OGISD Facilities Improvements Update: Summer 2013

by Lynn Burton, Superintendent

I’d like to share information with you about our Facilities Improvement efforts in OGISD.

Please check this site weekly as we will provide pictures showing the progress of each project.

 

 

At the March 2012 school board meeting, the OGISD School Board and Superintendent began a discussion about current and future facilities needs for our school district.  School board members include Steve Seidel, Dorian  David, Kathy Rusk, Pat Garcia, Gilbert Gonzales, Martin Gwosdz and Will Klatt.

The School Board appointed a Citizen Advisory Committee. The Committee’s purpose was to discuss, research and prioritize facilities needs in a way that represents the community and school district so that the OGISD Board of Trustees considers community and staff input in making decisions about school facilities.

Billy Hartman chaired the Citizen Advisory Committee, whose members included Noe Aguilar, Seale Brand, Jeanne Bridges, Dede Cunningham, Bea Esparza, Charlie Kocureck, Scott Lowe, Gil Medrano, Tommy Moses, Emerico Perez, Mark Verdin, Joe Willesdon and Robby Winstead.

In May 2012, the Citizen Advisory Committee walked all campus and district facilities and heard from each campus principal and director regarding their facilities needs. In June 2012, the Citizen Advisory Committee toured school facilities in Corpus Christi, Refugio and Alice.

 

From May 2012 through August 2012, the Citizen Advisory Committee met eight times to discuss and prioritize facilities needs.

Mr. Hartman presented the Citizen Advisory Committee’s list of priority projects to the OGISD School Board at the August 26, 2012 school board meeting.

The School Board then walked the same local facilities and visited one other district. The School Board developed a final priority project list and in December 2012 employed Ferrell & Brown Architects to assist in planning.

Each month the School Board reviews and discusses the progress of projects with the Architect.

 

In March 2013, each Principal met with the Superintendent to analyze available class space.

 

As of June 7, 2013, OGISD has 1,787 students. The growth has been slow and steady.

 

We have available classroom space for an additional 570 students at 15 students per classroom.

 

 

Over the past fifteen years, through the support of OGISD taxpayer funded bond issues, the district has spent over $21 million for instructional facilities improvements. 

 

 

The School Board and Superintendent have developed a “Pay As You Go’ plan.  We will pay cash from our savings for all improvement projects.

We have doubled our savings over the past four years. Paying cash avoids borrowing money and repaying interest.

The total school Tax Rate for 2013-14 will remain $1.24 per $100 assessed valuation.

Your total school Tax Rate will remain the same…for six straight years.

The School Board and Superintendent have outlined a multiple year plan based on the input of the Citizen Advisory Committee. The “Pay As You Go” plan and priority needs will guide future decisions regarding other facilities improvement efforts.