Posted 1:01 am Thursday, January 21, 2010
TISD Trustees To Discuss Opening New School After Break
By MEGAN MIDDLETON
Staff Writer
Tyler ISD trustees will discuss plans for opening the new Clarkston Elementary School when students return from Spring Break in March during their meeting tonight.
Staff Writer
Tyler ISD trustees will discuss plans for opening the new Clarkston Elementary School when students return from Spring Break in March during their meeting tonight.
The meeting is set for 7 p.m. in the Dr. Jack L. Davidson Conference Center in the Jim Plyler Instructional Complex, 807 W. Glenwood Blvd.
Clarkston Elementary is one of five replacement schools TISD is building as part of the $124.9 million bond program voters approved in November 2008.
Trustees will consider approving a moving contract for Clarkston, Orr, Woods and Jones elementary schools as well as the St. Louis School-Wayne D. Boshears Center for Exceptional Programs.
These schools are scheduled to open for students in August, but construction on Clarkston is ahead of schedule and can open early.
Officials have said the early move-in will allow work to begin on areas that will be created where the existing Clarkston building sits, such as parking lots.
During tonight's meeting, officials, including the Clarkston principal, will make a presentation to the board on the plans for moving Clarkston.
"They're already packing over there," TISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid said. "It's imminent. It will happen over Spring Break."
While the board does not have to approve the early move, the discussion about it will take place before the vote on the moving contract.
Spring Break is scheduled for March 8 through March 12.
Teachers will not be required to move their classrooms during the break, though they will be welcome to do so. Before Spring Break, there will be opportunities to move items teachers are not using, Reid said.
Reid noted the efforts of the construction workers, the Clarkston staff as well as Monte Robinett, who is project manager for TISD's construction projects, and Tim Loper, director of facilities for TISD, in making this early move possible.
"I think it's going to be a great benefit to the district, and I think it's going to enable us to get started on the teardown of that building, which will mean that we'll be much farther along come August than we would have been," Reid said.
The new front parking lot area is where the current Clarkston sits now.
"If we had waited until June, it would have been very difficult to get that whole front parking lot area poured and ready," Reid said. "I think we're going to be in a much better state in August as a result of being able to do this. Plus our kids get to enjoy the building for the last couple of months, and teachers."
The administration is recommending the board approve a contract with Daryl Flood Warehouse and Movers Inc. of Coppell for $98,063 for moving items out of the new schools. The bid is within the 2008 bond budget.
OTHER ITEMS
The board also will consider approving the 2010-11 TISD calendar. The district presented a proposed calendar at the last meeting. No changes to the originally proposed calendar are being recommended.
Also on the agenda for tonight's meeting: consider approval of 2009-10 amended budget; gifts and donations; annual audit for 2008-09 fiscal year; appointment to Tax Increment Financing Board; local policies and local policy updates from TASB; construction manager-at-risk firm for Birdwell and Owens elementary; replacement scoreboard at Mike Carter Field; purchase of school buses; Boulter "iCan" technology plan; Therapet animal assisted therapy; Five Star Consulting Services for John Tyler science instruction and agreement with TISD and TISD Head Start.
The board also will hear financial and construction reports. The campus spotlight will be on Bonner Elementary School. The school board also will be recognized at the meeting.
