The Board of Trustees met on October 13, 2015, and recommended a facility solution to present to the Community Bond Committee. The summary of the recommendation includes:

• Leave NTH@C at its existing site.
• Renovate and add onto existing CMS West to house 9th grade.
• Build new CMS West in Cypress Waters.
• Renovate and add on to CMS East to help accommodate MS growth.
• Authorize dollars in bond election for an elementary growth solution (to-be determined at later date).
• Allow Community Bond Committee to analyze and recommend all other renovation, technology, and Student Support Services solutions. 

• View Powerpoint Presentation from the October 13 Board Workshop.

 

In furthering the work of the Facilities Visioning Committee, a sub-group of the Board of Trustees met several times to discuss next steps. Then on September 21, at a Board of Trustees Workshop meeting, the full Board discussed different options to accommodate growth at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

• View Powerpoint Presentation from the September 21 Board Workshop. 

 

The 2015 Facilities Visioning Committee was formed at the recommendation of Coppell ISD’s long-range planning team (Pinnacle 2020) to take a look at enrollment projections and explore viable solutions that could be carried forward to a future Bond Committee and the Board of Trustees. A diverse, 43 person committee comprised of 17 parents, 3 learners, 11 community stakeholders, and 12 CISD educators met collectively on four occasions from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Although enrollment growth has been projected at all levels at the rate of approximately 250 students/year, Templeton Demographics has projected Coppell High School will reach full capacity in the next three years. See meeting highlights below:

• Thursday, March 19 at Lee Elementary: Superintendent Dr. Mike Waldrip opened the meeting with introductions and an explanation of the committee’s purpose. Student enrollment, housing growth projections and a current facilities overview was followed by a curriculum activity and a facility solutions exercise led by Chief Financial Officer Kelly Penny. The committee signed-up to research needs and report back to the group on one of five sub-committees and begin discussions on possible options for: Elementary, Middle School, High School, Technology, and Administration. An optional tour of Lee was offered after the meeting.

• Thursday, April 9 at New Tech High @ Coppell: A spokesperson for each sub-committee reported on the findings of their site visit. Teams will make any additional site visits needed and create a list of ideas/possible solutions. Kelly Penny/CFO reminded the group of the $3.8M deficit budget that has been projected for 2015-16. If the community’s desire is to build a new facility (Debt Service), it must also consider its ability to sustain a school’s operating budget from year-to-year (Maintenance & Operations/M&O). Dr. Waldrip added that CISD will be exploring ways it can become more efficient and lean-up from within, noting that alternative scheduling options are a variable.

• Thursday, May 14 at Support Services: Templeton Demographics presented an update on current and projected enrollments highlighting the areas of new growth, and Stantac (school architects) showed a few possible feasibility options for addressing increases in high school student growth – particularly ideas for handling parking and traffic at Coppell High School. Each of the five groups will present their list of ideas or possible solutions at the groups last meeting in June.

• Tuesday, June 9 at Support Services: A spokesperson from each group gave a final solutions report and all reports will be consolidated for a presentation to the Board of Trustees on June 22. Staff reiterated that the limiting factor is operating revenue and will continue to research annual costs/variables associated with running schools at all levels. Only ideas (no firm recommendations) were submitted. The next steps in the process will include the formation of a Fall 2015 Bond Committee that could make recommendations to the Board as early as December as 2015.