Waxahachie — Acting Superintendent David Abert told residents at a spring town hall that Waxahachie Independent School District opened two campuses this school year, has several junior‑high renovations underway, and has broken ground on a second comprehensive high school, Waxahachie Creek High School, which the district said will open in fall 2027.

Abert summarized recent openings and projects, noting Jimmy Ray Elementary opened in August after a roughly 14‑month build and a separate campus (named in the presentation as Wildman/Wyman) opened in January. He said both projects finished on time and under projected budget. The district listed three active junior‑high construction sites—Howard, Findlay and Coleman—and described work to expand cafeteria and library spaces, add administrative suites and enlarge band halls to increase junior‑high capacity to a 1,200‑student model.

The district said it has adopted a new campus‑size model calling for roughly 800‑student elementary schools, 1,200‑student junior highs and a high‑school capacity matching the existing Waxahachie High School. Abert said Waxahachie Creek High School is being designed as a two‑story comprehensive high school with athletics, fine arts, career and technical education (CTE) space, a lecture hall, science labs, a cafeteria and specialized program space. He said the architects (VLK) and general contractor (Pogue) had completed design submission on Dec. 20 and that minor grading has started at the south‑of‑town site.

On programming details, Abert said Waxahachie Creek will offer the same core CTE programs as the existing high school with a few differences: there will not be a greenhouse at Creek, but there will be floral‑design coursework; Creek will include a paint booth the district expects to share with Waxahachie High School. The district said it will not duplicate a large culinary arts space but will provide a family and consumer science lab.

Abert described the rezoning process that will accompany the new school and listed priorities: make timely decisions so families can plan, strive for balanced enrollments across neighborhoods and avoid creating new socioeconomic imbalances, and keep the two high schools in separate UIL districts where feasible. He said the district plans to phase in grade levels at Creek to avoid moving upper‑class students in their final year; the district’s early plan is to open with ninth and tenth grades and grow the school over subsequent years.

Abert invited community input via a QR code survey on the slide and said the district wants feedback on neighborhood boundaries and grade‑level transition preferences. He closed by thanking law enforcement and emergency management partners and announcing another town hall next Tuesday at the same time and place.