Tyler

By MEGAN MIDDLETON
Staff Writer

As 2009 gets under way, Tyler ISD is taking steps to begin work on projects approved in the November bond issue for new schools.

During its regular board meeting Thursday, trustees will consider items related to asbestos abatement at Orr Elementary School as well as the demolition of a classroom building there.

Orr is one of the schools that will be replaced as part of the voter-approved $124.9 million bond issue.

The board will meet at 7 p.m. in the Dr. Jack L. Davidson Conference Center inside the Jim Plyler Instructional Complex, 807 W. Glenwood. The board will meet in closed session at 6 p.m.

Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid said the hexagonal building of classrooms in the back of Orr needs to be demolished. That will allow a perimeter fence -- separating students from the construction that will start later in the spring -- to be set up.

Reid said the end of Orr's new building will sit in the middle of where that hexagonal building currently is. The main building at Orr will remain while the new building is constructed.

"We can do a more contiguous construction process that way," Reid said of demolishing the building.

Extra portable buildings were moved on to the grounds during the Christmas holiday, and students have been relocated out of the classrooms in the hexagonal building.

The demolition will begin Feb. 6.

The administration is recommending the board approve a contract with Air Quality Associates for the pre-demolition asbestos abatement at Orr for $8,475, according to agenda information. TISD received bids from five different companies. The contract will be funded by the 2004 bond savings.

The administration also is recommending the board approve a contract to DEAA Corporation for the demolition for $21,798, including a $5,000 owner contingency, according to agenda information. The contract will be funded from the 2004 bond savings. Eight bids were reviewed.

Reid said the board also could take action Thursday in open session on a closed session item related to hiring construction managers who would fill the role The Staubach Company held in the previous bond program, which would be working as a liaison between the district and the general contractors working on 2008 bond projects.

Voters approved the recent bond issue Nov. 4, authorizing the district to replace Clarkston, Griffin, Jones, Orr and Woods elementary schools as well as the St. Louis School-Wayne D. Boshears Center for Exceptional Programs. Jones and the Boshears will be constructed as one facility.

The district hopes to open all of the schools in August 2010.

Reid said the district plans to bid out construction on Orr, Clarkston and Woods possibly the last week of January and bring back contracts for the board to approve possibly at a special meeting in early February.

Construction could begin in March. The other two buildings likely will go to bid in February or March, Reid said.

"We should see work on all of them before the school year ends," Reid said.

A school construction monthly executive summary also will be presented at Thursday's meeting.

Trustees also will discuss the possibility of allowing the Camp Tyler Foundation to operate Camp Tyler, which would help save the school district approximately $500,000 per year.

"Camp Tyler Foundation is interested in operating the facility out there as a private enterprise, nonprofit much like other camps in the area are operated," Reid said. "From a district standpoint, our interest is twofold -- one, we want our kids to get a quality outdoor, educational experience, and two, we want to do it in the most cost effective manner we can."

The administration may make a recommendation in February to privatize the Camp Tyler experience and allow it to be operated by an entity that handles camp operations on a regular basis, Reid said. That will allow the district to discontinue efforts to operate a school there, he said.

The item is on the agenda for discussion only. No action will be taken at the January meeting.

The district has a principal and teaching staff at Camp Tyler 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Reid said, adding that the district is underutilizing its people and its dollars there.

"We believe we can save between $500,000 to $600,000 dollars a year by doing this," he said. "But we also understand and acknowledge the history out there and want to make sure that we continue to provide our kids that quality experience."

Reid said that TISD's job is "to operate schools, not really to operate camps, and we're operating a camp when that's not really our expertise."

If the foundation were to begin operating the camp, it would start next school year and the staff currently there would be offered other opportunities for employment in TISD, Reid said.

The primary use of Camp Tyler is for a fifth-grade outdoor education program. There also are other day programs that other grade levels use, Reid said.

The TISD calendar also will be up for approval at Thursday's meeting. The school district has invited the public to provide input on the calendar through 5 p.m. today.

Those interested may view the calendar and give input by clicking on the "2009-2010 Draft Calendar" link at www.tylerisd.org.

Reid said the district has received feedback from the public and made adjustments to the posted calendar as a result. A day that was left off of the calendar was discovered, and that allowed for the final teacher workday to be on June 4, a Friday, as opposed to June 7, a Monday.

With the 2009-10 calendar, the district continues something it began last year -- taking an entire week off at Thanksgiving. The superintendent said the district has received positive feedback about having that entire week off this school year.

Reid said there is little flexibility within the calendar because the state mandates that districts start no earlier than the week of Aug. 27.

The board also will consider approving the 2009-10 St. Louis School calendar.

Other items on Thursday's agenda are to consider approval of: order for calling trustee election on May 9; 2008-09 amended budget; annual investment broker review; resolution reaffirming the investment policy of TISD; annual audit for the 2007-08 fiscal year; resolution approving independent sources of instruction relating to the investment responsibilities; resolution for sale of property for delinquent taxes; gifts and donations; building construction prevailing wage rates for the East Texas area; School Health Advisory Council and the sexual health curriculum for grades six through 12; and a staff development waiver.

Officials also will present a monthly financial executive summary, a quarterly investment report, a board member training report and a technology report.

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