SBISD approves police department resolution

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  • Board members Brian Dorner (right) and John Vance read the police department resolution displayed on a TV off to the side. Staff photo by Todd Kleiboer
    Board members Brian Dorner (right) and John Vance read the police department resolution displayed on a TV off to the side. Staff photo by Todd Kleiboer
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Elementary principal: First day smoother than expected

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SULPHUR BLUFF— Sulphur Bluff ISD may soon have a police department headed by Toney Hurley after the school board passed a resolution for its formation at the Thursday night meeting.

“This is the first step for Toney,” Superintendent Dustin Carr said. “He’s been here a week, and he’s got a checklist going by. This is No. 1 of the list.”

Last meeting, the board approved a $3,500 purchase of a police vehicle from the City of Commerce, and Carr said Hurley has picked it up.

Hurley has most recently worked as a special ranger of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and before that, he was a Hopkins County deputy and investigator for 22 years.

In her report, Elementary Principal Amy Daniel said there are seven students currently using remote learning, and she said teachers are working with primarily Google Classroom and have an extra 25 minutes to work on the online portion of their classes.

“It’s very new to the elementary, but they are being really great troopers,” Daniel said.

SBISD started school Tuesday, and Daniel said grades are grouped into pods. Elementary students also head straight to class in the morning instead of gathering in the gym.

“It’s a good start, a crazy start,” Daniel said. “It’s been smoother than I thought it was going to be.”

Secondary Principal Marshall Moore said about 10% of his students are remote, but he added it was subject to change due to conversations he had with parents.

“We have given them every opportunity to learn and progress as the students who choose to learn on-campus have as well,” Moore said. “We’re doing everything we can.”

With all secondary teachers needing an online format of their class, Moore said Google Classroom is simple and easy to use for newcomers, but he added teachers are pulling double duty in some cases.

“Some teachers are integrating it pretty easily because they’ve done it a lot,” Moore said. “It’s definitely making it a little tougher on teachers for sure.”

Board member Terry Goldsmith acknowledged the challenge ahead of the school, saying this year “could be one of the most difficult years we’ve faced.”

Carr agreed with the sentiment.

“That was one of those things I said to teachers at the beginning of the school year. This is going to be one of the hardest years, or it could be one of the most revolutionary years we’ve experienced,” Carr said. “It’s going to push us forward five, 10 years on the technology front.”

In Carr’s report, he said the Dike solar farm’s reinvestment zone might be amended in an upcoming meeting, and the change may mean a delayed start to the farm’s construction. Carr said nothing should change in the project’s scope.