Board Notes

A Summary of the July 20, 2006 Tyler ISD Board of Trustees Meeting

New Principal Announced And Approved

Ms. Onella Brown was named the new principal for Dogan Middle School.  Ms. Brown currently serves as assistant principal at Dogan Middle School.  Her experience also includes serving as an Assistant Principal at Dogan, and as a teacher at Hubbard Middle School.  Brown earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration Management from The University of Texas at Tyler, a master’s degree in Tech-Technical Professions from The University of Texas at Tyler, and completed her principal certification at The University of Texas at Tyler.  Ms. Brown takes over the principal position immediately on Friday, July 21, 2006.

Board Authorizes and Approves the Issuance of Building Bonds

The Board of Trustees approved authorized issuance of the fixed interest rate component (the $17 million Series A bonds).  The $17 million priced on July 19, 2006 along with the $25 million from the planned August 17, 2006 bond sale is sufficient to continue work on planned construction according to the draw schedule provided by the District staff.  The majority of these proceeds will go to Austin, Bonner, Douglas and Peete elementary schools.
 

Standard and Poor’s Rating Service affirmed the District’s underlying credit rating as “AA.”  This current credit rating reflects the District’s sound financial operations and low overall debt burden.

Caldwell Foundation Continues to Support TISD through Gifts 

The Board of Trustees approved a gift in the amount of $25,000 from the Caldwell Foundation.  The gift will assist the funding and transportation of school fieldtrips.  The Board of Trustees thanks the Caldwell Foundation for their continued kindness.

Facilities Department Provides Update on School Construction Projects

Randy Rayford, Project Manager with the Staubach Group (TSG), and Tim Loper, Tyler ISD Director of Facilities, provided the Board of Trustees an update on the progress of the school construction projects.  Six schools are under construction at this time. 

Bell Elementary Global Communications Academy and Ramey Elementary are scheduled to be completed the first week of August.  Work at these two sites are concluding with focus on landscaping taking place.
 

Dr. Bryan Jack Elementary is in finishing stages with drywall framing, rough-ins for electrical, fire plumbing, fire sprinkler, and ductwork underway.  Sheetrock is being installed and masonry work is taking place.  The campus completion date is scheduled for October.
 

Douglas Elementary School dirt work for the building pad is complete.  Austin and Bonner is in the dirt work stage as well.
 

Loper will introduce next month to the Board a new construction schedule format that will display the progress of each construction project marking the major milestone.

Loper also notified the Board of Trustees that the projects at Bell and Ramey are in the punch list stage and he is very impressed with the work and accuracy the contractor is making with completion of the punch list.