Denton school board members approved plans Tuesday to place the district’s next elementary and middle schools in its eastern and southeastern regions.

In a unanimous vote, trustees selected the Cross Oaks Ranch subdivision on Tumbleweed Drive as the site for the district’s 21st elementary school. District officials say it will be the first elementary school built south of rapid growth along the U.S. Highway 380 Corridor.

Trustees also approved a seventh middle school, to be built in Shady Shores at Shady Shores Road and Garza Lane, just south of Stephens Elementary School.

The district expects about 750 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade will attend the new elementary, while about 1,000 sixth- through eighth-graders will attend the middle school, said district spokeswoman Sharon Cox.

Proposed locations for the two campuses were based on a facilities report presented to the board in December.

At that time, board members were informed of an expected increase in the number of middle school students by 2011 and the current overcrowding of students at two 380 Corridor elementary schools.

Dr. Roger Rutherford, assistant superintendent for elementary academic programs, said Providence Elementary School is currently overcrowded, with Savannah Elementary School facing overflow issues. Placing a school in the Cross Oaks Ranch area will allow the district to get its schools closer to desired student capacity and eliminate busing students in that area to Providence and Savannah. “It’s a very timely thing to happen,” Rutherford said of the vote. “It will help us relieve our overcrowding and stay closer to our overall design [concept].”  

Deputy Superintendent Jamie Wilson said planning for the seventh middle school campus is “right on target.” According to projected growth figures for 2011, he said, the new facility will alleviate issues with capacity, which is expected to reach 1,000 at Navo Middle School — making it the district’s largest campus for sixth- to eighth-graders. Wilson also said that by 2011 Crownover Middle School is expected to have about 950 students.

Board Vice President Jim Alexander said shortly after the vote that trustees were pleased with their decision. “They are clearly the right sites and the right locations where these schools need to be,” he said.

According to the district, construction for the new elementary school should be complete by July 2010, and students will start school there the following fall. The middle school is expected to open in fall 2011.

Funds for the two facilities were approved by voters in a 2007 bond election.

BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876. Her e-mail address is btabor@dentonrc.com .