Plano North January 2022

EDUCATION

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BONDS THROUGH THE YEARS

Plano ISD’s last ve bond programs have been approved by more than 70% of district voters.

Approved by

Plano ISD will encourage use of its “Let’s Talk” platform, which has been integrated into its website to facilitate two-way communication between the district and parents, students, sta and the community. Messages sent through the Let’s Talk app are routed to PISD sta for a timely response, according to the district website. The platform is designed to allow the district to better serve the community and make informed decisions based on the questions and feedback it receives.

$33.55M 70%

2000

of voters

74% Approved by

$398.8M

2003

of voters

76% Approved by

$286M

2004

of voters

71% Approved by

$490M

2008

of voters

78% Approved by

$418M

2016

of voters

SOURCE: PLANO ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

W. PARK BLVD.

Plano ISDboard takes rst steps toward possible bond election

Expert ABATherapy. From our heart to yours. We offer everything you could want for your child and more: • Stimulating learning environments • Highly individualized care • Expert ABA therapists We can make a difference in the lives of children with autism and other developmental concerns. *Ask us about insurance. We’re also an in-network provider. Call or email today! 100, Hill said. Those scores were based on the percent of useful life remaining, the history of work orders and a visual evaluation, according to his presentation to the board. An assessment score of 50 or below puts a building in consider- ation for improvements as part of the next bond package. “The [assessment] reports will go through a lter of a committee that will actually evaluate … what they feel like we can aord,” Hill said. “We’re looking for … areas that we need to continue to have a conversa- tion about.” In addition to a potential 2022 bond, Juan Ramos, PISD executive director of facility services and new construction, said the facilities assessment will also track the district’s future needs. “This is not going to be something that [is] just for this bond, but [also] for further down the road, 20 years from now,” Ramos said during the Dec. 7 meeting.

BY WILLIAM C. WADSACK

W. 15TH ST.

Robinson Fine Arts Center as well as allotments for renovations and upgrades, technology, expanded classes and program capacity, early childhood education, safety and security, buses and athletics. “Over the last 20 years, you can see that PISD has a standing history of evaluating facilities and actually spending money,” Chief Financial Ocer Johnny Hill said at the board’s Dec. 7 meeting. “We want a very nice environment for our students and sta. Our goal is just to continue that process going forward.” As part of the assessment of PISD’s nearly 9.4 million square feet of facilities, each of the district’s 72 campuses and 19 auxiliary facilities received a score between zero and

Plano ISD personnel completed a facilities assessment in 2021 that will be used to help determine whether the district calls a bond election later this year. During its Nov. 16 meeting, the PISD board of trustees discussed put- ting together a task force to evaluate meeting and [provide an] update on the draft priorities [for the bond],” Superintendent Sara Bonser said. “We look forward to taking some next steps.” The district’s last bond package plans for the possible bond. “We’ll come back at a future was approved by more than 78% of PISD voters in 2016. That package included funds for the construction of the district’s Robbie & Lynore

WORK TO CONTINUE ON FINE ARTS CENTER Work is expected to continue on Plano ISD’s new Robinson Fine Arts Center in 2022 after its opening was delayed due to “signicant cracking as a result of poor workmanship and/or design,” as the district said in a news release. McCarthy Building Companies Inc. was named the construction manager at-risk for the ne arts center project in June 2017. Nathan Kowallis, McCarthy senior vice president of operations, said in December that the construction company is working with the district, the project design team and outside experts to nd permanent solutions to the issues identied by PISD and revise the project’s timeline. A new opening date has not yet been set for the facility on Alma Drive.

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PLANO NORTH EDITION • JANUARY 2022