portraits

    »     AMARILLO ISD

13

When they were fi nished, there were thank-you notes for 

custodians, cafeteria workers, secretaries, counselors, former 
and current teachers… and, yes, construction crews.

“Th

 ank you for taking time away from your family and 

building us this brand new school. I understand how hard you 
work and I’m very thankful…” reads one letter.

“Th

 ank you for taking your time and building a new school 

for us…” another student wrote.

Alisha was happy to see her students “thanking” outside the 

box. “To realize our students see how much the construction 
crews are doing for our school and what they may be having 
to give up to work around the clock is heartwarming,” she says. 

Fannin will see the most signifi cant changes of the $100 

million bond authorized by voters in November 2017, including 
a 1,900 square-foot addition to the school, 11 new classrooms, 
a new library, an enlarged cafeteria, restroom renovations, a 
secured entrance with bullet-resistant glass and a 
new offi

  ce and administration area. 

What’s happening at Fannin is just the beginning 

of projects that will touch every AISD campus, with 
the exception of the two newest schools, the Bowie 
and Travis 6th Grade campuses.

One of the improvements most noticeable to 

the public will be a signifi cant renovation of each 
high school auditorium which will create a better 
experience for audiences. Plans include LED stage 
and house lights, upholstered seats, new fl ooring 
and fi nishes and all new sound equipment and 
lighting boards. Th

 ese renovations will begin this 

spring at Palo Duro, Tascosa and Amarillo High, and 
are scheduled to be completed before school begins 
in the fall. Th

 e auditorium renovation at Caprock is 

scheduled for 2020, following construction to build 
new classrooms and a new auxiliary gym happening 
this summer. 

Not every project will be as visible, but that 

doesn’t make them less valuable, says AISD Bond 
Construction Director Cindy Ray. “Th

 ey are all 

meaningful projects,” assures Cindy, who once 
managed billion dollar building projects for 
Walmart. She gets excited when she talks about nitty 

gritty projects that will improve both aesthetics and 
infrastructure. “Th

 ese projects are not necessarily 

glamorous, but the unrealized savings that result 
are going to be tremendous. For example, the 
replacement of underground sanitation lines at 
many campuses will reduce the cost of continued 
maintenance repair.” 

Paint, tile and fi xtures will be standardized, not just to improve 

visual appeal, but to streamline maintenance and replacement. 
Th

 e new light fi xtures will be LED.  “Every dollar has been 

carefully targeted to be spent on the most troubled areas,” says 
Cindy. “Everything is really purposeful and every campus has 
been involved with what is going on at their school. Th

 ey have 

input and that’s important.” 

At Fannin, Alisha’s students put their input in writing. Th

 e 

thank-you letters made their way to the construction crews, 
and the sixth-graders feel as though they’re watching history 
unfold in their school. Alisha says she believes her students 
responded so positively to construction, even with the rerouting 
and relocations, because they know this hard work will lead to 
an amazing, completed project. Th

 ey look forward to seeing the 

results and being able to say they were a part of it all.

Thank you for taking time away from your family and 
building us this brand new school. I understand how 
hard you work and I’m very thankful.

—student letter

Every dollar has been carefully targeted to be spent on the 
most troubled areas. Everything is really purposeful and every 
campus has been involved with what is going on at their school. 
They have input and that’s important.

—Cindy Ray, AISD Bond Construction Director