YISD receives construction updates

The Yoakum ISD received additional updates on the construction of both the baseball and softball field as well as other projects at the July 8 board meeting.

Board members had to decide on a couple of factors that Weaver and Jacobs Constructors Inc. plan to implement.

One of those included which design should be placed on the new baseball field. The board had a choice between putting a Bulldog mascot in the center of the field or a blue “Y.” The board opted to go with the mascot. There will also be the words “Yoakum” and “Bulldogs” printed on the ground on both third and first base respectively.

Another decision the board made was on the location of the new softball field. There were two rotations of the field to choose from with one facing away from the baseball field or towards the baseball field. The board chose the one closest to the baseball field. It is also closer to the parking lot and is more economically friendly. A concession stand with restrooms will be built in between both fields.

“We will have quite a bit of utility work for both of these fields,” WJC Contractor Brant Jacobs said. “We have about $900,000 more budgeted for the softball field than the baseball field because of the extra utility work. The infrastructure will take a bit to get done.”

Other construction updates across all campuses were reported as well.

The district wide access control has now been wired for most of the campuses. In the next two to three weeks, there will be new security card readers installed for all campuses.

Bullet resistant panels for the security vestibules are slated to be installed by Aug. 1.

New asphalt for the Primary School playground has been scheduled for installation.

New high school walkway canopies have come in and will take about four weeks to be completed.

“We’ll be placing the canopies at the high school going from the double doors and out towards the Memorial Gym,” Jacobs said.

A new fabric shaded structure is also going to be added at the courtyard by the Band Hall at YHS.

“They are ready to go, but we’re going to try and pour concrete underneath it before we install it,” Jacobs said.

Handicapped accessibility concrete is currently being worked on.

“We are redoing the bus stop by the high school,” Jacobs said. “We also have ramps at the Auditorium as well as a ramp at the Memorial Gym.”

Abatement is complete for the junior high school remodel.

“Demolition and painting are complete for that school,” Jacobs said. “The lockers are also all done as well as the panels and they look really good. Flooring is also complete except for the base.”

Security fencing across all campuses is finished. The new limestone parking lot at the RISE Building is also complete.

The new Career and Technology Education Building, which cost nearly $10 million to construct, is in the beginning stages.

“All of that has been cut down and new dirt work has been put in,” Jacobs said. “We’re shooting to be done by Wednesday (today) and we will then start concrete work on the building.”

The district also approved students to be eligible to place out of Spanish Class.

“We’ve always been allowed to have credit by exams,” YISD Superintendent Tom Kelley said. “But, this is for Spanish. You must score a certain grade to get credit for this. We have the exams students can take. It’s a pass or fail course and gives those who are already fluent in Spanish to place out of high school Spanish class.”

Other items on the agenda include:

• The tax assessor collected $11.4 million in maintenance and operations and $5.8 million in interest and sinking.

• Safety updates were given. The district has reviewed its drills for the school year. There is also an additional cybersecurity training that has been mandated. YISD also aims to touch up on its Guardian Program for the 2024-25 school year.

• Advanced and honors classes are now eligible for UIL exemption. This is done every year.

• The board approved income eligibility guidelines for the National School Lunch Program.

• Some updates from the Texas Association of School Boards were reported. These include the completion of Region Three training by the board members, the completion of YISD’s Risk Management Emergency Plan, and making sure all instructional materials are up to date.

• YISD announced six retirees and six new hires. Those retiring are Intermediate teacher Abigail Gonzales, Junior High teacher Kristi Worthy, Junior High Band Director Lacy Orsak, primary teacher Candice Camarillo, intermediate principal Jody Thompson, and educational diagnostician for the DLSEC Tina Herrington. New hires were intermediate principal Jodie Palmer, fourth grade teacher Debbie Bordovsky, first grade teacher Tomika Barnes, second grade teacher Shelby Bordovsky, special education teacher Veronica Pohl, and occupational therapist for the DLSEC Sheila Etzler.