Temple ISD
“What keeps me coming back to PSI is their customer service. They truly care.”
Dr. Robin Battershell + TISD Superintendent (2007-2018)
“What keeps me coming back to PSI is their customer service. They truly do care. They have a can-do attitude, and whatever they do, it’s done correctly. I don’t think you can beat them.”
The Project
In 2011, Panel Specialists, Inc. began a four-year project with Temple Independent School District (TISD) to renovate six schools and build an additional new school. Some of the schools, including Temple High School, were built in the mid-20th century and needed significant makeovers. Completing the work in a timely fashion would be challenging due to school restrictions that severely limited the time available for on-campus construction. In addition, TISD had some specific ideas about how to make the most of the myriad of design options PSI Wall Panel Systems had to offer.
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For TISD Superintendent Dr. Robin Battershell, the project was more than a chance to freshen up old spaces. It was an exciting opportunity to create a colorful, dynamic learning environment that incorporated elements of the district’s rich history.
“We were excited about all the shapes and patterns available and how we could incorporate photos and graphics into the wall panels to architecturally enhance our campuses,” said Battershell.
Having had a poor experience with another wall panel company in the past, Battershell was determined that the company they chose for these important projects would be highly skilled – and would care about customer service.
“PSI’s price was competitive, but we had several close bids, so we looked at other things,” she recalled. “First was reputation, and PSI’s was exemplary. Second was product flexibility, and there is such a variety of things you can do with PSI’s products. Those two factors set them way apart from their competitors.”
PSI began by familiarizing administrators with the many types of surfaces available, from metal laminates to marker board surfaces, from bright, single-color panels to high-impact custom high pressure laminates for graphics, photographs, logos and signage. Durability and ease of care were vital because of the hundreds of people using each building daily. Battershell and her staff were impressed that PSI Wall Panel Systems are designed to last 25 years. The laminate surface will never fade, chip or peel, and smudges, markers and even painted graffiti can be removed easily, making maintenance easy.
TISD wanted to display a variety of photographs of alumni, past graduating classes and other images on the walls in the new library at the high school. Many of the photos were old and some in poor condition, and as they needed to be significantly enlarged they risked becoming blurry. PSI worked closely with a photography expert to ensure each photo looked its best.
During the work at Temple High School, administrators asked that a 25-year-old PSI Wall Panel mural created by the students be relocated to improve its visibility. PSI moved it and rebuilt it, repairing and filling in gaps. They tied it in with coordinating laminates to create a cohesive look and incorporated new lighting to showcase an otherwise forgotten piece.
At the Travis Science Academy, the front of the building was new, a stark contrast to the rest of the school, some of which dated to the 1950s. PSI encased the old hallways in beautiful high pressure laminate faced panels to make them look completely new. In the new entrance lobby, PSI installed a 20′ high photographic panel of galloping Mustangs, the school’s mascot. The image, embedded in the high pressure laminate surface will stand up to the 100’s of students that will daily pass through the lobby.
With the dust settled, TISD’s investment in PSI Wall Panels is saving the district money, and will continue to year after year.
“We used to repaint every year,” said Battershell. “Not anymore. I had three full-time painters before; now I have one. I use that extra money for more teachers, curriculum or salary increases.”