Posted 2:08 am Monday, January 11, 2010
Tyler ISD Trustees Set To Talk Remodeling
MEGAN MIDDLETON
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Tyler ISD trustees will consider approving designs for the remodeling work at Birdwell and Owens elementary schools during today's board workshop.
The meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. at the Dr. Jack L. Davidson Conference Center in the Jim Plyler Instructional Complex, 807 W. Glenwood.
Board members already have had an opportunity to review the drawings and offer comments and concerns, TISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid said.
As part of the remodeling, the schools will get added classroom space, new gyms, cafeteria additions and modified front entrances, Reid said.
In November, TISD trustees approved using excess funds from the 2004 and 2008 bond programs to proceed with designs, renovations and additions for Birdwell and Owens elementary schools, marking a continuation of the district's facilities improvement plan.
The school board in December awarded architectural contracts to Eubanks-Harris-Roberts-Craig Architects for the renovation work.
The district expects to save at least $20 million from the 2008 bond program that it plans to use for the renovation work at Birdwell and Owens.
The savings are due in large part to the lack of inflation growth, which had been projected to be at 1 percent per month, the superintendent has said.
The district also has about $3 million in savings from the 2004 bond.
As part of the district's facilities master plan, it is addressing needs at elementary schools first.
These two schools are remodels rather than replacement facilities as the other schools have been in the 2004 and 2008 bond programs.
"I think it's going to be a really great plan that they've designed and still provide the kids who are going to these campuses all of the same things that the kids who are attending the brand new ones are getting as well," Reid said
The district hopes to go to bids on construction work in the spring and begin work when school ends, finishing by the beginning of the school year in 2011.
Also today, the board will receive reports on the food services department and on the curricular area of science.
The food services report will look at how that department is functioning and at the efficiencies and the challenges, Reid said.
The presentation on science will be similar to the report last month on math.
Officials will present information about the performance of the district in the past couple of years in science and the trends they're seeing.
"The purpose of this is to let the public and the board know what we're really doing in the science arena right now to shore up some of the scores," Reid said, noting there's some significant growth the district has seen in some science scores.
In the next two months, the board also will hear reports on social studies and language arts during its workshops.
