LISD keeps eye toward the future
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

Looking to the future has helped the Lampasas Independent School District prioritize projects necessary to keep up with the changing school climate.

At Monday night's meeting of the board of trustees, members again looked at long-range goals to evaluate progress made, projects completed, those under way and what still needs to be done.

Demographics and facility status for each campus were studied, along with enrollment projections, curriculum and instruction, and issues of concern.

The LISD's tax cap of $1.50 per $100 valuation remains a concern, said Superintendent Dr. Brant Myers, who noted the district has just one way to garner additional funds: new students. "And we need them now," he said.

LISD receives state funding for average daily attendance, and Myers said the district's enrollment has leveled off and, in some cases, dropped from previous numbers.

At the top of the LISD's to-do list is security, which is being addressed at individual campuses.

"We talk about safety all the time. It is a top priority for me," said the superintendent. "The safety of our children is more important than curriculum; it's more important than anything else we do."

Myers also noted that with construction and renovation projects ongoing, the district should be able to remove about eight of its 34 portable buildings within the next year. "That is a good start," he said.

Myers said he is working on zoning issues to determine boundaries that will divide students who will attend Taylor Creek Elementary School in Kempner and those who will attend schools in Lampasas.

"I have 25 to 30 different scenarios to be cut down to five to 10. A public forum will be held where we will talk about procedures for zoning," he said.

The superintendent added that a number of the LISD's construction projects have been moved up about five years after approval of the bond issue to build the Kempner elementary school. The long-range plan occupancy of the east-end school is earmarked for July 2014.

Plans for the 2014-20 timeline include discussion on construction of a fine arts center and new athletic facilities at the high school campus being built on U.S. Highway 281 South.

In other business Monday, board members agreed to hold off until July the purchase of routers, hubs and switches to replace outdated equipment at the high school.

After the LISD was advised it would not receive a large discount on the cost of infrastructure improvements, board members were asked to approve funds to cover the discount not applied toward the purchase.

Trustees decided to hold off the upgrades until after the July board meeting to allow time for figures to come in for the new Kempner school.

Nelda Fortune, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, shared preliminary math TAKS scores for local fifthand eighth-grade students. She explained that LISD -- without special education scores added in -- surpassed state passing rates, with a number of those students earning "commended" recognition.

Tutoring is in the process for those who did not pass, and students will have two other opportunities to master the test.

Resignations were accepted from the following, effective the end of the school year: Sara Bauman, kindergarten, Kline Whitis; Amy Davis, third grade, Hanna Springs Intermediate; Sean Finnessey, assistant director for BIC/DAEP, LHS; Laura Hermesmeyer, counselor, LHS; Stephen Hermesmeyer, science/athletics, LHS; Pamela Herridge, Life Skills, LHS; Mark Kehoe, assistant principal, LHS; Mitzi Lancaster, social studies/athletics, LHS; Rebecca Matthew, sixth grade, Hanna Springs; and Erin Woods, speech and language pathologist.

Deborah Mason, a math teacher and coach at LHS, changed her status to just teaching.

New hires include Dustin Baumann and Jana Jones, teachers/ coaches, Lampasas Middle School; Venetta Chapman, James Daubney and Larry Steiner, teachers, LHS; Steven Weyman, teacher/coach, LHS; Kathy Brown, teacher, LMS; and Mindy Weyman, speech and language pathologist.

In his report, LHS Principal Brandon Stiewig shared some changes in programs and classes proposed for his campus during the next school year, including new science courses such as environmental systems, Advanced Placement environmental science, anatomy and physiology of human systems, and principles of technology I and II.

Other new offerings will include Teen Leadership, Advanced Placement statistics and pre-Advanced Placement world geography.

He also noted enrollment has decreased by 28 students compared to the same period last year.

Stiewig said the hiring forecast for 2008-09 looks promising, and he should have about 50 percent fewer new teachers this year than in the past year. "Lowering the attrition rate at LHS is one of my definite goals."