Yoakum ISD

YISD presents certificates, receives construction updates

By Clayton Kelley

  • Yoakum High School Student Council Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC) Top Project Bulldog Beautification. TASC has almost 1,200 member schools. Yoakum’s Student Council is one of only 10 high school student councils statewide to receive the highly-esteemed honor.
    Yoakum High School Student Council Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC) Top Project Bulldog Beautification. TASC has almost 1,200 member schools. Yoakum’s Student Council is one of only 10 high school student councils statewide to receive the highly-esteemed honor.
  • Yoakum High School FFA 2024 State FFA Contest participants.
    Yoakum High School FFA 2024 State FFA Contest participants.
  • Yoakum High School Bulldog Band 2024 State Solo and Ensemble Contest participants.
    Yoakum High School Bulldog Band 2024 State Solo and Ensemble Contest participants.

    The Yoakum Independent School District received an update from Weaver and Jacobs Constructors Inc. at the June 10 meeting.

    One of the main things that have already started includes construction related to access control and safety.

    We installed all of the power supplies for card readers, door positions, and switches,” W&JC Project Manager Shawn Brandt said. “We should have the access control complete by mid-July.”

    Security vestibules will be implemented at the High School, Junior High School, Intermediate School, and Primary Annex.

    “We also have bullet resistant materials that are scheduled for delivery as well,” Brandt said. “Fencing is also already done at the Primary School and the Primary Annex. The fencing at the Intermediate School should be done soon as well.”

    Remodeling of the YJHS Campus has also already been started.

    “We started asbestos abatement last week and we now have about half of the building abated and demolished,” Brandt said. “We removed all the floors and all the existing lockers, and we started painting the wall as well. We should have the Junior High remodel completed by end of July.”

    Constructors have already knocked out includes the parking lot at the RISE building at the Intermediate Campus.

    “We scrapped off the grass and dug down six inches and put in limestone base,” Brandt said. “That same crew also moved over to the Primary Campus and scrapped off all the current asphalt at the play area so they can add in additional elevated asphalt.”

    ” A new fabric shaded structure has also been added at the courtyard by the Band Hall at YHS. Numbers were also shared on some of the other major construction projects that are happening within the school district’s bond money. The big one is the new Career and Technology Education building which had a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of nearly $10 million to construct. This includes the maintenance aspects of the building and the parking lot. The new YISD Softball Complex had a GMP of $3.7 million and the new YISD Baseball Complex GMP was at $2.9 million. The Softball Complex is a little higher because there is extra utility work that needs to be done in that area.

    The preliminary STAAR test scores were also reported at the meeting. The results showed a lot more positive scores than negative, according to Superintendent Tom Kelley. Some areas of improvement, however, can be done in fifth grade Science and seventh grade Math. These scores are just preliminary and not official just yet.

    “We’re overall very proud of our teachers and students,” Kelley said.

    Other items on the agenda included:

    • YISD Board members heard a presentation from a representative of Apex Clean Energy. This group’s goal is to bring wind turbines to Lavaca and DeWitt County. They believe it will help the growing electricity demand in Texas with clean, homegrown energy. They aim to build about 40-50 wind turbines in the Southwest portion of Shiner and they believe it will create nearly 300 jobs for this construction project. The reason they presented in front of the YISD board is because the school district owns a piece of land that is an area of interest for their project. They invited all those interested in learning more to visit their Q&A virtual conference this evening (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. at www.moonshotwind.com.

    • Enrollment numbers are holding steady at 1,458 students. This time last year, it was at 1,482 students.

    • The district approved 35 new transfer students.

    • YISD approved contracted services for Region III.

    • The report of the tax assessor collector showed that the district collected $11.4 million in maintenance and operating and $5.8 million in interest and sinking.

    • Donnetta Sherrer took the oath of office.

    • There were 15 new hires that board members approved. New hires were High School coach Jake Waksmuth and High School teacher coach Stan Mark, High School English teacher Emily Meischen, Pre-K teachers Holly Henrichs and Leslie Thomas, Primary Annex PE teacher Kacie Rother, 2nd grade teacher Helena Kobyarz, Intermediate Math part time teacher Vicki Toth, 3rd grade Math teacher Yami Deauzat, Intermediate Counselor Alecia Eggemeyer, Junior High PE Coach Trenton Brooks, 7th grade Math teachers Dana Parr and Stephanie Tobola, 6th grade Reading teacher Ashyton Henkes, and 6th grade Math teacher and Coach Silas Robinson.