The building was named after Assistant Superintendent Vonita White, who served the district for 60 years until her retirement in 2003. The boardroom was designed in 2014 and has required engineering troubleshooting for its equipment since 2019, according to district documents.
“When you have a 10-year anniversary that’s usually a good thing and you want to celebrate it, but when you have a 10-year technology anniversary it's not such a good thing,” said Dwight Goodwin, executive director of technology services.
Goodwin presented initial plans and project timeline to the board at a March 26 meeting. The project is one of many 2023 bond projects scheduled through 2027.
The details
Renovation crews are removing all the technology, including presentation screen panels, all microphones, the amplifier, audio and video infrastructure, and touch-screen control panels, and replacing them with new models, Goodwin said. They will also upgrade the boardroom to the newest audio visual operating system.
The district averages 120 hours a year in the boardroom for monthly school board meetings alone. However, district staff also use the space for meetings and professional development, which average to about 350 sessions, or 1,880 hours, each year, Goodwin said. Teachers, principals, the technology department and other staff members use the space more than the school board.
“This is not only a boardroom refresh, it's a meeting space refresh and a professional learning refresh,” Goodwin said.
Also of note
The boardroom will be closed once renovations begin in June and reopen upon completion in July. During this time, board meetings and workshops will be held at Coppell Middle School West along Ranch Trail in Dallas. Meetings will take place in the Large Gathering Instruction room across from the main gym, Goodwin said.
