[Chris]

The Klein ISD is currently in the process of developing the new 2008 Bond. The Bond Plan will include 15 new Schools (10 Elementarys, 3 Intermediates and 2 High Schools). Other District Facilities will also be included. Many schools and Facilities will also recieve upgrades due to age and ware. The district will also be recieving new buses and technology equipment. The Election is currently proposed for May 2008.

*10 Elementary Schools
$148,979,308
Elementary Schools 26 and 27 sites to be cleared in May of 2008.
Elementary School #27-Huffsmith Korhville Rd. at Lacey Rd., 1 Mile south of Korhville Elementary School.

*3 Intermediate Schools
$114,318,714

*2 High Schools
$318,518,351
High School #5 site to be cleared in March of 2008.
High School #5-Spring Cypress Rd., 1.5 Miles east of SH 249 and 1.5 Miles west of Gleannloch Farms

*Other Schools/T-Buildings
$37,050,701

*Support Facilities
$24,206,126

*District Wide Projects
$40,959,186

*Technology
$105,889,588

*Program Contingency
$1,000,000

*Bond Issuance Fees
$3,954,610


TOTAL BOND PLAN 2008: $794,876,585 with 7% Inflation


Klein ISD Instructional Center Addition:
5 Meeting Rooms, 4 Computer Training Labs, Offices and parking.

Strack Intermediate Fine Arts Addition:
*To begin Construction in April 2008.

Athletics:
*Remodel KMS Home Side Pressbox
*Klein Forest HS Addition/Track Resurfacing
*Schindewolf Locker Room Additions
*All Campuses Gym Floors, Electric BB Goals, RRs and Concessions.
*2nd Stadium to be built with HS #6
*Klein ISD did own land adjacent to Krimmel Intermediate and did plan to construct a 2nd Stadium there, but the predicted Grand Parkway route would have collided with the new stadium. The district still owns the land.

Multi-Purpose Facility:
*A Multi Purpose Facilty to support the CATE Ag Program, District Wide Development and other District Programs. The current Klein Ag Center on the Klein HS Property opened in 1983.

Buses:
*Klein ISD has been purchasing new IC Corp Buses since 2005 now. Each new 71 Passenger Bus cost approximately $90,226 each. They come equipped with lots of features like AC, Intercom System, Low Emissions, LED Tail/Brake Lights and much more. Each Handicap Bus cost approximately $88,203.
*2nd Transportation Center


Elementary Schools #26 and #27 Schematic Design

Strack Intermediate Fine Arts Addition Schematic Design

This post has been edited by Chris: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 at 6:15 PM

[klein]

there goes our low taxes

[Chris]

klein, on Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 @ 5:27pm, said:

there goes our low taxes

They shouldn't neccessarily go up.

[klein]

Wong
Vote for it

[klein]

Chris, on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 @ 12:05am, said:

They shouldn't neccessarily go up.

TOTAL BOND PLAN 2008: $794,876,585 with 7% Inflation
#1 It's the our largest Bond to date
#2Klein ISD does not have as large of a tax base as HISD

[Subdude]

Dupe topics merged.

[houstonmacbro]

Okay, do these people look at the economy at all when they are thinking about these bond packages? The economy is kinda strange right now and all these ISDs asking for huge increases is kinda like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

[ENGcons]

Chris, on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 @ 12:05am, said:

They shouldn't neccessarily go up.

Just how do you thik those bonds get paid off? Propoerty taxes will rise due to this, not to mention the additional staff that KISD will have to hire to manage a program of this size, the current staff is...................shall I say incompetent.

[pineda]

I heard an interesting story last week about the bond election.
Apparently, the Klein ISD hired the Reuel Group to conduct a phone survey to gauge public interest in the bond election. The company conducted about 350 10-minute interviews the week before Thanksgiving over a three-day period. They specifically targetted older voters who have lived in the Klein ISD zone for at least eight years and have no children or grandchildren currently enrolled in any Klein schools. These older voters were apparently told that senior taxes are frozen and that if the taxes go down, they will benefit from the lower taxes and never pay more. However, property value is not frozen and if property is revalued, taxes will increases.

Even knowing this, the level of support for the bond election, even from this select group of targetted individuals was only about 50%. When these people were polled and asked to rank their perception of issues of importance, they ranked the issues in this order: parental involvement was the most important issue affecting Klein ISD, then came reduced taxes, planning for the future, campus safety, building public confidence, discipline/drugs, overcrowding and least important issue to them: passing a bond election. I thought it was curious that people who have no children or grandchildren enrolled in the district said that parental involvement was their #1 issue they were concerned about. Still scratching my head over that one.

I wonder why other issues were not included like; properly preparing children for like after high school, whether that be college or career with better counselor programs at the middle school and high school levels, the dropout levels at our high schools; the falling graduation rates, the amount of money spent on sports programs vs. the amount of money spent on art, music, science labs, raising teacher pay to ensure that we get the best people available to teach our children in the very expensive schools we're building for them, the number of children per classroom, whether or not what we're teaching them in Klein schools is actually preparing them enough to compete with others not just across the United States but globally, etc.

I don't know what other school districts are like. My kids have always gone to Klein schools, but there has always been a perceived divide in this district between what Klein High gets and what the other schools in this district get/have, and the perception stems from the belief that the school board has always had more people on it whose children attended Klein High than other schools. Whether it's true or not, that is a perception in this district. This new plan to raze Klein High instead of just renovating a 45 year old school only adds to that negative perception that Klein High gets more attention. The original plan was to build two more high schools and a new stadium. Now, the plan is build a new high school, move Klein High students into it, and just add a "wing" onto already overcrowded Klein Oak and NOT build high school #6 until maybe after the next bond election? And they wonder why this bond election is going to be tough to pass???

This post has been edited by pineda: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 10:56 AM

[lockmat]

pineda, on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 @ 10:55am, said:

I don't know what other school districts are like. My kids have always gone to Klein schools, but there has always been a perceived divide in this district between what Klein High gets and what the other schools in this district get/have, and the perception stems from the belief that the school board has always had more people on it whose children attended Klein High than other schools. Whether it's true or not, that is a perception in this district.

Yeah, I don't know if it's true or not but the perception was alive and well when I was going to Klein Oak.

[ENGcons]

lockmat, on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 @ 12:14pm, said:

Yeah, I don't know if it's true or not but the perception was alive and well when I was going to Klein Oak.

That perception was alive when I was a student and is still alive now that I am a tax paying resident.

[Chris]

Just a little more information om Elementary Schools #26 and #27. Both buildings will be the exact replicate design of Benignus and Frank (Obviously if you veiwed the schematic designs). The 2 new schools will be 9,540 square feet larger. Benignus andd Frank are both 106,149 square feet and Elementaries 26 and 27 will be approximately 115,689, the largest Elementary school design in the district yet after Kreinhop, Metzler, McDougal and Korhville come in at 108,000 square feet.

[Chris]

Just Thought I would post a Picture of Krimmel that I took a while ago.

[pineda]

This is a close-up of the gym floor in the brand-new school, Krimmel Intermediate. It looks and feels like painted concrete. In the bond package, there is a provision to replace the gym floors in the intermediate schools. I hope that Klein ISD is not planning to replace our rubber-coated gym floor at Hildebrandt with this stuff. Our kids came back from a game there and they all complained of shin splints and they were just exhausted, after just one game on that floor. We've played in all-day tournaments at some of the older intermediate schools in the district and not had these types of problems.

This post has been edited by pineda: Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 10:55 AM

[houstonmacbro]

klein, on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 @ 12:35am, said:

TOTAL BOND PLAN 2008: $794,876,585 with 7% Inflation
#1 It's the our largest Bond to date
#2Klein ISD does not have as large of a tax base as HISD

Somebody's got to pay for all these bonds being floated. Wall Street is buying them all and they are definitely funded by taxpayers.

I here a lot about 'taxes won't increase' but that is never the case (I mean, have you seen your taxes ever go down?).

[Chris]

pineda, on Thursday, January 17th, 2008 @ 10:50am, said:

This is a close-up of the gym floor in the brand-new school, Krimmel Intermediate. It looks and feels like painted concrete. In the bond package, there is a provision to replace the gym floors in the intermediate schools. I hope that Klein ISD is not planning to replace our rubber-coated gym floor at Hildebrandt with this stuff. Our kids came back from a game there and they all complained of shin splints and they were just exhausted, after just one game on that floor. We've played in all-day tournaments at some of the older intermediate schools in the district and not had these types of problems.

I wonder why they would place concrete in Krimmel. They also have the rubber at Schindewolf though. When I was a student at Schindewolf it was great and comfortable, but kids aften liked to write on it. It's the perfect material to write and do grafitti on. That may be one reason they went to concrete. The rubber does ware after years. It's probably time for Schindewolf's to be replaced.

[Chris]

(MAP) How the 2010 Klein ISD High School Zoning should be

Klein High School
-Gains Greenwood Forest Subdivision
-Everything south of Spring Cypress Rd.
-East of Champion Forest Dr.

Klein Collins High School
-Everthing East of Gosling Rd.
-Everything East of Kuykendahl Rd.
-East portion of Klein ISD.
-Does not Gain Windrose.

Klein Oak High School
-Keeps Windrose
-Everything west of Gosling Rd.
-North of Spring Cypress Rd.
-East of Stuebner Airline Rd.
-Partial North of FM 2920.

Klein Forest High School
-Loses Greenwood Forest
-New Zone Border above Wunderlich IS/ South of Greenwood Forest.
-South Portion of Klein ISD.

New Klein ISD High School #5
-Everything West of Champion Forest Dr.
-West of Stuebner Airline Dr.
-South of FM 2920.
-Gains Gleannloch Farms.
-Gains Vintage Lakes.
-West Portion of Klein ISD.

[ENGcons]

Chris, on Friday, January 18th, 2008 @ 12:24pm, said:

(MAP) How the 2010 Klein ISD High School Zoning should be

Klein High School
-Gains Greenwood Forest Subdivision
-Everything south of Spring Cypress Rd.
-East of Champion Forest Dr.

Klein Collins High School
-Everthing East of Gosling Rd.
-Everything East of Kuykendahl Rd.
-East portion of Klein ISD.
-Does not Gain Windrose.

Klein Oak High School
-Keeps Windrose
-Everything west of Gosling Rd.
-North of Spring Cypress Rd.
-East of Stuebner Airline Rd.
-Partial North of FM 2920.

Klein Forest High School
-Loses Greenwood Forest
-New Zone Border above Wunderlich IS/ South of Greenwood Forest.
-South Portion of Klein ISD.

New Klein ISD High School #5
-Everything West of Champion Forest Dr.
-West of Stuebner Airline Dr.
-South of FM 2920.
-Gains Gleannloch Farms.
-Gains Vintage Lakes.
-West Portion of Klein ISD.

Chris where did you get this info, it is not the same as wht I have seen. Is this something official from KISD?

[Chris]

ENGcons, on Friday, January 18th, 2008 @ 12:02pm, said:

Chris where did you get this info, it is not the same as wht I have seen. Is this something official from KISD?

No, This is just my own opinion in what I think the plan should be in order to keep the enrollment at Klein Forest down. Klein ISD's Plan is not too much different from mine. They just plan to decrease enrollments at all the other High Schools except from Klein Forest. I just don't think it's fair.

[bodl]

Chris, on Friday, January 18th, 2008 @ 11:19am, said:

No, This is just my own opinion in what I think the plan should be in order to keep the enrollment at Klein Forest down. Klein ISD's Plan is not too much different from mine. They just plan to decrease enrollments at all the other High Schools except from Klein Forest. I just don't think it's fair.

Chris - I really like your map. Would you mind making the shapes semi-transparent so we can see more detail of your proposed zones?

[houstongirl]

Chris, on Friday, January 18th, 2008 @ 10:24am, said:

(MAP) How the 2010 Klein ISD High School Zoning should be

I really like this map. We're basically at 249 & Louetta and our neighborhood has to drive all the way to KHS for school, with Louetta being fairly congested in the mornings. The new HS should be the one for our area.

Either way though, I'll still be hauling mine all the way to a private school of our choice, as KISD has severely done us wrong.

However, I know the Gleannloch parents are excited about the new schools.

[mrfootball]

I like that map too.

However, I think you'd have quite a lot of upset folks in Champion Forest who've been sending their children to KHS since time began there in the 1970's.

I think it more realistic to start that boundary line at the RR tracks near Cutten (to include the new Vintage Park area in the new HS zone).

Other than that, great map!

This post has been edited by mrfootball: Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 5:36 PM

[Chris]

mrfootball, on Sunday, January 20th, 2008 @ 5:28pm, said:

I like that map too.

However, I think you'd have quite a lot of upset folks in Champion Forest who've been sending their children to KHS since time began there in the 1970's.

I think it more realistic to start that boundary line at the RR tracks near Cutten (to include the new Vintage Park area in the new HS zone).

Other than that, great map!

You think residents of Champion Forest would be upset being rezoned to a brand new school?

[Chris]

bodl, on Saturday, January 19th, 2008 @ 3:15pm, said:

Chris - I really like your map. Would you mind making the shapes semi-transparent so we can see more detail of your proposed zones?

Yeah, Sure. The colors should be lighter now so you can see all of the street names.

[klein]

They should reduce the capacity of KF and build a high school south of the beltway

[ChampionsAdam]

As a Greenwood Forest homeowner I will be voting no on the bond.

[Chris]

ChampionsAdam, on Friday, January 25th, 2008 @ 12:02pm, said:

As a Greenwood Forest homeowner I will be voting no on the bond.

Why will you be voting no on the Bond Plan?

[DaveMc]

houstonmacbro said

Quote

I here a lot about 'taxes won't increase' but that is never the case (I mean, have you seen your taxes ever go down?).

Occasionally they do. Look at you rates on HCAD. My overall bill went down 1% (happy dance)

ENGcons said

Quote

Klein High School
-Gains Greenwood Forest Subdivision

I think thats crazy. Before Klein Forest was built, Greenwood Forest residents were bussed to Klein (the only high school at the time) Now, once again, you want to send students 6 miles up the road rather than let them attend the school in their neighborhood.

Having been involved with master planning, bond elections, and construction I can say there always seems to be plenty of waste. What's important to one person is of no relevance to no one else. The contractors look at these projects as cash cows. Unfortunately, this seems to be the system the Texas Legislature has given us.

Note that NHMCCD, now LoneStar College, is making plans for a bond election also.

[Chris]

DaveMc, on Friday, January 25th, 2008 @ 8:06pm, said:

houstonmacbro said

Occasionally they do. Look at you rates on HCAD. My overall bill went down 1% (happy dance)

ENGcons said

I think thats crazy. Before Klein Forest was built, Greenwood Forest residents were bussed to Klein (the only high school at the time) Now, once again, you want to send students 6 miles up the road rather than let them attend the school in their neighborhood.

Having been involved with master planning, bond elections, and construction I can say there always seems to be plenty of waste. What's important to one person is of no relevance to no one else. The contractors look at these projects as cash cows. Unfortunately, this seems to be the system the Texas Legislature has given us.

Note that NHMCCD, now LoneStar College, is making plans for a bond election also.

Yeah you have a point, but Klein ISD does not plan to relieve Klein Forest in any way, so thats the only solution that could work. Klein ISD usually does stupid zoning sometimes. For example the Main Entrance to the Village of Avalon Lakes is located on FM 2920 and Alvin A. Klein Dr. Klein ISD buses those kids 3-4 miles down FM 2920 and up Kuykendahl all the way to Schultz Elementary. These kids pass right by Benignus Elementary everyday, I mean Benignus is right across the street, and yet they go 3-4 miles out the way. I don't think it's fair to relieve every Klein ISD High School except Klein Forest. I think it would be a great solution.

[ChampionsAdam]

Chris, on Friday, January 25th, 2008 @ 3:41pm, said:

Why will you be voting no on the Bond Plan?

How is this going to benefit my neighborhood? Why should I pay for new schools to the north when Klein Forest is over-crowded, has a negative reputation that effects peoples decision to buy in my neighborhood? Klein has ignored the residents living in Greenwood Forest, Huntwick and Fountainhead.

I've spoken with many of my neighbors who feel the same way. They got the bond through in 2004 and now they are coming at us once again. Nevermind the fact that over the last 2 years property assessments in Greenwood on average increased by $20,000 per home, what are they doing with this money?

I don't think that bussing the students up to Klein is the answer, it would make more sense to add another high school to the south and then re-align the district pulling some of Klein over to Klein Forest. Should they decide to re-align and build a school to the south then I would be interested in the bond.

Honestly, would you send your children to Klein Forest or to another Klein school given the choice? My vote is No to the bond.

[pineda]

story from the Chronicle about the most recent bond committee meeting

Klein ISD opens Network Operations Center, paid for from the last bond election

This post has been edited by pineda: Saturday, January 26, 2008 at 10:38 AM

[Chris]

ChampionsAdam, on Saturday, January 26th, 2008 @ 9:10am, said:

How is this going to benefit my neighborhood? Why should I pay for new schools to the north when Klein Forest is over-crowded, has a negative reputation that effects peoples decision to buy in my neighborhood? Klein has ignored the residents living in Greenwood Forest, Huntwick and Fountainhead.

I've spoken with many of my neighbors who feel the same way. They got the bond through in 2004 and now they are coming at us once again. Nevermind the fact that over the last 2 years property assessments in Greenwood on average increased by $20,000 per home, what are they doing with this money?

I don't think that bussing the students up to Klein is the answer, it would make more sense to add another high school to the south and then re-align the district pulling some of Klein over to Klein Forest. Should they decide to re-align and build a school to the south then I would be interested in the bond.

Honestly, would you send your children to Klein Forest or to another Klein school given the choice? My vote is No to the bond.

One solution that could work that Klein ISD has not thought of is to build a 9th grade Center for Klein Forest. That would eliminate 1,000 students alone. I think that would be the best solution. All they have to do is include it into the bond. There's enough land adjacent to Klein Forest to construct a 130,000-200,000 square foot facility just for freshmen students. Therfore the main campus would have only 2,500 10-12 grade students at the most.

[klein]

Chris, on Sunday, January 27th, 2008 @ 6:11pm, said:

One solution that could work that Klein ISD has not thought of is to build a 9th grade Center for Klein Forest. That would eliminate 1,000 students alone. I think that would be the best solution. All they have to do is include it into the bond. There's enough land adjacent to Klein Forest to construct a 130,000-200,000 square foot facility just for freshmen students. Therfore the main campus would have only 2,500 10-12 grade students at the most.

They have. they just don't want to build one
http://www.kleinisd....isd.shapefu.pdf

[VicMan]

ChampionsAdam, on Saturday, January 26th, 2008 @ 9:10am, said:

I don't think that bussing the students up to Klein is the answer, it would make more sense to add another high school to the south and then re-align the district pulling some of Klein over to Klein Forest. Should they decide to re-align and build a school to the south then I would be interested in the bond.

So, when will KISD announce the exact locations of its schools?

If it does not before the bond, will it be a yes or no? Will it be based on estimates of likelihood for a school to the south?

[mrfootball]

Those 9th grade centers are simply band-aids for School Districts too cheap to build new schools. Spring ISD did that with Westfield. Didn't seem to do them a whole lot of good.

[pineda]

story from the Houston Chronicle

from the article:

"When I talk to people about the (proposed) bond issue they cringe at first, but then I explain the details," said Marcia Baulch, a Klein ISD parent and member of the district's 2008 bond steering committee, which included parents, residents, business owners, teachers, administrators and staff. "It is how you present it to the public. If this doesn't happen property values will be affected, and for most people their largest investment is their home. I think we can sell $638 million to the community if they truly understand what could happen if the district delayed building schools and other projects until it was too late."

Several steering committee members said the Klein High School replacement project would probably provoke the most criticism and opposition. The proposed $130 million project calls for the demolition and reconstruction of several of the school's older buildings, some dating from the early 1960s, and the relocation of the entire Klein High student body to the district's proposed fifth high school on Spring Cypress Road during the two-year construction process.

The school district will hold four community forums, one at each high school in April, if the board calls a May election.

The Klein Bond Political Action Committee will hold its first meeting Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at First Service Credit Union, 9621 Sam Houston Parkway North.

from pineda:

If the bond steering committee does not remove the Klein High School replacement project from the list for the bond election, I won't be voting for the bond, period, no matter how much Marcia thinks she can "sell" this to me.

This post has been edited by pineda: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 7:07 PM

[Chris]

pineda, on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 @ 6:05pm, said:

story from the Houston Chronicle

from the article:

"When I talk to people about the (proposed) bond issue they cringe at first, but then I explain the details," said Marcia Baulch, a Klein ISD parent and member of the district's 2008 bond steering committee, which included parents, residents, business owners, teachers, administrators and staff. "It is how you present it to the public. If this doesn't happen property values will be affected, and for most people their largest investment is their home. I think we can sell $638 million to the community if they truly understand what could happen if the district delayed building schools and other projects until it was too late."

Several steering committee members said the Klein High School replacement project would probably provoke the most criticism and opposition. The proposed $130 million project calls for the demolition and reconstruction of several of the school's older buildings, some dating from the early 1960s, and the relocation of the entire Klein High student body to the district's proposed fifth high school on Spring Cypress Road during the two-year construction process.

The school district will hold four community forums, one at each high school in April, if the board calls a May election.

The Klein Bond Political Action Committee will hold its first meeting Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at First Service Credit Union, 9621 Sam Houston Parkway North.

from pineda:

If the bond steering committee does not remove the Klein High School replacement project from the list for the bond election, I won't be voting for the bond, period, no matter how much Marcia thinks she can "sell" this to me.

Yeah, You have a point and I agree. The whole Klein High Scghool situation is just crazy and dumb. In the report from the Chronicle, It says there's money for additions to Klein Oak High School. Why would Klein Oak need additions? This may be the hardest bond that Klein ISD trys to pass. If the Bond Election is in May, How will land for the new schools be cleared in March and April? Elementary Schools 26 and 27 will start construction in March and the Strack Fine Arts Center will start construction in April.

mrfootball, on Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 @ 2:00pm, said:

Those 9th grade centers are simply band-aids for School Districts too cheap to build new schools. Spring ISD did that with Westfield. Didn't seem to do them a whole lot of good.

I can see your point very clearly now that you put it that way. Klein ISD should just build another High school south of Klein Forest.

[mrfootball]

Given the situation, I think KISD is doing the smartest thing by shifting enrollment Westward. It makes the most sense from a fiscal standpoint and provides the most benefit for students and residents.

[Chris]

mrfootball, on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 @ 12:12pm, said:

Given the situation, I think KISD is doing the smartest thing by shifting enrollment Westward. It makes the most sense from a fiscal standpoint and provides the most benefit for students and residents.

I also think it's a great idea, but yet and still we can't forget about other parts of the district like the Klein Forest Zone.

[Trae]

mrfootball, on Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 @ 2:00pm, said:

Those 9th grade centers are simply band-aids for School Districts too cheap to build new schools. Spring ISD did that with Westfield. Didn't seem to do them a whole lot of good.

A lot of schools have the Ninth Grade Center built in the high school I see this a lot in Katy and in Cy-Fair.

[ChampionsAdam]

I had recalled running across this a while back, Klein lost the Klein Forest area in 2004 and will likely see the same occur.

http://www.kleinisd....ocs/postsum.pdf

[mrfootball]

Chris, on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 @ 7:10pm, said:

I also think it's a great idea, but yet and still we can't forget about other parts of the district like the Klein Forest Zone.

Yes, but you forget that Klein Forest was recently expanded/upgraded, and the benefit the students there will derive from having less crowded schools with more individual attention.

[ChampionsAdam]

As I stated before, to come back to the taxpayers less than 4 years later to ask for more money when the property assessments over the last 2 years has increased considerably is disgusting.

I am having a difficult time swallowing tearing down parts of Klein High. It would seem to me that instead of tearing down why not maintain? Roofing, paint, carpeting and tile would be alot less expensive than tearing down and rebuilding. The high school that I attended is now almost 60 years old and was renovated and not torn down, the same can be said for the schools that my parents attended 40 years ago and grandparents attended over 70 years ago.

Can we assume that every few years Klein is going to come to us and ask for more money? Between escalating tax assessments and bonds homeowners will be feeling the pinch most definitely.

We all have to live within our budget and Klein needs to do the same.

This post has been edited by ChampionsAdam: Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 10:15 PM

[pineda]

ChampionsAdam, on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 @ 8:49pm, said:

As I stated before, to come back to the taxpayers less than 4 years later to ask for more money when the property assessments over the last 2 years has increased considerably is disgusting.

I am having a difficult time swallowing tearing down parts of Klein High. It would seem to me that instead of tearing down why not maintain? Roofing, paint, carpeting and tile would be alot less expensive than tearing down and rebuilding. The high school that I attended is now almost 60 years old and was renovated and not torn down, the same can be said for the schools that my parents attended 40 years ago and grandparents attended over 70 years ago.

Can we assume that every few years Klein is going to come to us and ask for more money? Between escalating tax assessments and bonds homeowners will be feeling the pinch most definitely.

We all have to live within our budget and Klein needs to do the same.

Good post. I've heard others in the area say that they do not care to spend upwards of $150 million to re-build Klein High at this time, but they are entertaining the idea of a "Berry Center" type stadium to be built with bond money.

BTW, I drove out to Portofino Center and checked out the new Woodlands area stadium about a month ago. The huge building being built next door to the football stadium is not a basketball stadium, but a natatorium instead. The Woodlands area has a very big following when it comes to swimming, I would imagine.

But, yeah, if the bond committee doesn't pull the Klein High re-build out of the proposal, I will vote no to the whole thing.

[pineda]

KLEIN ISD INVITATION TO PARENTS
(Adults only please)

Parents of Klein ISD students are invited to attend a community dinner hosted by Superintendent Jim Cain.
A pizza and salad dinner will be provided free to parents beginning at 6:30 p.m.
A district informational update and a question and answer session will follow.
Please call to reserve your seat!

What: Community Dinner
When: March 6, 2008, 6:30—8:00 p.m.
Where: Kleb Intermediate
7425 Louetta Road
To reserve your seat, call 832-249-4173
by February 28, 2008
_____________________________________________________________________

[Chris]

One thing that knowone probably has thought of that needs to be on the bond, is to construct a Marquee Sign for Klein Collins High School. It should have been constructed during construction but it wasn't. The newer schools have them built durung construction. KCHS is the only school in Klein ISD that doesn't have one to my knowledge. Many events and activities take place and the community dosen't know about them like they would for the other schools.

[VicMan]

Many of the HISD schools are now getting electronic marquees. Does Klein ISD prefer traditional marquees?

[Chris]

VicMan, on Friday, February 1st, 2008 @ 10:54pm, said:

Many of the HISD schools are now getting electronic marquees. Does Klein ISD prefer traditional marquees?

Yeah, Klein ISD doesn't use those kind. Some schools that have electronic Marquees have companies that have donated them to them, like Spring High School's donater is Planet Ford.

[klein]

pineda, on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 @ 6:05pm, said:

story from the Houston Chronicle

from the article:

"When I talk to people about the (proposed) bond issue they cringe at first, but then I explain the details," said Marcia Baulch, a Klein ISD parent and member of the district's 2008 bond steering committee, which included parents, residents, business owners, teachers, administrators and staff. "It is how you present it to the public. If this doesn't happen property values will be affected, and for most people their largest investment is their home. I think we can sell $638 million to the community if they truly understand what could happen if the district delayed building schools and other projects until it was too late."

Several steering committee members said the Klein High School replacement project would probably provoke the most criticism and opposition. The proposed $130 million project calls for the demolition and reconstruction of several of the school's older buildings, some dating from the early 1960s, and the relocation of the entire Klein High student body to the district's proposed fifth high school on Spring Cypress Road during the two-year construction process.

The school district will hold four community forums, one at each high school in April, if the board calls a May election.

The Klein Bond Political Action Committee will hold its first meeting Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at First Service Credit Union, 9621 Sam Houston Parkway North.

from pineda:

If the bond steering committee does not remove the Klein High School replacement project from the list for the bond election, I won't be voting for the bond, period, no matter how much Marcia thinks she can "sell" this to me.

Sometimes it's cheaper to rebuild a school than renavate it
And besides a part of the ceiling collapsed in the Main Building today

Chris, on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 @ 10:54pm, said:

Yeah, You have a point and I agree. The whole Klein High Scghool situation is just crazy and dumb. In the report from the Chronicle, It says there's money for additions to Klein Oak High School. Why would Klein Oak need additions? This may be the hardest bond that Klein ISD trys to pass. If the Bond Election is in May, How will land for the new schools be cleared in March and April? Elementary Schools 26 and 27 will start construction in March and the Strack Fine Arts Center will start construction in April.


I can see your point very clearly now that you put it that way. Klein ISD should just build another High school south of Klein Forest.

Klein Oak is expected to grow and it is currently overcrowed.