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Board Approves Schematic Design for New High School
During this month's board meeting, trustees approved the schematic design for a new high school. The campus, which will be located near FM 317 and FM 2483 in Temple, is scheduled to open in the fall of 2020 and will have space for approximately 2,500 students.
In materials submitted to the board, O'Connell Robertson, the district's architectural firm, described a building that "will be a flexible and adaptable learning environment." The design includes shared spaces to foster collaboration among both students and teachers and the specialized spaces needed for comprehensive fine arts and athletics programs. It also shows shops and labs to support a full complement of career and technical education courses.
The estimated project cost for the new high school, which includes both building and equipping it, is $125.6 million. Last month, voters approved issuing $149.7 million in bonds to fund the construction of a new high school, a new elementary school and smaller projects at two existing facilities.
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Exterior Design Concept - Belton ISD High School |
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National History Day Fifth Place Junior Group Documentary
North Belton Middle School students Emily Muslovski and Mya Richardson took fifth place in the junior group documentary category at the 2017 National History Day contest. They were also recognized as the outstanding entry from the state of Texas. The national contest was held at the University of Maryland, College Park from June 11-15.
The students' documentary, "Zegota: A Secret Stand," tells the story of a secret organization that spanned across Poland to help Jews escape genocide during World War II. To qualify for the national contest, the students had to finish in the top two at both regional and state contests.
Elizabeth Howson, a social studies teacher at NBMS, is their sponsor.
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2017-2018 Compensation Plan Adopted
During the meeting, trustees also approved a compensation plan for 2017-2018. District employees will receive a raise equal to two-percent of the midpoint of their salary range. For teachers, librarians and nurses, that increase is $1,200.
With health plan rates set to increase Sept. 1, the compensation plan also increases the district's monthly health plan contribution by $25 to $375. According to district officials, that will bring Belton ISD closer to the average monthly contribution of school districts in this area. It also means that the least expensive individual plan will remain available without an additional contribution by the employee.
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2017 UIL State Outstanding Choir Soloist
Adreanna Hernandez, a recent graduate from Belton New Tech High School @Waskow, was named an "outstanding soloist" during the Texas State Solo-Ensemble Contest. This highly selective award is given to a small number of students, who both receive a rating of 1 and win gold medals at the state contest. A member of the 2016 Texas All-State Choir, Hernandez will be attending Vanderbilt University in the fall.
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Superintendent's Report
Summer Programs
On June 5, Belton ISD's school nutrition department began serving breakfast and/or lunch at six locations around the district. The meals are free for all kids between the ages of one and 18, and a complete schedule can be found at
http://bisd.net/summerfeeding.
The enrichment camps for gifted and talented students in grades three through eight wrapped up last week. Most athletic camps were also held earlier this month, but boys basketball and middle school football camps take place later this summer. Find details at
http://beltontigerathletics.com/hq/tiger-summer-camps/.
Several instructional programs are helping students from all grade levels make progress this summer. At the same time, many teachers are honing their craft through professional development. This week, 75 teachers are participating in a writing institute at the administration building, which is focused on high-quality writing instruction.
The Roadmap to BISD 2025
In addition to the approval of the schematic design for the new high school, work continues on other projects that are part of the bond program approved by voters last month. O'Connell Robertson continues to hold user group meetings and to work with the city of Temple to refine the design for the new elementary school. Later this month, meetings will be held to kick off the design process for the new music classrooms and gymnasium at Lakewood Elementary and for the updates to the Wall Street Auditorium in downtown Belton.
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Exterior Design Concept - Belton ISD Elementary School |
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