Boles Independent School District

Summary

Boles Independent School District’s (ISD) elementary, middle and high school campuses are located thirty-five miles east of Dallas, on 36,700 acres of land on beautiful Lake Tawakoni. The district’s student enrollment is approximately 500 students, with nearly 400 of the students transferring from thirteen other school districts. The mission of Boles ISD is to provide an educational environment in which all students can learn and acquire the skills to be productive citizens. And while Boles ISD is financially the poorest district in Texas, it is rich in academics, as demonstrated by its number of students who have graduated from high school with an Associates Degree, and successfully continued on to major universities.

Challenge

Over the last several years, Boles ISD has experienced a large increase in student population. To accommodate the growing enrollment, a new building was opened at the high school, another building was opened at the middle school and a gymnasium was constructed. Boles newest challenge was fulfilling its need for a science building. As the state of Texas cut school budgets, funding was tight for the state’s poorest school district. Boles applied for and obtained a TEA grant, only to find they did not have enough money to move forward with their architect’s plans.

Solution

After learning of Boles ISD’s dilemma, a Trane Comprehensive Solutions representative called on the school district to see if Trane could be of assistance. Trane reviewed the original architectural drawings, engaged in discussions to learn more about the new building and its uses, and presented an alternative to the original architect’s method of construction. The school board adopted Trane’s recommendation, which allowed the district to move forward with a completely funded science lab, as well as have reserves to furnish the interior, and provide twenty-five laptops for the students.

Saving time and money
Trane discussed with Boles ISD the value of purchasing through an interlocal agreement and introduced Boles school board to The Cooperative Purchasing Network (TCPN), which allows large and small government entities such as schools, colleges, cities, counties, non-profits and governmental entities to leverage their purchasing power to ensure they are getting a good value for every dollar they spend on products and services. All TCPN contracts are competitively bid and evaluated by a government entity. Best-value contracts are awarded to national vendors in accordance with purchasing procedures mandated by state procurement laws and regulation, and are based on quality, proven performance, customer satisfaction and pricing. The standardized rates provided by TCPN made the bidding process easier for Boles ISD, ensuring them best pricing, while saving them the time of developing a request for bid, bidding out the project and evaluating potential suppliers.

Meeting needs inside and out
Boles ISD assembled a building committee, which consisted of the district’s superintendent, teachers and coaches, and a Trane volunteer chairman. The committee put together a wish list and priorities were set. They designed the building from the inside out, considering the total cost of ownership versus first cost. Acting as the general contractor, Trane pulled together a team to design a science lab building that would meet the needs of the school district, both in functionality and budget. Trane managed the science lab construction, and also assisted with unique ways of furnishing the building with equipment and laptops.

Maximizing energy use and efficiency
In designing the building, energy efficiency led the team. Two Trane 7 ½ ton rooftop units and controls were installed. The high-performance, reliable rooftop units help to maximize energy efficiency and enhance indoor air quality and comfort for students and staff. The units operate quietly so there is no disruption to the classrooms. With easier installation, less maintenance required, reduced operating costs and less upfront expense, the rooftops provide the district with a lower total cost of ownership.

Results

Using the TCPN cooperative to ensure the best use of its dollars, Boles ISD was able to enlist the help of Trane to build a new science lab building for its high school. The new building was designed and built, while reducing first cost and total cost of ownership for the district.

About Boles Independent School District

The new science lab building is adjacent to, and designed to look like, an old airplane hangar, which Boles ISD converted to a gym. In addition to building the science lab, Trane also assisted with furnishings, equipment and laptops.