KERI WINTERS
I wanted to take this opportunity to give you an update on a major topic your Linden-Kildare school board has been working on. The students and faculty of L-K work diligently to grow to produce great productive citizens of Linden, and also strive to represent our community well in extra-curricular events. We really enjoy bragging on our people and there really is quite a bit to brag on! Our test scores are up, we have a newly remodeled weight room, have new technology coming for all students and staff, and we have a free after school program.
Over the past few years, our school board has recognized that our facilities must be addressed and updated in order to provide our students the best opportunity for excellence possible. Our students and teachers have worked for years in buildings that are anywhere from 50 – 70 years old, and have done an incredible job adapting, overcoming, and making the best of the experience for students providing the greatest opportunities available. We work hard to be great stewards of tax-payers’ resources so we have diligently researched the greatest needs and best approach to improve our district.
For many years, school boards in the past have tried to find ways to improve our facilities, but the State of Texas does not provide funding specific for facilities. In order to upgrade facilities, we have to either save and spend money out of our Maintenance and Operating budget or have to pass a bond by community vote. Most recently, Linden-Kildare CISD has had three failed bonds in 2008, 2010, and 2016. Through those and since then, there have been many plans presented and all three campuses have been studied and discussed in detail. Because our enrollment has declined so much since the early 90’s, we even had much discussion on how we can potentially consolidate from three campuses into two. Because of several dynamics, including combining junior high students on the same campus with high school students, consolidation was going to require expensive construction and renovations to existing buildings. Without attempting yet another bond, we started analyzing how we could address the greatest needs in our district utilizing district generated funds.
Of all the district facilities, the original elementary building and gymnasium (built in 1951) were in the worst condition. These buildings have also have asbestos in the foundation which would require them to be abated prior to doing any remodeling or rebuilding. After much discussion and lots of plans, we decided to land on a project that we could afford and would benefit the most students. By starting with the elementary, it ensures our youngest students start their educational careers in L-K with something nice and new! In addition, should we consider consolidating in the future, the elementary would be one of the most logical campuses to keep. Our new plans consisted of waiting to work on the original part of the elementary school by “flipping” the campus and making what is now the “backside” of the campus into the front. This includes tearing down the old gym and building a new one with an administration complex attached to the new front of the campus. In addition, this would create a secure entrance where a person could not have any access to students without going through a secure office space.
The design of the project moves the entrance to the elementary school onto Center Hill road instead of Kaufman Street. It will create a new bus lane to drop off and pick up students directly at the gym off of School Lane. It also solves a daily problem of traffic for picking up and dropping off students by creating a four lane “que” that will hold several vehicles so there will not be traffic backed up to highway 59. It also gives our staff a covered area where they can stand protected from the weather to load and unload students at the front of the building. Once the new offices are built, we will be able to utilize the existing office space for classrooms so that we can move classes out of the original 1951 building.
Over the last several years, we have conservatively been spending and have been able to put some funds away each year to build up our fund balance. Over the past two years, we have been able to replace almost all of our HVAC units as well as replace a roof on one of the elementary buildings and update our high school weight room. In addition, we did an efficiency project with Schneider Electric to change all of our lighting out to LED as well as implement new building automation systems which guarantees the district a savings of over $70,000 per year. To pay for this current elementary project, we will take out a low interest loan for $2 million and the remaining will come out of our fund balance and some local funds that have been freed up by grant money. The total bid of the project came in at $3,329,122. Overall, we expect the final project to cost around $3.6 million.
Our current board members are: Board President, Tanya Bond, Vice President, Curtis Harrison, Secretary, Tammy Palmer, and board members Kay Stephens, Toby Fuller, Randy Fitts, and Lane Roberts. Our plans were designed by the BWA and Associates architect firm out of Dallas, Tx. Through competitive sealed proposals, our committee selected CDI Contractors out of Little Rock to manage the construction of the project. Trees and dirtwork started in late July and the abatement of the old gym was completed on August 20, 2021. The final project is projected to be completed in August of 2022.
While we still have a lot of work to do to update all of our facilities, we are grateful that our school board is serious about getting started on getting our kids something they deserve. We are excited about this opportunity to get started by upgrading our elementary campus to begin to match the level of excellence our people are already demonstrating. By building a new multi-purpose facility gym space, every elementary student will have access to the newest part of the district every day!
As I start my 10 th year as an administrator and my 5 th year as Superintendent in Linden-Kildare CISD, I am consistently saying how much I love working in this district. It’s easy for me to say that the best part of the district is the people in it, both adults and students. We have our share of challenges and facilities has definitely been one of them, but we are putting our best foot forward in this project and getting started moving in the right direction. Our kids are the best, and they deserve the best!
If you have any questions, or ideas, please make an appointment to meet with me. I would love the opportunity to sit down with community members as we embark on this exciting time.