Category: Education

Cross Roads ISD Voters Face $4.5 Million Bond Question

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By Michael V. Hannigan

CROSS ROADS — Cross Roads ISD residents must make a decision on a $4.5 million bond in May’s election.

Plans call for about $500,000 of the bond to be used for repairs and improvements to existing facilities and the rest to build a 29,000 square-foot gym which will double as a student event center.

Early voting will be April 28 through May 6, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the district’s administration building.

Election Day will be Saturday, May 10, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

During a public meeting Monday night, builder Ron Boone of Boone & Boone Construction Ltd. told the audience the district has outgrown it’s current 35-year-old gym.

“The district has no place big enough for a large assembly,” he said.

The district has an enrollment of about 600 students with nearly 100 additional faculty and staff, according to administrators. The current gym can hold 512 in the bleachers. The new facility would be able to hold 700 in the stands and another 400 on the floor.

Boone also pointed out that although the current gym has been cared for, it still suffers from the wear of 35 years of constant use. Continue reading “Cross Roads ISD Voters Face $4.5 Million Bond Question”

Storm Golf Competes at Waxahachie

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The Athens Christian Preparatory Academy Storm golf team competed in the Waxahachie Preparatory Invitational on Tuesday April 1. The tournament was held in Lancaster at Country View Golf Club.

The Storm Golf team had a fantastic day on the links with the Junior High Boys team taking first place. Twin brothers Austin and Connor Rainwater led the scoring for the ACPA Storm. Austin Rainwater won a first place gold medal with a score of 46 and Connor Rainwater won a 2nd place silver medal with a 48. Matthew Johnson took 6th place with a score of 55. Dalton Duke helped finish out the scoring for the Storm with a 66 and a team total of 215.

The Lady Storm Junior High Golf team had a great day on the course as well with the Lady Storm taking 4th place overall. Alexa Koerth led the Lady Storm with a Sixth place score of 66 and Rachel Benson came in Eighth place with a score of 68.

Bailey Estep was tasked with playing as a solo golfer being the only high school player competing for the Storm. Estep held her own against the other ladies scoring a 106 for a Eighth place finish. The ACPA Storm Golf Coach Chris Weisinger said” I figured the Storm Golfers would play great today but they blew me away with how well they did.” This was the first tournament of the season for the Storm. The Storm will be headed to Conroe to play in the Texas Christian Athletic League State Tournament April 28 at April Sound Country Club. Coach Weisinger said that he  believes that the Storm will compete this year for the State Title.

Pictured are: Storm Coach Chris Weisinger, Bailey Eastep, Rachel Benson, Alexa Koerth, Matthew Johnson, Connor Rainwater, Austin Rainwater and Dalton Duke.

Air Force’s ‘Command Center Alpha’ Mobile Tour Coming to Athens High School

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Air Force press release

The U.S. Air Force’s mobile tour, Command Center Alpha, will be present at Athens High School, April 21.

Command Center Alpha is an augmented reality mobile tour experience that immerses visitors in the high-tech world of the United Sates Air Force. The interactive tour includes 3-D computer graphics, videos, educational kiosks, digital downloads and a full-size F-16 Thunderbird display.

Augmented reality is an interactive experience where virtual components are dynamically merged into a live video stream in real-time. Visitors are given handheld devices and when placed on triggers located throughout the tour, they are able to experience augmented reality in the form of 3-D animations and video.

“We are excited to showcase this mobile tour to inspire and educate the public about the United States Air Force,” said MSgt Shawn Cox. “Technology changes the way we fly, fight and win, and by using cutting-edge technology like augmented reality, the Command Center Alpha mobile tour is able to illustrate the high-tech nature of the Air Force.” 

Command Center Alpha will offer visitors the chance to be educated on the breadth and variety of opportunities and careers the Air Force has to offer.

NOTE TO PUBLIC: For more information, please contact SSgt Edward Rohde at 903-286-5958.

ACPA ‘Tastes’ Books

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ACPA press release

Students from Athens Christian Preparatory Academy, in partnership with the Henderson County Clint W. Murchison Memorial Library in Athens, recently hosted a “Book Tasting” for students in grades 7 – 12. The library was divided up into several “tasting” areas that the students rotated through. Each table served up a selection of books appropriate for the age level. Students were given a “menu” that they filled out as they reviewed books. By the end of the event, each student had reviewed approximately 20 books to determine their level of interest in checking them out.

Headmistress Teresa DeMay said, “We are doing everything we can to promote reading in these particular grade levels. Students who fail to develop sustained reading capabilities will not do well in college. Students today live in a different culture where reading often takes place in small blurbs on the internet. They tend to skim-read which affects their comprehension. They have become unaccustomed to reading whole articles and whole books. The ability to read is critical to their future empowerment.”

“We are very grateful to our public library,” said DeMay. “They were so helpful and supportive in aiding us in this project. Their staff was really wonderful.”

Pictured are: Junior High students Sarah Herrington, Rebecca Whitten, Sarah Bagley, and Mckenna Kasnetz.