Crockett MS receives authorization to become IB World School

The Ector County ISD Board of Trustees held its December Board Meeting on the 16^th. A recap of the agenda is below.

1.      Roll Call.

2.      Verification of compliance with open meetings requirements.

3.      Alex Alvarez and Mackenzie Glover from Wilson & Young Medal of Honor Middle School led the pledges of allegiance.

4.      Pastor Harry Irwin from Sherwood Baptist Church gave the invocation.

 

5.      The special presentations included recognition of the students whose artwork was included in the school board Christmas Cards this year, announcement of three (3) teachers who just achieved National Board Certification (below), and the introduction of our College Board honorees from Permian High School.    

 

6.      In opening comments, Superintendent Dr. Keeley Boyer announced that the ECISD Police Department recently received the Big Bend Law Enforcement Agency of the Year Award. The Big Bend Law Enforcement organization covers 21 counties, and the award recognizes ECISD’s innovative approach to school-based policing.  

 

7.      There was no public comment.   

 

8.      Bond 2023

A.     Bond Update:

The presentation began with an overview of the construction projects that are part of the Bond 2023 package.

At the new Career & Technical Education high school site-fill is in progress, as is foundation excavation and placement, and work on the sewer system, plus electrical work has now started.

The new middle school is about 45% complete now with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work all in progress as well as some interior finishing.

Site preparation continues for the Transition Learning Center.

The ongoing work on the Permian High School auditorium is high profile since it is visible from 42^nd Street. Concrete work in the drama theater and ceiling work in the auditorium are now complete.

At the PHS JROTC facility, the concrete slab has been finished and the pre-engineered metal building has been delivered.

The first phase of demolition for the Ag Farm is done and trenching is currently being done to begin concrete work.

The new Transportation Center is moving to the design phase. Trustees received a presentation on this in agenda item 8-B.

Package 1 of our Priority 1 & 2 construction projects includes roofing for Burleson, Fly, Travis, and Zavala elementary schools. Those are nearing completion and final inspections are coming up. A recommendation for a contractor for Package 2, which includes Noel, San Jacinto, Cameron, Crockett, and Ector is expected in January.

Further renovations to Travis Elementary are trenching floors for plumbing work, fire strobe lights, painting, doors and hardware is substantially complete.

PA, bell, alarm, and clock refresh cabling is now finished at 34 campuses; 12 of those are fully complete for the entire system replacement. Installation of new surveillance cameras will be finished by mid-January. Phone refresh will begin January.

Looking at the finances of the bond, so far in the 2025-26 school year about $32.8 million has been spent on projects. Overall, 44% of funds are now encumbered through purchase orders for specific projects and 34% of bond funds (a little more than $143 million) remains unspent and undesignated.

Be sure to keep up with the progress at www.ecisdbond.com.

 

B.      Trustees then received an update on the design of the new Transportation Center. The property is on the northwest corner of Loop 338 and is more than 35 acres. There are 11 structures on the property, and the initial design calls for removing three completely. New paving will be done across most the facility, and deceleration and acceleration lanes must be added to the entrance/exit of the facility for safety. The site already has maintenance bays and office space (which will include a training area), a covered filling station and wash station will be added.  

 

C.      Trustees voted 7-0 to approve a change in the delivery method for the Transportation Center from competitive sealed proposal to construction manager at risk.  

                                                                                                                                            

 

9.      Action Items

A.      Trustees voted 7-0 to approve purchases over $50,000. The items on this list this month are $3.1 million for Arthur J. Gallagher for property and casualty insurance renewal; $1.7 million for Nationwide Insurance Company for renewal of medical specific and aggregate insurance; $1 million for Parkhill, Smith, & Cooper, Inc. for facility condition assessments with long-range capital planning; and $100,000 for Alliance Abroad Group, Inc. for J1 Visa sponsor.

 

B.      Trustees voted 6-0-1 (Delma Abalos abstained) to approve budget amendment #4.   

 

C.      Trustees voted 7-0 to authorize Crockett Middle School as an International Baccalaureate World School offering the Middle Years Programme. Following a year of planning and a year of candidacy/authorization, Crockett MS has received its authorization letter from the International Baccalaureate Organization with no matters to be addresses (a big deal!). The school has now earned the historic milestone of becoming ECISD’s first Middle Years Programme (MYP) school expanding learning opportunities for middle school students. Odessa High School is an IB Diploma Progamme high school and Pease Elementary is currently in its first year of candidacy and will soon apply for authorization seeking the IB elementary years designation which will create a kindergarten through graduation IB track for ECISD students.

 

 

10.  Trustees voted 7-0 to approve the Consent Agenda. The consent agenda is a group of routine, or previously discussed items presented together for a single approval vote. This month’s Consent Agenda included minutes of meetings; bills for payment; federal single audit report; recommendations of library materials; a data sharing agreement with Texas Tech University; the 2026-27 dual credit matrix; a resolution designating investment officer(s); out-of-state travel for the Permian High School Band to Branson, Missouri; a data sharing agreement with Center for Outcomes Based Contracting;  personal services by Dr. Thomas Gonzalez for adjust professor at Cedarville University; and an interlocal agreement with Purchasing Cooperatives.

 

11.  There was no closed session.  

12.  Information items - https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1406?meeting=717322   

13.  In closing remarks, Dr. Boyer reminded Trustees the last day of school for students is Thursday, and the winter break begins next Monday, December 22.

14.  The meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m.