Thursday's Internet Edition, September 09, 2010.
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| Graduation speaker John Clough presented Crystal Gonzales with the Dr. Wayne Hurt Memorial Scholarship last Thursday morning. |
- A city-wide power outage did not deter 35 graduates of Van Horn High School from walking the stage at Karen Young Memorial Auditorium last Friday evening.
School district officials opted to continue with the graduation ceremony after an auxiliary electrical generator was brought in to run power to the auditorium. The generator, however, would not handle the air conditioning system making the auditorium a “little stuffy” be the time the ceremony was over.
Graduation speaker was John Clough, a 1958 graduate of Van Horn High School and a very successful engineer. Clough challenged the graduates to “Be all that you want to be and do all that you want to do by making the right choices in life. Choices that include not thinking of yourself but of others.”
Among the seniors of this years graduating class, many were on the receiving end of numerous scholarships donated by various clubs and individuals. The scholarships amounted to over $16,000.
Those receiving scholarships were:
* Chuy Uranga Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $500 to each recipient: Eric Enriquez and Jeanette Hinojos were the recipients.
* Rotary Club Scholarship in the amount of $750 to each recipient: Malachi Marin and Brandon Onate were the recipients.
* Duel Credit Scholarship in the amount of $250 went to Brianna Doricott.
* Dr. Wayne Hurt Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 went to Crystal Gonzales.
* Lion’s Club Scholarship in the amount of $500 went to Alexis Navarrette.
* Twentieth Century Club Scholarships in the amount of $650 went to class salutatorian JoVanna Hinojos. They also gave two $550 scholarships to Brianna Doricott and Alexis Navarrette.
* Women’s Service League Scholarship in the amount of $500 to each recipient went to Noreen Friel, JoVanna Hinojos and Alexis Navarrette.
* Quiinto Sol Scholarships in the amount of $500 each went to Eric Enriquez, Jeanette Hinojos, JoVanna Hinojos and Lelani Vejil.
* Nelson Puett Scholarship in the amount of $1,500 per semester went to Marcial Gonzalez.
* 4-H Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 ($500 from the Livestock Association and $500 from the Adult Leaders) went to Jeanette Hinojos.
* Dr. Bill Lipsey Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 went to Crystal Gonzales.
* Mr. Ruben Evaro Memorial Scholarship went to Brandon Onate.
* V & E Scholarship, in the form of a laptop computer, went to Alexis Navarrette.
Trustees get goods news....TAKS scores are great!
Trustees of Culberson County-Allamoore Independent School District got the news they had been hoping for during their meeting Monday evening. The district’s TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) test scores are great!
Dr. Carter, the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) monitor assigned to the district was on hand to report the scores. Dr. Carter told trustees that these preliminary scores had been examined by the local district officials, Region 18 officials and himself, representing TEA.
Dr. Carter further reported that in making the analysis of the scores, “We compared this year’s scores to next year’s standards and there are only two out of 27 testing areas that do not meet or exceed the standard.”
Dr. Carter further commented, “There are district’s all across the state that would give anything for scores like this. This is a good report for CCAISD.”
Dr. Carter stated that when the final numbers come in late July and early August, they may change slightly but these are good statistics.
Dr. Carter did mention that the only two areas, out of the 27 areas tested, which did not meet the standards were 4th grade reading and 10th grade math.
Trustees president Lisa Cottrell asked Dr. Mancha to be sure and express the boards appreciation to the staff for all their hard work throughout the year that resulted in these scores.
Trustees next approved a report from TEA which addressed some accounting areas caused by last year’s late filing of the district’s audit report. In approving the report, trustees noted that all the problem areas have already been addressed by the business office and business manager.
After approving the Texas Association of School Board’s Policy Update #85, trustees turned their attention to awarding bids which had been received for supplying goods or services to the district next school year.
Bids for fuel were received from Van Horn Oil and from C & L Gas Kard. After reviewing the bids, trustees awarded the bid for diesel and unleaded fuel for next school year to C & L Gas Kard.
The district also received two bids to be the district’s depository for the next two years. One was from Western Bank, of Van Horn, and the other was from Wells Fargo Bank in El Paso.
After opening the bids, trustees opted to take no action on the proposals until they had more time to review and analyze the bids. A decision will be made at a board meeting currently scheduled for noon next Tuesday, June 16th.
Following a behind closed doors executive session to discuss adjustments to the superintendents salary and compensation package, trustees reconvened and approved an amendment to the employment contract for the superintendent as recommended by the district’s auditors.
The amendment basically extends Superintendent Mancha’s contract until March 9, 2012. It also provides a salary increase in the amount of 3% plus $1,000 adjustment in lieu of health benefits making his salary $91,228.
The amendment also deleted a clause in the original contract whereby the district would pay 100% of his deductible and he must pay foro any health insurance premiums for his family and dependents. And, he will repay the district the sum of $6,555 for payments already made by the district.
And, the amendment increased his cell phone allotment from $75 a month to $150 a month.
Eagle Elementary will hold Pre-K Roundup today
The staff at Eagle Elementary School will hold a Pre-K Roundup today at the school
The Roundup will run from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Students who will be enrolling in Pre-K for next school year will need to come to Eagle Elementary today
Items that will be needed in order to register your Pre-K student include the following:
Social Security Number, Birth Certificate, Parent’s Birth Date, and a copy of a bill paid to the Town of Van Horn to prove residence.
If you have any questions, please call the Eagle Elementary campus today.