February update: almost one-third of bond dollars are designated now

At the February school board meeting, Trustees learned District officials have now received 75% of the construction documents for the new Career & Technical Education center. A page-turn activity (a review of the blueprints and design documents done page by page) was done with PBK Architects, Teinert Construction, and Gallagher Construction.

Site clearing for the new middle schools is on-going and foundation work has started.

Research is being done for the Permian High School auditorium project to determine if electrical upgrades are necessary. The renovation should begin at the end of the school year.

Prospective contractors walked the site of the new JROTC facility at PHS to better inform their bids. The project is out for bid now and a recommendation for the contractor will be brought to the school board in March.

The Transition Learning Center is in the design development phase and architects recently met with staff and leadership to show potential design options.

The new Agriculture Farm project is also in design development.

A local committee has selected colors for the new middle school: Shamrock Green, African Gray, and Incredible White. These colors will be prominent throughout the campus.

The PA/Bells/Alarms/Clocks project is now complete at Burleson (closed at the end of last school year, it will reopen as an early education center this August). Cabling for these technology project has been completed at 13 campuses with Alamo, Cameron, and Jordan scheduled next.

The installation of new surveillance cameras is now complete at Odessa High School and is 75% complete at Permian High School.

ECISD Fine Arts has ordered 1,054 new instruments (179 for elementary schools), and has received 792 of them. New choir risers have been delivered to Bonham Middle School, Wilson & Young Middle School and will arrive at Ector Middle School after Spring Break.

In regard to finances, about 5% of bond funds have been spent with 31% ($131.5 million) has been encumbered through purchase orders for specific expenses. Priority 1 and Priority 2 maintenance/renovation projects are starting to move along.

In March, the school board will receive an update from the Bond Oversight Committee.  

Following the update, Trustees voted 7-0 to approve purchases over $50,000 related to the bond. The single item on list this month is $360,000 to Gallagher Construction Company to perform oversight responsibilities for the Transition Learning Center (TLC) project.