Troy ISD

1. Troy ISD Long Range Facilities Planning Committee Facilities Assessment

2. THS Site vs. School Siting guidelines • Is a new school needed? • The committee is evaluating data to determine in new construction or renovation is the right option for Troy High School • Could the school be a High Performance/Green School? • Presently, the Troy High School facility is not energy efficient. Building materials, insulation, and control systems are non-existent or outdated. Renovations could dramatically improve the building’s environmental footprint • Does the present THS school site increase environmental health or safety risks? • Power Lines—There is an electrical transfer station directly across the street from Troy High School. • High Traffic Roads/Highways—This is a major concern. I-35, presently under construction, will continue to see increased traffic. Many students must travel across the interstate to reach THS. Once construction is complete, the intersection will be much safer, utilizing newer, safer designs.

3. THS Site vs. School Siting guidelines • Is the facility located near facilities and infrastructure that support school programs to minimize transportation costs? • Yes, the school is built near downtown Troy, close to most present and planned housing developments in the City of Troy. • What are the school’s transportation options? • THS is located centrally in the City of Troy. The rural setting of the school makes it necessary for almost all students to ride to school on a THS bus or have their parents drop them off, or if old enough, drive themselves to school. Only a small number of students are within two miles of the school and could walk or bike. • Are there safe routes to school for Troy High School? • While students walking to school are few in number, there are some who do, and when construction of I-35 is complete, it will be safer for more students to do so. A SRTS sidewalk was constructed near THS just this year, so this situation has improved.

4. THS Site vs. School Siting guidelines • Is the school a viable option for use as an emergency shelter? • The Troy High School building would be a better option than a modular home or even a conventional home in a tornado; however, it was not designed to withstand natural disasters. • The school would be well suited as a post-disaster shelter for an event occurring nearby but not affecting the school itself. As expected, the school has the capacity to shelter and feed several hundred people.

5. CEFPI Assessment of Troy HS

6. ELEA Assessment Data Summary • The Effective Learning Environments Assessment (ELEA) indicated that Troy High School students are generally not getting a benefit from the physical education spaces at the school. Troy High School’s average score of 2.1 for the ELEA suggest serious concerns about the learning environment at the school. While there are good outcomes demonstrated by many students at the school, much more could likely be done with an enhanced facility.

7. Earthman’s Sample School building Appraisal Instrument • Building Configuration and Organization: • The building is configured in a “H” or “finger” design, with a hallway connecting the instructional wings and a commons and administrative spaces separating the classrooms from the music, athletic, and agricultural sciences areas of the building. The arrangement is adequate for traditional instruction as was expected when the facility was built, but expectations have changed, while the building has yet to be updated. • General Condition of the Building: • The common areas are generally clean and neat in appearance. The tile floors in the common areas is kept clean and waxed to shine. The restroom fixtures are old and difficult to clean. Odors sometimes are a problem. The administrative spaces are worn and uninviting to parents. The design of the main entrance is not welcoming to parents as there is no one to greet a person arriving at the front entrance of the school.

8. Earthman’s Sample School building Appraisal Instrument • Building Appearance: • The building has had no updating since its construction 25 years ago. Landscaping is not simply non-existent, but actually detracts from the aesthetic value of the building because trees are in poor shape, and the turf isn’t properly maintained. Shrubs are scattered. The facility looks neglected except for mowing. • The actual building is not in bad shape. Paint is fine, and the exterior materials have withstood the elements. However, they are quite nondescript, with bare, unstained concrete exposed all around the outside of the building. • Site • The site is adequate. Drainage is generally good, parking is good, and traffic flow is good with plenty of space for entry and exit for cars and buses on both sides of the school. Athletic fields are well maintained. The track has been recently repaired.

9. Earthman’s Sample School building Appraisal Instrument • Potential for Continued Use: • There is high potential for continued use. While it is a long stretch—25 years—with no updating, the facility has not reached the end of its useful life, and enrollment has not grown enough to justify a new facility. Updates are needed, both inside and out, with the extent of those upgrades likely taking a special funding mechanism. • Summary of Data: • The Troy High School facility is viable; however, it is far from ideal. The core structure is sound, which means that renovation is a likely alternative to new construction. Building configuration and organization is traditional, and could be improved. The general condition of the building is adequate, but could also be improved. The building appearance is a serious concern and could be addressed without renovation. The site is a positive. Parking is adequate and traffic flow provides a safe entry and exit to the site. Source: Earthman, G. (2009). Planning educational facilities. New York: Rowman and Littlefield Education.

10. Application of Evaluation Data • Key Points from Facilities Assessments: • THS building is viable; renovation is preferred over new construction • The facility is inhibiting innovative approaches to learning and reinforcing traditional instruction • The structural maintenance of the facility is adequate, but the grounds maintenance is a serious concern. • The building is not energy efficient. Renovation could improve insulation and control systems. • Safety and security of the building is adequate, but barely. Improvements are needed. • Educational spaces responsive to 21st Century expectations for achievement are lacking, i.e. intervention spaces, collaboration spaces, flexibility, technology. • The overall environment reflects educational values from the 1980’s and 1990’s

11. LRFPC Next Steps • Process this data with your sphere of influence • Ask questions and provide feedback • Research the topic on your own • Take a Tour—Sign Up Sheet Available • Come to the next meeting ready to discuss specific options

12. Thank you for Being Part of Planning Troy ISD’s Future!