[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6263052,"mediaKeyId","3108540-0fa5f38ea9916cdbcdf2c659313213d4","parentId",3108540,"title","Board approves John Jay, Clark fine‑arts schematic and Oliver Wendell Holmes construction contracts","audioSeconds",856,"startMs",7141000,"endMs",7997000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3108540-0fa5f38ea9916cdbcdf2c659313213d4&start=7141&end=7997","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3108540-0fa5f38ea9916cdbcdf2c659313213d4/thumbnail_7141000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6263052/Texas/Board-approves-John-Jay-Clark-finearts-schematic-and-Oliver-Wendell-Holmes-construction-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6263052-348b2d68d7855c922ef99ff5c96c31d3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770425487&Signature=khndF8bdIkjkGsfAtvZCKiWF1yW67IBPaIMQKwvczdrKjCX76brDhktz6JZaj4pXWnLOBlZdi5BgtAvz9kscjY~o7zPrmdbNwQWiINrKYzNqVpnPxQniFIPETTGoM5KZYzaAGfMws1RJ--mieM92JbvjJsvMjgxQTIBPQqjfE6rCQIfbHNwQ8BlzPlbcvT8PdqeI1Q8rMgDuqCO4-pwQcdl8Xxr9zxQY18oL-r7TmwpdwWGKdPmS3U46KnnJQLM-lx-wkg39sji832Z~4XAk2mC~3d04mYvNAEPAG3Q9GDN4VdHpd~EN~AEYskyZGfo1qOFd9i81ISYNBmeswMbzRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Northside ISD","date","2025-04-24T09:08:05.673Z","article","The Northside Board of Trustees approved three facilities recommendations tied to the 2022 bond program and advanced a long‑range campus master plan for Tom C. Clark High School.

On an amendment presented by district facilities staff, the board approved Amendment No. 1 — a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for initial site and “make‑ready” work at John Jay High School’s SEA project. Facilities staff said Amendment No. 1 covers site demolition, temporary bus loops and utility relocations and recommended the contract to begin work this summer.

Trustees next approved a construction manager‑at‑risk selection for a renovation at Oliver Wendell Holmes (cafeteria/kitchen and athletic replacement). The district’s evaluation committee interviewed firms and recommended the selected firm; staff said the contract and fees were reviewed by accounting.

The board then considered the Clark High School fine‑arts project. Alamo Architects presented a schematic design for a new fine‑arts facility on the Clark campus: a roughly 900‑seat auditorium, two band halls, choir and orchestra rooms, art classrooms arranged around an art patio, a black‑box theater and a vertical connection that includes an elevator to accommodate significant grade changes on the site. The design replaces the existing building B fine‑arts spaces with a new facility sited lower on the hillside and adds roughly 340 parking spaces, security fencing and a bus canopy; the project design team said the auditorium lobby could double as an art gallery and that exterior materials would be brick and metal accents.

Trustees also approved a multi‑phase master plan for Clark High School that lays out a potential 10‑to‑15‑year sequence of projects to bring campus spaces in line with district design standards. The master plan proposes converting the existing auditorium and adjacent spaces to a modern cafeteria and culinary suite, relocating CTE and special‑education classrooms to consolidated facilities, and ultimately replacing the gymnasium and relocating the library to activate the campus courtyard.

Votes at a glance:
- Amendment No. 1 — John Jay High School GMP (make‑ready/site work): approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call not recorded in transcript). Outcome: approved.
- Construction manager‑at‑risk award for Oliver Wendell Holmes cafeteria/kitchen and athletic replacement: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call not recorded in transcript). Outcome: approved.
- Tom C. Clark High School schematic design (fine‑arts replacement): approved, 6 ayes, 1 nay.
- Tom C. Clark High School master plan: approved, 6 ayes, 1 nay.

Why it matters: The Clark master plan and fine‑arts schematic will shape multiple bond cycles and campus logistics; trustees and staff said planning before construction reduces the risk of piecemeal work and protects prior investments such as an existing band pad. The district noted some site constraints, including steep grade and Edwards Aquifer environmental considerations that could affect future drainage and permitting.

Board action: Trustees moved and seconded the consent and capital items during the meeting. The building committee had reviewed projects in advance, and the district said a construction manager is now on board for the Clark fine‑arts project to assist with constructability and cost control during construction document development.

Next steps: With schematic approval, staff will advance construction documents, address constructability and site‑permit questions, and bring contract and GMPs forward to the board for approvals as construction phasing is defined.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","NISD Board Meeting 4-22-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees approved a guaranteed maximum price amendment for John Jay work, selected a construction manager at risk for an Oliver Wendell Holmes renovation, and approved schematic design and a long‑range master plan for Clark High School fine‑arts replacement.","taxTitle","NORTHSIDE ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",14331,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6263057,"Parents, students and teachers implore Northside trustees to preserve choir and dance amid budget cuts",2346,4138000,6484000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3108540-0fa5f38ea9916cdbcdf2c659313213d4&start=4138&end=6484","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3108540-0fa5f38ea9916cdbcdf2c659313213d4/thumbnail_4138000.jpg","/articles/6263057/Texas/Parents-students-and-teachers-implore-Northside-trustees-to-preserve-choir-and-dance-amid-budget-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6263057-03b837783410056e4cb338ef914342ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1770425487&Signature=iyt48pt5A5cA6EIl2bS17YbsflHynEEvaNyu-jbfwb9neGU92nHLWz-Ji9AmFx79V~IGdIqCjwT1GbzGeYw4ZJZ4zMHYKUZNzmaXFYZuwzM5ThQTM-rU7T5RnAyV9c55MlcDcQUFkVlCh78Q2y31VFyL~SWrEyvZE5HBPvG0UJikjtLYoM8lovkiC9otytb2sM2GFkIFXE1sy9fAgcL1Ks77OcTNR89chNP00iett8z~E-vQiGNc-9w32TqwKhC7Z2z~4pd~aWVyUFzfKhF-uyNTbCsc~-7OsiGSGj84CEp5ZLX~JTml~7jb131Gp0ilHo6mD5ErOSDx9EWGQN8c-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of students, parents and teachers told the Northside Board of Trustees during the citizens‑to‑be‑heard portion of the meeting that proposed or announced reductions in middle‑school choir and dance programs would damage student opportunities and equity.

Fifth‑grader Elin Cagle of Patricia J. Blattman Elementary opened public comment with a separate request — a push for a rubber safety surface that would allow children who use wheelchairs to access play equipment. “When I saw her sitting on the concrete while her friends were playing on the playground, it broke my heart,” Elin said of her friend Ellie, and she urged the board to consider longer‑term playground surfacing that is more accessible.

Public testimony that followed focused overwhelmingly on fine arts staffing and program changes the district is planning for next year. Parents and students described programs they said were scheduled to be cut or reduced at Connolly, Neff, Rayburn and Ross middle schools and at Holmes High School, and they urged trustees to reconsider decisions made at campus administrative level.

Several students described choir or dance as the key to academic engagement and mental health. Isabella Martinez, identified as a two‑time regent and state qualifier, said, “Choir has taught me discipline, teamwork, confidence, and emotional expression. The thought of having choir taken away is heartbreaking.”

Parents and educators offered program‑level data and alternatives. Leslie Ortiz, a dance teacher at Zachary Magnet Middle School and the district’s 2020 educator of the year for that campus, said her program has 129 students signed up for the coming year and that a planned staffing split would force caps at 25–27 students, leaving dozens unable to enroll. Ortiz provided a class‑level breakdown and said the split would force her to run two winter showcases, double end‑of‑year recitals and oversee field trips at two campuses with the same contracted hours.

Melissa Guerrero Massey, a choir director at Connolly Middle School, told trustees she and other choir teachers put a shared enrollment chart together after learning of planned cuts; she said some middle‑school choir enrollments have increased year‑to‑year and asked for a joint district‑level review before cuts are finalized. “We had numbers — enrollment had increased in the choir program — so I was very much surprised,” she said.

Speakers highlighted impacts on students with special needs and students who cannot afford private lessons. Precious Coleman, a parent and Warren Choir Booster Club board member, said her daughter, a senior on the autism spectrum, “has not only found her voice in a supportive community where she has thrived.”

Longer‑term and programmatic concerns were raised by former classroom and choir teachers. Kathy Settles Horace, a retiring choir director with 27 years’ experience, warned of a domino effect: “Once this option is on the table and considered viable, I fear that it can't be undone,” she said, describing how past middle‑school cuts have weakened high‑school choral programs in some feeder patterns.

Several speakers asked the board for alternatives rather than elimination, including limiting middle‑school high‑school credit courses, eliminating advisory to create elective slots, or capping the number of high‑school credits earned in middle school so performing arts can remain an accessible elective.

Why it matters: Trustees have repeatedly said the district faces a sizable budget shortfall and must consider staffing and program changes at the campus level. Speakers argued that cutting electives and fine arts at middle school will reduce high‑school program continuity, harm college‑going indicators, and lower attendance — outcomes that could worsen the district’s long‑term academic metrics.

What trustees said: Board members listened without taking action during public comment. The superintendent and finance staff have told the board they will return with proposed staffing and budget options in the coming weeks; several speakers asked the board to delay or revisit decisions until the district completes district‑level analysis of enrollment trends and course caps.

Next steps: District staff will continue modeling budget options, and trustees said they will review the detailed staffing proposals and scheduling impacts the administration brings to the finance committee and to future board meetings.","Dozens of students, parents and teachers urged the Northside ISD board to reverse or pause cuts to middle‑ and high‑school fine arts programs, arguing the moves harm student opportunity and long‑term academic outcomes.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6263061,"Northside leaders say House Bill 2 eases but won’t erase a projected $100 million shortfall",540,1731000,2271000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3108540-0fa5f38ea9916cdbcdf2c659313213d4&start=1731&end=2271","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3108540-0fa5f38ea9916cdbcdf2c659313213d4/thumbnail_1731000.jpg","/articles/6263061/Texas/Northside-leaders-say-House-Bill-2-eases-but-wont-erase-a-projected-100-million-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6263061-0742389ea1a2d3a697db9a5c655eae21/orig.mp4?Expires=1770425487&Signature=TV2lfzGYgKiHfq1tTzUBoH6tpbM8fLJnertYsI6TxFCKdnD19lY0hMN3MOrBwijoBSbrii~jWzryoWEc6E7BrEYSJpRJe2v~CIeNWfjgBRcwdCfJ~MGQVkgQz7tGTNIFMdN9LPp73CgjKu-fiSXTqVQQ05T4eGS1NrBv~leMkybHUljI00TdEN70~YXeaRxWHdw7xVDnzTHXk~uk28BvnJyVHoT5Q-ot5LXijLDKRbSaVhMGlneX~qg-C8WWoUCuUnRQf6HQiW2HV0JuchGVze7ByyZpHKEyL0514IRNQDb788Yu7tEA5Hv2Ewx752z66yjT7febZrGEbQJvHdcVBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Dr. Kraft told the Northside Board of Trustees that the framework of House Bill 2, as passed by the Texas House, improves the district’s budget position but will not close a roughly $100 million shortfall.

“Protect jobs. We want all staff, all teachers, all employees to have jobs,” Dr. Kraft said during his superintendent’s report, adding that the district’s two priorities are protecting positions and preserving program integrity.

The district’s finance staff presented the board with the administration’s current interpretation of the House measure and the likely financial effects. The modeling the district reviewed (House Bill 2 as amended) estimates roughly $53.8 million in combined state and local revenue for Northside ISD under the current draft. Finance staff said approximately $23 million of that increase would flow to special programs and about $30 million would be discretionary in nature, subject to legislative and calculation rules.

Finance staff warned of strings attached. Under the bill’s language discussed on the House floor, about 40% of newly available compensation dollars must be used for educator pay and specified student‑facing staff (teachers, counselors, librarians and nurses); the district estimates that share at roughly $21.7 million in the House model. District staff said the bill’s language prioritizes teachers with five or more years’ experience but that several technical questions remain as the measure moves to the Senate.

Megan, a district finance staff member who presented the models, told trustees that the administration must still reconcile local property tax effects and state aid interplay before producing a final budget. “If local property tax revenue increases, state aid decreases and vice versa,” she said, summarizing the inverse relationship built into the state funding formula.

Dr. Kraft and finance staff cautioned the board that the House bill as approved by the House is not final. It must be reconciled in the Senate and enacted by the governor to be binding. They also noted that many of the bill’s provisions are effectively funded for a two‑year window and that long‑term sustainability will depend on future legislative action and state revenue performance.

District staff outlined the next steps and a revised budget timeline: the administration will continue to run alternative funding scenarios, model required compensation offsets, and bring recommended staffing and program actions to the board in June and July. Final property values, which determine local revenue and state aid offsets, are due in late July; the district will set a public budget adoption and tax‑rate meeting after those values are finalized.

Why it matters: Trustees were repeatedly told the district still faces difficult choices. Dr. Kraft said that even with House Bill 2 funding the district will continue to work on “efficiencies” at campus and central levels and that campuses may need to reconfigure course offerings and extracurricular schedules to match teacher certifications and student course requests.

Looking ahead: The board scheduled continuing budget briefings and a finance committee meeting to review alternative spend and staffing plans. The administration said it will return with concrete compensation proposals once legislative action is final and the district has updated property valuations.","Superintendent Dr. Kraft and district finance staff briefed the board on how House Bill 2 would change Northside ISD’s budget outlook but stressed the district still faces a multi‑million dollar gap requiring local adjustments and staffing decisions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves John Jay, Clark fine‑arts schematic and Oliver Wendell Holmes construction contracts

Parents, students and teachers implore Northside trustees to preserve choir and dance amid budget cuts

Northside leaders say House Bill 2 eases but won’t erase a projected $100 million shortfall