PINE TREE ISD
2023 Bond

Dear Pine Tree ISD Community,

During the August 14, 2023 school board meeting, school board members discussed the districts master facilities plan and a possible Bond Election. Trustees decided to consider the projects listed below for a vote and unanimously agreed to ask voters to consider approving a $55 million bond referendum on the November 7, 2023 ballot.

 

For the past two years Pine Tree ISD has been developing a 10 year facilities plan. The plan we developed is a two-phase master plan. Phase I of the plan is the $55 million dollar bond proposal the board has asked voters to consider approving this November.  
 

The 2023 referendum, Phase I of the 10-year master plan, will include additions, renovations, and new construction, which will increase educational efficiencies as well as the life span of all associated campuses.
 

The 2023 proposed bond will include the following:

 

PHASE 1

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1.  Parkway Elementary School Additions and Renovations - this campus is roughly 18,000 square feet smaller than the Birch Elementary campus. The bond would add square footage to the campus to increase its size to be comparable to Birch elementary as well as renovate and enlarge the cafeteria dining area, which is significantly smaller than the Birch dining hall.

2.  Birch Elementary School - Minor Renovations

3.  Pine Tree Junior High School Additions and Renovations - this campus would receive additional extracurricular space in the form of a larger new band hall. The old band hall would be renovated to a JH weight room. The current JH weight room would be renovated into a Career and Technology Education Lab. The locker rooms and campus bathrooms would be renovated as well.

4.  Pine Tree High School Additions - The High School campus has limited space to add new facilities so our first step would be to move the current baseball field. The New Pine Tree High School Baseball Facility would be located next to the current softball field. Both, the softball and the new baseball field would have a turf playing surface. Once moved, we would utilize the space provided to construct a new Career and Technology Building to house our Automotive, Construction, and Welding programs. The relocation of the baseball field will also provide additional building space for phase II of the 10-year facilities plan. The High School would also receive minor renovations to the older buildings.

 

  

PHASE 2

PHASE II of the facilities plan would be the larger of the two phases and plans to replace the Birch Elementary Campus with a new building. Replace the older buildings of the Pine Tree High School campus with one larger building in the space provided by the relocation of the baseball facility in Phase I. Once the new building was completed the plan would call for construction of a new main entrance back to Fairmont Street side of the campus to match the schools original design. This would also allow for Student drop-off and pick-up to be moved to the Fairmont side of the campus. Phase II is planned once all the schools existing debt is paid off and funding becomes available, potentially around 2030. 

           
Over the past 5 years Pine Tree ISD has reduced its overall all tax rate by $0.51 cents. The district’s financial advisor has determined that there would be a $0.1684 cent tax rate impact to finance the Phase 1 bond referendum. We are asking every citizen to be educated about the bond. Remind your friends, neighbors, and relatives to get involved and ask questions.
 

Pine Tree ISD residents will have the opportunity to vote on the Bond Referendum beginning with early voting October 23 through November 3, and on Election Day, November 7, 2023. Please review this website for more information on how this will impact you. Should you ever have any questions, I am available anytime on my cell phone at 903.806.0840.

 

Informational Town Hall Meetings are scheduled for:

·         6 pm, October 5 - Public Town Hall Meeting - Pine Tree Junior High School

·         6 pm, October 12 - Public Town Hall Meeting - Parkway Elementary School

 

Sincerely,

 

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Steve Clugston
Superintendent of Schools
Pine Tree Independent School District