Ector County ISD Superintendent Scott Muri reviewed the rules for the newly formed bond committee and the accomplishments of the district in the last several years on Thursday.
Darrell Pearson, a partner and senior client executive at PBK Architects also spoke to the group. Pearson has worked with the district for several years on several bond elections.
About 150 people from across the community and district convened at George H.W. Bush New Tech Odessa Thursday night.
The presentation said it’s important that committee members attend all the meetings. The next one will be 6-8 p.m. Feb. 16 at NTO.
The bond committee could make a recommendation to the board of trustees at 6 p.m. June 20 in the board room of the administration building. The last day to call a November 2023 bond election is Aug. 21.
Muri went over the charges for the committee such as:
- Receive and review the findings of an updated facilities assessment regarding the physical condition and other aspects of all district facilities.
- Receive and review the findings of an updated 2022 demographic study of ECISD.
- Review options for existing, renovated and/or new facilities and their implications for projected student enrollment, anticipated instructional programs/technology and related educational specifications, district staff, operations and costs.
- Develop and present to the board of trustees a plan to serve the district as a baseline for the next five years and future facility needs. The goal for doing that is June.
The committee, Muri said, should stay away from:
- Focusing on recommendations regarding specific design of schools or district facilities.
- The location of schools or district facilities. Muri said they could talk about generic locations, avoiding specific pieces of property. The board of trustees makes those decisions, he said.
- Don’t discuss school boundaries. Those are conversations that the board of trustees have.
- Instructional arrangements and/or educational pedagogy such as grade configurations and members should refrain from recommending something like converting all schools to Montessori or open classrooms.
The decision making process also was reviewed along with topics of upcoming meetings such as financing. Pearson noted that the committee will have a lot of data to absorb.
The committee will weigh options, timing and costs, narrow the list of options for consideration and reach a consensus then finalize recommendations and next steps, Pearson said.
Guiding principles of the committee is worst is first with the biggest needs addressed first; plan for the future, future ready facilities, expandable facilities to accommodate future growth; functional equity and operational efficiency, use existing buildings and resources efficiently, equitable access to programs and opportunities.
The group was asked if they agreed with the guiding principles. Buice Elementary School music teacher Lisa Musick commented on that new technology is good, but too much technology is not quite so good if you’re used to what you have and it works.
On equitable access, Muri said “we don’t want to have haves and have nots.” When something new and state of the art is built, the question of how the district’s 33,500 students can have access is an issue, Muri said.
Committee member David Duree said it looks like the district is going in the right direction. Duree said he is excited about having students in the group and new comments and new ideas.
Executive Director of District Operations Cortney Smith said ECISD has several district funded projects such as safety and security upgrades, roofing repair and replacement, HVAC equipment, repair and flooring repair, restoration and replacement and ongoing parking and paving improvements.
Plumbing improvements are made as needed, site utility testing and line replacement, interior painting and LED lighting retrofits. Smith said asbestos abatement has been done as needed and four new career and technology welding labs have been added as has the 18-plus Transition Living Center, ongoing athletic facility improvements and new playground equipment have been added.
New portable classroom buildings have been installed and equipped. Smith said the district has 150 to 155 of those and some are double wides.
Through the tax ratification election passed in 2018, the district has been able to refresh its bus supply purchasing five or six a year, Smith said. The district also has undertaken xeriscape projects and foyer enhancements at campuses.
In answer to a committee member’s question, Smith said they try to keep the contractors local or do the work in-house.
Pearson praised the maintenance department for keeping the buildings looking good although they are aging. But he said that still masks issues with them.
Bond Committee Members
- Abril Casey, staff member, Alternative Education Center
- Sandra Zavala, parent, Alamo STEAM Academy
- Valerie Franco, staff member, Alamo STEAM Academy
- Tracey Borchardt, Athletics Department representative
- Kayla Perry, parent, Austin Montessori
- Verenie Sevilla, staff member, Austin Montessori
- Jovanna Ornelas, parent, Blackshear Elementary
- Erick Salgado, staff member, Blackshear Elementary
- Heilee Granado, parent, Blanton Elementary
- Kamye Smith, staff member, Blanton Elementary
- Janea Walker, parent, Bonham Middle School
- Ardrayda Jeffery, staff member, Bonham Middle School
- Nycole Flores, parent, Bowie Middle School
- David Lee, staff member, Bowie Middle School
- Mercedes Koefoed, parent, Buice Elementary School
- Lisa Musick, staff member, Buice Elementary
- Valerie S. Johnson, parent, Burleson Elementary
- Andrew Roland, staff member, Burleson Elementary
- Bethany Wilabay, parent, Burnet Elementary
- Melanie Sheehan, staff member, Burnet Elementary
- Kendy Borunda, parent, Cameron Elementary
- Rebecca Tari, staff member, Cameron Elementary
- Cecilia Morales, parent, Carver Early Education Center
- Sophia Crouch, staff member, Carver Early Education Center
- Susan Herring, parent, Cavazos Elementary
- Maria Harvey, staff member, Cavazos Elementary
- Laura Tercero, parent, Crockett Middle School
- Priscilla Hernandez, staff member, Crockett Middle School
- Nat Armendariz, staff member, CTE Center
- Jaime Miller, Curriculum Department representative
- Brady Peugh, custodial/energy department representative
- Cali Trowbridge, parent, Dowling Elementary
- Quincy Whitehead, staff member, Dowling Elementary
- Yolanda Cruz, parent, Dowling Elementary
- Cruz Marquez, staff member, Dowling Elementary
- Cynthia Retana, leadership department representative
- Gary Weatherford, facilities department representative
- Aaron Hawley, fine arts representative
- Brittany Larson, parent, Fly Elementary
- Shelly Philips, staff member, Fly Elementary
- Bobbieanne Ericson, parent, Goliad Elementary
- Irene Atkins, staff member, Goliad Elementary
- Derric Workman, parent, Gonzales Elementary
- Keri Rivas, staff member, Gonzales Elementary
- Yesenia Mitchell, parent, Hays STEAM Academy
- Jeannie Elmore, parent, Hays STEAM Academy
- Hannah Payne, Health Services Department representative
- Teresa Calderon, parent, Ireland Elementary
- Irma Lopez, staff member, Ireland Elementary
- Emiy Solis, parent, LBJ Elementary
- Pamela Templin, staff member, LBJ Elementary
- Lauren Wright, parent, Jordan Elementary
- Jonathan Smith, staff member, Jordan Elementary
- Jose Diaz, parent, Lamar Early Education Center
- Brittany Snyder, staff member, Lamar Early Education Center
- Hannah Chavez, parent, Milam Elementary
- Katelyn Zimmer, staff member, Milam Elementary
- Aubrey Jones, parent, New Tech Odessa
- Maria Bustillo, staff member, New Tech Odessa
- Danielle Jones, parent, Nimitz Middle School
- Raquel Rivas, staff member, Nimitz Middle School
- Ivette Sotelo, parent, Noel Elementary
- Patricia Holguin, staff member, Noel Elementary
- Christen Oglesby, parent, Odessa Collegiate Academy
- James Ramage, staff member, Odessa Collegiate Academy
- Wendy Pardue, parent, OCTECHS
- Mark Perales, staff member, OCTECHS
- Rhonda Haley, parent, Odessa High School
- Dallas Kennedy, staff member, Odessa High School
- Brandon Reyes, Operations Department representative
- Robert Leyva, parent, Pease Elementary
- Melissa Rivera, staff member, Pease Elementary
- Kristine Vidal, parent, Permian High School
- Eric Garcia, staff member, Permian High School
- Courtney Heap, parent, Reagan Elementary
- Jennifer Bizzell, staff member, Reagan Elementary
- Rhonda Beaman, staff member, Ross Elementary
- Dalila Marquez, parent, Ross Elementary
- Antonio Holguin, parent, Sam Houston Elementary
- Cindy Almance, staff member, Sam Houston Elementary
- Nita DeChant, parent, San Jacinto Elementary
- Fallon McLane, staff member, San Jacinto Elementary
- Jieun Pando, School Nutrition Department representative
- Micah Pettigrew, Special Education Department representative
- Paula Gutierrez, parent, STEM Academy
- LaQueetia Mathis, staff member, STEM Academy
- Lauren Tavarez, staff member, Technology
- LaTonya Brooks, Transportation Department representative
- Eron Chino, parent, Travis Elementary
- Amanda Christesson, staff member, Travis Elementary
- Jessica Rivas, parent, West Elementary
- Sarah Burton, staff member, West Elementary
- Felisea Hermosillo, parent, Wilson & Young Middle School
- Ronnie Neal, staff member, Wilson & Young Middle School
- Yesenia Ramos, parent, Zavala Elementary
- Rebecca Tucker, staff member, Zavala Elementary
- School Board community appointees
- David Duree, by Carol Gregg
- Wes Burnett, by Carol Gregg
- Feliz Abalos, by Carol Gregg
- Jeff Russell, by Chris Stanley
- Kevin Searcy, by Chris Stanley
- Amanda Provence, by Chris Stanley
- Gerardo Arzate, by Delma Abalos
- Jeanette Fierro, by Delma Abalos
- Mary Caywood, by Delma Abalos
- Sara Moore, by Delma Abalos
- Andrea Goodson, by Dennis Jones
- Tommy Ervin, by Dennis Jones
- Renee Earls, by Dennis Jones
- David Finley, by Donna Smith
- Deja McKnight by Donna Smith
- Erica Belanger, by Donna Smith
- Jacob Stiles, by Steve Brown
- Mari Willis, by Steve Brown
- Nathan Hayes, by Tammy Hawkins
- Amy Vesely, by Tammy Hawkins
- Elizabeth Allbright Dominguez, by Tammy Hawkins
- Student appointees: Kubra Kocak, NTO, Noe De La Rosa, NTO, Giselle Rodriguez, OCA, Cesar Vasquez, OCA, Kaden Mancha, Permian, Caden Stiles, Permian, Jade Hernandez, OHS, Anika Gundlapalli, OHS, Esmeralda Moreno, OCTECHS, Kevin Camacho, OCTECHS.
