PHOTO BY DAVID LOWE Jamie Briggs, left, president of the Lampasas Independent School District Board of Trustees, his wife, Dorothy, second from left, and a line of other volunteers wave American flags Monday morning at Lampasas High School to welcome students and teachers to their first day of classes at the new campus. 2009-2010 enrollment kicks off on a high hote; tax rate, budget adopted

After Lampasas Independent School District Superintendent Randall Hoyer visited each campus, he said it is amazing how smoothly things went on the opening day of the term Monday -- especially with two new schools in operation.

"The report from the five principals is very positive and upbeat," he said.

Hoyer said he was concerned about vehicles arriving at the new high school campus on U.S. Highway 281 South. "But it went very well. The flow of buses and parent drop-offs went well. Certainly, it's not perfect," he said, "but it will get better."

Hoyer also had lunch at the new campus and said he is pleased things went well with the cafeteria's five new serving lines.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD AKRIDGE Taylor Creek Elementary in the eastern part of Lampasas County opened its doors for the first time Monday morning. Buses arrived, and teachers helped students disembark, while other instructors assisted excited children -- carrying their first-day-of-school supplies to their classrooms,. The superintendent praised each of the campus principals for making the first day of the term successful. "If it wasn't for them, it wouldn't have run as smoothly as it did."

First-day enrollment was up from the 2008-09 year with 3,322 students on hand, compared to 3,288 on the first day last year.

Lampasas High School has begun the 2009-10 term with 991 students -- 50 fewer than it had at the start of last year. Only one grade -- 10th -- showed increased enrollment, and that was just two additional students.

The campus boasts the largest grade, as freshmen totaled 274 the first day.

Last year, the freshman class also was the largest with 279 students enrolled on opening day.

This year's 10th-grade class had 259 students at Monday's start.

The junior class dropped 22 students from the previous year's report.

The Lampasas High School Class of 2010 began the year with the smallest enrollment at the high school, as 225 seniors showed up, compared to 250 last year.

Lampasas Middle School's numbers are up this year with the addition of sixth-graders to its campus. Three grades are all housed at the former high school site.

Last year's sixth-graders numbered 266 on opening day, compared to this year's class at 247.

The seventh- and eighth-grade classes began this year with 273 students apiece. That is the same figure for last year's seventh grade but an increase of 17 over the previous year's eighth-grade first-day enrollment of 256.

Elementary enrollment this year is divided into three LISD campuses, with two of them housing prekindergarten students.

Total elementary enrollment at the beginning of this school year was 1,337 through the fifth grade. Last year, the LISD had 1,452 students enrolled in those grades.

Kline Whitis' enrollment Monday was 432, while Hanna Springs Elementary began school with 663 students. Taylor Creek opened with 443 enrolled.

The ratio of students to teachers was discussed at Monday night's school board meeting, and trustees authorized Hoyer to hire professional personnel through Sept. 14 to move the LISD closer to the mandated 22-to-1 studentteacher ratio through fourth grade.

Additional teachers may be needed at elementary campuses, but first the superintendent will see what else can be done before having to revert to more hiring.

"We might be able to shift and/or move teachers from one campus to another or one grade level to another, or we might just have to hire teachers," Hoyer said. "That is a last resort. I don't really want to have to do that."

The superintendent said generally one or two additional teacher hires are built into a district's budget. "But our budget is so lean we haven't any funds to do that, so at the end of the year we could be at a deficit budget because we may have to hire teachers."

Kline Whitis Elementary is bumping up against the state guidelines, with first grade right on the line, he said. An additional second-grade teacher may be needed at the school.

At Hanna Springs Elementary, fourth grade started off with a 27- to-1 student/teacher ratio, and fifth-grade began at 25 to 1.

Taylor Creek's first-grade enrollment is above the state requirement, at 25 to 1.

Of the move to authorize him to hire teachers, Hoyer said, "If we need another teacher, I don't want to have to wait until the next board meeting [Sept. 14] to hire one."

Schools have until Oct. 1 to be compliant with the class-size requirements, or they must submit a waiver showing hardship, the superintendent said.

At Monday night's meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Lampasas Independent School District, board members approved the 2009-10 budget and tax rate at the same $1.50 per $100 valuation as the previous year.

Though there is no increase in the tax rate, the LISD will garner additional local revenue due to an increase in property values of almost 2.5 percent. That also means the state will give the district that much less money, said Shane Jones, LISD director of finance.

This year's general operating fund is based on total revenues and expenditures of more than $24.8 million -- a figure pretty close to the previous year's budget.

No big capital outlays are scheduled this year, said Jones, who added though the LISD will not be ordering any buses, the district's commitment to improving technology continues.

Jones said the district should see an increase in its food service revenue with the high school being a closed campus and foods in vending machines removed due to state guidelines.

"We have cut over $1.3 million out of the existing budget to bring you a balanced budget," said Superintendent Randall Hoyer. He noted cuts came from plant maintenance and operations as well as transportation, with no cuts made in academic programs. "We have a very lean budget this year."

Last year, the average market value of a home in Lampasas was $108,895, compared to this year's $112,114 for the same home.

Taxes due on an average residence last year were $1,245, and this year, the levy will be $1,289, or about $3.62 more per month.

Under state law, the dollar amount of school taxes imposed on a residence of someone 65 years of age or older may not be increased, regardless of changes in tax rate or property value.

James Briggs, LISD board president, said the district's financial picture remains questionable due to a decrease in state funding.

"Gains made with an increase in property taxes are a 'secret tax' going to the state," he said. "And the state is giving us that much less for maintenance and operation. The only way to get additional funds is increased enrollment or to increase taxes."

In other business, trustees agreed to voluntary annexation of Taylor Creek Elementary into the city of Copperas Cove.

"That should eliminate confusion and speed up the response time of emergency services should they be needed at the campus," said Hoyer. "It also might afford us the opportunity to take advantage of lower utility rates."

Big Divide Road, where the school is located, already is annexed into Copperas Cove, as is about one-third of the existing Taylor Creek property. "This agreement just allows the rest of it to be annexed into Copperas Cove's city limits," Hoyer said.

Board members also agreed to purchase and install external surveillance equipment at the new Lampasas High School campus and at Taylor Creek Elementary, not to exceed $75,000.

Funds already have been budgeted for the project out of bond money.