The Longview ISD Board of Trustees approved $500,000 in storm damage repairs to the district storage warehouse, during their regular meeting Monday, Sept. 19th.
Dr. Wayne Guidry, Assistant Superintendent of Finance, explained that the J.L. Everhart warehouse located at 1000 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd sustained damages during the Jan. 19th hailstorm that hit Longview.
"Risk Management adjustors from the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) inspected the property at that time and indicated that further damages might appear later and kept the claim open," he said. "After the recent heavy rain, roof damages were detected."
TASB adjusters determined that there was significant damage to the roof and indicated that they would authorize a new roof for the building.
"To prevent further damage to the structure before a new roof could be installed, TASB also recommended a coating be applied to the structure immediately," he said. "Per administrative approval, the coating work was authorized before board approval at a cost of $63,500. Preliminary cost estimate for a new roof is $500,000 and the district's deductible is $50,000."
Please click here to download the resolution and related documentation.
New instruments for band students
Later, trustees unanimously approved the $315,722 purchase of band instruments for Longview ISD middle school campuses.
Mrs. Rhonda Daniel, LISD Director of Bands, said the district has instruments on various campuses "that were purchased as far back as 1987."
"We are putting horns in students’ hands that should not be used due to safety and hygiene issues," she said. "We have parent complaints about the condition of our school-owned instruments."
Mrs. Daniel explained that participation in band programs at Longview ISD has grown by leaps and bounds, "and it's a great problem to have!"
"But in order to accommodate this growth, we've got to make sure we've got safe and reliable musical instruments for the students in our care," she added.
For example, Mrs. Daniel said, in 2019 the number of students in the Foster Middle School band program was 217, and currently there are 330 in that program. In the past we have had approximately 50 students in the Hudson PEP (5th grade) band each year, and those numbers have risen to 80 in the past two school years. Judson Middle School numbers have grown from 117 to 184.
"This growth has caused students to have to share instruments," she said. "We have also had to place students on instruments that are not the best fit for them, for no other reason than lack of inventory."
Mrs. Daniel said LISD campuses would benefit immediately from this purchase, and it "would enhance the instruction of our students and provide a more positive educational experience for them."
Please click here to download the resolution and related documentation.
Improvements, upgrades to district Ag programs
Board members also approved the $67,860 purchase of a new Small Animal Trailer for the CATE Department at Longview High, and the $55,194.26 purchase of a new greenhouse for the Forest Park Middle School Agriculture Department.
Mr. Harold Hillis, Longview High Career & Technology Education (CTE) Director, explained that the new trailer will allow teachers to transport students’ livestock projects to contest.
"Currently we have a 14-foot bumper trailer to transport pigs, lambs, and goats to livestock shows. This new trailer will allow more students to participate in major shows because of added size," he said. "It will also allow students to participate in more shows during the hotter time of the year as it is equipped to keep animals cool.
Mr. Hillis said the addition of this trailer will assist Longview High in "becoming the premier FFA chapter in the area and state."
"We recommend the board to approve up to $67,860 in funds for the purchase of a Sundowner trailer from Longhorn Trailer Sales," he added.
Mr. Gary Krueger, Executive Director of Longview Educates and Prospers (LEAP), said the purchase of a new greenhouse at Forest Park will provide the districts with "greenhouses at all three middle schools."
"This will allow for the teacher to begin teaching Horticulture to students along with greenhouse practices," he said. "We recommend the board to approve up to $55,194.26 in funds to purchase a 20-foot by 48-foot Atlas Snow Arch greenhouse from BWI Companies Wholesale Distribution."
Please click here to download the resolution and related documentation.
New wheelchair-accessible van purchase
Later, trustees unanimously approved the purchase of a wheelchair-accessible van for the 18+ Vocational Adjustment Class (VAC) program. Spending up to $90,000 in IDEA-B Formula-ARP grant funds.
Mrs. Cindy Verhalen, LISD Director of Special Programs, explained the students in this program are in need of transportation "to gain hands-on job/work training and experience outside of the traditional classroom setting to be prepared for future employment in Longview."
"Our Special Education students have completed Phases I and II of the VAC 18+ program and are in need of adequate school-sponsored transportation in order to implement Phase 3: Partnership with Texas Workforce Education and job coaches to obtain training and supervised employment," she said.
Please click here to download the resolution and related documentation.
Superintendent's Report
During the Superintendent's Report portion of the meeting, Dr. James Wilcox presented the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service's prestigious Texas 4-H Champion School Award to Ware Elementary.
Other items in his report included presentations from the Office of Innovation on the Resilient Schools Support Program and a video tutorial of the Skyward Parent Grade Access created by LISD Community Relations.
Dr. Wilcox also received updates from public school charter partners: East Texas Advanced Academies (ETAA), Longview Educates And Prospers (LEAP), and the Texas Council for International Studies (TCIS).
Legislative Summit donations
Board members also multiple donations of $1,500 from the Center for Equity & Adequacy in Public School Finance; Huckabee & Associates; Lightspeed Systems; Linebarger, Goggan, Blair, & Sampson Law Firm; Lowman Education; and Volkert Engineers & Planners to sponsor the Pre-88th Legislative Session Summit set for later this year.
Organized by Longview ISD in partnership with local businesses and civic groups, the summit is part of an ongoing effort by the district to raise awareness for education issues that impact all Texans, and the entire nation.
First started by state Reps. Jay Dean and Gary VanDeaver in 2016, the summit focuses on looking at how elected officials can support and represent schools.
Dr. Wilcox said the details for this year's summit are still in progress, but "every possible preventative measure will be recommended to provide a safe and healthy dialogue for all who attend."
In addition, the board also approved donations of $1,523 from the LHS Volleyball Booster Club for tournament fees; $1,000 from an anonymous donor for the Longview High School Viewettes; donations of $550 from Gonzalez Drywall, $450 from Sherman & Briscoe Orthodontics, $200 from Goudarzi & Young Law Office, $50 from Mr. Chris Peters, $50 from Mack & Hansen Orthodontics, and another $50 from Sherman & Briscoe Orthodontics for the Longview High School Majorettes.
The board also approved donations of $100 from the ACTS Class of First Christian Church and $20 from Mr. Bill and Mrs. Nancy Darby for the LISD Backpack Program.
Please click here to download the resolution and related documentation.
In other business...
During the course of the meeting, the LISD Board of Trustees also:
- APPROVED Minutes and Board Time Use Tracker for Aug. 1, Joint-Board Meeting; Aug. 8 Regular Meeting/Public Hearing; Aug. 20 Board Workshop; Aug. 31 Special Meeting/Public Hearing; and Sept. 7 Special Meeting;
- APPROVED a resolution for Extracurricular Status of the Gregg County Texas 4-H Organization;
- APPROVED Region XI Technology Resources Education Consortium (TREC) 2022-23 Contract;
- APPROVED the 2022-23 District Improvement Plan and 2022-23 Campus Improvement Plans;
- APPROVED Region VII Contracted and Flow-Through Service Agreements for 2022-23;
- APPROVED renewing the agreement with SeeSaw Children's Place for 2022-23;
- APPROVED 2022-23 plans for Iowa and CogAT Testing at Longview ISD;
- APPROVED Financial Statements as of August 2022; and
- APPROVED Budget Amendment No. 1.
For more info
Trustees usually meet in the boardroom of the LISD Education Support Center (1301 E. Young Street), but often set special-called meetings at various locations around the district. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 10, 2022.
For more information about the Longview ISD Board of Trustees please click here.