Trustees approve campus design
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

Highlighting last week's meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Lampasas Independent School District was an update on Taylor Creek Elementary School to be built in the east end of the county with proceeds from a successful bond issue passed by school district residents.

Board members approved the design development phase of the project, and bidding is planned to begin in April. Construction should start in June, and it should take about 11 months to a year for completion. The campus is expected to be ready for occupancy for the 2009-10 school year.

Total cost should come in around $8.4 million after substantial cuts for inefficiencies at the 30-acre site along Big Divide Road. The school will be built to house 650 students.

The prekindergarten through fifth-grade campus will feature two playgrounds, as well as two computer labs and rooms for art, science and music.

In other business, Superintendent Dr. Brant Myers said he is baffled by a decrease in enrollment for the school district. The most recent figures show the LISD's enrollment at 3,401, down from a high of 3,470 this term.

Myers said all projections from demographic studies show the LISD should be gaining students, and that's still likely to happen if Fort Hood's projection of new troops moving in comes to fruition.

Attendance also is down, but that is not surprising to the superintendent, who said he continuously encourages students to be in school.

LISD Board President James Briggs reiterated that Myers pushes attendance, and that not only are students missing out when they are not in class, but the district loses money as well because state funding is based on the number of students in attendance each day.

"We need all of our students here every day," said Briggs. "Not only will it help with their education, but it helps the LISD pay its bills."

The trustee said the state pays the district $4,700 annually per student based on average daily attendance. "That means if 10 children are absent, we are losing $47,000, and that's a lot of money."

In his monthly report, J.D. Butts, director of maintenance, said the department is working on expansion of the dressing rooms at Bozarth-Fowler Gym, in addition to handling routine matters. The project is expected to be completed by the end of March, he added.

In other matters, trustees accepted letters of resignation from Steve Carroll, Lampasas Middle School teacher/coach; Steven Gilpin, LMS math; Brita Goodman, prekindergarten, Kline Whitis; Gaye Krueger, ESL facilitator, Hanna Springs Intermediate; Kellie Merket, Kline Whitis preschool program; Wes Morrison, math teacher/coach, LMS; Janice Perry, reading, LMS; Judy Randall, Life Skills, Hanna Springs; Colista Shuler, fourth grade, Hanna Springs; Sandra Tabor, English, Lampasas High School; and Kalin Wells, teacher/coach, physics/ chemistry, high school.

In his middle school campus report, Principal Dwain Brock said the focus is on preparing students for TAKS testing. Assessments administered in January gave teachers an idea of strengths and weaknesses and what they need to address with students, he said.

Students are being pulled in for assistance after lunch, during advisory periods, after school, before school and any other time where there are a free few minutes to offer them assistance. "I really think this will pay dividends," Brock said.

The principal also noted that eighth-graders are participating in the Student Success Initiative that states they must pass both reading and math TAKS tests to be promoted to high school. Students will have three opportunities to pass each test.

Brock added that his campus is heavily involved in a number of community service projects, from Partners for Pets to collecting food for Lampasas Mission and other local food banks.

Students gathered more than 3,000 pounds of food for Lampasas Mission and soon will begin collecting loose change for its Pennies for Patients program that helps leukemia patients. Last year, the school garnered more than $2,000 in spare change, which it rolled just prior to the donation.

Youths also are getting ready to begin the second year of collecting phone cards for soldiers serving overseas.

"We like to keep our kids involved in the community as much as possible," said Brock.

Also Monday, Briggs asked that residents keep their eyes open for any parts or memorabilia relating to a 1941 International tractor being restored by a group of power technology students in Lampasas ag mechanics.

The farm restoration team also needs high-quality, heat-resistant paint for the project.

The tractor, recently entered in competition at the San Angelo Livestock Show and Rodeo, took a second-division award ribbon.

Dr. Steve Forsythe at LHS has more information on the project for anyone interested.