Members of the Houston board of education on Tuesday discussed progress on construction that will begin next year on campus and heard concerns about accessibility to the Houston Elementary School.
Members heard from a representative of Daktronic concerning scoreboards and pricing as it continues to work on the construction of a new gymnasium on campus. Various options were discussed. The board also reviewed Paragon Architecture construction plans that are about 95 percent complete. The presentation included the site plan and interior drawings with a focus on managing the estimated $6.1 million construction budget.
In other matters, members:
•Heard from Maggie Moore, representing the Houston Elementary School, concerning accessibility of the building during parties, such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Of 36 staff members, all but four felt uncomfortable with the current system, which allows anyone to enter the building. Moore said the staff reported situations that opened multiple issues ranging from custody disputes bubbling into classrooms to photos of pupils who are in state foster care being placed on social media.
Superintendent Allen Moss said he had begun to survey other school districts and found none allowed open access to their buildings. At the Waynesville Schools, persons’ data is entered into a database system that determines whether they gain building access.
The board is to review three possible solutions at its January meeting.
In other matters, members:
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•Recognized middle school student of the month nominees: Morgan McKinney, Ian Young and Caden Phillips. They led attendees in the Pledge of the Allegiance.
•Heard the district is seeking bids for tree removal and site preparation bids for improvements to the high school track.
The board next meets at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at the high school library.
Video from this meeting is posted on the Herald’s Facebook page, facebook.com/houstonherald