portraits
» AMARILLO ISD
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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