ALTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Trustees approve repairs
BY LELAND ACKER

Track gets resurfaced, gymnasium gets repainted

Moods were jovial at Monday's meeting of the Alto ISD Board of Trustees as board members discussed the successes of Alto students in the Cherokee County Junior Livestock Show.

"Alto kids represented very well at the show, probably better than very well," Board Member Randy Low said.

"They were excellent," Board Member Britton Tilley said. "We have the best kids in the county. I drove a truck for years, all over East Texas. We have the best kids."

Dr. Ray DeSpain, Alto ISD superintendent, opened the proceedings with the superintendent's report.

Dr. DeSpain briefed the board on improvements being made to the Alto ISD campuses, including painting projects at the high school and pavement projects at the elementary school.

Regarding facility improvements, the board voted 6-0 to have the track at the football stadium resurfaced by Vibrawhirl at a cost of $88,240. Dr. DeSpain said the new surface would be more durable than the current surface which is showing its age after 14 years of use.

During his report, board members discussed investment options on half of the $6.3 million in bonds issued to the school for the construction of a new elementary school. Merrill Lynch offered the best return rates, but had higher fees and risks than the current investment strategy of keeping the money in the Lone Star Pools account.

Dr. DeSpain said he would research the issue.

"Wade Thompson (of Coastal Securities) said if it was his money, he'd leave it in the Lone Star account with the economy as volatile as it is," Dr. DeSpain said.

Donald Patton, high school principal, reported the Alto High School One-Act play team did not advance past the district competition, but the team had more individual honors than any other team in the district competition.

He also reported that the district UIL academic meet was held last weekend with 25 students from Alto competing.

He noted the meet was held the same weekend as the livestock show and added that he hoped the district realignment would create the opportunity to schedule the meet on a weekend that does not compete with the livestock show.

"Despite the fact the kids are very busy, we are still pounding the TAKS at them," he said.

Alto Middle School Principal Kelly West and Elementary School Principal Melody Witt told the board they were proud of Alto's showing in the Cherokee County Junior Livestock Show.

"They learn what hard work and responsibility means," Mrs. West said. "It helps make the kids well-rounded citizens and that is something you can not teach out of a textbook."

In other action, the board approved accounts payable for February and March, renewed an interlocal agreement with the Lufkin Regional Day School to continue a program for deaf students, and approved tax refunds through the Cherokee County Appraisal District of $1,368.36 to Windsor Energy Group and $511.80 to Marathon Oil Company.

Dr. DeSpain said the refunds are due to an overestimation of the companies' values and said such is common where energy companies are concerned.

The Board then approved the continuation of the contracts for teachers, librarians and the school nurse, and accepted the resignation of Patricia Hillis, a fourth-grade teacher who is retiring, and Douglas Chumley, a high school English teacher who will pursue a music ministry.

Board members Mr. Tilley, Mr. Low, Lee Pearman, Jay Jones, Greg Duplichain and Freddy Johnson were present.