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Plan for FMHS 9th-grade campus changes; LISD to continue flexible school program
By Chris Roark and Lena Price, Staff writers
Plans for the ninth-grade campus at Flower Mound High School have changed a bit since the Lewisville ISD Board of Trustees saw the original plan last month.
During Monday’s meeting, Irene Nigaglioni of PBK Architects, detailed some changes to the proposed plan.
Originally, the ninth-grade center was set to be located west of the existing building, just off Peters Colony Road where the large parking lot is.
“Some of the concerns had to do with proximity of the building to the neighbors, as well as proximity of the main building to some of the classroom areas,” Nigaglioni said.
The new proposed location is southeast of the main building, closer to Old Settlers Road, where the baseball field is.
“What this allows us to do is let the classroom wing of the ninth-grade campus tie into the classroom area of the main high school,” Nigaglioni said. “It would provide for easier transition between class periods.”
Nigaglioni said the new plan would also allow for a tie-in to the cafeteria area, which would further provide opportunities for a “learning hub” idea in which students can study and learn in small groups outside of the classroom. Nigaglioni said this concept would be used at the ninth-grade center and in the main building.
The new plan calls for the existing parking and drop-off area on Peters Colony Road to remain while adding an additional drop-off area off Old Settlers Road.
It also calls for relocating the school’s baseball field, possibly to Liberty Elementary School. That’s where the softball field and tennis courts are set to be moved as well.
Nigaglioni said there will be an extra cost of relocating the baseball field, though that would still keep the project within the budget.
In addition, the new gymnasium will be constructed on the northwest side of the football stadium, whereas the previous plan had it on the northeast side. An indoor practice facility will be constructed south of the stadium.
Nigaglioni said the ninth-grade campus plan for Marcus High School has not changed since it was presented last month. That plan features a fine arts addition and a coliseum-style gymnasium, like Flower Mound. It also includes a renovated athletics area for better hallway circulation and a serpentine-style hallway to allow for learning hubs.
To make room for the expansion at Marcus, the preliminary plan calls for the tennis courts and softball field to be relocated to LISD’s property on Dixon Lane, west of the high school campus, and for the indoor practice facility to be moved just south of the football stadium.
The board is expected to be presented the design development plan in August with an official proposal submitted in January.
Also Monday, the board voted to submit an application to continue its Optional Flexible School Day Program (OFSDP) at Monday night’s meeting.
The purpose of the program, which is taught Mondays through Thursdays at the Lewisville Learning Center, is to allow more students to graduate high school. Students who are eligible are those who are considered at-risk of dropping out of high school, including those who already have, who attend a campus implementing an innovative design or who attend an approved early college high school program.
Some of the highlights of the program include: 394 students were served this school year, surpassing the goal of 200; 524 credits were earned; 46 students graduated, including 19 dropouts; and 22 dropouts were promoted to the next grade level or accrued enough credits to advance.
The board also adopted Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Update 93, which addresses early mental health intervention and suicide prevention programs.
Among the components is a policy districts can approve, such as establishing a procedure for notifying parents of a student who has been identified as being in need of early mental health intervention and suicide prevention.
Another component of the update clarifies the definition of the term “bullying,” including engaging in expression through electronic means.
The policy also outlines appropriate district actions based on the type of bullying that took place.
New options for a district transfer are included for both the aggressor and/or victim of bullying, a policy districts can adopt.
The board also approved an application to participate in the Texas High School Performance Schools Consortium.
The consortium is a group of up to 20 districts and open-enrollment charter schools charged with informing the governor, legislature and commissioner of education concerning methods for transforming public schools through the development of innovative, next-generation learning standards, assessment, and accountability systems, according to the Texas Education Agency’s website.
Four principles will be addressed: digital learning, learning standards, multiple assessments and local control.
In addition, the board was updated on several items, including the district’s dual language program.
Lezley Lewis, leader of LISD’s dual language program, said several campuses plan on launching it this year and more have expressed interest.
Under the dual language model, children from kindergarten through fifth grade alternate between lessons conducted in English and Spanish. The program is meant to help both native English speakers and students learning English as a second language.
By the beginning of next school year, 11 of the 41 elementary schools in the district will administer the dual language program. Three of the schools – Central, Peters Colony and Independence – will offer it from kindergarten to fifth grade.
Currently, 398 students are scheduled to begin the dual enrollment program in the fall. Lewis said she’s confident the number will continue to grow.
“At one of our public meetings, we had a mother with a 2-year-old ask about the program,” Lewis said. “It’s great to see that kind of involvement, and we’re excited about. It seems like we’ve really been embraced by the community.”
Lewis said the program will continue its outreach efforts by hosting a series of public forums for parents and directly engaging school administrators and teachers.
The board also had a brief discussion about the role of the Bond Oversight Committee hearing a report from its interim director. About nine months ago, the board formed the committee to monitor projects funded by the 2008 bond package.
“It’s meant to be an advisory committee, but it’s an important one,” said Dr. Stephen Waddell, superintendent. “We deliberately selected people with strong voices to keep track of the way we’re spending our bond money.”
Board member Mike McDaniel said he expected the committee to vet the projects more thoroughly before passing recommendations on to the board.
“When this was brought forward, I was really excited about it because I thought it would be an opportunity for the community to be involved again,” McDaniel said. “Personally, that’s what I would like to see.”
Board member Julie Foughty said she supported more community involvement in any form.
“I consider the committee a huge step forward,” Foughty said.
Interim committee Director Missy Elias said over the past nine months, committee members have been actively involved with the plans for the ninth grade centers at Flower Mound and Marcus and the new district aquatic center.
In other business, LISD spokeswoman Karen Permetti updated the board on a measure that would increase student privacy by restricting who can access directory information. If the proposal passes, organizations that could use student information for marketing purposes would only have access to students’ names, honors and participation in school-sponsored activities.
“This should ensure we can communicate all of accolades, as well as protect student identities,” Permetti said.
The board came is expected to vote on the recommendation next month.
Also Monday, the board named Carol Kyer as board president, Jeff Knapp as vice president and Foughty as secretary.
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