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Ginnings Elementary Temporarily Closing for Two Years to Rebuild Campus
Ginnings Elementary will temporarily close beginning in the 2025-2026 school year to start rebuilding the campus as part of the 2023 Capital Improvement Plan that was approved by district voters. The new school will be built on the same site as the current campus, which does not have adequate land to facilitate construction while holding school simultaneously.
The school currently sits upon 9.9 acres in a well established neighborhood, so the campus is land-locked. Denton ISD’s new prototype for elementary schools requires 12-15 acres to accommodate the building and traffic flow, and plans will be adjusted to place the campus in its current location.
“While we understand this will create short-term inconveniences for our families, once rebuilt, the new Ginnings Elementary will be a proud beacon for our students and community, “ said Dr. Susannah Holbert O’Bara, Superintendent of Schools.
As a result of the temporary closure, adjustments will be made to existing attendance boundaries to facilitate the next two years of demolition and construction. All Ginnings students will be rezoned to either Evers Park, Shultz or Hodge Elementary Schools for the start of the 2025-2026 school year through the 2026-2027 school year.
Denton ISD will begin construction of the new Ginnings Elementary in the summer of 2025. Construction is expected to be completed spring 2027, and the new Ginnings Elementary is tentatively scheduled to open for the 2027-2028 school year.
All members of the Ginnings Elementary staff will be relocated to other campuses to serve students in similar roles.
“Starting construction on the Ginnings Elementary replacement campus will allow Denton ISD to save on rising construction costs, which are increasing by nearly one percent each month,” Dr. O’Bara said. “In addition, beginning this process also ensures the district completes all projects from the 2023 Bond within the five-year timeframe that was promised to our community.”
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FAQs - English
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How can we be guaranteed a spot at a school other than the one we are rezoned to? Can we transfer to one of the other geographically close schools? Can we transfer to Shultz Elementary if we are rezoned to Evers Park Elementary?
Please complete the transfer process and select the appropriate school designating your “new” home campus and the campus you wish for your student to attend.
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Are transfers granted on a first come, first served basis?
Transfers will be granted first by circumstance. For example, Ginnings families who request a transfer will be considered first. While the transfer application opens at 8 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2025, parents do not have to rush to fill out their transfer application. They just need to fill it out by the deadline at 4 p.m. on Feb. 21, 2025.
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How soon will we know that our transfer is granted?
Parents can expect an email from Student Support Services by the end of the day on March 7, 2025.
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Will parents be able to pick which school they will be moved to or is it up to the school district?
Denton ISD believes students should attend schools in their neighborhood. However, parents always have the option to choose a different school for their student through the transfer process.
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What can we do to help students who have difficulty with change/transition become more familiar with the receiving staff?
Teams at the receiving schools, Evers Park, Hodge and Shultz Elementary schools are planning events this spring to welcome the new students to their campuses. Once the deadline passes, events will be announced so that our students and their families can visit and familiarize themselves with the new campus before next fall.
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Will my student have the same teacher?
All of the teachers and staff will be dispersed to the receiving campuses, Evers Park, Hodge and Shultz Elementary schools. So there is a possibility that your student or their sibling might have a teacher from the Ginnings staff.
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How will transportation be handled now that we are no longer within walking distance of our home campus?
Denton ISD will maintain the standard of transporting students who reside farther than two miles from their home campus. When a household is rezoned, that campus becomes its home campus, so the calculation will be based on the district from either Evers Park, Hodge or Shultz Elementary School to the residence. Remember, Denton ISD does not provide transportation to any student who transfers out of their assigned attendance zone.
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What are the projected student-to-teacher ratios?
Denton ISD will adhere to the standard student-to-teacher ratios as mandated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). However, individual class sizes are determined on a campus-by-campus basis dependent upon staffing and enrollment.
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I have a student starting kindergarten next year, what should I do for them?
Plan for your child to enroll in the school for which they are rezoned. Incoming kindergarten students who are currently zoned for Ginnings Elementary have been rezoned to either Evers Park, Hodge or Shultz Elementary schools depending on their home address.
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Will we be able to have meetings with the current and new inclusion teachers for students served by special education?
Yes, all students who receive special education services will meet their inclusion teachers prior to the start of the 2025-2026 school year. We will try to coordinate meetings with both the Ginnings staff and receiving staff to ensure the continuity of services for all students.
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If my student qualifies for the EXPO (Gifted and Talented) program, will they need to be retested? I would like my student to transfer to one of the other schools that they will not be zoned for. Will they be required to do a placement test?
Currently enrolled students who receive services for EXPO, Special Education or another program will continue to receive support. Denton ISD does not have required testing for enrollment.
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If I am an employee at Ginnings and my student attends Evers Park, can I be transferred to Evers Park?
Denton ISD has a longstanding policy that employees may bring their students to the school where they work.
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My students are currently on a transfer to Ginnings. What steps should I take for them?
Students who currently attend Ginnings on a transfer may return to their “home” campus or complete the annual transfer process to remain at their current campus or a different campus.
