Sabine trustees consider field house option

Sabine ISD trustees discussed options for a new athletic field house but took no action Monday night.

Stacey Bryce, superintendent, showed board members a scaled-back version of a previous design by architect Phillip Thacker that would cost in the range if $1 million to $1.5 million.

He said the “rough sketch” was a starting point on what the district might need and board president James Gray suggested trustees visit other schools that have recently constructed similar facilities.

After the meeting, Bryce said athletes use the gym dressing room, which was built in 1984 for basketball and not football.

“There used to be a field house out back but that’s the ISS (in-school suspension) building now. We’ve not had a field house in years and years,” Bryce said.

The drawing shown to board members was of a 9,572- square-foot facility. Bryce said the cost to construct the metal building with brick veneer accents would likely be around $120 per square foot.

Bryce noted that the $2.1 million field house included in the bond election that didn’t pass voter muster in May was estimated to cost around $160 per square foot but construction costs will probably be less due to the recession.

The superintendent said he thought some portions of the rough estimate, particularly that for weight room equipment costing $100,000 to $200,000, could be purchased more cheaply.

Board member Todd Gibbs said he thought members should move forward on construction.

The board approved its Texas Education Agency financial management report, noting that SISD made a perfect score of 85 on its 2008-09 report.

The TEA rates districts based on 24 “indicators” including the amount of its fund balance, bonded indebtedness, academic ratings, tax collections and instructional expenditures.

Mary Russell, business director for the past nine years, said all of the districts in Gregg County were in compliance but Sabine was the only one with a perfect score.

Per the report, SISD’s fund balance as of June 30, 2008, was $5,334,637, an increase of $1.3 million from the year before. The district has no debt, its academic rating was acceptable, its tax collection rate was 99.89 percent and its instructional expenditure was 60.53 percent of its $10.2 million total operating budget.

Bryce praised Russell’s work and said the perfect score was “pretty important” because being out of compliance for an extended time could affect state funding, though that has never been a problem at SISD.

The superintendent said the district has set aside $1.5 for building purposes and technology and its present fund balance is around $3 million, with this year’s property tax notices soon to be mailed.

Principals from SISD’s three schools gave a rundown of campus plans and raising science scores was foremost on their list of improvements.

Elementary principal Teri Bass said teachers are using various techniques and programs to improve students’ math, science and reading skills. The campus was “Recognized” for its TAKS scores last year.

At the middle school, principal Durwin Cooley told the board about ways teachers are going to improve science scores. That campus was rated “Acceptable” due to low science scores but Bryce said all of its other TAKS scores were “Exemplary.”

Phillip Works, assistant high school principal, said SHS teachers are also focused on improving science and math scores. He said this summer they discussed purchasing graphing calculators for students to use at home.

Works said they estimate the cost would be around $50,000. Bryce said the money wasn’t in this year’s budget as it had already been completed by the time of discussion but that it was something the board would “definitely look at.”

Bryce estimates the calculators would cost between $200 and $300 apiece and said they are used in higher level math classes.

“In most school districts the students have to buy their own graphing calculators but we’ll be looking at way to furnish these to the kids,” he said.

In executive session, Bryce said the board discussed “adding a piece to his job evaluation” in January but added he was not sure what that would include. The item was listed on the agenda as “Consider and approve Superintendent’s remedial plan of action.”

He said additions would be “up to the board.”