In the Coppell ISD board room of the Vonita White Administration building during the open forum on Nov. 14,  Pinkerton Elementary School fifth grader Caroline Bales donned a red Protect Pinkerton T-shirt with a red headband. She clears her throat before beginning. 

“I’m a student council officer,” Bales said. “I would like my little sister to have the same chance to graduate from Pinkerton as me.” 

During the meeting, 36 students and parents advocated against the possibility of closing the elementary campus. The support comes after a 2023 bond committee option included closing or repurposing one elementary school.

“We’ve really gone through the budget with a fine tooth comb and we’ve been able to cut quite a bit in our normal expenditures,” Coppell ISD Board of Trustees President David Caviness said. “Throughout this process, we’ve had several different committees that have been put together. We’ve gone out to the community for feedback through various surveys and dialogue sessions.” 

Representing the students and school district, the 2023 CISD Bond Committee is helping develop long-term plans for the district. The committee advises the board on future investments in facilities and technology, with all final decisions regarding a possible bond election coming from trustees.

With the 2016 bond, CISD invested $249 million into facilities, security, technology, fine arts and transportation. The district welcomed a new CMS West, ninth grade center and Canyon Ranch Elementary in addition to security cameras, athletic improvements and other renovations. 

Looking ahead, the 2023 bond committee is tackling enrollment capacities, facility improvements, operating efficiencies and a fiscally responsible financial plan. 

According to CISD, currently only Richard J. Lee Elementary School and Canyon Ranch Elementary School are exceeding facility condition standards, while all other elementary schools are either only meeting or are below standard, with Pinkerton being ranked the lowest among elementary schools.  

According to Coppell ISD director of communications Amanda Simpson, Pinkerton Elementary was established as Coppell School in 1928 and later became W.W. Pinkerton Elementary in honor of Woodrow Wilson Pinkerton in 1967. The building housed grades 1-8 until 1967.

On Nov. 9, the bond committee was presented four options regarding improvements to elementary school facilities to recommend to the Board of Trustees on Jan. 9, 2023. 

The first option is to renovate/modernize all elementary schools to the standard of Canyon Ranch and Richard J. Lee elementary, create pre-K classrooms at each elementary campus through new construction renovations and surplus space and adjusting boundaries as necessary to balance enrollments. 

The second option is to renovate/modernize eight of the nine elementary schools to the standard of Canyon Ranch and Lee, create pre-K classrooms so at least two schools in each feeder have pre-K, closing or repurpose one elementary school and adjust the boundaries as necessary to balance enrollments. 

The third option is to renovate/modernize eight of the nine elementary schools to the standard of Canyon Ranch and Lee and create a district wide pre-K Center with capacity for 500 pre-K students by repurposing one existing elementary school at a site to be determined. 

Finally, the fourth option is to renovate/modernize eight of the nine elementary schools to the standard of Canyon Ranch and Lee, create a district wide pre-K Center with capacity for 500 pre-K students by constructing a new school on existing district property at a site to be determined and closing or repurposing one to be determined elementary school.

Concerned parents began forming conclusions that if a campus were to close, the most likely option would be Pinkerton. On Nov. 10, Coppell High School’s cafeteria seated many parents sporting bright pink #ProtectPinkerton T-shirts at a community input meeting to voice their concerns. 

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