Wildcats and Lady Cats Cross Country Chugging Along Through Week 4 of Edge
Coach Ross Hicks and his cross country squad have nearly completed week four of their six week run of the Edge.
Last Thursday, June 25, marked the end of week three of the Edge, which officially meant Coach Hicks and his team were halfway done with their summer strength and conditioning program.
According to Coach Hicks, the Edge for cross country has typically averaged 35 to 40 students between the seventh through the twelfth grades, saying he’s had solid numbers throughout.
The cross country coach said he believes the Edge has been going well for his student-athletes.
Coach Hicks said he has gotten a lot of commitment and buy-in from his athletes, in that the cross country coach has weekly mileage goals, and he said his kids are really getting in to improving and working to make sure they hit their goals.
“We’ve had a lot of good buy-in, even when kids can’t make it,” Coach Hicks said. “They’ve been sending me their runs, either through Strava (a tracking app for athletes wishing to log their exercise) or texting… just saying hey I got my run in today, make sure that this gets on our log,” the cross country coach said.
Coach Hicks expects his student-athletes to go on vacation, work jobs, go to church camp and participate in other activities during the summer, but he has been thankful that in spite of this his athletes have stayed committed to not only improving themselves but those around them as well.
“So far, it’s been a really good summer,” the cross country coach said, and believes his team has “made a lot of good progress.”
One of the many sports to feel the effect of COVID-19, Coach Hicks said it has been huge for his program to not only have so many kids buy-in to what the cross country staff is selling but also to have restrictions due to the coronavirus lifted that were placed on high school sports.
“It’s huge,” Coach Hicks said about the aforementioned topic, saying that last year due to those same restrictions they were not allowed to do some of the more fun things that the cross country staff usually plans for their squad.
One of those things would be bringing a watermelon and/or popsicles for students after running 4-5 miles, but COVID-19 caused the cross country program to take necessary precautions such as not bringing food and staying socially distanced that in turn did not allow for as much bonding time as years past.
“It’s huge to have that team culture, and to just have fun with each other,” Coach Hicks said. “So far, I think the kids have done a good job of doing that,” the cross country coach said.
The Edge is broken down day-by-day; on Monday are progressive runs, where XC runners gradually get faster, almost every Tuesday of the summer strength and conditioning program Sulphur Springs will do a tempo run, Wednesdays are always recovery runs, allowing the body to heal, and the cross country program wraps up its weeks on Thursday by getting another run in.
Coach Hicks said he also expects kids to get another run in over the students’ three-day weekend.
The cross country coach said the schedule will change a bit as the team gets in to the next phase of workouts. Coach Hicks said that the program is currently in their first cycle of training.
After the Edge ends on July 15, the program will have a week off before having a mini summer camp where they will bring speakers, cook hamburgers, and commence their season with a bit of fun. After that, the first race for Sulphur Springs XC will occur in mid-August.
For now, Coach Ross Hicks and his team will focus on continuous improvement and keeping up the good work before the Edge ends two weeks from tomorrow.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
30+ Attend 14th Annual Ken And Suzi Chapman Scholarship Weekend
By Jan Vaughn, Tira News Correspondent
Ken and Suzi Chapman’s Scholarship Program recipients gathered in Tira this past weekend for their 14th Annual Scholarship Weekend. Thirty-plus young adults participated in the activities, which included card games, outdoor games, fishing and swimming. Ken reported, “Additionally, lots of pizza, chips, cookies and sandwiches were consumed, and Saturday evening the Scholars were joined by their ‘significant others’ for a catered Taco Bar meal at the Tira Community Center, courtesy of Lisa Sprague, [Family and Consumer Sciences] teacher at North Hopkins High School.” Local assistance was provided by Liz Steinsiek and Janie Lewis. Participants were given the option on Sunday morning to attend the church of their choice. Ken shared that five of them attended the Tira Methodist Church with them.
Joyce Dodd reported that someone left two cases of vegetables under the Tira Pantry recently. Also, I received a generous anonymous donation for the food pantry. We want to express our appreciation to all who contribute to the cause.
Don’t forget about the Tira Homecoming this Sunday, July 4. The program and business meeting will begin at 11 a.m. in the Tira Methodist Church, followed by a pot-luck lunch at the picnic tables.
Chip and I went to Malvern, Arkansas, on Friday to visit our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, Tiffany, Perry, and Jaidyn. Perry and Chip worked on their new room addition and Tiffany helped. Our grandson, Morgan Joslin, arrived in time for lunch that day. He was on his way to Iowa for a seasonal job, doing groundwork for a crop-dusting business, in hopes of getting a flying job in the future. He spent the night and left for his destination on Saturday. Jaidyn and I swam in the motel pool on Friday afternoon. Then, on Saturday, Tiffany, Jaidyn, and I went out for lunch and shopping. Chip and I returned to Tira that evening. Chip’s sister, Linda Ellen Vaughn, stayed with Grace while we were gone. She went back to Dallas on Sunday morning.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
Groundbreaking For New EMS Station-HCHD Headquarters Planned July 1
A groundbreaking ceremony planned at 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning, July 1, will signal the start of construction of a new EMS station and Hopkins County Hospital District headquarters.
Planning for the new station has been in the planning stages for about a year and a half. The structure will be built at 114 Airport Road on property located across the street from CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs that is owned by the hospital district. Three dilapidated houses were torn down on Airport Road to allow for construction.
The area by the current EMS station has also been pitched as a possible site for the new building. However, that property is in an area that frequently floods and would require a lot of dirt work to elevate it to prevent flooding and water retention. That property also has a large gas pipeline spanning across the front of the property, which would require paving over in order to build the station. The site for the new station has a higher elevation. It also already has access for utilities, the HCHD officials pointed out during the June 2020 board meeting.
Scott + Reed General Construction was approved by HCHD Board earlier this spring for the project, with design by REES Architecture.
The hospital district board over the past 6 months to a year have discussed whether to take out a loan to fund the new building. In December 2020, a Letter of Intent for the District to sell its remaining interest in CHRISTUS Hopkins Health Alliance joint venture to CHRISTUS Health received unanimous approval. Final negotiations continued through the spring.
CHRISTUS Health, in the letter of intent, offers to pay $27 million for the Hospital District’s 49 percent interest in CHHA. The finalization was expected to provide enough funding pay off HCHD’s remaining debts and fund the new station/HQ building. The Hospital District Board had projected the closing of the deal in either late April or early May.
“The Hospital District plans on paying for the building with current revenues and not doing a loan at this time,” Hopkins County Hospital District COO/EMS Director Brent Smith stated Tuesday afternoon.
HCHD, in the agreement, keeps all of the property on which and inside which CHRISTUS is operating, and was to reduce the overall lease payment from $3 million to $1 million.
The Hopkins County Hospital District will continue to provide indigent care financial support to the hospital, paying up to $2 million annually to the hospital for 5 years, $2.5 million from years 6-10, and rising to $3 million thereafter.
HCHD will also continue to own and operate the District’s EMS service. The agreement stipulates that Hopkins County EMS will continue serve as exclusive provider of EMS services to Hopkins, Rains, Franklin and Delta counties, during the lease term as long as those counties agree, including serving as the primary local EMS provider for CHRISTUS.
The new station planned replaces one consisting of a couple of combined trailers that have outlived their expected life expectancy, and have been experiencing structural issues that are costly to repair.
A grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting for the new EMS facility are expected at the completion of the building, which is projected to take about 11 months, according to Smith.
All who wish to attend Thursday’s groundbreaking event are welcome. Parking is available at Cedar Crest Christian Church, just across the street from the site.
Portion Of Plaza Parking, Downtown Streets To Be Closed Saturday During Independence Day Celebration, Fireworks
As Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County residents begin filling downtown Saturday evening, motorists are reminded a portion of plaza parking will be closed Saturday. The 2021 Independence Concert and Fireworks Celebration kicks off at 8 p.m. Visitors to the downtown area should take into account the higher volume of foot traffic to Celebration Plaza.
“Due to the safety zone needed for the fireworks display, some parking around the plaza will be closed,” Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson said, adding that some streets will also be closed July 3, and some areas will be closed to pedestrian traffic starting about 30 minutes before the fireworks show kicks off.
The diagram below, provided by SSPD, shows the safety zone shaded in red and arrows indicating roadways that will be closed July 3. Pedestrian traffic will be allowed in the shaded area until approximately 8:30 p.m. Saturday, then, closed for the fireworks show. Due to the road closures, Ricketson asks visitors to and through the downtown area to plan accordingly.
The Independence Day Celebration is free to the public, will feature a concert performed by Northeast Texas Symphony Orchestra starting at 8 p.m., followed at approximately 9 p.m. by a fireworks display. KSST will be broadcasting live from downtown. Click here for more information about the 29th annual 4th of July celebration.
Dike Resident Files Lawsuit To Stop Solar Farm
June 30, 2021 – After months of questions, meetings, and disagreements a lawsuit has been filed against Hopkins Energy LLC and Hopkins County which will bring all of the back and forth between Dike residents, county officials and Engie Energy Company into the courtroom.
Cynthia Martin, who has lead “Save Dike From Solar” efforts to prevent a solar facility from being constructed in Dike, has filed a petition in the 62nd Judicial District Court against Hopkins Energy LLC and Hopkins County. The legal document, filed June 29, 2021, asks for “equitable relief,” a temporary restraining order, as well as temporary and permanent injunctive relief. The lawsuit names Cynthia Martin as the sole Plaintiff. Defendants were notified via certified mail.
The 96-page petition is filled with very specific points of contention that have been argued by Dike residents and the lawsuit also tracks the timeline of the project all the way back to 2017. The original LLC was filed in March of 2017 and the project changed hands several times before winding up in the hands of a Houston based subsidiary (Engie North America) of a French company (Engie SA). The lawsuit details each of the documents approved by the commissioner’s court and alleges that some documents were either not posted for public notification properly, not approved properly, or even may have been altered after being approved. In many instances the lawsuit alleges that it appeared that the solar company (Engie) was manipulating the contract process as that process progressed. The lawsuit further states that the way that the negotiations were handled invalidates the contract itself, even alleging that documents that should have been notarized were filed as public record without being notarized.
Many Dike residents have spoken at length to county commissioners about their concerns for “environmental impacts” to the land occupied by the solar farm as well as adjoining properties. The Dike resident filing the lawsuit, Ms. Martin, was concerned of flooding on her adjoining property. Ms. Martin commissioned a study of possible flooding due to the project and the lawsuit claims that the company “Aqua Strategies found the project could have significant impact on the size of the floodplain, increase water levels in the creek and in the floodplain, increase runoff and sediment discharge to downstream water bodies, and increase runoff to the Martin property by as much as 43%.” The lawsuit also alleges that the solar company was supposed to acquire a permit from Hopkins County as stipulated by Hopkins County’s own “flood ordinance” but that Engie “did not seek or acquire a permit.”
The lawsuit alleges that this flooding could cause irreparable damage to the Martin property and asks the court to issue a temporary restraing order (TRO) immediately. A TRO would in effect be “ordering Defendant Hopkins Energy, LLC to desist and refrain from building the proposed solar power plant until such time as the Court issues final judgment in this lawsuit.”
Martin, according to the petition, is seeking “monetary relief of $250,000 or more, attorney’s fees of an amount to be determined, and non-monetary relief of declaratory judgment and injunctive relief.” The Plaintiff also is asking for a jury trial in this action.
The other stakeholders in this project are two local school districts, Sulphur Springs ISD and Sulphur Bluff ISD. Neither school district has been named in this lawsuit, as their agreements are separate from the Hopkins County agreement.
Now it appears this project, which has taken several years to get to this point, could be delayed. Certainly, it appears that there a lot of questions still to be answered.
KSST News reached out to Engie North America and as of the writing of this article had not received any responses. Hopkins County officials could not comment on any pending litigation.
The first hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 19th with Judge Will Biard presiding over the 62nd District Court.
Tips For Grilling Season, by Mario Villarino
Developed by Dr. Mario A. Villarino, County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Hopkins County, Texas
Fire up your grills! The official start of grilling season, is here!
Whether grilling a quick, light and healthy, summer meal or hosting a savory cookout with friends and family, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. is kicking off grilling season by sharing tips for a flawless grilled meal!
Consider your cut
While classics, such as the Strip Steak and Ribeye, can be an easy go-to, there are endless options when it comes to cuts of beef. Why not try taking your grilling game up a notch with a cut you might not be as familiar with, like a juicy Flat Iron or a lean, flavorful Flank Steak. More cut ideas for grilling can be found here.
Elevate those flavors
Marinades and rubs are a great way to take beef to the next level with minimal effort. To add extra flavor, tender cuts can be marinated for as little as 15 minutes or as long as two hours. For less tender cuts, marinating for at least six hours, but not more than 24 hours, will do the trick.
Medium and steady wins the race
When it comes to cooking beef, there is no need to rush the process by using any higher heat than medium. Cooking at a medium heat allows beef to achieve caramelization while still developing rich flavors and avoiding charring.
Temperature is king
To have the best eating experience, it is important to cook beef to the correct internal temperature. The best way to ensure accurate results is to use a meat thermometer.
Time to savor!
Once you’ve finished grilling that delicious beef meal, it’s time to sit back and enjoy.
“There is no better way to kick off summer grilling season than with beef,” said Laura Hagen, senior director, culinary for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. “Beef is an extremely versatile, nutritious protein. Between the different cuts and options for marinades and rubs, beef is the perfect choice for summertime barbecues.”
The Northeast Texas Beef Improvement Association (NETBIO) would like to invite you and your family to the 2021 Beef Day Event October 3rd 2021 in Sulphur Springs.
There are many fun activities scheduled for that day including a Ribeye Competition, Educational Experiences for attendees and fun for the family!
For more information on this topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Chamber Connection – June 30
By Butch Burney
Summer may be a time for vacations and holidays, but there is a lot going on at the Chamber. Adult Leadership, the stew logo contest, the upcoming Showcase and a political luncheon are just a few of the things we are working on. Here’s some information on each:
Adult Leadership
The Adult Leadership program is currently accepting applications for the 2021-22 Adult Leadership class. Registration is on our website, HopkinsChamber.org or I can email you the documents if you contact me at [email protected] or by calling 903-885-6515.
Adult Leadership takes you through all of the services of the city and county in an in-depth program that will enrich your life, both occupationally and individually.
If you applied last year, please re-apply this year.
Friday is Final Day for Logo Contest
Friday is the final day to email in your logo entries for the 52nd World Championship Hopkins County Stew Contest.
The theme for this year’s stew is Stewstock, borrowing from the Woodstock festival idea. All logo entries should be original and include the theme in some manner.
The winner of the logo contest will receive five T-shirts and five stew tickets, plus a coveted parking pass.
Entries should be in jpg format and emailed to me at [email protected]. The winner will be chosen on July 8.
Chamber Showcase
The Third Annual Chamber Showcase is still open for vendors. The Showcase is set for Thursday, Aug. 5, at the Sulphur Springs Country Club. Booths are available for $60 each and vendors are asked to bring a $25 gift or gift card to be given away at random drawings. This is a fantastic networking event and a way for you, as a business owner or representative, to get your name and services out to the public. Only Chamber members can reserve booths for display (the public is invited to attend free of charge), so contact us at the Chamber to find out how your affordable annual membership not only allows you to rent a booth at the Showcase but gives you advantages and opportunities all year long. Come by or call the Chamber office at 903-885-6515 for more information. A registration link is on our website, hopkinschamber.org.
Lunch and Learn
State Sen. Bob Hall and State Rep. Bryan Slaton will be in town for a Lunch and Learn from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15. Registration forms are on our website, so sign up to learn how laws passed (and not passed) by the Texas Legislature will affect your business. Lunch will be provided at the Sulphur Springs Country Club. Tickets are $15 for Chamber members and $20 for nonmembers. Thanks for Atmos Energy and Oncor for sponsoring this important luncheon.
Journey Road Golf Tournament
Journey Road Ministries, a foster care ministry, is hosting its inaugural golf tournament at the Sulphur Springs Country Club on Monday, July 19. The four-person scramble will tee off at 8 a.m. To register, go to their website, JourneyRoadMinistries.com.
Mammography Screening
Hunt Regional Healthcare’s Tubby Adkisson Memorial Mobile Mammography Coach will be at the Spring Village Shopping Center on Tuesday, July 22. All insurance is accepted, including Medicaid and Medicare. To schedule a mammogram, call 903-408-5010.
Jet Ski Race
A professional Jet Ski race event is coming to Sulphur Springs July 24-25 at Coleman Lake (Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Admission is free to the public and features food venders, local business booths, jet ski performance, and action-packed racing.
Jettribe is the title sponsor of the final round of the Texas WaterX Championship watercraft race series, sanctioned by the IJSBA, in Sulphur Springs. Winners of the Sulphur Springs Championship will be crowned Texas State Champions.
Watercraft racers from all over Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas, and guest Jettribe Team Riders from California will be battling it out for the championship. This inaugural event at Lake Coleman is the final battleground for the Jettribe Texas WaterX Series, and only the best riders with fine-tuned race machines will find themselves on top of the podium.
Details for vendors, hotel information, and racer registration can be found on the website www.jettribe.com/events/.
Business Highlight
The Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce is highlighting a member of the Chamber each week. Please join me in congratulating our Business of the Week for June 30, Payne Electric. You can read biographical stories at the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page and Instagram page.
Ribbon Cuttings
Journey Road Ministries, a foster care ministry, held at ribbon cutting for the nonprofit organization at the Chamber office on June 22. Read about the great work of this organization at JourneyRoadMinistries.com.
Benevolence Room Now Open Tuesday Mornings at League Street Church of Christ
Benevolence describes being ‘charitable and well-meaning’. Since the 1990’s, volunteers at the League Street Church of Christ clothing room have donated hundreds of hours. They provide help in the most practical way, with free clothing and shoes for individuals and families in need. But the gift of benevolence from the church doesn’t stop there. As other needs arise, they are met in various ways. A Food Pantry is in operation on Thursday mornings. There is a “Burn Room” where persons who have had a housefire can select household items like bedding and dishes, plus an annual Coat Drive and Giveaway during the Fall. Another avenue of giving involves sewing for church mission needs, where volunteers use donated fabric to make clothing for Guatemalan children, lap robes for nursing home patients and items for women and girls in support of an African Preaching School.
Sandy Richards is the Volunteer Co-ordinator for the clothing room. There are four Tuesday Teams, one for each week of the month. During COVID, donations had gone down but are now starting to increase again. Also, down from an average of 70 persons per week prior to COVID, numbers of visitors have started out low, about 23 per week. It is expected that the number of visitors will increase as the public become aware of the room’s schedule. According to long-time volunteer Gena Sawyer, at times when clothing donations became too overwhelming to store, excess was taken to Goodwill. Also, Arms of Hope can be called to pick up overflow donations for children’s homes in Texas.
Currently, the Benevolence Room opens at 9:30am on Tuesdays. Persons line up outside the rear entrance of the church to be admitted in groups of 10 or so. Individuals receive a large paper bag and have 15 minutes to make selections from racks and shelves sized from babies to school-age children, teens to adults, as well as shoes in all sizes. While persons are making their selections, 3-5 volunteers are busy in the workroom sorting and hanging the newest donations which have come in through the week. There are sometimes baby needs like car seats and booster seats which have been donated, and these are placed for selection after having expiration dates checked. If you’d like to donate items, please bag or box them up and drop them off under the covered rear entrance marked Clothing Room.
National Men’s Health Month Is A Good Time To Schedule Annual Screenings
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Health Ministry of Jesus Christ.
By Holly Ragan, Senior Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, [email protected]
Be Proactive!
June is National Men’s Health Month: What better time than now, than to schedule annual screenings such as a physical exam, blood test and urinalysis, colorectal health, prostate, bone, and heart health. Whether you need to see a Family Practice provider or a specialist, we have you covered! Call us today to schedule these important screening exams at 903.885.3181.
NET Symphony League Independence Day Celebration
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs is a proud headlining sponsor of the 29th Annual NETX Symphony League Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 3, 2021. The event will offer a free concert and fireworks. Please be sure to stop by our purple tent for drinks and giveaways!
Hospital Visitation
**Please help us preserve our masks for clinical use, and BRING YOUR OWN MASK**
We are asking that all visitors to the hospital bring their own mask, and continue to wear a mask while present inside the hospital at this time. Thank you for your continued support of the safety of our patients and associates.
Please note the following guidelines:
- Visitors must acquire masks themselves prior to entering our facility; cloth masks are acceptable
- Masks must cover both the nose and the mouth
- Emergency Department entrance open 24/7
- Main Entrance open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday – Friday
- Gift Shop open
- Visiting hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- COVID Unit limited to (1) visitor (age 16 and over)
- ER and ICU limited to (2) visitors
- ALL hospital visitors are required to wear a mask. Visitors should bring their own mask; homemade cloth masks are acceptable.
Effective March 17, 2021
We will no longer restrict the number of visitors per patient, however, we strongly encourage to limit visitors to ONE (1) essential support person and for all other visitors – continue utilizing virtual communication through mobile devices to monitor your loved ones in our care.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We are needing volunteers to help in various different roles throughout our hospital. We are asking, if you are willing to give your time, so that together we can bring a smile to someone in our hospital! For more information, contact Meredith Caddell at 903.438.4678.
We love our patients, and it shows!
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs strives to make sure every patient and their family feel like they are important and receiving the highest quality of care. This success is reflected in our Patient Experience Scores.
Every patient will receive a survey following their encounter in our hospital or clinics. Please take the time to let us know how we are doing, and how we might better serve you. We appreciate your feedback!
CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41 counties. For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org.
- Bed count – 402 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
- Bed count – 8 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Bed Count – 96 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
- Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
- Bed count – 94 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
- Bed count – 96 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
- Bed count – 51 – Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
Como-Pickton CISD Board President Accepts TREA School Board of the Year Award
Board President DJ Carr this afternoon accepted Texas Rural Education Association’s School Board of the Year award on behalf the Como-Pickton CISD Board of Trustees. CPCISD was notified in May that the school board had been selected to receive the honor.
The school board includes Shiloh Childress, Cole Boseman, Jim Murray, DJ Carr, Brittney Smith, Clif Carpenter, and JJ Cummings.
Carr, along with CPCISD Superintendent Greg Bower, are attending TREA’s annual summer conference being hosted June 27-30, 2021, in Round Rock. TREA 202-21 President Randy Willis presented Carr with a plaque Tuesday afternoon, June 29, 2021, recognizing the Como-Pickton CISD trustees as School Board of the Year for their “outstanding contributions on behalf of students and rural communities in Texas.”
“Our board does so much to make sure our students have all that our rural recourses can afford. It’s not always easy, but we are proud that they go through the hassle for our community,” Bower said June 29.
TREA in the announcement of this year’s educator awards in May, noted that the district has been instrumental in supporting efforts to increase student achievement in many ways. Over the last several years, CPCISD has improved from an accountability standpoint, become more competitive in UIL and other extracurricular activities reinstated. TREA also cited CP’s fiscal health, as the district has not I&S bet and one of the lowest tax rates in the state.
When the district was notified the board had been selected for the award, Dr. Bower said, “What’s even more of an honor, our board of trustees continue to push our district to excel in academics and extracurricular activities while maintaining zero I&S tax debt to the community. Over the last several years, Como-Pickton CISD has become synonymous with success, and these outstanding board members are one of the underlying factors for it.”
