The new school year has already begun, and for some lucky kids in the Santa Rita Ranch master-planned community, that means a new school, too! Our master-planned community just cut the ribbon on its first on-site public elementary school, and we couldn’t be more excited! You may already have seen some proud Santa Rita Elementary Panthers sporting their purple T-shirts around the neighborhood. Go Panthers!
Designed to house around 800 students in grades K-5th, the 105,786-square-foot campus of Santa Rita Elementary is right across the street from The Hub at The Green – a familiar spot where Ranch residents can connect with each other before and after school. Santa Rita Elementary is now our second on-site elementary school. The private Divine Savior Academy opened its doors in August this year, and more schools are on the way!
We’re so happy that Ranch kids will now be able to ride their bikes or walk to school right in their own neighborhood, and we’re excited for them to see what’s in store at Santa Rita Elementary! The school was designed with soaring open spaces combined with cozy nooks where students can learn, collaborate, and grow, comfortable seating surrounded by a rainbow of colors, a library with reading nooks and a maker space, whiteboard walls, and a whole lot more! Every aspect of Santa Rita Elementary has been designed from the ground up to help kids feel empowered to make the most of their potential, both in class and at home!
Then, of course, there’s the playground, a kid’s favorite place in any school! The learning innovations that help make Santa Rita Elementary a great place to learn and grow don’t end inside the walls. Kids are already calling the playground “the back yard,” and it incorporates advances in physical education such as a unique running track and play areas that help separate older and younger students so that everyone can play and learn in the safest and most welcoming environment possible!
We’re also proud to welcome a top-notch staff to Santa Rita Elementary, including new principal Kristine Kline. Kristine has been an elementary school principal for the past 14 years and looks forward to bringing all of that experience and enthusiasm to Santa Rita Elementary. Along with a world-class team of teachers and faculty, she plans to “build champions through nurturing positive relationships, foster the love of learning, and provide a joyful and challenging learning environment.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Santa Rita Elementary took place on August 25, and the first day of classes was just two days later. We’re so excited to welcome Santa Rita Elementary to our master-planned community, but we’re not stopping there. We’ve already broken ground on the Santa Rita Middle School, which will open its doors for 1,000 students in grades 6 through 8 in August of 2021.
In the meantime, the Santa Rita Elementary Panthers are already enjoying classes, leaving their mark on the whiteboard walls, and playing in “the back yard” all within the bounds of our lovely neighborhood nestled in the Texas hill country. What could be better?
Want to learn more about Santa Rita Elementary or the Santa Rita Ranch master-planned community outside Austin, TX? Everything you need can be found at the Santa Rita Ranch website or through the community’s guide to education opportunities, which features details about area elementary schools, including Santa Rita Elementary. You can always come visit our community and take a tour! We’d love to see you!
