Stop Creekstone Village and Brookside Feeding to First Colony Middle School

Dear Members of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees and FBISD Superintendent Dr. Dupre

This petition is to strongly urge the Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) to amend the feeder pattern proposal under Scenario B and to keep Creekstone Village and Brookside sub-divisions zoned into Fort Settlement Middle School. We believe that the following are strong rationale in support of our position:

1. Retaining Creekstone and Brookside under FSMS will balance the utilization at FCMS and FSMS to approximately 90% each and will save the district $2 Million

The projections for FCMS, under Scenario B, is 1174 – 1190 students between 2014/15 and 2018/19, resulting in a projected Utilization rate of 97 – 99%. To alleviate this, FBISD has proposed the addition of 200 seats at FCMS by 2017, at a cost of $2 Million. Meanwhile, FSMS is projected to have 1006 – 1139 students between 2014/15 and 2018/19, leading to a utilization rate of 72 – 81%.

Calculations to estimate number of future middle-school students in Creekstone and Brookside

Number of elementary school students in Creekstone and Brookside (2014 actual enrollment): 240

Number of grades in elementary school = 6 (K though 5); Number of grades in Middle School = 3 (6 through 8)

Ratio of Creekstone and Brookside kids per grade = 240/6 = 40

Estimated number of Creekstone and Brookside Middle School kids = 40 * 3 = 120

Number of current houses in Creekstone = 626; Ratio of middle school children to houses = 120 / 626

Number of new homes to be built in Creekstone Village = 72; Number of new homes to be built in Brookside = 0

Estimated number of future middle-school kids from these two sub-divisions = (120/626) * 72 ) + 120 = 134

134 Middle School kids ≈ 10% of FSMS capacity; ≈ 11% of FCMS capacity

Moving the 134 kids from FCMS to FSMS will bring the utilization rate of FCMS from 99% to 88% for 2017/18 and 2018/19, while improving the utilization rate at FSMS to approximately 90% for 2017 – 2019. It is clear that this can be accomplished without spending $2Million, as the district will not have to add 200 seats in FCMS (thereby not leading to under-utilization in FCMS). These savings would continue to show FBISD in good light in budget management.

Note: If we allow for some of these middle-school kids to attend Quail Valley GT Academy, the number of children from these two sub-divisions attending their “home zone” middle school would be less than 134.

2. Address Safety, Commute, Continuity and Neighborhood issues

The drive from Creekstone to FCMS will go through two one-lane streets (Cabrera Drive & Scenic Rivers Drive), which are quite narrow and not safe enough for school buses, especially during inclement weather. The route to FSMS is a lot safer with multiple-lane streets. Furthermore, by zoning Creekstone and Brookside to FCMS, the district runs the risk of reducing this feeling of “one neighborhood” and disrupting the continuity in relationships that enhance the educational experience for children. While planning for the future is important, it has to be done with minimal disruption to the current members of the community.

CONCLUSION: Our experience shows that the FBISD Administration and the Board are willing to listen to the concerns of the community and address them appropriately. We trust that you will demonstrate this same spirit of collaboration and will amend the Feeder Pattern proposal under Scenario B and zone Creekstone Village and Brookside back into FSMS, as it will result in cost savings of $2 Million and address many other critical issues. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Residents of Creekstone Village & Brookside

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Old petition

Dear Dr. Dupre and FBISD Board Members,

We are residents of Creekstone Village and Brookside, subdivisions of Riverstone Master Planned community. Most of us moved to the subdivisions in the last five years or so and have many elementary and middle school going kids. Currently our kids go to Settlers Way Elementary and Fort Settlement Middle School.

Many of us attended the community dialogue meetings held on Oct 22^nd and found out the proposed feeder plan options of Elkins and Elkins Alternate. We strongly support the Elkins Alternate Feeder Pattern. However, in the Elkins Alternate option map, Creekstone Village and Brookside are carved out of Riverstone ES and Fort Settlement Middle School (FSMS). These two subdivisions will feed into Settlers Way ES and then First Colony Middle School (FCMS).

We are totally surprised to find out our subdivisions are carved out Riverstone ES and FSMS. As residents, we strongly request Creekstone Village and Brookside to be put under Riverstone ES and FSMS boundaries. We feel this is better for our kids and the school district:

1. Better utilization for middle schools. FSMS is projected to be underutilized. FCMS is projected to be overcrowded, why move our kids from an underutilized school to an overcrowded one?


2. Better utilization for elementary schools. Settlers Way ES is projected to be more overcrowded (2016/17@125%, 2017/18@131%, 2018/19@136%). Riverstone ES is projected to be less overcrowded (2016/17@95%, 2017/18@103%, 2018/19@108%). Additionally Riverstone ES can offer more seats if the district puts some Riverstone Community’s kids under Commonwealth ES. Commonwealth ES is projected to be underutilized after Riverstone ES opens in fall 2016.


3. Less commute, less traffic and more safety. Using the Creekstone play around as a common starting point, the commute to Riverstone ES is 2.2 miles with 3 stops. The commute to Settlers Way ES is 4.3 miles with 9 stops. To put Creekstone and Brookside under Riverstone ES means less commute, less traffic and more safety.


4. Better community sense. Kids at Creekstone Village and Brookside are part of the Riverstone Community, keeping them under Riverstone ES will foster their Riverstone community sense and strengthen the friendship they have built with kids at other Riverstone subdivisions.

In the published Houston middle school rating, it shows that FSMS is a better performing school than FCMS. We as homeowners paid a premium and made an investment on the houses because they are zoned under FSMS. We would like to keep it the same as it was sold to us.

We understand that the Riverstone ES and FSMS boundaries are still under review and not finalized. We strongly request you to put Creekstone Village and Brookside under the Riverstone ES and FSMS boundaries.

Sincerely,

Creekstone Village and Brookside Residents.