Board Notes

A Summary of the March 22, 2007 Tyler ISD Board of Trustees Meeting

Board Accepts Resignation of John Tyler Principal

The Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of Dr. Michael McFarland, principal of John Tyler High School.  The resignation will be effective June 30, 2007.

Board Authorizes and Approves Gifts and Donations

The Board of Trustees approved the following:

$9,500 from Rice PTA to Rice Elementary for the purchase of computers

$8,500 from ARMS Building and Maintenance to Austin Elementary for an artificial turf system in the courtyard

$27,090 from Robert E. Lee Booster Club to various organizations at Robert E. Lee High School

$58,226 from The University of Texas at Tyler to TISD Technology Department for three Ethernet switches.

Board Authorizes and Approves Gifts and Donations

The Board of Trustees approved the purchase of wireless technology and the purchase and installation of audio speakers for ceiling-mounted projectors for student-centered instructional purposes from the Moore Middle School Title

I funds. The total to be approved for the wireless project is

$36,186.38. Purchase and installation of the audio components is

$40,387.00. The total amount to be approved is $76,573.38.

Facilities Department Provides Update on School Construction Projects

Project Manager Randy Rayford, with The Staubach Company, and Tim Loper, Tyler ISD Director of Facilities, provided the Board of Trustees an update on the progress of the school construction projects. 

Four elementary schools are under construction at this time (Austin, Bonner, Douglas and Peete):

Douglas is ahead of schedule and under budget

Austin is on schedule and on budget

Bonner is on schedule and on budget

All three are looking for move-in dates in July

Peete has a two week rain delay; Denson Construction will makeup the rain delay.

Jones Elementary Future Plans Discussed

As Tyler ISD moves further into the implementation and completion of Phase 1 of the current bond, and begin the planning of Phase 2, the board needs to consider and discuss future plans for Jones Elementary as the District anticipates the future completion of Peete Elementary.  Gary Mooring, Interim Superintendent present to the Board of Trustees research data on small school vs. large school on student performance and financial data on cost of facilities needed for large school vs. 2 small schools.  Mooring researched school size and its affect on students and found most research was for high schools.  Mooring explained in an elementary setting teachers are with their class of students all day long and allows them to build a relationship despite school size.  Size of a school has more of an impact on low socio-economic students than students from other backgrounds and leadership also plays a key role in any size school.  Mooring said the research varied on optimal school size.  One study said ideal size is 300-400 students for elementary schools.  This same research also says optimum size at a high school is 900, and both TISD high schools are more then 2,000 students at each campus.

Mooring also shared with the Trustees that the district would save more than $500,000 each year in staffing by consolidating Jones and Peete elementary schools.

Mooring also presented costs related to facilities:

• To build a new Jones facility would cost more than $17 million.
• To consolidate Jones Elementary into Peete Elementary it would cost more than $6 million.  This cost is to build the addition of 20 classrooms at Peete Elementary.
• To renovate and build an addition to Jones would cost more than $18 million.
• To renovate Jones for office space would cost more than $8 million.
• To close Jones completely would cost $214,000 to remove portables and prepare the site for abatement.

Michael Berrier, Principal for Jones Elementary also presented findings to the Board of Trustees. Berrier explained to the Board that his school’s responsibility is to improve the academic success of students.  His research showed parents prefer small school environments, and student attendance and sense of belonging is greater in smaller schools.  Berrier said at Jones Elementary everyone is needed to be part of school clubs and it involves a large amount of students.  Berrier’s research showed students at-risk are more adversely affected by a large school and that creating a larger school is not creating a premiere school district.  He said that at Jones we engage are parents and when they believe in our school so do their students.  Jones has found a formula to improve student achievement with a diversified community.

Public Participation Heard by the Board of Trustees

Ten community members including parents, grandparent, staff, students, and former students asked the board to consider not closing Jones Elementary.  Each participant shared with the board experiences they have encountered that makes Jones Elementary a special campus.

Andy Bergfeld, Board of Trustees President, thanked all the community members for attending the meeting and sharing their opinions regarding the future of Jones Elementary.  He said there are no plans at this point.  The Board will take the information presented under consideration.