Reprint from the Progress Times - April 18, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

 

MCISD project list finalized

 

By Ricky Reynoso

The Mission Consolidated Independent School District (MCISD) board of trustees adopted a resolution which specifies how the district should allocate funds from the proposed 2008 Bond on Wednesday, April 16. In a previous meeting the District Facilities Needs Committee decided how to prioritize various projects, based on information gathered through campus walkthroughs and other meetings. The funding would go towards campus improvements and the construction of a new elementary.

List of projects is as follows: $15,884,856 would go towards building the new elementary, Alton Elementary $5,328,908, Bryan Elementary $577,000, Castro Elementary $672,550, Cavazos Elementary $300,000, Marcell Elementary $572,000, Midkiff Elementary $40,000, Pearson Elementary $515,000, Salinas Elementary $1,402,456, Alton Memorial Junior High $300,000, Mission High School $18,387,424, Roosevelt Alternative School $200,000, Cantu Elementary $1,864,586, Leal Elementary $4,063,123, Mims Elementary $1,044,187, O'Grady Elementary $298,187, Waitz Elementary $1,819,125, K. White Junior High $2,034,385, Mission Junior High $150,000, Veterans Memorial High School $1,692,007. The total estimate for the projects amounts to $57,145,424, while the bond itself would amount to between $57 and $59 million.

The board also received a recommendation for a new employment position for Coordinator for Physical Education and Health. According to Superintendent Oscar Rodriguez, the request for the position came as a result of Senate Bill 530, which requires school districts to annually assess the physical fitness of students enrolled in grades 3-12. The coordinator would be responsible for implementing the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS) health curriculum in junior high schools, and monitor and update the existing TEKS health curriculum at the high school level. Currently, these duties are being performed by Athletic Director Joe Sanchez. The district estimates that the salary for the position would range from $59,000 to $82,000. Board President Raymond Longoria raised issues over the cost of hiring a coordinator, suggesting that they wait a month until further information could be gathered.

"I know that four or five years ago, this position was in effect in our school district," said Longoria. "And it was taken out and all of a sudden we're trying to create a position. My concern right now is our teacher raises and our employee raises. I want to make sure we are financially sound."

Board Secretary Danny Carrera disagreed with Longoria's argument, saying that the cost of raises would be much greater than the coordinator's salary.

"$59,000 to $82,000 is a pretty small drop in the bucket for teacher raises," said Carrera. "Considering the number of employees that are teachers, that would be small."

The board voted 4-3 to table the recommendation until May 7.

Also on the agenda was a selection for an assistant principal for Alton Memorial Junior High School. The board selected Ruben Lopez, Testing Strategist for Alton Elementary.