
Legacy 2017 projects on track to open as scheduled
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MARSHALL, Texas – Marshall ISD’s Board of Trustees received a monthly update of the status of the Legacy 2017 Building program during the board’s regular November meeting held Monday in the Pat Smith-Gasperson Board Room.
Mr. Robert Wilbanks, Project Manager with Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, Inc. (LAN), presented his monthly report of the ongoing construction projects at current sites of William B. Travis Elementary, Price T. Young Middle School, David Crockett Elementary and the new site for Marshall Junior High School.
Wilbanks reiterated that all projects are still on schedule to open in time for the 2016-2017 school year, despite an unseasonably wet and rainy month of August.
“All projects are making positive progress and there are no current concerns,” Wilbanks stated in his report. “The junior high school is lagging a little bit but the contractor has added manpower and looks to be in position to get back on track.”
Specifically at the Marshall Junior High site, weather issues have extended the expected completion time some, but Wilbanks noted that the relatively good weather over the last couple of months has allowed the project to make up significant time.
“We were looking at August a few weeks ago, but the weather and progress has improved to the point now to where we are back to mid-to-late July as a target date (for substantial completion),” Wilbanks said Monday.
Dr. Jerry Gibson, MISD Superintendent, noted that the district is making contingency plans for the junior high site in the event weather causes significant delays in the coming months.
“We are making steady progress, but we will have a plan in place at the appropriate time in case there are further delays due to weather,” Gibson said.
Travis Elementary, which was the first project out for bid this past spring, is the furthest along. The steel for the roof is expected to be complete in the next week or so, Wilbanks said, and concrete for the building’s second floor is already poured. The ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms) walls are essentially complete at the site, and metal stud walls are in process on the first floor. Piping for fire sprinklers, conduit and ductwork are underway on the second floor.
The gymnasium/storm shelter is also effectively complete, Wilbanks said.
At Price T. Young, Wilbanks said that second-floor steel should be completed in the next two weeks, with ICF work on the second floor approximately 40 percent complete. Sprinklers and electrical conduit are also being installed on the second floor as well.
PTY’s gym/storm shelter slab is poured, and concrete panel construction for the reinforced structure is underway.
At Crockett Elementary, the decking for the second floor is about halfway complete, and slab is being poured for the gym/storm shelter. Masonry walls for the kitchen is essentially complete, and sprinkler system, electrical conduit and ductwork is underway on the second floor.
The driveway for the bus lane, on the east side of the facility, is complete, Wilbanks said.
Specifically at the new junior high site, the first-floor slab is complete except for the school’s designated storm shelter, outside the gymnasium. Walls around the gym are 98 percent complete, and steel for the gym roof should begin within the next month.
Construction of the French drain is 65 percent complete, and steel construction has begun at the north wing of the building. The ICF walls for the first floor will be about 40 percent done by this weekend, Wilbanks said, and interior masonry walls are in process.
The fifth project in the Legacy 2017 program, the renovation of Sam Houston Middle School, is currently out for bid. Bids for the renovation project are due Dec. 6.
There are no budget issues with any of the projects at the present time, according to Wilbanks, who presents a monthly update to the school board at every regular monthly board meeting.
Other actions of note from Monday’s board meeting included:
· Dr. Jerry Gibson, MISD Superintendent, opened the meeting by recognizing several MISD students for accomplishments this month. J.H. Moore fourth-grade student, Katie Espinoza, and Robert E. Lee fourth-grade student, Makaila Casas, led off the meeting with pledges to the U.S. and Texas flags. MHS senior Cameron Haller, who ended his football career last week as the all-time leader in touchdowns scored for the Mavericks, was recognized as well. Coach Clint Harper also presented the 2016 Maverick Football Freshman team, which finished 9-1 overall and went undefeated in district to claim the district championship.
· The District’s annual Progress-Based Monitoring Analysis System (PBMAS) Report, which was presented during Thursday’s agenda review meeting, was referenced again for the board by Dr. Melinda Jennings, Director of Special Programs and Accountability, and Principal at Price T. Young Middle School. PBMAS is a district-level, data-driven monitoring system developed and implemented annually by the Performance-Based Monitoring (PBM) division of the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The four areas addressed are Bilingual/ESL, NCLB (No Child Left Behind), CTE (Career and Technical Education); and Special Education.
· Trustees approved the district financial reports for October 2016.
· Trustees approved the selection of Brady Environmental as a Professional Service Provider to develop bid documents and perform required third-party oversight of hazardous materials abatement at Sam Houston Middle School, Crockett Elementary Travis Elementary and Price T. Young Middle School.
· Trustees approved the selection of Professional Services Industries, Inc., (PSI) to provide professional services at Sam Houston STEM Academy for the purpose of performing materials testing and observation of various areas of work, including soil placement, concrete, steel and welding.
· Trustees approved the appointment of Jessica Scott, Special Assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Trustees, to act on behalf of the Secretary of the Board as to any and all activities and duties pertaining to the May 6, 2017, Election. Mrs. Scott will act on behalf of the Board Secretary, Mr. Brad Burris, to assist in the day-to-day actions that are necessary to hold the school board elections for District 1, District 4 and District 5 on May 6. Trustees currently in those positions are Mrs. Charles Wilson (District 1), Mr. Brad Howlett (District 4) and Mr. Chase Palmer (District 5).
· Trustees approved an amendment to the District compensation plan which was submitted in August. This would increase the substitute bus driver pay from $12.75 to $13.15 as well as increasing the substitute LVN rate from $10.00 to $15.00. These changes were made in an effort to more effectively and competitively find substitutes for these particular positions.
· Trustees approved a budget amendment of $1,392, to recognize grants awarded by the Marshall Education Foundation to South Marshall STEM Academy and increase expenditure budget by $1,392 to purchase related technology approved by the grant.
The December meeting of the MISD Board of Trustees is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 19, at 5:30 p.m. An Agenda Review for that meeting will be held at noon on Thursday, Dec. 15.
Note: These article is intended to provide an overview of the meeting and is not considered official minutes of the meeting.


