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Board Notes
A Summary of the September 18, 2008, Tyler ISD Board of
Trustees Meeting
Board Approves and Authorizes Superintendent to Negotiate
Real Estate Contracts
The Board of Trustees approved and authorized Superintendent
Dr. Randy Reid to negotiate real estate contracts for
properties for new school locations with any such contract
contingent upon final approval by the board at a later date.
Board Authorizes and Accepts Donations
The Board of Trustees authorized and approved the acceptance
of the following donations totaling $ 42,292:
$ 5,000 from Int’l Assoc. of Drilling Contractors
(ARK-LA-TEX Chapter) to St. Louis School for
to improve instruction and
provide materials and equipment for students at St. Louis
School.
$11,673 through the Tyler ISD Foundation from various donors
for Convocation T-Shirts.
$25,619 through the Tyler ISD Foundation from various donors
for teacher and campus grants.
Board Authorizes and Approves Architectural and Engineering
Contracts
The Board of Trustees authorized and awarded Architectural
and Engineering
contracts to Eubanks-Harris-Roberts-Craig, Architects, and
Corgan/Sinclair &
Wright Architects.
These two firms and will design the following campuses:
Eubanks-Harris-Roberts-Craig to design Clarkston, Griffin,
Orr and Woods
elementary schools;
Corgan/Sinclair & Wright Architects to design Jones
Elementary School and the St. Louis School.
In preparation for the upcoming 2008 Bond election, a
selection committee received RFQ responses from seventeen
(17) architectural and engineering firms. At the August
2008 Board Meeting, the board approved entering into
contract negotiations with the two (2) top-ranked firms
(Eubanks-Harris-Roberts-Craig and Corgan/Sinclair and Wright
Architects) with appropriate contracts for recommendation to
follow.
Board Authorizes and Approves Purchase of Rapid
Communication Service
The Board of Trustees authorized and approved the purchase
of the AlertNow Rapid
Communication Service in the amount of $36,000. A rapid
communication service will enable the District to deliver
thousands of voice messages to the home and mobile phones of
all student contacts, district employees, and school board
members within minutes. Aside from providing fast and
effective notification for emergency situations and
weather-related school closings, a rapid communication
service can be used by campuses to communicate absences,
remind of important deadlines, and promote campus events in
both English and Spanish.
Board Authorizes and Approves Purchase of ESL Reading
Intervention Program for Secondary Schools
The Board of Trustees authorized and approved the purchase
of the Journey’s Intervention Reading program in the amount
of $80,900 to be paid to assist all English as a second
language students and their teachers at the secondary level,
grades 6 through 12.
The Journey’s Intervention Reading program will provide all
English as a second language students a consistent reading
model at the secondary level. Teachers will have
research-based materials, and students will enjoy the same
level of support at all secondary schools in the Tyler ISD
relative to reading for emerging English readers.
Bond Discussion of Jones and St. Louis Facilities
Tyler ISD Superintendent Randy Reid presented to the board
an option to consider building Jones Elementary School and
the St. Louis School together. Dr. Reid began conversations
early in the summer with groups of staff members, parents,
and St. Louis community members to discuss this
possibility. Due to the federal laws that require Tyler ISD
to meet the needs of St. Louis students in the least
restrictive environment, Dr. Reid explained that this
proposed arrangement would provide St. Louis students with
an opportunity to have increased exposure to non-handicapped
students. It was also emphasized that in no way will any
services be reduced for the St. Louis students.
For the Jones children, Dr. Reid says the District feels it
is an opportunity for growth for the Jones students to have
greater interaction with special needs students.
Dr. Reid commented that the District has not received
opposition to this proposal. He invited anyone to come
forward who has questions about this proposal and contact
the school district.
Technology Update
John Orbaugh presented to the Board of Trustees a technology
update including the wiring of the remaining campuses for
wireless computer networking, as well as the result of the
LoJack recovery system for stolen laptops. Currently 5
laptops have been stolen from Tyler ISD. Mr. Orbaugh
explained that one of these laptops has already been
recovered. He said it was stolen from a portable building
at Robert E. Lee High School. He said the laptop was
purchased by a member of the Tyler community from a vendor
in Canton, TX.
Mr. Orbaugh said the LoJack program is working, as it
should, and he is pleased to return this laptop to the
District and it will be returned to service in the next
week.
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