Voters in Longview ISD will decide May 10 whether to spend $266.9 million on eight new campuses, with additions at two elementary schools and Longview High School.
G.K. Foster Montessori Magnet School is among the campuses that would be razed, with some of its students possibly attending an enlarged South Ward Elementary School, district officials have said. School attendance zones would be updated pending bond approval.
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Jacob Croft Botter/News-Journal Photo | Students fill the hall at South Ward Elementary School in Longview. A proposed bond by the district could combine G.K. Foster Montessori Magnet School with South Ward Elementary School after the campus is renovated and expanded.
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As with most district elementary campuses, G.K. Foster was classified as too small and in need of full refurbishing or complete replacement in a 2007 facilities evaluation performed by the Texas Association of School Administrators.
Trustees on Feb. 11 approved putting the issue in residents' hands after a steering committee gave its blessing Feb. 4.
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About G.K. Foster
Built: 1952; library built in 1987
Classrooms: 21
Portable classrooms: 2
Classroom square feet: Less
than 600 square feet, on average
Campus land acres: 13.68
Enrollment: 435
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About South Ward
Built: 1997
Classrooms: 43
Campus land acres: 14
Enrollment: 500
Source: LISD
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Additions considered for South Ward
Classrooms: 14
Gymnasium
Library expansion
Estimated cost: $9.78 million
Source: Huckabee Architectural Firm; Longview ISD
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Other elementary schools voters will consider
Classroom square feet: Between 750 and 900
Occupancy: 684 students with maximum of 760 students
Campus land acres: At least 15
Estimated cost: Between $19.2 million and $20.7 million
*G.K. Foster could be combined with South Ward if the bond passes. District officials have not confirmed which campuses would be consolidated.
Source: Huckabee Architectural Firm; Longview ISD
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About the series
The News-Journal's Longview ISD series looks at schools that could be affected by a proposed bond package.
Feb. 17: J.L. Everhart Magnet Academy of Cultural Studies
Today: G. K. Foster Montessori Magnet School/South Ward Elementary School
March 2: Mozelle Johnston Elementary School/Doris McQueen Primary School
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What voters will consider May 10
Five new elementary schools: $99.7 million
Additions at South Ward Elementary and Doris McQueen Primary schools: $21.3 million
Three new middle schools: $107.1 million
Additions at Longview High School: $34.7 million
Districtwide technology: $4 million
Total proposal: $266.9 million
Source: Longview ISD
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New elementary school proposals
New elementary schools would each have a gymnasium and 35 classrooms with a maximum student capacity of 760.
Three new elementary schools would be planned for occupancy by August 2010. Two others would be planned for opening in August 2011.
Doris McQueen Primary and South Ward Elementary schools would each get new classrooms and a gymnasium by 2010.
Source: Longview ISD
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What officials, educators and parents say
"This was the time to lay this issue out to the community and let them make the decision."
Superintendent James E. Wilcox
Responding at a Feb. 13 press conference to a question about the bond proposal coinciding with a recent state law that limits local property taxes for school maintenance and operation to $1.04 per $100
of assessed property value
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"I've been here 30 years, and in 30 years I've never seen equity. We can solve that. It will cost us 37 1/2 cents (per $100 in taxable property value), but we can change the dynamics of our community and the lives of every child."
Troy Simmons
LISD board vice president,
speaking at a Feb. 4 meeting of the
bond steering committee
——
"We estimate this same package, in five years, would cost about $466 million."
Tom Luecke
Vice president of Huckabee, the
architectural firm retained by LISD
——
"If it is good for the kids, then it is good to do it."
Maria Landin
Parent of a child at G.K. Foster
——
"I think it would be a great thing, as long as we can keep the Montessori program. For a new school, I'd be willing to do it. If we don't invest in the kids, who will?"
Stacey Gaskin
G.K. Foster pre-k and kindergarten teacher
Comments
By JGB
Mar 17, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this
Well, very seldom do I make comments on articles in the paper, but I have two children in LISD and one more that will enter school in 2010. I agree that this bond is a huge amount of money and LISD should have taken better care of their schools, but that didn't happen and there is nothing we can do about that now. I have no complaints about my kids education. They have done great and have had great teachers. Yes, LISD has there problem but what school doesn't. If this bond does not pass it means more time for our schools to deteriorate and more cost to the tax payer. Let's get the bond package taken care of so we can get better schools for our kids and the future ones that come behind them.
By Karl F
Feb 22, 2008 6:56 AM | Link to this
Bravo for a school that is new, well designed, and interconnected. Put into that school the very best teachers. Now add a school administration who's main concern is looking good; add students whose parents always believe that a child's failure is the fault of someone else. That shiny new school will fail.
By Rayn
Feb 20, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
You have to understand that Longview is competing with Spring Hill, Diana, and others in order to keep their students. Longview has not done a good job in keeping the schools up, staying abreast with technology and having sufficient space for the students. If you want your students to have to go to school in an old, cramped, obsolete building then vote it down, by all means. But just remember that having nice schools makes a big difference in the quality of teachers the school system is able to attract, as well as being a big deciding factor for new families moving into the area, as well as those already living in the district who are considering moving to another district.
By kay
Feb 17, 2008 12:29 AM | Link to this
We recently moved to another district in the state that has a daily organized PE. In incliment weather the gymnasium is utilized for recess and structured Pe. I have seen both of my children benefit from the organized PE program that this distict impliments. The statistics for obesity are lower than the state average here. We moved from Longview and attended Doris McQueen Elem. It is a wonderful school however I never understood why that campus did not have a gym. On rainy days the children would use a classroom for "motor Lab" or watch tv in the class room. I would gladly pay more taxes to benefit the health and emotional well being of the children in my district. In the long run it will save tax dollars....the cost to insure and pay for the rising epidemic of obesity is enough to justify the bond package.
By Karl F
Feb 14, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this
Superintendent Wilcox said that the $166 million dollar version of the bond issue was a survival list. But we now have a $293 million dollar bond issue - which must not be just for survival of the district and its students, since that cost only $166 million dollars. So, according to the Superintendent's words, the new, larger amount contains $127 million dollars of fluff. Lookout, taxpayers!
By Jennifer
Feb 13, 2008 8:13 PM | Link to this
Please explain why the elementary and primary schools need a gymnasium when the kids barely get a recess as it is??!!
By Jennifer
Feb 13, 2008 8:12 PM | Link to this
Please explain why the elementary and primary schools need a gymnasium when the kids barely get a recess as it is??!!
By Matt
Feb 12, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this
tax man at it again
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