Groundbreaking today for new Shiner school campus

Groundbreaking today for new Shiner school campus
Friday, February 10, 2006
Barry Halvorson, Victoria Advocate Reporter

VictoriaAdvocate.com Article | Shiner School Construction News | Construction Watch Home Page

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SHINER - Groundbreaking for the new Shiner school pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade campus will be at 4 p.m. today at Comanche Stadium.

(Note: due to inclement weather, the actual ceremony was conducted on February 16th.)
"We’ve invited the public to attend," Superintendent Trey Lawrence said. "We don’t have any baseball or softball games scheduled so it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

All of the people involved in the project are expected to attend including the board, consultant Ken Leach, representatives of the contractor Sterling Structures of Houston, architect Jim Singleton, Bill Caraway of Chancellor Financial who helped put together the financing package, and Mayor Laura Watzlavick and the Shiner City Council.

Shiner ISD officials and building project advisors break ground on the new Shiner School site near Comanche Stadium on February 16, 2006. Pictured are (L to R): SISD Trustee Laura Kaspar; Mike Gordy, VP, Sterling Structures; Trustee Angie Pekar; Superintendent Trey Lawrence; Jay Carlton, President, Sterling Structures; Shiner Mayor Laura Watzlavik, Trustee Dr. Maurice Wilkinson, Architect Jim Singleton, Trustee Andrew Schacherl, Trustee and Board President Denise Overton. (click image above to view several enlarged photos)

photo by The Shiner Gazette

School board secretary Angie Pekar was selected to turn over the first shovel of dirt.

"She grew up in the house that used to be on the property," Lawrence said. "I felt she would be appropriate because she has so many emotional ties to the land."

While the ceremony represents the official start, Lawrence said, work at the location has already begun.

"They were out here earlier and staked out the property and have started clearing the land," He said. "All the trees that needed to be moved have been taken down. The first was removed (Wednesday), and I was privileged to be out here when it happened. Everyone is very excited about the project."

In addition to turning the ground with shovels, Lawrence said the program will include a performance by the Shiner band and feature comments from school board President Denise Overton, Shiner ISD Foundation president Marvin Boedeker and himself.

"He’s going to explain the purpose of the foundation," the superintendent said. "It was formed to help raise funds independently of the school district to help offset some of the costs, and purchase some of the items that we’ll need at the new campus."

At the board’s Jan. 11 meeting, the trustees approved the guaranteed price of $7.353 million for the project. The campus will include two main buildings. The main classroom building will consist of two floors with the lower floor for elementary grades and second floor for middle school and high school general instruction in such areas as math and English. The second building will include a library, science and computer labs, vocational instruction, gym, fine arts facilities and a commons area. The commons will serve as a cafeteria, for concessions for athletics and includes a stage for meetings and school theatrical and musical performances.

Barry Halvorson is a reporter for The Victoria Advocate.
Contact him at 361-798-3888, or by e-mail at hvilladv@vicad.com.

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