Frenship Independent School District officially dedicated its newest elementary school this month as the district continues to grow.
Officials cut the ribbon for Ridgewood Elementary School, 5506 Xenia Ave., on Wednesday. in Lubbock. The new school is Frenship ISD’s 16th campus and ninth elementary school.
Construction began in November 2022 and the school opened its doors to students in August.
The 112,000-square-foot campus features 63 classrooms, a full-size competitive gym and other amenities comparable to those of the district’s other elementary schools, the district said. More than 500 students now call Ridgewood home.
More: Frenship ISD cuts the ribbon at Alcove Trails Middle School
Ridgewood is the second of three new schools approved by district voters in the 2020 bond election. Alcove Trails Middle School opened in 2023 and Frenship Memorial High School will open in 2025.
The district said Ridgewood will help alleviate crowding at Frenship’s other elementary schools as the district’s population grows to nearly 12,000 students.
More: Take a look at Frenship Memorial High’s new Panther logo
There will be more new Frenship campuses if voters approve the bond in November
Frenship ISD is considered one of the fastest-growing school districts in Texas, according to the district, and if voters approve a nearly $190 million bond package in November, two more elementary schools will be in the works.
“According to demographic studies and new housing developments in the district, Frenship will need two additional elementary schools to accommodate future growth in the coming years,” FISD previously said in a statement.
More: Frenship ISD voters consider property tax increase, $200 million in bonds
The bond would also fund renovations and safety improvements for existing campuses.
Also on the ballot for Frenship voters in November is a $10 million bond package to fund classroom technology and a voter approval tax rate election, or VATRE, that the district says is necessary to fund its budget.
If VATRE is passed, the district’s budget will be balanced and include an average 5% increase for teachers and staff. This comes as other districts in the Lubbock region are passing deficit budgets.
The district is proposing a tax rate of $1.1567 per $100 of property assessment, which is lower than last year’s tax rate but will result in a tax increase of approximately 11% for most property owners. It will generate about $5.3 million more in revenue for the district, the Avalanche-Journal previously reported.
This article originally appeared in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Frenship celebrates new Ridgewood Elementary School in west Lubbock
