The Aubrey ISD board approved a guaranteed maximum price for Elementary No. 5 at the March 18 meeting.
A few board members expressed their initial hesitancy with moving forward with creating a not-to-exceed amount.
“I'm just not a big fan of doing a GMP or doing a notexceed to take away the risk of a contract, … but I'm willing to do it because I trust you to watch this,” board secretary Jody Gonzalez said to Dr. Scott Niven of Friends Consulting Group.
The board voted to approve the guaranteed maximum price of $42,394,710 for Aubrey Elementary No. 5.
Niven shared that the next step is to further discuss logistics with Superintendent Dr. Shannon Saylor and the principal.
He also discussed progress on the road and the administration building.
There will be two GMPs: one for the building and one for the road, with road construction expected to last from June 1-Aug. 1.
However, there will be more discussion about the road at the next school board meeting Council approved the purchase of artificial turf for Fuller Elementary, working with DFW Turf Solutions.
The project is expected to start after the school year ends and should be completed before school resumes in August.
The project will be funded by construction funds and will not to exceed $115,524.62, with a 3% contingency, Director of Operations Matthew Gore said.
McNabb Middle School principal Dr. Heather Vandiver presented an update report on the school’s academic and extracurricular activities.
There were six students who were Top 10 finishers in the All-Region Choir.
Out of 24 students who were selected for the All-Region Band, three were chosen as principal performers.
The cheer team has received multiple awards, including two cheerleaders receiving the All-American Award.
During a successful run at the Texas Beta State Convention, with 72 members competing, Vandiver shared that the students received the most plaques and awards there.
Vandiver shared that Emma Garcia, who was a pledge leader with her sister at the start of the meeting, was elected as the Texas Beta State Officer of junior secretary.
With about 478 students enrolled, 35% are classified as economically disadvantaged and 14% are on a 504
plan.
Vandiver highlighted improvements to test scores across the board.
“While we did feel like we had a good showing, there's still definitely some work to be done there,” Vandiver said.
Then she added that the school’s average attendance has surpassed the school’s goal of 95%.
“I remember being in this room when we hired you, and I'm very proud of what you’ve done,” trustee Terry Brockett said.
During the executive session, the board discussed and decided to appoint Vandiver as the director of human resources.
Fellow Aubrey ISD teachers and staff brought pompoms and cheered for Vandiver as her name was called.
“I believe the strength of a district is its people, and we've gotten great ones,” Vandiver said. “So, I'm super excited to support in that way.”
Director of Testing and Student Support Dusty Wright explained what a multi-tiered system of support does in the school district.
It’s a three-tier system based on students’ needs that serves as an intervention for students who are trailing behind their peers academically, behaviorally, socially and emotionally.
“The sooner we can find out and give them what they need, the better the intervention is, the faster we can hopefully get them back on track, where we hope that they can continue growing,” Wright said.
Aubrey’s International Thespian Society Honor Troupe President Hailey Warren spoke about the theater department's growth.
Warren was joined by fellow students Vice President Kaylee Stephenson, Secretary Skyler Ramsey, historian Brooklyn Fales and their director Emily Rome.
The troupe is ranked in the Top 50 out of 600 in Texas.
The theater production classes have grown to the point that they are now divided into varsity and junior varsity.
Saylor reminisced about the times when the school’s productions were held in the cafetorium.
“We were 2A, we were tiny, and that was fancy for us,” she said. “But at some point, this board did have a dream for the 2017 bond to build an auditorium. … You guys have gone above and beyond with your productions in there.”
The next school production is “The Little Mermaid,” with performances on April 29-May 1.
