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Mabank High School’s Jacey Pridgen finished 5th in congressional debate in UIL state finals Thursday in Austin and was the top state presiding officer. Pictured is Jacey and UIL speech and debate director Jana Riggins, a MHS alumnus. (Courtesy photo)
((Thank you to reader Jason Caldwell for sharing.))
By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist
Years before becoming a teacher at Athens High School, Janet Green taught at Mabank junior high and high school. At both campuses, she had a student who made an impression on her: Stephen Smith.
“He was a good kid, always happy and always at school, and always talking. Stephen was the good kind of mischievous, the kind that keeps a teacher on her toes,” said Green. “He worked hard because he knew college was his ticket to a better life. … He is a true success story of what hard work and perseverance can do.”
That hard work started when Smith was young. Coming from a single-parent family, he found himself homeless at the age of 16, floating from “friend to friend to friend.” He kept himself clothed and fed by working grocery store, gas station and lumberyard jobs.
Continue reading “Tennessee Vols assistant coach visits AHS classes”
A $10 million bond for Mabank ISD was approved by voters Tuesday in a landslide. The unofficial vote tally was 863-309.
A committee of 17 members, including community members, parents, grandparents, business owners, faculty of the school district has been formed to recommend to the school board how best to spend the bond money. Security, expansion at Central Elementary and CTE at the high school and new roofs at the two other elementary campuses are high priority items.
“We have a great school district that has some immediate needs. Our committee worked very diligently to be transparent with the needs of MISD. Our committee is very pleased to see the efforts to inform voters pay off so well for the students of MISD,” said Committee Chair Robin Neighbors.
The bond will not cause an increase in the tax rate because the school district has been able to restructure current bonds to save money.
Early voting begins this week and in Mabank ISD that means it is time for voters to decide on a $10 million bond.
I learned a few things about this bond proposal at a town hall meeting held last Thursday, such as:
In a reverse from most school bonds I’ve covered, the price tag came first in this proposal. Simply put, Mabank ISD currently has the chance to pass the $10 million bond without raising taxes.
How? According to officials, it is because the school district has been able to restructure current bonds to save money.
Assistant Superintendent Scott Adams said, “No tax increase is needed to repay the increased amount of debt MISD is seeking due to the use of bond refunding savings, along with using the current Debt Service Fund Balance to fund any balance needed above the current tax levied….”
Continue reading “Mabank ISD voters to decide $10 million bond question”