Published: January 15, 2008 04:24 am            

WISD trustees review plans for new athletic field house

PALESTINE — Westwood Independent School District trustees discuss the plans for the long-awaited athletic field house during a regular meeting Monday at Westwood High School.

Westwood athletic director and director of operations Shane Jones received the plans on Saturday and showcased them during the meeting.

The building, which will be located between Panther Stadium and the parking lot behind Panther Gymnasium, will be used for many facilities by athletic program participants.

The field house will consist of: a 3,400-square foot weight room; two classrooms — one that will be used for study hall; a 10-12 person girls’ lockerroom for the powerlifting team, which will double as a visitor’s lockerroom during football season; an office for the athletic director; a 20-locker room; restrooms; a laundry room; a conference/film room; an equipment room; a lockerroom for assistant coaches; a storage room and a freshmen and JV lockerroom with shared shower facilities.

The facility will be heated and cooled by 32 tons of air conditioning.

“Everything works off the weightroom, which will be 1,000-square feet bigger than the current one,” Jones said. “The weightroom will have skylights for lots of natural light.

“I feel like the building is going to be ample room for us.”

The location for the field house currently lies upon a hill. Plans state that the dirt from the field will be pushed over to make the area even.

The board approved the field house architectural plans pending a review of codes and standards and state regulations.

“I would like us to move forward with this as soon as possible,” WISD Superintendent Ed Lyman said. “I think the only thing keeping us from digging dirt is our attorney making sure the plan meets all requirements.”

Later during the meeting, the board discussed the district’s 2008-2010 Technology Plan, introduced by district technology director Todd English.

Under the plan, WISD staff are required to make a list of resources they have and use that list to see what technology they need.

Some of the needs included: LCD projectors, upgrading the network’s connecting speed, a digital presenter, laptops for each teacher and updated computer labs.

“The things on the list don’t all necessarily have to be met,” English said. “It’s just a set of guidelines for the next few years.”

Also on Monday, Dr. Lyman introduced Gerloff Company, Inc., a company that conducts repairs due to possible emergencies and natural disasters.

In case of an emergency or disaster, Gerloff can come in and immediately begin working on restoring the damaged area.

“If one wing of the school were to catch on fire, we would call and they would not only come and being working on that area, but provide portables for administrative use as well,” Lyman said.

In other business, the board:

• CONSIDERED fund-raisers for the FFA and National Honor Society. The FFA will hold two fund-raisers, one that deals with a ranch rodeo competition, and also a Valentine’s Day dance.

The National Junior Honor Society will be selling suckers, while the National Honor Society is having an Applebee’s pancake breakfast.

Westwood athletics will be selling mugs.

• HEARD a presentation on the advantages of taking duel-credit courses at Trinity Valley Community College as well as joining TVCC’s tax district to decrease the cost of tuition.

• HEARD a report on the January Activity Calendars for each campus.

• APPROVED the November Tax Report and the Investment Policies and Strategies of Lonestar.

• ACKNOWLEDGED funds of $1,200 from Tech Prep and considered the uses for the money.

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Sally Sexton can be reached via e-mail at sports2@palestineherald.com

        

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