Santo ISD to think about volleyball; Progress approaching new four-classroom wing

Jan. 24—SANTO — Faculty trustees seem prone to resolve whether or not so as to add volleyball to their sports activities roster subsequent fall, after outcomes of a number of surveys of scholars and fogeys prompted the Santo superintendent on Thursday to announce the query shall be on an upcoming assembly agenda.

“We’re concentrating on February for an motion merchandise to make that call,” Superintendent Greg Gilbert mentioned, after Athletic Director Devon Mann reported outcomes of the surveys.

Gilbert mentioned there could be two inquiries to reply so as to rent a coach and begin a program on the 2A district. The primary was a primary, sure or no to the ladies crew sport.

“And, if sure, what’s our phase-in going to be?” he added.

That’s, would the game begin in junior excessive grades and work its method up yr by yr, or take another path towards a varsity squad taking the ground in UIL competitions.

“That makes extra sense, to begin within the junior excessive,” Board President Amy Bryan mentioned. “However we have got to (have sufficient curiosity to) make a crew.”

Of 130 feminine college students surveyed from sixth by means of twelfth grades, 74 mentioned they’d join the game. That included 61 already in some sport in addition to 29 band members who mentioned they’d march and spike.

Thirty-nine optimistic responses got here from mother and father, with three unfavourable responses. Mann mentioned a “no” response from mother and father didn’t point out opposition to a volleyball program, solely that their women wouldn’t take part.

He additionally famous that a few of these 39 responses included mother and father with a couple of lady in query.

“It’s a household dedication,” Mann mentioned, earlier than Gilbert added the district additionally must go all in.

“You may’t exit and search for a volleyball coach and subsequent yr say, ‘Hey. It did not work out.’ They usually’ve moved a household right here,” the superintendent mentioned.

He added that any volleyball coach the district employed additionally would educate educational programs. Gilbert additionally mentioned he was answering one other frequent query he is heard as he assured the board a volleyball program wouldn’t scale back funds to different Santo sports activities.

Simply whom a Girl Cats crew would compete in opposition to was not contemplated in Thursday’s discussions. Of the six different faculties in Santo’s District 8-2A soccer division, Chico, Collinsville and Lindsay provide volleyball alongside soccer. Celeste, Muenster and Period don’t, a chart by Mann indicated.

Earlier than Thursday’s assembly, Gilbert walked arriving trustees by means of a brand new classroom wing that is below building.

“We’re making a corridor with fourth grade and fifth grade lecture rooms,” he mentioned, standing in a corridor connecting the 4 lecture rooms that is huge sufficient it’ll double as “a collaborative house.”

Constructed with $1.4 million from the district’s fund stability, the challenge shall be accomplished with out asking extra assist from taxpayers.

Gilbert mentioned it’s on tempo for completion by Could. Crews will transfer desks and different inside elements into the wing, on the elementary’s east finish, through the summer season.

“And we’ll be right here subsequent yr,” he mentioned.

Throughout Thursday’s assembly, architect Mark Canterbury up to date the board on mixing colours of the bricks to make sure they match the standing constructing. He additionally mentioned he’s taking a look at cover choices to suggest.

Gilbert later informed the board a state grant is permitting the district to position bullet resistant movie over home windows within the new extension and different home windows within the district. The $200,000 grant was introduced by the Texas Training Company on Jan. 4 and is accessible to all districts, he mentioned.

Bullet resistant movie doesn’t cease a bullet, after all, but it surely has been proven to stop impacted glass from spraying spall, tiny glass shards, right into a classroom, in line with filmsandgraphics.com. It additionally considerably lengthens the time it takes an intruder to interrupt by means of a window to realize entry.

Santo additionally will use a few of that cash to lift the fence on the elementary discipline for added safety, Gilbert mentioned, and the district is taking a look at card-readers for exterior doorways.

“This grant is in place for 2 years,” he mentioned. “And I assure you will probably be prolonged.”

The necessity for house within the rising district — almost 100 new college students have arrived prior to now three years —is also launching discussions of a bond subject to place to voters in November.

The coed inhabitants as of Thursday was 552.

“We’re maxed out of house,” Gilbert mentioned. “And I do not see us going backward on children.”

He mentioned trustees would wish to formally name the bond election by mid-August to fulfill election legislation to carry the vote in November.

Lastly, the board will get a glance subsequent month at a brand new band uniform being proposed by director Mark Belding to exchange the 10-year-old fits the scholars now put on.

Belding introduced a slide of the green-and-white uniform, with a silver-and-white flap dividing the chest diagonally that trustees appeared to favor. The dominant colours have been the “Santo inexperienced” prime and jet black pants with no leg stripe.

“I believe we have to get the ball rolling,” board member Philip Colvin mentioned, after Belding mentioned Fred J. Miller uniform firm wanted the order to be positioned by “February on the newest.”

The director additionally mentioned the uniforms are mechanically cleanable, a rarity for band uniforms which historically require dry cleansing. He additionally mentioned the corporate will “preserve our prototype” for when substitute fits are wanted.

The uniforms are $60 every together with transport, he mentioned. Gilbert added that some group members have donated to the band and would assist utilizing the cash for uniforms.

“The (outdated) uniform is trying outdated,” he mentioned. “It would not should be this yr, however we’re getting fairly shut.”