Wednesday's Internet Edition, September 08, 2010.
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| Rotary District Governor visits.... Rotary District 5520 Governor Tom Lindsay (left) receives a gift from Van Horn Rotary Club President LaDelle Bates during his visit to the club Tuesday at noon. At right is Tom’s wife Linda. |
- Trustees of Culberson County-Allamoore Independent School District met last Thursday evening and learned from Charles Carter what is being done to get the high school on track again.
Carter, who is assigned by the Texas Education Agency (Agency) to work with this school district to develop a plan of attack to get the high school back to “academically acceptable” status with the Agency and the feds.
At the meeting, it was learned that the high school failed to meet Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) on the federal level as well as being “academically unacceptable” at the state level.
What this means, according to Carter, is “We have to really work doubly hard at bringing math and science scores up. Particularly math since it is the math area that the feds got us.”
Carter told trustees that he has met with Superintendent Mancha, and Principal Barrandey to map out a strategy for success. Carter went on to say, “It is a similar strategy which we used with the Junior High last year.”
Carter told trustees that the district is already hard at it and periodically, “We’ll bring you updates on our progress.”
And, at the meeting, trustees learned that the district had failed the FIRST (Financial indicators report) Report for the school year 2006-2007.
However, that is not as bad as it sounds because what made the district fail was simply not getting it’s annual audit report submitted in a timely manner. And that was due to the audit firm going through some changes in ownership and the audit simply didn’t get prepared in time. Take away that mark and the districts FIRST score would have been superior.
With regard to other agenda items considered by the board, the following actions were taken:
* Trustees approved the hiring of Rachel Mancha, wife of Superintendent Mancha, as a substitute science teacher and consultant to help Mr. Carter with his plan to get the high school back on track.
* Heard Janet Sparks and Gracie Fuentes provide a Reading First report detailing progress being made in that area.
* Heard Junior High Counselor Sondra McCoy provide a report on the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS).
* Voted unanimously to go out for bids on technology items under the ERATE Cycle 12 bidding process. This material will upgrade the districts internal technology wiring, etc.
* Trustees approved going with the Texas Association of School Boards Risk Management contract for this year. The estimated cost to the district is $6,015.
* Trustees approved a Culberson County Appraisal District recommendation to sell a piece of property which had been unsold at the last tax sale. This to get the property back on the tax rolls.
* Trustees approved the deeding of a portion of Clark Field land to the city for the purpose of extending 9th Street all the way to the east boundary of the county cemetery. This action was taken so that the road can be paved once the county gets it’s TxDOT Border Colonias grant funds.
* After some discussion regarding the format trustees are looking for as regards financial reporting, trustees did approve of board operating procedures.
* And, following a behind closed doors executive session, trustees reconvened and announced that no action would be taken with regard to closed session discussions.
Column One
By Dawn Simpson
FALL BACK! Yea!! This is that weekend when we get that hour back that we lost in the Spring. So don’t forget to set your clocks BACK when you go to bed Saturday. If you don’t, it may be the only time in your life that you’ll be early for church! I’ve noticed that some cell phones and computers changed this past weekend. I guess they didn’t know that the rule changed last year from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November.
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Van Horn lost a fine man on Friday night. Rolan fought hard in his battle with cancer but in the end it took his life at age 46. I remember watching him at the livestock shows each year and realizing how much he gave to those kids. He gave so much of himself to his family and his employer as well. Yes, it’s hard to understand why we have to loose men of Rolan’s caliber.
The kind of father he was became very clear as his young son took such a big role in his services held on Monday. Tyler, you are such a strong little man and you have a whole community’s thoughts and prayers with you and your brother and your Mom.
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It’s finally almost voting time and I for one am ready to get this election behind us, though I fear for our country in the future. I think of the wonderful quote by a young JFK.....”Think not what your country can do for you - think what you can do for your country.” I’m afraid that idea has been totally reversed by one of our presidential candidates to the idea of ‘think not what you can do for your country, but what your country can do for you’. Folks we are headed down a very slippery slope if Obama, with his socialistic ideas becomes our country’s leader. Please don’t just listen to his smooth rhetoric. Look at his record, consider his background, look at some of his acquaintances who have influenced him, and consider his idea about ‘judicial activism’.
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Looking Back Through the Pages of The Advocate...........
50 YEARS AGO - October 1958
Burt McCasland, a local teacher was featured in Seventeen Magazine modeling Western clothes.
54 planes, participating in the All-Texas Air Tour landed here.
The cotton harvest is just getting started but already over 3,000 bales have been baled, with both gins being about 1/3 finished.
It was reported that Culberson County is fast becoming one of the area’s most active oil regions. Some 29 rigs are currently working in the northeast county. Exploratory tests have found prolific oil sands in northern part of the county.
The Van Horn Jr. High football team, coached by Bunkie Rutledge were champions of the Big Bind Conference, going undefeated in six straight games.
40 YEARS AGO - October 1968
Homecoming queen candidates were Janelle Morriss, Trava Sparks, Martha Barrera and Elvira Ibanez.
The newly remodeled United Department Store held it’s Grand Re-Opening.
Donald Eudt has been commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force following Officer Training School at Lackland AFB.
29-year-old Billy Kemp was killed in a mining accident near Carlsbad, NM.
30 YEARS AGO - October 1978
The hospital celebrated its 8th year of operation. Member on the board of directors when it opened were D.C. Thrift, A.A. Brune, Banky Stocks, Olen Lane, Shearrel Vincent and N.W. Mitchell.
The bid opening date was set by the school board for the construction of a new administration building. District enrollment stood at 1004.
Garla Morriss was appointed to fill a vacancy on the City Council and sworn in by Mayor Harold McGill.
20 YEARS AGO - October 1988
The final phase of the Water Diversion Project is underway.
Hospital Administrator Ed Norris reported stats were improving at the hospital. Board members accepted the resignation of DON Becky Patterson and her assistant Barbara Mitchell, as well as Pharmacist Shearrel Vincent.
City Council approved the submission of a grant application for $142,000 to perform needed water and sewer system improvements.
A principal bond holder of TWMG has challenged the plan of directors of the board to acquire funds to retire the company’s indebtedness by the year 2010.
10 YEARS AGO - October 1998
Vicky Vidana Gonzales, a 1983 graduate of VHHS and 1987 graduate of Sul Ross, has been inducted into the Hall of Honor at Sul Ross.
Commissioners of the TNRCC axed the application to license the proposed Low-Level Radio-Active Waste Disposal Site near Sierra Blanca.
City Council put their stamp of approval on a new park to be across from City Hall and CCVB. They also voted to accept permanent control of the City/County Park and a 1-year control and operation of Veteran’s Park.
Jaime Solis was crowned Homecoming Queen.
Hospital Administrator Scott Hensley told his board of directors - “Financially we’re in good shape.”
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Food for Thought......... “We must restore the twin notions that being judgmental is not the same as being narrow-minded and that expressing moral outrage is not a form of “hate speech.” What a different world we would have if choosing right and rejecting wrong were not considered fanatical!”
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
October 30th - The Van Horn Junior High football team and the Van Horn Eagle JV will play the McCamey Badgers here today beginning at 5 p.m. The Junior High Volleyball team will play Alpine tonight in Alpine beginning at 5 p.m. The Girl Scouts will hold an organizational meeting today at 5:30 p.m. at the Convention Center.
October 31st - The Van Horn Eagles will play the McCamey Badgers tonight in McCamey. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m.
November 1st - Nothing scheduled at press time.
November 2nd - Daylight Savings Time ends today at 2 a.m. (remember to set your clocks back one hour when you go to bed Saturday night.) Attend the church of your choice.
November 3rd -
November 4th - General Election Day. Remember to vote! Members of the Van Horn Rotary Club are slated to meet today at noon at Chuy’s Restaurant. The Van Horn City Council is scheduled to meet this evening at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
November 5th - Nothing scheduled at press time.