District to bring in portable restroom trailer, convert office to girls’ restroom
A sewer drain collapsed at Rowena Johnson Primary on Wednesday, Sept. 20, rendering the girls’ bathroom in the main building unusable.
Sulphur Springs Indpendent School District Superintendent Deana Steeber issued a statement to parents of campus students via email Wednesday afternoon.
The following notice attributed to Dr. Steeber was also posted on the district’s Facebook page at 4:32 p.m. Wednesday:
“Good evening RJP Wildcats, Today, a sewer drain collapsed underneath the foundation at RJP. Unfortunately, this renders the girls’ bathroom in the main hallway unusable. As most of you know, this is the only girls’ restroom in the main building. Repairs cannot be made without chiseling into the foundation, which would result in at least part of the building being closed. Obviously, that would be very disruptive to our students and staff at RJP.
“To minimize the disruption, we will convert an office space into restroom use for our students. This process will take approximately 30 days. This will allow us to continue using all our classrooms at this time. During the construction of the restrooms, we will need to bring in a portable restroom trailer for student use temporarily. The portable restroom trailer will have heating and air conditioning, along with sinks.
“Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we through this process.”
Multiple comments to SSISD’s Facebook post recognize the need for updating and replacing the aging buildings around the district.
SSISD in 2022 attempt- ed to address issues of aging buildings, and a need for additonal space to address student population growth and to fully meet needs of district students.
A SSISD long-range facilities planning committee was created to evaluate district needs, then make recommendations to the district. More than $100 million in district needs were identified, some very urgent due to continued terioration of the older campuses.
Noted was the fact that many of the district campuses have overlived the average life for school buildings of their types, especially the SSISD buildings by age are: SSISD Administration Building — 100 years;
Travis Primary — 67 years
Douglass ECLC — 65 years;
Sulphur Springs Elementary — 62;
Austin Academic Center — 60 years;
Bowie Primary — 55 years
Rowena Johnson Primary — 55 years;
SSHS — 43 years; and
SSMS — 9 years.
An election was called for May 2022 with voters asked to consider approving a $93 million bond package, which would have included the construction of a new campus for Travis Primary, as well as renovations at Bowie and Barbara Bush Primaries, Douglass Early Child Early Childhood Learning Center, Sulphur Springs Elementary and Austin Academic Center; a new Career and Technology Center and fine arts additions at Sulphur Springs High School; roofing and HVAC improvements hroughout the district; and the purchase of 20 additional school buses.
The May 2022 bond package failed to pass, with 1,191 (55.25%) votes against and 956 (44.53%) for to $93 million proposal.
Following the election, SSISD officials “listened to the community’s response and considered the most critical needs of the district,” then, pitched a new parred down $81.5 million bond proposal, which appeared on the November 2022 election ballots.
The November bond package did not include a new Travis Primary campus, a new CTE Center at SSHS, increased cafeteria space and improvements to student pick-up and dropoff areas at Bowie Primary, renovations at Douglass ECLC and AAC, nor did it include districtwide capital improvements projects proposed in the May 2022 election. The number of new school buses to be purchased was dropped from 20 to 10 in the November 2022 proposal as well.
The $81.5 million bond package failed, with 3,901 (50.60%) against and 3,809 (49.40%) for the proposal.
SSISD trustees Sept 11 called for another planning committee. Any interested in being on the committee can apply online at: www.ssisd.net/page/article/ 228.