The recent announcement of Bridgeland as the #1-selling master planned community in Houston is solid affirmation that people are seeking wide-open spaces, choosing world-class amenities, and living close to nature, places of worship, shopping and top-rated schools. As current population trends increase, so does the need for more schools within our community. At present, Bridgeland is home to more than 6,000 families. In the future, that number will grow to over 20,000. Upon completion, Bridgeland will be comprised of four distinct villages and extend into three school districts: Cy-Fair Independent School District (CFISD), Waller Independent School District (WISD) and Katy Independent School District (KISD).
Education is a top priority for parents and is one of the tenets of Bridgeland. The school districts that will serve our children share a common goal of providing unparalleled learning experiences so students can reach their full potential, become contributing citizens, and live rich, rewarding lives.
All three school districts are ranked highly by national sources as well as by Txschools.gov. CFISD, KISD and WISD all have ‘A’ rankings with scores of 95, 92, and 91 respectively. Graduation rates are near 100% for all three districts, proof that they are committed to successful outcomes for all students. (It is important to note that the TEA’s grading system has been suspended for two years due to the pandemic, and information on grading is from the 2018-2019 school year.)
Now that the community has expanded to the west side of Grand Parkway, Bridgeland is selling homes in Prairieland Village where students will attend schools in WISD. We’re shining a spotlight on them here, to show how the district has been preparing for the growth of Bridgeland for nearly a decade and is committed to providing the best educational experience for our children. A recent video explains some of the exciting news about WISD and their individualized approach to teaching.
Currently under construction and slated for a 2022 opening for WISD is a new high school with state-of-the-art instructional spaces that will set our students up to compete in the 21st Century. The new Waller High School will occupy over 600,000 square feet, and its layout includes a robotics lab, health science area, welding lab, architecture, engineering spaces and more. Incorporating a diverse variety of classes will help to foster students’ interest in subjects they may wish to pursue in life.
To prepare for the families that are now moving to Prairieland Village, WISD purchased an 18-acre site near the intersection of Bridgeland Creek Parkway and Prairieland Crossing and will build their first on-site elementary school for our residents. While an opening date has not been announced, the campus will be modeled after the successful Jones Elementary.
Many similarities exist within the three school districts. Each offers students a gifted and talented program and AP classes to help bolster GPAs, so students stand out on college applications. Showing that they are actively preparing for college by taking college-level classes while still in high school may even help to increase their chances of gaining financial merit from their chosen college. At the very least, AP test scores may help students to earn college credit without the cost of tuition.
Also available in all three districts are Dual-Credit classes, whereby students obtain high school credit and college credit simultaneously, which also helps to better a student’s academic resume. A Career and Technical Education program (CTE) is also available in each of the three districts to expand opportunities for students. This program of study prepares students for further education and careers in current or emerging professions.
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
A sense of community looms large in WISD. The start of every school year begins with a community pep rally. Just last year, over 5,000 residents attended to show support for the Bulldogs. WISD partners with local businesses which present additional benefits for students, like scholarships, training, and jobs for graduates. Students have also exemplified this sense of community, and one example is the Lady Bulldog soccer team. Players participate in a program – designed by their head coach Jerren Oredson and athletic coordinator Nekisha Durham – where they volunteer to train up-and-coming soccer players by inviting Waller girls in grades 1-8 to attend the program. Connections like these mirror Bridgeland’s tagline, “Be More Connected.”
Student achievements such as their UIL academic champions and FFA medalists, in addition to their award-winning sports teams and award-winning band help the district to stand out. We look forward to celebrating accomplishments and successes like these, as WISD continues to become part of the fabric of Bridgeland.
The teaching philosophy at WISD is student centered, so that children can engage in as many opportunities as they want to in order to get the greatest experience from their education. We want that for our students as well and look forward to all the opportunities that are on the horizon. As one of the fastest-growing school districts in the region, we welcome WISD to the Bridgeland community.
