This is a detailed summary of events involving the 2011 Bond. The summary will be arranged in five areas (1) Architect, (2) Schematic Design Process, (3) Construction Manager at Risk, (4) Bond Sales, and (5) Land Purchase.
Architect
On April 18, 2011, the Midlothian ISD School Board hired VLK, an architectural firm, to design all three projects in the 2011 Bond: High School #2, Phase 1, Frank Seale Middle School addition, and Elementary School #7.
Schematic Design Process
VLK, MISD’s architectural firm, started its work on High School #2, Phase 1, with a schematic design process.
The schematic design process is one of five professional services that VLK provides MISD. [Note: The five professional services are (1) schematic design, (2) design development, (3) construction documents, (4) bidding, and (5) construction]. It takes the academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs the District wants for the new high school and develops a conceptual floor plan.
In this phase of development, the architects will identify (1) the general location of the building(s), (2) student, employee, and public access to the buildings and site, (3) building orientation with environmental performance considerations, (4) the number of stories for the high school and the general grouping of programs, (5) site circulation for vehicles and pedestrians, bus pick up and drop off, staff and student parking, and delivery drives, and (6) athletic facility and field arrangements.
On the district side, the MISD School Board identified programs that it would like to see included in the High School #2 at its meeting on July 18, 2011. Core academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs are on the list. Added to that list of programs were health science, horticulture, and culinary arts. [Note: It may be that some programs may be started with High School #2, Phase 2.]
Also, a schematic design team was created. The members of the team are Ms. Robin Bullock, Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Edd Bigbee, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, Ms. Judy Walling, Assistant Superintendent for Learning, Dr. Al Hemmle, Midlothian High School Principal, Mr. Steve Keasler, Athletic Director, Mr. David Boswell, Director of Maintenance, Mr. Kirk Paschall, Executive Director of Technology, Ms. Nancy Bergvall, Instructional Technology Coordinator, and Ms. Melissa Wolfe, Executive Director of Special Education.
Over the summer months, the Schematic Design Team visited several high schools including, Byron Nelson (Northwest ISD), Timber Creek (Keller ISD), Centennial (Burleson ISD), Lone Star (Frisco ISD), Wylie East (Wylie ISD), Hollenstein Career and Technology Center (Eagle Mountain – Saginaw ISD), and High School #3 (Eagle Mountain – Saginaw ISD). The purpose of the school site visits was to gather ideas on high school designs – things that would work for and things that might not work for MISD.
VLK has taken all that information (e.g., academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs, and school site visit input) and will develop a conceptual estimate of cost to ensure that we are in budget. That information will be brought to the Board for its consderation. Once approved, VLK will begin its second phase, Design Development.
Construction Manager at Risk
At its meeting on June 20, 2011, the MISD School Board chose the Construction Manager at Risk option as the method for which to build its facilities.
The Board, at its meeting on September 19, 2011, chose Charter Builders as the construction firm with which to enter into contract negotiations to build High School #2, Phase 1, and the Frank Seale Middle School addition. At its meeting on October 17, 2011, a proposed contract will be brought to the Board for its consideration. The Board can accept the proposed contract, or if the Board believes that the proposed contract is not in the best interest of the district, it can reject it and, by law, move to the next construction firm in which to enter into contract negotiations.
Sale of Bonds
The MISD Board has approved the sale of $76 million in bonds. The sale is in the form of two bonds – one fixed rate bond at $26m, and one variable rate bond at $50m. Both bonds have been sold. MISD has received the money from the sale of the $26m bond, and it anticipates receiving the money for the $50m bond by the end of September 2011. Because of lower-than-predicted interest rates, the bonds, as sold, will save the MISD taxpayers millions of dollars over the lives of the bonds according to our financial advisor, Mr. Bill Gumbert (BOSC, Inc).
The bonds are for two projects: High School #2, Phase 1, and the Frank Seale Middle School addition. As of this date, there has been no decision to move forward with the construction of Elementary School #7.
[Note: Construction for High School #2 and the Frank Seale Middle School addition is planned to begin in the summer of 2012].
Land Purchase
The Board is pursuing the purchase of land (previous bond funds, not 2011 bond funds) for Elementary School #7. Parts of several Board Meetings have been devoted to the consideration of land purchases. A decision was finalized on September 19, 2011. The contract for that land purchase, as of September 21, has not been fully executed.
Conclusion
So that’s the latest on MISD’s 2011 Bond Program. If you have questions or comments, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Jerome Stewart, Superintendent MISD, at 972-775-8296 or through the comment section on this blog. Additional information can be found on MISD’s website at 2011 Bond.
