Editor’s Note: The following is a brief overview of the Brownsboro Independent School District’s Community Facility Advisory Committee meeting Monday. A full story will appear in next week’s print and online editions.

Theoretical construction costs and other financial scenarios related to the Brownsboro Independent School District’s expansion efforts were released Mon- day night by Texas School Planning President Dr. Arnold Oates during an advisory committee meeting at Chandler Intermediate School.

The exhaustive report shows five options for building, expanding, and renovating the district’s six campuses. Among them includes constructing a 212,000-square-foot high school that would include a fine-arts auditorium and athletic support facilities “with a core for 1,200 students and academic areas for 1,000 students.”

“I thought it was a pretty good meeting,” Superintendent Elton Caldwell said. “The financial advisor talked to the group about bonds and what they would cost, and about the different levels and lengths of those bonds. It was just an informational meeting for the committee.”

Board of Trustees President Bobby Teague said he estimated 100 people turned out for the meeting and tour of Chandler Intermediate.

Leon Johnson of Southwest Securities Group of Dallas distributed a 10-page report outlining three bondimpact assumptions. For example, it’s estimated that a 30-year bond at $20 million would increase property taxes on a $100,000 house from $969 to $1,141.25.

Comparatively, a 25-year bond at $20 million would increase property taxes on a $100,000 house from $969 to $1,157.52.

The advisory committee of more than 60 people, charged with finding the most ideal and cost-effective way for the district to expand, has met four times since Feb. 22 and is scheduled to meet at least six more times over the next four months.

An election is being planned for November, when voters will decide whether to raise taxes to finance improvements of some campuses or build others.

The oldest of the district’s six campuses — Brownsboro Elementary School, Chandler Elementary School, Brownsboro High, and Brownsboro Junior High School — need extensive renovations or expansions. The elementary schools are in the worst condition of the four and expanding them again may not be feasible.

“Planning Scenario Five” recommends converting Brownsboro Intermediate School to Brownsboro Elementary for grades prekindergarten through 5 and constructing, renovating or expanding classrooms by 25,000 square feet, with space for Pre-K through first grade, for 750 students.

It also recommends:

•Maintain Chandler Elementary to accommodate programs and increased enrollment. Upgrade student safety and security system, classrooms, paving, drainage, air conditioning and heating, roof, and signs “as feasible” for 450 students.

•Maintain Chandler Intermediate School for grades 3 through 5. Construct, renovate, or expand classrooms by 4,500 square feet for 500 students.

•Convert Brownsboro High to Brownsboro Junior High for grades 6 through 8 for 800 students.

•Improve all campuses with new paving and drainage.

Committee members have toured each campus in Brownsboro and at least one of the two in Chandler. Oates has said the committee appeared especially bothered by conditions at Brownsboro Elementary and Brownsboro Junior High.

Chandler Elementary was built in 1969 and expanded five times between 1977 and 1995. Brownsboro Elementary was built in 1968, and it was expanded four times between 1972 and 1995.

While the Chandler campus could expand again if it removes its playground area, Brownsboro Elementary cannot even do that. The school is situated between the district administration building and other facilities to the east, Brownsboro Junior High to the south, and Brownsboro High School to the west.

Brownsboro High School is the youngest campus of the group. Built in 1987, it has been expanded just once and appears to be in the best condition. Brownsboro Junior High was built in 1981 and has never been expanded.

All four schools are at capacity.

At Chandler Elementary, limited parking areas for buses and other vehicles is always a concern, with traffi c usually stalling on Farmto Market Road 315 during drop-off and pick-up times. Like the other schools, it has run out of classroom space and its cafeteria is too small.

Multiple access points to the building also pose safety risks.

At Brownsboro Elementary, the campus has simply outgrown itself. It has no room to expand a fifth time, and district and school offi- cials have acknowledged a new campus is needed.

Students at Brownsboro Junior High have their own issues. They must cross Ingram Street to attend classes at buildings that share the same property with the district administration building, and band students have to cross a field and a loading and unloading zone to reach the band hall at Brownsboro High.

At the high school, its athletic facilities and instruction space for studentathletes are inadequate and outdated.

A number of options would be available to the district, including building two new elementary schools and a high school, and increasing the number of students who attend its two intermediate schools.

The district owns a 52- acre tract of land west of Brownsboro where a campus could be built.

Texas School Planning was hired last October to consult the district on its capital-improvements plan. District officials have reported the student population has increased by about 60 percent over the last 20 years — a rate of 3 percent annually.