Northwest ISD Board Notes: Aug. 27 Meeting

Aug. 28, 2018

Northwest Board Notes: Aug. 27 Meeting

The Northwest Independent School District Board of Trustees met yesterday - Monday, Aug. 27 - during a regularly scheduled meeting. This is a recap of the major actions and reports from the meeting. To see every item that was discussed or voted on, click here.

Tax rate set, unchanged from prior year
Trustees approved the 2018-19 district tax rate of $1.49 per $100 of taxable property, the same rate as the 2017-18 school year.

Northwest ISD's 2018-19 budget was already approved in June, as state law requires school districts to approve their budgets before their tax rates. Districts occasionally make amendments to their budgets during the course of the school year, depending on revenue or expenditure changes.

Guaranteed maximum price for first phase of Byron Nelson expansion approved
Northstar Builders Group submitted a guaranteed maximum price of $15.46 million for the first portion of the Byron Nelson High School expansion, which trustees approved.

The first portion of the expansion includes a civil and site work package for the project and all of the construction of the school's new athletic field house. With the GMP approved, Northstar can now begin setting up its equipment and other requirements for construction, which is expected to begin within a few weeks. This first portion of the project is scheduled for completion no later than October 2019.

Phase II of the Byron Nelson expansion, including additions and renovations to the main building of the school, will be decided at a future board meeting. The Byron Nelson expansion was approved by voters as part of the 2017 bond package.

District to buy property along Texan Drive, near central complex
Northwest ISD will buy roughly 18.5 acres of land on Texan Drive - known as the One Horse Farm, located south of Pike Middle School and west of Texan Drive - following trustee approval of a purchase resolution.

The district will purchase the property for $885,000 before the expiration of the contract on Sept. 12, unless the closing date is changed and agreed upon by both parties. Once finalized, the purchased land will be used for a to-be-determined future facility and provide the district with the ability to privatize the entire portion of Texan Drive.

Texan Drive houses the district's "central complex," including its administration building, transportation facility and Northwest ISD Stadium. Schools along the road include Hatfield Elementary School, Pike Middle School and Northwest High School.

Facilities update provided
Trustees heard from the district's facilities team about projects currently under construction or in planning within Northwest ISD.

The primary project under construction within the district is Lance Thompson Elementary School, located in the Harvest master-planned community. For this project, concrete piers are in and grade beams are being poured. Other projects currently under construction are the expansion of the Kelly W. Box Agricultural Science Center and security improvements across the district.

Parents and students got their first look at the new Curtis Elementary School this past Saturday at the Meet the Teacher event, and the school welcomed their first students on Monday. Construction will continue on some portions of the building over the next few months.

Projects set to begin soon that are in planning include the Byron Nelson High School expansion (construction set to begin in September), Sendera Ranch and Thompson elementary schools expansions (set to begin in November) and district natatorium (board approval decision expected in January). The first phase of Byron Nelson's expansion was approved at this board meeting, while the design work on the two elementary expansions is in the final stages.

In other action, the board

Renewed 4-H resolutions with Tarrant, Denton and Wise counties, continuing the extracurricular activity partnerships.
Approved updated agreements with several local law enforcement agencies for school resource officers. Northwest ISD works with local entities to provide these personnel, paying for all or part of an officer's salary.
Recognized Sara Brennan of Life in 76262 Magazine for receiving the TASB Media Honor Roll award, provided for the magazine's work covering school and education topics.
Recognized Rachel Bobbitt, communications and multimedia specialist, for receiving NSPRA awards for her educational video work for the district.
Recognized Beck, Justin, Love and Schluter elementary schools as well as Byron Nelson and Northwest high schools for being named to the National PTA's 2018-20 Schools of Excellence list.