schools – Hays Post Archive

TMP Fieldhouse fire-code updates nearly complete

Posted on February 25, 2014

tmp doors 4 — Work is nearing completion on the remodel of TMP’s Al Billinger Fieldhouse to satisfy fire code requirements.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Construction at Thomas More Prep-Marian’s Al Billinger Fieldhouse has continued to progress steadily since early November, when the school was notified by the state fire marshal of fire code deficiencies.

“We’ve made countless adjustments and schedule changes,” Development Director Jeff Brull told Hays Post on Monday. “Our students, athletes, faculty, staff, fans and parents have been very accommodating. They’ve certainly made the best of a bad situation.”

Activities such as sporting events have been moved off campus to several other Hays facilities.

As of Monday, the east exit of the building from the gym floor was nearly complete, and work on the exit from the top bleacher area continues.

Workers broke through the exterior brick wall Friday afternoon to create the opening for new fireproof doors. Electrical work began Monday, and Brull said the door and stair installation are next.

“Once that’s complete, we hope to get the OK from the office of the state fire marshal,” he said. “We’ve got a few events we’d still like to see hosted in the gym before the (school)year is out, and we’re doing everything we can to keep it on schedule.”

Community is celebrated during Catholic Schools Week

Posted on January 27, 2014January 27, 2014

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

It’s National Catholic Schools Appreciation Week and, according to Thomas More Prep-Marian Principal Kathy Taylor, the week will be a busy one for Catholic schools in Ellis County.

For the first time the week has a national theme — “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.” Each day of the week will honor that theme. For instance, Monday’s theme, “Appreciating our Local Community,” is about service to the community.

According to the National Catholic Educational Association’s website, having a national theme for the week is a new initiative.

“The 2014 theme was developed in response to member requests for a theme and logo that would last more than a year, the new theme will be used for at least three years,” the organization said.

Taylor said the week culminates with an all-county Catholic school Mass at 10 a.m. Friday at Immaculate Heart of Mary. Students from TMP, Holy Family Elementary and St. Mary’s School in Ellis will attend the Mass presided by Bishop Edward Weisenberger.

Taylor said Mass is usually the students favorite part of the week.

“It is just amazing to see the church just packed to the limit,” she said.

USD 489 goals, budget update on work session agenda

Posted on January 20, 2014January 20, 2014

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

The USD 489 Board of education will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday for a work session. Among the agenda items, Superintendent Dean Katt will present an update on the USD 489 budget.Katt also will update board members on the district’s SMART goals, changes in policies the board is working on and will revisit throughout the year.

Additionally, Katt and board attorney Bill Jeter will discuss recommendations for current policy changes. An updated policy manual will be made available prior to the meeting.

Members will also be presented with a revised board administrative calendar. The discussion also will address changes in formatting for the current policy document and an updated policy manual will be available prior to the meeting.

Finally, Katt and Jeter will lead a discussion about current central office administrator contracts and the format of future contracts for these administrators.

The meeting will be held at Toepfer Board Room at Rockwell Administration Building, 323 W. 12th.

The USD 489 website provides a full work session agenda.

Hays USD 489 gets update from facilities committee

Posted on January 7, 2014January 7, 2014

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Hays USD 489 Board of Education, Patrick Lowry, co-chairman of the facilities needs committee, presented school board members with an update.

Lowry said the committee has pored over details of each district building in terms of what was missing or needs to be replaced. He called the list “long” and “expensive.”

He said the committee, which has been charged with making a recommendation on the district’s building needs in the future, has discovered some “big ticket items that need to be considered,” such as “compensating for lack of appropriate maintenance to buildings over the years.”

The committee was formed after the district floated a proposed plan that would have resulted in a new high school and several other significant building changes. Faced with cost estimates in the $100 million range, the committee has spent more than a year examining the district’s buildings.

Lowry recommended the board consider services offered by the Docking Institute at Fort Hays State University to gauge whether a bond issue to fund the projects would pass.

The committee is planning to meet with HTK Architects on Friday to look at revised cost estimates of a proposed plan, and Lowry said the group is close to giving final recommendations to the school board.

Another agenda item included the motion to approve a bid from Glassman Corp. of Hays for a new chiller at Roosevelt Elementary School. Out of two bids, Glassman had the lower bid at $39,900. Superintendent Dean Katt said the chiller should be installed by February.