Leander ISD allocates bond funds for technology infrastructure, new vehicles

The board of trustees approved the projects at a May 23 meeting following a recommendation by the district’s bond oversight committee.

In a nutshell

The district will use $4.8 million in project savings from the 2023 bond to install a digital paging and bell software system as well as more advanced data cables at Bagdad Elementary School, Running Brushy Middle School, and Cedar Park and Vista Ridge high schools, Bond Oversight Committee Chair Jon Lux said. All four schools will receive modernization work beginning this summer, including new major building subsystems, such as roofing and air conditioning.

The district will install Singlewire Software, which will allow campus administrators to control and adjust campus bell schedules digitally without going through an outside vendor, according to district documents. The software lets districts make announcements, send out school-wide notifications and use panic alert buttons, according to its website.

LISD will also update data cabling at those campuses as existing cables do not provide fast enough internet speeds. Installing the cables while campuses are already under construction will prove more cost effective, according to district information.

Additionally, the board approved spending $144,000 in 2017 bond project savings to replace three transportation service vehicles at the district’s north transportation, central transportation and vehicle maintenance supervisor facilities.

Also of note

In April, the district installed new camera systems in 187 buses. The Safety Vision camera system features 360-degree, backup and side camera views as well as improved sound clarity, Assistant Director of Transportation Ken Turner said at an April 11 meeting.

The district transferred $129,557 in savings from the bus camera project to 2023 bond projects savings at the May 23 meeting.