Sherman ISD Building Bearcats Magazine November 2017 | Page 15

enrollment projections for the year. The senior class is the
smallest class with 449 students, but is more than 20
students over what was estimated for the 2017-18 school
year.
This growth is not a surprise
to district administrators.
Student enrollment has
increased in recent years,
with more than 200 new
students joining the district
in 2012-13 and again this
year. Last year, enrollment
grew by nearly 100 new
students.
“We’ve hired more than
100 new staff members
this year and last year to
keep up with the number
of students we see in the
district,” Executive Director
of HR Jill O’Neal said.
“If our schools
are growing and
our facilities offer
competitive
advantages, people
want to be part of
that culture – they
want to be part of
something special,”
Dr. Hicks said. “We
definitely have
something special
here in Sherman.”
“We’ve hired more than
100 new staff members
this year and last year
to keep up with the
number of students
we see in the district,”
Executive Director of
HR Jill O’Neal said.
In addition to staff, facilities
and maintenance have
increased their workload to
accommodate the growth
across the district. Over the summer, maintenance crews
installed additional portable buildings at Sherman High
School, and kept up the portable buildings already at
Dillingham Intermediate. They also refurbished areas of
several campuses to add educational spaces for students.
“We are seeing new kids and growing year to year with
the kids we have,” Hicks said. “Our options are to bring
in portables or build more classrooms. It’s something we
have been studying and working with our community and
advisory committees on addressing.”
The district proposed a $176 million bond election for
Nov. 7 to build a new Sherman High School on a new
site. Adding a facility at the secondary level allows the
district to convert the current high school and Piner
Middle School to 6-8 grade middle schools, freeing up
space at the elementary level to account for the growth
at the lower grade levels.
“If our schools are growing and our facilities offer
competitive advantages, people want to be part of that
culture – they want to be part of something special,” Dr.
Hicks said. “We definitely have something special here
in Sherman.”
A Place for You!
ONE Church
TWO Locations
THREE Experiences
8:30am 9:45am 11:00am
Chapel Worship
Hopkins Chapel 118 W. Pecan Street Mosaic Traditional Worship
Sanctuary
An early morning service
in a beautifully intimate
setting.
A modern worshipping
community of First
Methodist Sherman.
The full liturgy of the United
Methodist Church, with
music led by piano and pipe
organ and accompanied by a
full choir.
Where’s Your Place?
401 N. Elm St.
Sherman, TX 75090
firstmethodistsherman.org
903-893-6514
118 W. Pecan St.
Sherman, TX 75090
mosaicsherman.org
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