Nearly A Dozen Personnel Changes Approved At SSISD
Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees during their regular meeting this week approved 11 staff changes in readiness for the new school year, which begins on Aug. 20. The trustees also approved teacher appraisers and appraisal calendars.
One new teacher was hired, 1 aide resigned, one aide was reassigned and the rest were new support staff.
LaToya Hood’s resignation as a special education aide at high school was accepted. Hired as special education aides at high school were Yolanda Morales Hall, Teri Morton, Jordyn Pennington, Jonas Satterfield and Kami Satterfield.
Approved to join the middle school faculty as a sixth grade math teacher was Sarah Giles.
Karina Perez will be switching jobs, going from Title I aide to academic secretary at Travis Primary. Three others were approved to become academic secretaries at the other primary campuses. Ashley Crump will be the academic secretary at Barbara Bush Primary, DeKesha Nash at Bowie Primary and Lisa Barclay at Lamar Primary.
The SSISD trustees also approved as recommended by Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams. Teachers are to be appraised on performance annually, unless the teacher qualifies for three-year in-class appraisals. Their supervisor or an approved appraiser will evaluate the teacher’s performance according to the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System over a 45 minute or more lesson during the approved appraisal period.
All SSISD teachers employed by SSISD during the 2016-17 school year were required to attend an orientation during which they were guided through the self-assessment and goal setting process of T-TESS. Starting in the 2017-18 school year, new teachers must attend the orientation, held within the first three weeks of school, per policy. Most will receive this during the new teacher orientation, held prior to staff development conducted prior to the first class day.
The completed and appraiser approved goal setting and professional development plan must be submitted by the new teacher to the appraiser within the first six weeks of completing the T-TESS orientation.
Appraisals may be conducted Sept. 9-April 29, with the exception of Nov. 22, Jan. 8-10, Dec. 2, Dec. 20, March 6 and March 17 due to testing scheduling. End of year conferences must be concluded no later than April 30.
Approved teacher appraisers are listed below by campus.
- Administration: Rusty Harden, Susan Johnston, Kristin Monk and Josh Williams.
- Sulphur Springs High School: Vanessa Abron, Jenny Arledge, Steve Carter, Derek Driver, Amy Jumper and Jarret Wilson.
- Sulphur Springs Middle School: Rachel Draper, Jeremy Scroggins, Jena Williams.
- Sulphur Springs Elementary: Holly Folmar, Sandy Stidham and Sasha Posey.
- Barbara Bush Primary: Ashanta Alexander and Rhonda Orren.
- Bowie Primary: Amanda Fenton and Joanna Foster.
- Lamar Primary: Rowena Johnson and Chandra Crawford.
- Travis Primary: Michelle Wallace and Ana Ramirez.
- Douglass ECLC: Angela Edwards and Sherry Sinclair.
- Austin Academic Center: Julie Ashmore and Shawn Sinclair.
Suspect Who Fled From Cumby Police Has Reportedly Been Arrested Inside The Royse City Walmart
A vehicle pursuit initiated by Cumby police ended at a Royse City Walmart, which was evacuated to allow authorities to find the suspect. The suspect ran from his wrecked vehicle and attempted to hide inside the store.
The man was taken into custody in Rockwall County. He was expected to transported by Cumby police to Hopkins County jail, after being arraigned in Rockwall County.
The incident reportedly began when a Cumby police officer conducted a routine traffic stop on Interstate 30 near the Hunt County line. An altercation occurred and the suspect fled in his vehicle, according to reports.
Royse City Police Thursday afternoon reported the Cumby police officer was physically assaulted. Local officials say they received no reports of any serious injuries resulting from the pursuit.
Officers reportedly pursued the fleeing vehicle along Interstate 30 west to Royse City, where the vehicle wrecked in the area of I-30 and Erby Campbell Boulevard. The suspect allegedly fled on foot into Walmart. The Cumby officer indicated that the suspect was armed with a pistol, Royse City Police reported.
Rockwall County sheriff deputies, Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers and Royse City police set up a perimeter. Walmart employees and citizens were evacuated from the store. With assistance of a police canine officials searched the store and found the suspect hiding inside. He was taken into custody.
The man is expected to be charged with evading arrest. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, according to local officials.
‘Walk the Line’ Singer Shanna Carter Brings Musical Ties to Stage
Shanna Carter told KSST listeners, “If not for the Reilly Springs Jamboree, I wouldn’t be here!” and by that, she meant her parents met as teens performing on that stage. Her mother Mary Rose was in the Asbill Trio with her siblings, and Shanna’s dad Don Carter performed with his brother Charles as the Carter Brothers. All three later became successful in music-related careers, and as Shanna recalled, “my brother Terry and I grew up singing! My dad wrote a lot of songs, and we practiced singing demos for him. I remember doing ‘How Can I Write on Paper What I Feel in My Heart’, written by my dad and which became a hit for RCA recorded by Jim Reeves”.
Shanna formed her band ‘Walk the Line’ after meeting the members individually at area Cowboy churches where they performed. “We all liked the same brand of gospel music, country gospel! It’s uplifting music with an appealing beat and positive lyrics, so that’s what we perform. I also sing traditional country music. We love country, but we don’t do bars!”. Shanna plays keyboard and provides vocals. Ron Vice adds guitar, steel guitar and vocals. Drummer is Pat Mack and the new lead guitarist is Darrell McClung. ‘Walk the Line’ performs at churches and special events in Hunt, Rains and Rockwall counties and sometimes in the Dallas area. On September 7, 2019, Shanna will be a vocalist during a Wounded Warriors fundraising concert in the Greenville area. She also has a music publishing company of her own called “Iron Gable Music” and she is a songwriter.
Music is definitely in her genes because as she remembers, her grandmother played in an all-girl band in the 1930’s. “That was controversial at the time! And later my grandmother and grandfather played back-up for their kids, The Asbill Trio. They performed gospel music, too, with a little country mixed in”. Catch Shanna and Walk the Line on Saturday August 17, 2019 at 6pm during the Reilly Springs Jamboree in Hopkins County, 109 CR 1439.
PJC Fall Registration Underway
Jonathan Cedillo of Sulphur Springs receives assistance from PJC-Sulphur Springs Center Assistant Director Iris Gutierrez, right, and Secretary Joselyne Sanchez Ambriz as he begins registration for classes at the Center. Early registration for the fall semester is underway. The fall semester begins August 26.
1 Man Jailed For Violating Probation, 2 For Bond Forfeiture Wednesday
Three men were taken into custody Wednesday morning, Aug. 14, by local officers on unrelated felony warrants, according to sheriff’s reports.
Justin Dean Cowart, 32, of Yantis was taken into custody at 10:30 a.m. at the adult probation office by Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Steve Shing on warrant for violation of probation, which he was on the second-degree felony offense of online solicitation of a minor, according to arrest and sheriff’s reports.
Cowart was arrested Jan. 28, 2018, and indicted June 26, 2018, on that charge as well as for attempted trafficking of a child. Hopkins County sheriffs investigators, following Cowart’s arrest, said they received a call alleging Cowart had contacted a 9-year-old child’s father and offered money for oral exchanges and another sexual act to the child, as well as acts on the father too. Cowart allegedly requested the father to meet him in a public location in Sulphur Springs in order to carry out aggravated sexual assault of the child. Investigators alleged an undercover officer met Cowart and took him into custody at that location.
Cowart remained in the county jail on the charges Thursday morning, according to jail reports.
Makeze Adrian “Zeke” Carruth, 21, of Little Rock, Arkansas was taken into custody at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 14 at Hopkins County Courthouse by officer Melvin Jackson for bond forfeiture on a possession of 5 pounds or more but less than 50 pounds of marijuana charge, according to arrest reports.
He was arrested on the marijuana charge on Sept. 12, 2018. Sulphur Springs police found it in a large box with several vaccum-sealed bags during a routine traffic stop on East Industrial Drive at East Loop 301. The officer, in reports following Carruth’s arrest in 2018 alleged they were tipped off by the strong marijuana odor when talking with the occupants. Carruth allegedly claimed the substance and was jailed on the charge, according to police reports.
Carruth remained in Hopkins County jail Thursday morning. His new bond was set at $20,000 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Scotty Ray Price turned himself in at Hopkins County Law Enforcement Center at 3:10 a.m. Aug. 14 and was escorted by HCSO Sgt. Scott Davis into the county jail, where he was held for bond forfeiture on a family violence assault that impeded breathing charge.
Price was arrested on the felony assault charge on May 26, 2019. Police, in reported following his arrest in May, alleged he punched his girlfriend in the face and body numerous times, and placed her in a choke hold, which impeded her breathing and resulted in numerous injuries. Price admitted to police that he put the woman in a chokehold, police alleged in the May arrest report. Price was indicted on the charge in June, according to court reports.
He remained in the county jail Thursday morning. His new bond on the charge was set at $30,000, according to jail reports.
Sheriff’s Officers Arrest Campbell Man In Cumby On Controlled Substance Charge
August 2019 – A suspicious person complaint resulted in discovery of methamphetamine and a 30-year-old Campbell man’s arrest Wednesday morning.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Brantley and Investigator Wade Sheets responded at 9:37 a.m. Aug. 14 to a report of a suspicious person on FM 275 north. Deputies located and contacted 30-year-old Kenneth Wayne Busby of Campbell. A records check reportedly showed Busby to be wanted for outstanding expired driver’s license, driving while license invalid and speeding charges. The original offenses were alleged in jail reports to have occurred on June 16, 2017. He was placed under arrest at 9:42 a.m. on the charges, according to arrest reports.
A pat down by sheriff’s officer revealed a white, folded up piece of paper with a white crystal-like substance in it in Busby’s pocket. The substance reportedly field-tested positive for methamphetamine, resulting in an additional charge for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
He remained in the county jail Thursday morning, Aug. 15, on all four charges, according to jail reports.
Chamber Connection for August 15, 2019
By Lezley Brown, president/CEO, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
I’ve been waiting for this day for quite some time! It’s the day I get to tell you that we are officially moving into our new building at 110 Main Street in Sulphur Springs. We are excited to be in the middle of everything on Celebration Plaza. Come see us!
Cook letters and entry forms have been mailed out for the 50th anniversary of the Stew Contest! Your letter, if you cooked last year, should arrive in the mail. If it doesn’t, all forms are on our website at www.hopkinschamber.org, and we have them at the Chamber. So, all of you cooks who have gone into retirement, I have a spot for you! I’d love for you to cook one more time in this 50th anniversary!
Every year, the Chamber allows a non-profit organization to sell drinks at the Stew Cook-off. There are several rules and regulations to follow, but if you are interested in placing your organization’s name in the hat, please call the Chamber. You will be asked to come in and sign an understanding agreement in regard to rules and expectations. Deadline for volunteers is Aug. 30. Once we have all our volunteers in place, we will literally pick one out of a hat and award drink sales to that organization. Please call if you have any questions.
The Chamber is excited to announce our vendor call for the Stew Fest Market! The Chamber is currently accepting vendors for the Stew Fest Market, which will be located on the south side of Buford Park during Friday night and Saturday Stew Contest activities. This is a great opportunity to sell goods or to promote your business to 7,000 people who attend the Stew Contest annually. Vendors may rent booth space to sell goods or distribute information about their business. Booths will be assigned on a first-paid basis. Access to electricity is not guaranteed. Generators are permitted. Desserts may be sold, but no other food or drinks may be distributed. Vendors who are interested in purchasing booth space, call the Chamber of Commerce at (903) 885-6515.
We are halfway through the 4th Annual Chamber of Commerce Photography Contest! Let me review the basics. Anyone of any age can enter as we have a children’s category. The picture must be newer than January 1, 2017, and must have been taken in Hopkins County. The contest will be open from Aug. 1st to Aug. 31. There are seven categories you may enter: Natural World, Travel, People, The Hopkins County Experience, Altered Images, Mobile, and Children’s Category. Only digital images are accepted (no prints). To submit your photograph, email the picture to [email protected]. Rules and releases will be available on the Chamber of Commerce website. I cannot wait to see your beautiful photos!
Healing Hands Massage and Spa hosted their ribbon cutting
To celebrate the opening of their new location, Healing Hands Massage and Spa hosted a ribbon cutting celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at noon. Their new location is 1402 Mockingbird Lane, Suite 6 in Sulphur Springs.
Cumby ISD Trustees Expected To Call For Bond Election At Aug. 15 Meeting
Cumby Independent School District Board of Trustees are expected to meet for three different sessions on Thursday. During on, the school board is expected to call for a bond election to fund facilities improvements.
Trustees, during a community meeting at the school, explained that the district had ordered a facilities inventory and evaluation in 2017, which identified several areas for improvement. A facilities committee of 10 was formed to determine how best to meet district needs and what would be required to fund them. Wants and needs were assessed, with creation of a 20-35 year district facilities plan as the goal.
After considering many different plans proposed, trustees and school administrators feel they have one for the first phase of improvement. To fund the improvements, however, would necessitate calling for a November bond election, which, if funded entirely, would cost an estimated $6,205,920.
The plan, Option 4, would allow the elementary campus to be more secure. That would include an 11,200-square foot elementary addition with eight classrooms at the end of the existing elementary building, drainage improvements and cafeteria expansion behind the elementary. A new playground would be enclosed behind the expanded cafeteria.
“Safety and security are our number one focus, and then we’ll see what there is left for other things,” Cumby ISD Superintendent Shelly Slaughter told the gathering of about 3 dozen community, staff and administrators present at the community meeting.
Additional parking and drives, sidewalks and canopies would be included in the costs as would secure entry points.
The overall improvements planned the elementary are estimated to be $4.01 million.
A new metal shop for vocational technology and career and technology classes would accommodate changes in education to provide more students with opportunities for more industry certifications and as many college and career credits as possible. That is estimated at $480,000
Portable buildings, which are designed to last up to 10 years but have been on the campus since 2001, would be demolished and needed abatement performed at a cost of $150,000. To maintain the buildings would be a significant cost, as repairs are needed for stability, security and functionality, presenters noted.
This too will provide added safety as it means the students aren’t required to be in the open walking to and from classes. Currently, if a fire or tornado drill is held, the only way they know is through intercom or someone physically coming to the campus to notify them. In the event of a tornado, the students have to exit the portable buildings to walk to the safety of the main building. In the event of a real tornado, that would be a serious threat to the children’s safety as they’d be out in the elements, school and planning officials noted at the Aug. 8 community meeting.
Because these improvements would be on the current football field, the field would need to be relocated; it’d be moved west of the current school facilities. It would have a dirt track around it, which would keep students on the school grounds as opposed to running along the roadside in town, which some citizens had expressed concern about. The estimate to relocate the stadium is estimated at $900,000. A paved track is not included at this time due to the significant cost.
One community member asked why, with property values on tax roles going up, wasn’t more funding available to help with some of the projects without having to seek a bond. School officials explained that with changes in House Bill 3 going into effect this year, the amount the district receives from school taxes would actually go down.
The board was also asked if they’d considered moving the elementary students to the new high school building, then building an all new high school or junior high. Official explained that it would take more money than the proposed bond to convert the high school for elementary students and build a new high school. Moving elementary to high school would also still leave the students without a closed, secured play area outside, and would still require them to walk across campus to the cafeteria. Both are security and safety issues the proposed plan address.
The school board is slated to hold a work session at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, in the Meeting Room of the Administration Building. They also may talk during executive session about facilities, student discipline and personnel, before adjourning.
At 7 p.m. Aug. 15, Cumby ISD Board of Trustees will hold a special public meeting in the Board Room/high school library to discuss the proposed budget and tax rate before adjourning.
Then, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, the CISD trustees will hold their regular meeting. The agenda includes a time for awards and recognition if any are notable, administrative reports from the various department heads and Texas Association of School Boards Update 113. An executive session is noted for facilities, student discipline and personnel matters. To be presented for board approval are the 2019-20 budget and tax rate, and an order calling for a bond election, discussion on master facilities planning, a board policy regarding addressing board on agenda items, Lone Star Governance updates and board training hours review.
