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**Breaking News..Smiley And Forest Brook To Merge/Schedules Affected??**

KFDM COOP

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KFDM COOP

KFDM COOP

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This is the hidden content, please

Troubled North Forest ISD merging 2 high schools

After years of debate, the North Forest school board agreed on Saturday to merge the district's two high schools next school year — a move expected to result in significant layoffs.

The board also voted 5-0 to combine Tidwell and Hilliard elementary schools come August, as the northeast Houston district struggles to stay financially afloat and Texas Education Agency officials watch its every move.

Trustees will close Tidwell Elementary but did not decide whether Forest Brook or Smiley High School would remain open. Both high schools are less than half-full this year, district officials said.

Forest Brook is in better condition, but Smiley is larger, contains multiple athletic fields and is surrounded by open land if expansion is needed.

Smiley, though, needs at least $6 million worth of renovations to get it up to standard, interim Superintendent William Jones said. Trustees did not say when they would decide which school would close.

District officials estimate the school mergers would save about $6.9 million and result in the elimination of around 200 positions. Layoffs are unavoidable, though some of the affected employees will be placed at other schools if they don't retire or resign, said Ron Rowell, a senior TEA director who has been monitoring North Forest in recent weeks.

Rowell said the mergers are necessary with the district facing a $17.2 million shortfall come August.

Under state law, employees must be notified by April 2 if their contracts will not be renewed next year.

The district has about 1,280 employees this school year and fewer than 8,300 students.

North Forest officials acknowledge the district has been overstaffed for years, failing to significantly cut the number of employees as student enrollment has dropped.

The board, facing an immediate financial crunch, did agree late last month to fire 45 employees; most were custodians and maintenance workers.

Combining Forest Brook and Smiley has been a controversial subject in North Forest for years, with some alumni against the idea and parents worried about fights among students at the rival schools.

James Green, an 11th-grade football player at Forest Brook, said he's not for a merger. "But I know it's something we need to do."

His mom, Zelda Wiley, praised the decision.

"I'm all for it," she said, adding that she hopes the students end up at Forest Brook. "We want to see our kids excel."

Brenda McDaniels, who has one child at Forest Brook this year and one who will be a freshman next year, opposes the merger.

"They don't listen to the taxpayers," she said of the board. "They do nothing but fight over there."

Board members Allen Provost and Silvia Brooks Williams were absent from today's special meeting. Both have voted against the mergers previously, criticizing the administration for not getting community input and not giving trustees detailed information.

Tidwell students have been attending Hilliard for most of this school year after serious mold problems were discovered at their campus.

Forest Brook students also went to Smiley for part of this year while their vandalized campus underwent renovations. District officials said no major problems took place at Smiley, though students reported some fights.

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WOSgrad

WOSgrad

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I don't know what the UIL will do with the merged North Forest school.  My guess is that they will just keep them in 19-4A.  Even if they do have 5A numbers, chances are it won't be by much and won't give them an advantage over the other schools.  Actually, I think the UIL, in a move pretty unusual for them, used some foresight and figured this merger would occur in setting the districts and setting 19-4A with 9 schools.

As for rescheduling within the district to free up non-district games....that will be a bit difficult as all the schools in the area have already filled in their non-district dance card.  In fact, I believe I had read an article that the district coaches had already planned for this contingiency and had a contingient schedule set up in case this merger took place.  Unfortunately, if I remember correctly, that contingiency creates two bye weeks per year for the other schools in 19-4A.

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Guest etbu

Guest etbu

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I'M SURE THE COACHES KNEW THIS WAS COMING.

I spoke to the district admin and he said they have a backup plan in place  which they will now use. Now the teams have to try to pick up a extra game with many looking to private schools.

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Guest etbu

Guest etbu

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Just what i was thinking. Coaches won't want that extra week off.

One of the Coaches is talking to Calvary out of Shreveport La and other is talking to the Lutheran school out of Tomball. Let me tell you the state may still shut down NFISD so this is far from over. This is what NFISD wishes but the Tea has yet to act.

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WOSgrad

WOSgrad

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I agree, could happen. I spoke to a coach as well and they said they would look for other teams that have the same off week as their other off week.

That will be a little easier said than done.  The coaches are not only going to have to find teams that not only have that week off, but also only have 9 games on their schedule.  Probably not many of the Texas public schools fit that bill.  Might have to go looking east of the Sabine for that game like e said some are doing now.

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Guest etbu

Guest etbu

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Could a couple teams in the district play each other twice with only the "district" game counting?

With a much smaller district years back Lukin and Tyler Lee played twice.

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