temporary buildings (portables) to house the current students, with hundreds more projected to enroll within a few years.
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Not immediately. The majority of UIL/varsity competitions and performances will continue to take place at the current VISD athletic and fine arts facilities. In the future, additional phases at the high school could include a stadium, competition-size gym, and theater.
FAQs about younger grade levels
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SPACE: Additional space provides relief for overcrowding at the elementary, middle, and high schools so fewer students would be on each campus in future years. With the proposed new school and the opportunity for new grade alignment, it will allow the district to reduce the number of students at each school. This will allow VISD to minimize the use of portables and house more students and staff in permanent structures designed for safe and comfortable learning.
By adding a new high school, the campuses could change like this:
New Venus High School could serve grades 10-12.
Current Venus High School could become a junior high school for grades 7-9.
Current Venus Middle School could become an intermediate school for grades 5-6.
Current Venus Elementary School could remain an elementary but serve three grades: 2-4.
Current Venus Primary School could remain EE-1.
TRAFFIC: With approximately 550 students plus staff at the new high school campus, that much traffic will be removed from Student Drive and surrounding streets.
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Yes. All Venus ISD facilities were considered and have varying levels of needs for future projects due to aging conditions and space constraints.
To study possible solutions for facility needs, the district formed a committee of community representatives in 2022 and again in 2024. The committee studied enrollment projections, facility utilization, facility conditions, funding, and options. The committee looked at about a dozen options, including expansions and new buildings at other grade levels. Just as in 2022, the 2024 committee landed on a new high school as their recommendation for the first step.
Capacity factors led to this recommendation as the first step include:
The high school is the most overcapacity already (132%).
New square footage at a fifth campus allows the other grades to spread out among the four existing campuses and minimize use of portables.
Three out of four campuses have already hit capacity and use temporary buildings (portables) to house the current students, with hundreds more projected to enroll within a few years.
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Because funding is limited, the bond committee looked at a phased approach of how projects could be incremental. This bond serves as a step toward expanding space, but does not commit the district to what the next step is. After a few years of growth, the district and community can determine where the next greatest needs have arisen and plan accordingly.
What’s next? Enrollment projections show a possibility that elementary growth could be the next greatest need. Aging facilities may be a prominent focus. This will be a committee decision at a later point in time.
What was most recent? The previous bond (2016) addressed the following:2016 Bond Projects Venus Elementary
7 Classrooms
Campus Tornado Shelter
Art Room
Music Room
Science G/T Room
2 Staff Restrooms
Library
2016 Bond Projects Venus Primary
8 Classrooms
Campus Tornado Shelter
Music Room
Science Lab
Motor Lab
ESCE Classroom for Special Education
Student Restrooms
2016 Bond Projects Venus Middle School
10 Classrooms
Campus Tornado Shelter
Computer Lab
3 Science Labs
Art Room with Pottery Kiln
Life Skills Room with Full Kitchen, Restroom, & Laundry
Band Hall with Multiple Practice Rooms
Choir Room
Fully-Equipped Stage
Gym with Bleachers, Boys & Girls Locker Rooms, Concession Stand
Multiple Bathrooms
2016 Bond Projects Venus High School
Girls Athletic Field House
Campus Tornado Shelter
Girls Softball Concession Stand
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Yes. All Venus ISD facilities were considered and have varying levels of need for updates. The Bond Committee studied the need for additional space due to current enrollment and future growth.
To study possible solutions for facility needs, the district formed a committee of community representatives in 2022 and again in 2024. The committee studied enrollment projections, facility utilization, facility conditions, funding, and options. The committee looked at about a dozen options, including expansions and new buildings at other grade levels. Just as in 2022, the 2024 committee identified a new high school as the priority.
The high school is the most overcapacity already (132%), plus new square footage at a fifth campus allows the other grades to spread out among the four existing campuses and minimize use of portables. Three out of four campuses have already hit capacity and use temporary buildings (portables) to house the current students, with hundreds more projected to enroll within a few years.