Chamber Connection: Save The Date For The April 9 Chamber Golf Tournament
By Lezley Brown, President/CEO, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
We’ve been busy here at the Chamber to start the 2021 year! I have a Save the Date for you! Please save the date for our annual Chamber Golf Tournament on Friday, April 9. Let’s hope for beautiful weather and so much fun!
Just a quick reminder … I wanted to let you all know that after five wonderful years here at the Chamber, I will be resigning my position in the middle of April. The Chamber is currently accepting applications for the President/CEO position. A job description and list of qualifications can be found on the Chamber Facebook page and on the Chamber website. Additionally, interested applicants may call the Chamber at (903) 885-6515 to receive these documents via email. All applications, resumes, and cover letters must be received at the Chamber by Friday, February 12, at noon to be considered. Application packets may be submitted via email to [email protected], or by mailing them to 110 Main Street in Sulphur Springs.
Ribbon Cuttings
Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial hosted their ribbon cutting celebration
Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial hosted their ribbon cutting celebration on Wednesday, January 20, at noon. They are located at 1428 South Broadway in Sulphur Springs and specialize in financial planning for your business.
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 January 28, Foster’s Place Restaurant & Pub.
You can read biographical stories at the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page and Instagram page.
HCGS Library to Remain Closed Until March 1, 2021
Message from Jan Stovall, HCGS Librarian on January 25, 2021
| Hello All, The HCGS board decided to keep the library closed until March 1st . But we will re-evaluate the end of February and determine if we can re-open safely or continue to remain closed. We will continue to monitor emails, phone calls, and answer queries while closed. If you have a question please email it or leave a message on the phone answering machine. We will get back to you shortly. For those that might have missed it, we had a really wonderful zoom program given by Kathy Huber on researching using the Dawes rolls. Kathy is the genealogy center manager in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One plus from this pandemic is that we are able to book outstanding speakers who might not be able to travel the distance to Sulphur Springs to speak in person on a Thursday night. We look forward to seeing and hearing more amazing speakers in the coming months. And if you tried to log in last Thursday night and had problems please let us know so we can help resolve them. Also, I am beginning a new year as librarian and will be looking to add new titles to our shelves. It would help me greatly if you would send me your wish list of titles or locations that you are researching so that I can concentrate my search in those areas. |
Wildcats Basketball Team Gets District Victory At Home Over Hallsville, 60-46, Tuesday Night
For most of the game Tuesday night, January 26, the Wildcats Basketball Team would jump out to a solid lead only to see Hallsville fight back and make it close.
At one point in the third quarter, the pesky Bobcats trailed the Wildcats by only 3 points, 33-30. The Wildcats closed the quarter on a 7-0 run that made it 40-30. This time the Wildcats were able to extend the lead in the fourth quarter to take a 60-46 win.
Eight different Wildcats scored points led by point guard Lamodrick Johnson with 17 points and post Justin Haire with 13 points. Guard Boo Wilkerson scored 12 points, played tenacious defense on Hallsville top scoring threat and finished the game despite a turned ankle. Guard Caleb Alexander and post Kordrick Turner scored 6 points apiece. Guard Malique Cole scored 3 points. Guard Jatavian Hall had 2 points. Guard Cason Arrington had 1 point. Hallsville was led by guards Benjamin Samples and Jai Locario who each had 9 points.
The Wildcats improve to 7-2 in district play and they remain in second place. The Wildcats are now 14-8 for the season.
Next for the Wildcats is a critical pair of road district contests starting with a trip to third place Longview Friday night. They then travel to first place Mount Pleasant next Tuesday. Both these teams defeated the Wildcats in Sulphur Springs with a three point basket right at the buzzer.
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.
Lady Cats Basketball Team Wins Defensive Struggle At Hallsville, 33-29, Tuesday Night
The Lady Cats Basketball Team got off to a good start and then held on in the second half to earn a district win at Hallsville, 33-29 Tuesday night, January 26.
In the defensive struggle, the Lady Cats were able to jump out to a 12-4 lead after one quarter. Both teams could manage only 4 second quarter points and the Lady Cats were up 16-8 at the half. The Lady Bobcats trimmed a point off of the lead in the third quarter but the Lady Cats were still up, 25-18. Hallsville tightened up the game further in the fourth quarter but the Lady Cats hung on for the 33-29 win.
The Lady Cats improved their district record to 8-3 and they remain in second place. The Lady Cats are one game behind Hallsville in the district standings with just one game left. The Lady Cats need a senior night home win over Longview Friday and a Hallsville loss at Mount Pleasant Friday to move into a first place tie. It appears Mount Pleasant could also make it a three way tie if they win their remaining games.
Against Hallsville Tuesday, Kenzie Willis led the Lady Cats with 13 points. Dalanee Myles scored 6 points. Nylah Lindley had 5 points. Bailie Large had 4 points. Addisyn Wall scored 3 points. Bre’Asia Ivery added 2 points.
The Lady Cats are now 14-7 for the season.
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.
Jan. 26 COVID-19 Update: 3 Fatalities, 37 New Cases, 20 Recoveries
Three additional Hopkins County COVID-19 fatalities were confirmed, 37 new cases and 20 recoveries were reported over the last four days in Hopkins County. Fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations were also reported across Trauma Service Area F from Jan. 23-25, according to the Texas Department of State Health Service Jan. 26 COVID-19 updates.
Case Counts
After a day (Jan. 25) in which no new testing and case updates were posted for Hopkins County by Texas Department of State Health Services in the Case Counts, Testing Data and Vaccine Data dashboards, a dozen additional confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported Tuesday Jan. 26, for Hopkins County – including one case reported to be an older confirmed case that had not previously been reported to the state. That’s 2 fewer new cases on Tuesday than the 14 reported on Saturday, Jan. 23, according to the DSHS Dec. 23 and Dec. 26 COVID-19 Case Counts dashboards.
That makes 26 new confirmed cases in the last four days, 42 new confirmed cases in the last seven days and 228 new confirmed cases so far in January. Cumulatively, 1,350 Hopkins County residents have received positive lab-confirmed positive molecular COVID-19 results since March 2020; that’s 3.64 percent of the overall Hopkins County population.
Eleven probable COVID-19 cases have been reported in the last four days for Hopkins County as well, seven on Saturday, one Sunday and three Tuesday. That means 11 additional Hopkins County residents have either tested COVID-19 positive on an antigen test or had a combination of symptoms and a known exposure to someone with COVID-19 without a more likely diagnosis from Jan. 23-26.
That makes 21 additional COVID-19 cases reported in the last seven days and 126 new probable cases so far this month. Cumulatively, since the state began tracking antigen cases, 1,243 Hopkins County probable cases have been reported. That’s 3.35 percent of the overall population of Hopkins County who have been reported to have “probable cases” of COVID-19.
On the other hand, 20 additional Hopkins County residents had recovered from COVID-19 in the last four days, 17 on Tuesday and three on Sunday. That makes 70 recoveries in the last seven days, including 50 recoveries reported on Jan. 21, and 310 during the first 26 days of January 2021, according to the DSHS Jan. 26 COVID-19 Case Counts dashboard. Cumulatively since March, 2,363 of the 2,593 Hopkins County people reported to have COVID-19 have recovered from the virus.
COVID-19 Fatalities
Unfortunately, 91 Hopkins County residents have died as a result of COVID-19, according to the Jan. 26 COVID-19 Case Counts dashboard. That means three additional Hopkins County residents have been confirmed by cause on their death certificates to have died from COVID-19.
Nine of the 91 Hopkins County deaths have occurred in January: two each on Jan. 2 and Jan. 5; and one each on Jan. 3, Jan. 6, Jan. 9, Jan. 14 and Jan. 16.
While that’s only 0.25 percent of the overall Hopkins County population who has died from COVID-19, the fatality rate among COVID-19 patients is 6.74 percent. That’s the second highest fatality rate among confirmed COVID-19 cases in the 9-county area.
Red River County, which includes Clarksville and only about a third of the population Hopkins County does, has had 31 of 363 confirmed COVID-19 positive residents died from the virus. While only 3.02 percent of the population has had COVID-19, 0.26 percent have died. The fatality rate among infected is 8.54 percent, the highest in the 9-county area.
| County | Total Positive Confirmed Cases | Confirmed COVID-19 Fatalities | % Fatality to Positive Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hopkins | 1,350 | 91 | 6.74 |
| Titus (Mt. Pleasant) | 2,452 | 64 | 2.61 |
| Hunt (Greenville) | 4,719 | 117 | 2.46 |
| Lamar (Paris) | 2,377 | 118 | 4.96 |
| Franklin (Mount Vernon) | 417 | 17 | 4.08 |
| Delta (Cooper) | 129 | 6 | 4.65 |
| Red River (Clarksville) | 363 | 31 | 8.54 |
| Wood | 1,559 | 91 | 5.84 |
| Rains | 334 | 20 | 5.99 |
Only two other counties in the region have had more fatalities, and both have larger populations and confirmed case counts.
In Lamar County, 118 of the 2,377 residents who have had COVID-19 died, that’s 4.77 percent of the population who’s had confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4.96 percent of the infected who have died.
Hunt County has had 4,719 residents who have been confirmed by molecular test to have COVID-19 (4.79 percent). Of those infected, 117 have died, giving Hunt County a fatality rate of 2.48 percent among residents who had confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Wood County, which also has a higher population, matched Hopkins County on Jan. 26 in the number of COVID-19 fatalities. Wood County has now had 1,559 confirmed COVID-19 cases, representing 3.42 percent of the population, including 91 residents who have died for novel coronavirus 2019. That gives Wood County a fatality rate of 5.84 percent among the confirmed positive cases since March.
While Delta County has only had only 129 cases and six deaths, compared to Franklin County’s 417 cases and 17 deaths, that also means Delta County’s fatality percentage is higher, 4.65 percent compared to Franklin County’s 4.08 percent, among confirmed COVID-19 infected individuals.
Hospital Data
Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management reported 21 patients in the COVID Unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs on Jan. 26, two more than on Monday and one more than on Friday, but still lower than the weekdays reported the rest of the month. In fact, COVID-19 hospitalizations spiked to 32 on Jan. 7 and Jan. 8.
As of Jan. 25, Trauma Service Area F has been considered to have high hospitalizations due to the percentage COVID-19 hospitalizations comprise of the total hospital capacity for a full month.
While COVID-19 hospitalizations have been at or above the total hospital capacity in TSA-F consistently for 30 of the last 31 days which has required TSA-F to follow stricter COVID-19 measures since Jan. 2, there is some good news. After two solid weeks, the COVID-19 hospital percentage of hospital capacity has fallen below 20 percent. In fact, for the last six days, COVID-19 hospitalizations have remained below 20 percent. Over the weekend, COVID-19 hospitalizations even dipped below the 15 percent threshold over set in GA-32, down as far as 14.81 percent, and has flitted near the 15 percent mark for the last five days: dipping from 22.35 percent on Jan. 19 to 18.09 percent on Jan. 20, 16.87 percent on Jan. 21, 15.76 percent on Jan. 22, 14.81 percent on Saturday, 16.36 percent Sunday and 15.24 percent on Monday.
These lower COVID-19 hospitalization percentages were achieve not only with COVID-19 patient counts below 200 for since Jan. 20 and lower overall hospitalizations as well.
On Jan. 23, the 161 COVID-19 patients in TSA-F hospitals made up 14.81 percent of the total 1,087 hospital capacity, with 584 of the 995 staffed inpatient beds hospitalizations. The COVID-19 patient count rose to 177 on Sunday and 167 on Monday.
Available ICU beds across TSA-F have been a double digit for the past five days as well, with 16 free on Jan. 21-22 and Jan. 24, 12 available on Jan. 23 and 30 available on Jan. 25. That’s the most ICU beds available at one time across the region since Dec. 26, the first day of “high hospitalizations.” COVID-19 hospitalizations have been down across the state for the last time, falling below 13,000 for the past three days.
| Trauma Service Area F | 1/18 | 1/19 | 1/20 | 1/21 | 1/22 | 1/23 | 1/24 | 1/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lab-Confirmed COVID-19 Patients in Hospital | 210 | 236 | 186 | 182 | 174 | 161 | 177 | 167 |
Testing Data
HC/SSEM, in the Jan. 26 COVID-19 update, reported a total of 8,655 COVID-19 tests have been conducted at 128-A Jefferson St. That means 86 people were COVID-19 tested on Monday and 94 on Saturday. Over the last seven days, 394 molecular COVID-19 tests were performed. Since Dec. 30, 1,687 oral swab tests have been conducted at the free testing site.
The DSHS Jan. 26 COVID-19 Test and Hospital Data dashboard shows a total of 13,736 viral or molecular COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Hopkins County since March 2020, when the pandemic began.
The dashboard also shows a total of 1,618 COVID-19 antigen tests have been conducted in Hopkins County since DSHS began tracking the data, including 49 additional tests conducted over the last four days; and 1,765 antibody tests, including five additional tests conducted from Jan. 23-25 in Hopkins County.
Cumulatively, that’s at least 17,119 COVID-19 tests that have been performed in Hopkins County, with 1,536 of those tests conducted during the first 25 days of January.
Free oral swab COVID-19 testing will continue to be offered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays in January inside the Red Cross (old Fidelity Express Building) in Sulphur Springs. Free testing is open to anyone regardless of age or address. Registration is required online at www.GoGetTested.com in order to be tested at 128-A Jefferson Street in Sulphur Springs.
Vaccine Data
A total of 1,962 people in Hopkins County had received at least one of the two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as of 11:59 p.m. Jan. 25.
The first dose of the vaccine had been administered to another 323 people between Jan. 23 and Jan. 25, increasing the total to 1,723 people in Hopkins County who have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
(DSHS COVID-19 Vaccine Data dashboard infographics)
According to the DSHS Jan. 26 COVID-19 Vaccine dashboard, the first dose of the vaccine had been administered to 683 people ages 65-79 (314 men and 369 women), 404 people 50-64 years old (143 men and 250 women), 378 people ages 16-49 (117 males and 260 females), 256 people age 80 or older (103 men and 153 women), and two people for whom age was unknown.
Thirty-three additional people had received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Jan. 23-25, increasing the total number of people in the county who have been fully vaccinated with both doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 239 on Jan. 25.
Among the individuals fully vaccinated in Hopkins County as of 11:59 p.m. Jan. 25 were 99 people ages 16-49 years old (27 males, 71 females, and one for whom that information was not available), 80 people ages 50-64 (20 men, 71 women and 2 unknown), 49 people ages 65-79 years (23 men and 25 women) and 11 ages 80 and over (4 men and 7 women).
(DSHS COVID-19 Vaccine Data dashboard infographics)
Those receiving the vaccine in Sulphur Springs received the Moderna vaccine. A few healthcare workers and first responders in Hopkins County received the Pfizer vaccine at another CHRISTUS facility before the state allocated doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Hopkins County.
While CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic received 300 doses of the vaccine to administer last week, the only doses allocated to Hopkins County this week are 100 second doses for those who had their first dose of the shot about three weeks ago, according to the DSHS
People can find more information on COVID-19 vaccine at dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine.aspx.
Click here for vaccination hub providers, with contact information across the state as well as the DSHS/TDEM map of vaccine providers
A full list of vaccine allocations by week, click here.
Wildcats Soccer Team Preps For Start Of District Play With A Non-District Win Over Pleasant Grove Tuesday Night
The Wildcats Soccer Team will enter district play on Friday riding a four game winning streak. The Wildcats made it four straight with a solid 5-0 win over Pleasant Grove Tuesday night, January 26, at Gerald Prim Stadium.
Five different Wildcats scored goals. Omar Hernandez scored the first Wildcats’ goal assisted by Alejandro Diosdado. David Moreno got the Wildcats second goal assisted by Alex Yanez. Janez had the third goal assisted by Hernandez. Uriel Santacruz had the fourth goal assisted by Hernandez. Joel Pasion had the fifth Wildcats goal, an unassisted one.
Wildcats Soccer Coach Alexi Upton said it was a good game. He said the Wildcats could have had a lot more goals but he added he was happy with the win. He said he enjoyed being back home. The Wildcats were last at home at their Alumni Scrimmage back on January 2.
The Wildcats face a rugged start to district play. They play host to Longview Friday night and then welcome Mount Pleasant to Gerald Prim Stadium next Tuesday. Mount Pleasant was preseason ranked #2 in the region in Class 5A and the Lobos were ranked #8.
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.
Welding Project at the Paris Junior College-Sulphur Springs
OVERHEAD JOB
Welding student Wyatt Cross works on an overhead TIG welding project at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center welding shop. Cross is in the advanced welding program at the Center. To learn more about the welding program and workforce education opportunities, call 903-885-1232.
Paris Junior College — located in Paris, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas — has been a part of the Lamar County community since 1924.
Paris Junior College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as Certificates of Proficiency in technical/workforce fields. The college has expanded its academic curriculum through the years to encourage associate degree and university transfer candidates. Since establishing its first vocational program — jewelry and watchmaking in 1942 — the college has been aggressive in adding technical/workforce programs that will benefit students entering the workforce.
The campus of 54 tree-shaded acres includes 20 major buildings and residence halls and provides students a unique and pleasant environment for learning.
Paris Junior College also operates centers in Sulphur Springs, Texas, and in Greenville, Texas.
Vision
To be the educational provider of choice for the region.
Mission
Paris Junior College is a comprehensive community college serving the region’s educational and training needs while strengthening the economic, social and cultural life of our diverse community.
Wildcats and Lady Cats Basketball and Wildcats Soccer on Game Day Tuesday
The Wildcats Basketball Team, currently in second place in district, plays fourth place Hallsville in the Main Gym at Sulphur Springs High School on this game day Tuesday (January 26). There will be a freshmen contest beginning at 5 p.m. A JV game will follow at around 6:15 p.m. The varsity Wildcats and Bobcats are schedule to begin at around 8 p.m. The Wildcats are 6-2 in district play and they have won their last three district matches including a win at Pine Tree Friday night, 65-35. The Wildcats season record is 13-8. The Bobcats are 5-4 in district play and 15-8 for the season. In the first half of district play, the Wildcats defeated Hallsville on the road, 51-35 back on January 8. KSST Radio will bring you Wildcats and Bobcats basketball live beginning at around 8 p.m. The broadcast will feature streaming video and audio. The game will also be videotaped for replay at a later date on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
Meanwhile the Lady Cats Basketball Team has a big district contest at Hallsville. There will be a JV game at 5 p.m. with the varsity game to follow at around 6:15 p.m. The Lady Bobcats are in first place in district with a 9-1 mark. Their one loss was to the Lady Cats in Sulphur Springs, 60-33, back on January 8. The Lady Bobcats are 14-7 on the season according to Max Preps. The Lady Cats are currently in second place with a 7-3 district mark. They are 13-7 for the season. The Lady Cats are hoping for a big win tonight and then some help. The Lady Bobcats still have to travel to Mount Pleasant Friday. A loss there and a Lady Cats home win on Senior Night on Friday against Longview would put the Lady Cats into a first place tie.
The Wildcats Soccer Team has their last non-district tuneup on this game day Tuesday before district play begins Friday. The Wildcats will play host to Pleasant Grove at Gerald Prim Stadium. The Wildcats JV 1 team will face the PG JV at 5:30 p.m. The Wildcats and Hawks varsity teams start their game at around 7:15 p.m. The Wildcats are 8-4-1 so far this season after winning the Terrell Tiger Winter Classic this past weekend.
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.
Basic Tools for the Garden From Ronnie Wilson Hopkins County Master Gardeners January 26, 2021
January is a good time for gardeners to take stock of their garden tools and accessories, and make sure everything is ready to go for the coming spring gardening season. There are several tools every gardener should have at their disposal to ensure a successful garden. All items described are hand tools, powered only by gardener muscle. Here are several basic garden tools that may help get the job done a little bit easier.
Shovels—A good quality round point shovel is a basic necessity. Unlike the square point shovel that has the end of the blade square to its sides, the round point has a blade that is somewhat rounded, coming to a point at the tip. Used for digging holes for newly purchased trees and shrubs, as well as all types of dirt moving, the round point shovel is invaluable. Also useful is the “sharpshooter” shovel, with a long, narrow blade. These shovels are great for cutting roots that always seem to show up when digging holes anywhere near a tree, or when a smaller, narrow hole is needed. Round point shovels have long handles, while the sharpshooter uses a short “D” handle. Gardeners will find uses for both types of shovels. With either one, buy a shovel with a solid handle, as the handle usually breaks before the blade.
Rakes—There are two types of rakes used in most gardens, the leaf rake, and the garden rake. Leaf rakes are used for raking leaves, grass clippings, and other small debris from your landscape. Today, most leaf rakes are made with plastic tines, but some may have thin metal tines. Metal tines will sometimes bend and become less usable, while plastic tines age and become weak after a few years. Garden rakes however, have an all metal head, 14” to 18” wide, with thick, steel 2” tines spaced about one inch apart along the head. Garden rakes are used for moving small amounts of soil and debris that are too heavy for the leaf rake, as well as for shaping soil into mounds, hills, or rows for planting.
Hoe—A good hoe is the best tool for keeping weeds out of your garden. As with shovels, a heavy, solid handle is best, and a longer handle will give you more leverage while removing weeds. Your hoe will benefit from being sharpened regularly, making the tool cut through the soil easily.
Garden Fork—A garden fork is essential for turning the soil and breaking up dirt clods and clumps, and preparing areas for new plantings. Capable of digging down and turning soil 4-6” deep, it could be called a manual tiller. Garden forks usually have 4, 10”-12” tines and a shorter, “D” shaped handle on the end. When purchasing, look for thick steel tines, preferably triangular in shape, instead of flat tines. Flat tines will bend in heavy soils, and once bent, they will always be weak and subject to bending again, making the tool unusable. Triangular tines will bend also, but much more force is required.
Cutters and Loppers—A good pair of cutters and loppers make trimming and pruning much easier. Hand cutters with bypass blades are very useful for small pruning jobs, such as deadheading spent flowers, removing broken/undesirable shoots, and harvesting some vegetables. Bypass cutters have two blades that operate like a pair of scissors, sliding to the side of each other. Loppers are a larger version of bypass cutters, having handles 18” or longer. Loppers are designed for heavier cuts, and depending on the handle length, can cut branches up to 2 inches thick.
And no garden list would be complete without mentioning gloves. A good pair of garden gloves keep the “ouchies” to a minimum, protecting your valuable hands from all kinds of thorns, stickers, insects, and other things in and about the soil. Look for a pair with a protective surface (rubber or plastic) for your palms, and a cloth back for quick drying. There are many types of garden gloves, so take your time when shopping and buy a pair you like. And like gloves, always buy quality tools that fit your needs and budget. Happy gardening!!
For more information go online to Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service.
SSISD Trustees Approve 3 Personnel Changes, Conduct Annual Superintendent Evaluation, Receive Recognition
In addition to being recognized for their service, Sulphur Springs ISD trustees approved three personnel changes and conducted the annual superintendent’s evaluation during a special meeting Monday evening, Jan. 25, 2021.
Personnel Items
Sulphur Springs ISD Board of Trustees during an executive session conducted their annual evaluation of the superintendent’s performance, as well as whether to extend his contract and compensation for the top paid administrator. Afterward, they board agreed to extend Superintendent Mike Lamb’s contract with the district for an additional year.
Trustees, also following the closed session, approved three personnel changes, each impacting a different campus.
Karey Brice’s notice of retirement as counselor at Sulphur Springs High School was accepted as was the notice of retirement from Vernell Washington, a food services worker at Sulphur Springs Middle School.
Approved for hire as an instructional aide at Austin Academic Center was Gwen Panter.
School Board Appreciation
In observance of School Board Recognition Month, Sulphur Springs ISD students and campus staff created and gifted all seven of the district trustees with small tokens of appreciation for their continued service to the district as elected, unpaid volunteers who make critical and often difficult decisions for the school district.
“This month is board Appreciation Month. Guys if you look in your boxes, our campuses do an amazing job of giving you some stuff that says, ‘Hey, we appreciate what you do,’ and we say thank you. You guys, each and every one of you serve on this board for the high salary of zero. We appreciate that. Many of you have served a very long time. I know personally this is not about me at all. This is about our community and their appreciation for your and our schools and their appreciation for you,” Lamb told the trustees. “Me personally, I appreciate what you do, the way you work with me and help me along. I just can’t say enough about how much your are well thought of and loved. Thank you for your service.”
Serving as a link between the community and classroom, school board members are elected to establish the policies that provide the framework for public schools. The SSISD board is responsible for an annual budget, 4,300-plus students, 710 employees, and 9 campuses.
SSISD Board of Trustees President Robert Cody, has served on the board for 7 years, Vice President Craig Roberts for two years, Secretary Jason Dietze, 12 years, John Prickette 9 ½ years, Leesa Toliver 8 years, Robbin Vaughn 7 years and Kerry Wright 11 ½ years.
“I am humbled every year to see everything,” Vaughn said.
Prickette, Vaughn and Toliver expressed appreciation for all of the work and creativity displayed in the box and bags filled with gifts from the various campuses, many crafted to reflect the 2021 School Board Recognition Month “Navigating to Success” theme.
Other board members noted the sweet treats. Roberts admired cookies in the shape of sail boats. One gift was a “boat” filled with bite-sized candy bars topped with a flag in keeping with the theme (two clear plastic food baskets taped together to hold the candy, then a flag attached to the top)
Additional tokens of appreciation were varied by department and campus, including a globe, wall art, messages, mugs, books, handmade booklets, gift bags of goodies, water bottles and other mementos.
