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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

LHISD set to return to classrooms Aug. 27

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor School districts all across T e x as have wrestled with the decision a b o u t STEVE SNELL LHISD when to return to Superintendent the classroom. Some have chosen to begin with up to a month of virtual learning before opening their doors, others did so at the earliest opportunity.

Leaders in Liberty Hill ISD watched and they listened, but the most important thing they did was make a decision based on data.

“We watch the data every single day. We watch the news and we talk to Texas Education Agency at least once a day, and then we talk to our

county health authority,” said LHISD Superintendent Steve Snell. “Like with every decision, we look at as much data as possible. At the end of the day, we felt the data from Williamson County, especially the zip codes that affect our school district, warrant at least the choice of a return to school.”

Feedback from families and the community was important to the district, but health and safety was the deciding factor in every decision about returning to school.

“Parent and family desires is a part of that, but they don’t override health concerns,” Snell said. “Our staff wanting to come back, our kids wanting to come back, our parents wanting to come back is all important and it definitely weighs in how we’re going to facilitate learning, but it doesn’t override those health concerns.”

Liberty Hill will not delay the

Liberty Hill High School

on-campus instruction option for families into September like other area districts, choosing instead to delay school for everyone one week, and focus on making sure that whether it is virtual or in the classroom, that students get the education they need.

Snell said it is helpful to delay one week to give the staff time to plan as teachers return.

“Just to delay school three weeks, I didn’t think the data showed that was a viable option,” he said. “In talking to health authorities, the numbers are so fluid that we felt that in our community we can safely get our staff and kids in, get them educated and get them home without spreading the virus. We didn’t feel a week here or week there would make the difference.”

What Snell is convinced will make a difference is adherence to the district’s safety protocols as students return, from

wearing a mask to social distancing and beyond.

“All the safety precautions that go along with that have to take place,” he said. “Going back to school and not having safety plans in place is not an option. We will do every safety thing you can imagine, including wearing a mask, and that’s going to be the standard, it’s not something we can excuse or ignore.”

The political firestorm swirling around so many of the mandated safety measures is something the district is definitely aware of, but Snell refuses to let those issues come first.

“We know those safety precautions don’t make everybody happy, and they’ve definitely been a conversation piece among parents, but I think one of our bigger challenges is that politics has overridden what our health officials are saying,” Snell said.

“Then there’s politics in what our health officials are saying.

Trying to decipher actual research studies versus people’s opinions has been very difficult.”

In addition to following all precautions while on campus, Snell said it is equally important that people in the Liberty Hill community practice them everywhere.

“We’ve got to continue to behave responsibly outside of school in order for our plans to be truly successful, and that’s a difficult thing because we obviously cannot control what happens outside the school,” Snell said. “Keeping yourself at a low risk is as critical when you’re not in school as it is when you’re in school.”

He knows that all the new expectations with COVID-19 are wearing thin for many people.

“The problem now is we’re getting a little of what is called COVID fatigue, and people

LHISD WELCOMES NEW TEACHERS

LHHS welcomes a number of new teachers to its faculty this fall. Although not listed in order of how they appear in the photo above, they include Ronald Hawkins, English/Coach; Tori Davis, Ag; Jeffrey Arnold, Science Composite/Principle of Law; Marc Pearson, Animation/Tech Theater Asst.; Lauren Beale, Business Education; April Bradley, SpEd/Coach; Karolyn George, Science Composite/Physics; Stephanie Franco, Science Composite/Coach; Sherry Rhoden, SpEd/Tennis Coach; and Danny Barringer, Athletic Trainer.

Liberty Hill Junior High

are going back to work,” Snell said. “The eye test is when you drive around the community it seems like a lot of people are back to normal and my message is we can’t let our guard down. We have to be diligent.

We have to be consistent examples of healthy behavior to continue to keep the virus down.”

That proud culture of being tough, and fighting through illness is also something that people need to set aside for the time being.

“We’ve got to reverse that trend and get people to stay at home if they have any symptoms whatsoever,” Snell said.

“They’ve got to stay home and make sure they’re not a carrier.

The whole community has to follow those guidelines for our plan to be successful. If they don’t and there’s an outbreak, we might have to reverse

See SNELL, Page 11

MIKE EDDLEMAN PHOTOS

LHJH welcomes new teachers this fall. New faculty members include (not in photo order) Chelsea Fitts, ELA grades 7/8; Kristin Grant, Math grades 7/8; Kelli Steinhofer, Spanish; Abigail Flint, Ag; Robert Ballard, Science grade 8; Tommie Bradley, SpEd, Resource, Inclusion grades 7/8; Davin Schulz, SpEd, Resource & Inclusion/Girls Coaching 7/8; Stephen Traynor, US History grad 8; Kenna Priore, Dance grades 7/8; Miranda Parker, Jordan Hunt, Emma Swearengin, and Mark Kizer.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

LHISD Board sets budget, adopts tax rate

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees signed off on the district’s budget and tax rate Monday, approving a total budget of $64.8 million across all funds.

The largest portion of the budget, the general fund – which covers everything but food service, Panther Extended Care and debt service – is set at $47.3 million.

The tax rate – set this year at $1.3647 per $100 value – has dropped just over 10 cents, following a mandate from the Texas Legislature during its last session.

The general fund appropriations are further broken down into 18 categories covering all operation costs, the largest portion of that being instructional costs of $27.9 million.

“It is comforting for me to see that of the entire budget of our expenses, 59, nearly 60 percent of our budget is instruction, as it should be,” said

Chief Financial Officer Rosanna Guerrero. “I think this is a really great representation of how we prioritize our funds for our students.”

The next highest categories by percentage are facilities and maintenance (8.4 percent) with a budget of $3.96 million, school leadership (5.6 percent) with a budget of $2.65 million, and general administration (4.4 percent) on a $2.1 million budget.

Expenses across all categories aside from debt service saw an increase, primarily due to district-wide growth and the opening of Santa Rita Elementary this month.

During initial budget planning, the district projected a 19 percent increase in property values and Guerrero said once valuations came in they were close to that number. That increase, along with an increase in state allocations due to enrollment growth accounts for the district’s revenue increases.

The debt service fund is projected to generate $17 million in revenues, with $15.1 million in debt service due in the fiscal year.

Current enrollment in the district is at 5,743, an increase of more than 700 students from the end of the last school year.

Snell said it is expected a few no shows will decrease that number some.

Taxes The current tax rate was a 7-cent reduction from the previous budget, and this year districts saw an even larger reduction in rate.

In the 2018-2019 budget year, the combined tax rate was $1.54 with 50 cents of that rate being for debt service. The current year’s rate is $1.47 with the same portion being for debt service.

“Part of House Bill 3 requires the compression of the maintenance and operations tax rate,” Guerrero said. “This is our year two of House Bill 3 and because Liberty Hill ISD

is a fast-growing district, we have over the 15.58 percent in growth, we automatically hit that maximum tier one tax rate of .8247. That is part of the House Bill 3 implementation.”

The district had 4 cents to work with based on the state’s funding formula, so the maintenance and operations rate is $0.8647 and the debt service rate remains 50 cents for a combined rate of $1.3647.

At the current rate, a home with a property value of $250,000 would pay $3,675 in LHISD taxes, and under the new rate, the same valued home will pay $3,411.75.

Salaries The LHISD Board voted in June to approve a one-percent increase for staff from the market midpoint. The across the board raise is increasing the district’s payroll by $345,235.

“In terms of salary and benefits overall, 83 percent are salary and benefits and that’s what we were targeting is that 83 percent,” Guerrero said.

In addition to the one percent, the Board approved a plan that would potentially include future consideration of a one percent, one time stipend later in the year if the budget allows.

“Last year, the Texas Legislature made huge steps with House Bill 3 and all teachers got between a five percent and seven percent raise, and although that’s a great raise I feel they’re still underpaid,” Superintendent Steve Snell said in June. “This year, the money’s just not there. I’m just disappointed we can’t do more, and I think the Board would share that thought.”

With the addition of Santa Rita Elementary, the district has reached about 750 total employees.

Another area of concern for the administration when looking at compensation was for substitute teachers. “(We have been) looking at the pandemic, looking at campuses, hearing from principals

Page 7

to see how can we maintain the substitutes and support them and make sure we have subs to fill the positions that we need,” Guerrero said. “We have to be competitive in the market so we looked at all the surrounding districts to see what we could do to that rate and we were significantly low.”

To make the district more competitive when it comes to having a pool of substitute teachers, the daily rate for non-certified subs was increased to $90 and certified was boosted to $95. Longterm subs will get $100 per day, those with a degree will receive $120 per day and certified subs serving in longterm positions will get $130 per day.

The rate for substitute nurses was also increased to $95 per day for licensed vocational nurses and EMTs and $140 per day for registered nurses.

See BUDGET, Page 12

LHISD WELCOMES NEW TEACHERS

Liberty Hill Intermediate School

New teachers at Liberty Hill Intermediate School this fall include (not in photo order) Shauna Ceballos, ELA grade 5; Christian Jordan, 5th Science; Travis Clark, 6th Maker Space; Andrea Vineyard, ELA grade 6; Abigail Price, Choir director; Kristin Rolfe, 6th SS/Science; Jennifer Cobb, SpEd; Laura Merritt-Degutis, 5th Performing Arts; Kenneth Huff, 6th Math; Holly Nelson, SpEd Inclusion grades 5/6; Kaitlyn Carter, 5th ELA; Sara Johnson, 6th Math; Courtney Kincaid, 6th ELA; and Summer McDorman.

Bill Burden Elementary School

MIKE EDDLEMAN PHOTOS

New teachers at Bill Burden Elementary School include (not in photo order) Ellie Anderson, 1st grade; Cassidy Ness, 4th ELAR/SS; Carolyn Rozell, 1st grade; Amanda Chadney, PE; Christine Bertram, 3rd grade; Marissa Russo, 1st grade; Pax Figioli, classroom teacher; Denise Huber, SpEd; and Holly Duckworth, SpEd, Resource/Inclusion & Behavior Support; and Hilari Prentice.

Page 8

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Santa Rita Elementary ready to welcome students

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor To the young students walking onto the new Santa Rita Elementary campus for the first time this year it may seem overwhelming in size, but for those who have prepared the school for those students, they believe they have created the right balance that can make a school a home.

“It is absolutely beautiful,” said Principal Kristy Kline of the new campus. “It is just so warm and welcoming. That’s the first thing all of the staff said when they came in. It’s interesting because when you walk in there’s big huge open spaces, but in the student hallways they are just normal ceilings, not the big open areas, and there’s lots of color with each hallway being a different color.”

Collaborative spaces, the library and a maker space room connected to the library are all part of the warm, comfortable feel, where administrators and teachers hope kids can focus on learning in the right environment.

“We have collaborative spaces with soft furniture in it, it’s just this big building you might think would feel cold, but it’s so warm and it feels so good,” Kline said. “The collaborative spaces are unique. They have different types of seating, they have walls where the whole wall is a white board. There are places where students can go work in small groups and brainstorm. Our library is really special because we have some reading nooks for kids built into the bookshelves where they can curl up with a book.”

The excitement over the new school is not contained within the walls, with new playgrounds, now referred to as the backyard, and other innovations for physical education and play areas.

“I think that is a very special place and there was a lot of

attention to the design in the backyard,” Kline said. “We have separate play areas for the little ones and for the big ones, we have wonderful playscapes and a really unique running track. It will be a space kids will love to spend time in.”

The finishing touches are happening this month, and the doors will be open on the newest addition to Liberty Hill ISD on the first day of school Aug. 27.

“The furniture is in, the playgrounds are in, all we’re doing between now and when the kids show up is finishing touches like floor wax and tweaking the technology system such as access cards and the energy efficiency controls to make sure those are dialed in,” said project engineer Casey Sledge. “Huckabee has done a great job on the aesthetics of the building, it’s very attractive. The space planning of the school is really well done, it’s just a good floor plan and good layout with a good flow for the students both inside and outside.”

The new elementary, set to house 800 students, was estimated at $32.2 million of the $98.6 million bond package when it was proposed to voters. The guaranteed maximum construction cost – which didn’t include soft costs associated with planning the project – came in at $27.2 million, and Sledge said as it wraps up, all signs point to it finishing under budget.

“It looks like, and this is a conservative number, that we are going to finish at least $200,000 under budget,” Sledge said. “The real exciting part of that though is we were able to add several hundred thousand dollars in new items to the project, so we would have been closer to $700,000 under budget, but we put a large part of that back into the building.”

He said the final accounting

on the project will probably happen in September.

The new campus is 105,786 square feet and located on Santa Rita Boulevard, across from the neighborhood park in Santa Rita South.

As project managers moved through the project, they found ways to trim costs, and add value.

“We did make quite a few changes to the project after the design was done,” Sledge said.

“I think we’ll always be striving to find the right balance of value and aesthetic. We want the building to be very cost effective and want it to be very sustainable, but we also want the community to be proud of how it looks. That’s the balance, and I think we’ll always be striving to dial that in tighter and tighter as we go.”

The district made a concerted effort to bring as many people into the planning as possible, something Sledge said reaped great rewards.

“The thing I’m the most proud of, that you can’t really witness when you walk up to the building is the amount of staff, teacher and administrator involvement in some direct decisions to simply get them the building they want,” he said. “It sounds like that would be intuitive, and you’d think that would always be the case, but every school is different, everyone has different nuances on how they want to teach, and transferring that into the building is not always easy to do and certainly not always done.”

The success of that collaboration can already be seen in staff reaction to the school.

“Walking through the hallways, talking to that staff and the principal, they’re so proud of that facility,” said Superintendent Steve Snell. “I have to commend our architects and our construction company because they’ve really done an

See SANTA RITA, Page 17

The new Santa Rita Elementary School opens its doors to students Aug. 27. The campus is located in the Santa Rita South neighborhood and will be home to 800 students.

Santa Rita Elementary School

MIKE EDDLEMAN PHOTO

Santa Rita Elementary School is opening its doors for the first time next week, and new teachers include (not in photo order) Vito Bizzanelli, Art; Rachel Montemayor, Conversational Spanish; Christina Arellano, Music; Kristen Slaton, Kinder; Amy Favacho, Kinder; Michelle Dozier, Kinder; Chelsie Jass, 1st grade; Autumn Violetto, 2nd grade; Gracen Odendahl, 2nd grade; Alicia Bonner, 3rd grade; Bandi Newberg, 3rd grade; Kelli Tate, 3rd grade; Natalie Wedgeworth, 4th grade; Valentina Cravens, 4th grade; Jacklyn Meers, Pre-K; Peter Mehok, SpEd behavior support; Jessica Greenberg, Interventionist; Carrera Cox, ESL; Megan Silas, 2nd grade; and Laura Cartier, Librarian/Media Specialist.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

BACK TO SCHOOL 2020

SNELL

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 6

course and send people home for a while. If the data in Liberty Hill ISD gets to a point where we don’t think it’s safe anymore, we will make the call possibly to halt our plans.”

The question each family has to answer for itself is how best to balance safety and the educational experience, and Snell knows there is not an easy answer.

“In person school is going to

be different. In person school is going to have restrictions and it might not be the consistent model that it’s always been,” he said. “We don’t know when we’re going to have to shut down. At home can be a consistent model, but you have to weigh that risk, is that the best way for your kid to learn? There are lots of questions families need to sit down and talk about as they

decide what’s best.”

But he added that no matter what choice families have made, the district is dedicated to making it work.

“We’re going to do everything we can to keep them as safe as possible in our schools just like we did before the virus,” Snell said. “None of our plans are perfect and we know that, but we’re going to try to be perfect and try to be consis-

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Page 11

tent. We’re asking the community for grace, we’re asking to be partners, to communicate, but we’re going to do our very best – whether you send your child in person or decide at home learning is best – that you get a quality education from Liberty Hill ISD.”

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The budget also includes funds for the new middle school administration, which will likely be hired in the spring for the school opening next fall.

Fine arts boost This year’s budget includes a $300,000 line item for fine arts expenditures, something the district has not previously allotted for.

“Working with Dr. (Toni) Hicks we’ve created a new fine

arts allocation,” Guerrero said.

“This is over $300,000 specifically earmarked for fine arts.

In working with Mr. (John) Perrin and the high school, this will be earmarked for band instruments and color guard this next year. This is an allocation we would like to continue on moving forward.”

With the growth of the district, and move up in competitive classification, the district and board believed the earmarked funds were necessary.

“I wanted to say thank you for thinking of the fine arts because I know as we were going into 5A there was concern about being able to compete because they require differ-

Thursday, August 20, 2020

ent instruments and things so I know they are grateful for that,” said Board member Megan Parsons.

Pandemic funds The district has budgeted $250,000 in COVID-19 pandemic related supplies.

“It was very important to be able to earmark funds to maintain the health and safety protocols that we’re putting into place,” Guerrero said. “We are looking at grants and other sources, but the reality is we need funds now to be able to maintain those protocols, so we have a new specific line item for funding for COVID.” While the district may be eventually reimbursed for

COVID-related expenses, it is necessary to budget those costs up front.

“FEMA is about 18 months to a two-year turnaround time so we have to allocate the expenses in the fiscal year, then if they are approved then we would use the accounting entry to refund that,” Guerrero said.

Snell added that there is a chance school districts in Williamson County may get a portion of the CARES Act funds the county received, which was a total of $93 million to be used for local relief efforts related to the pandemic.

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Thursday, August 20, 2020

WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER!

Do you believe that government should be transparent, accountable to the taxpayers, and forced to follow the law? The Better Together Project is working to establish trust between local government and the Liberty Hill community.

NO REGRETS!

As Liberty Hill City Planner, Sally McFeron was fired for refusing to sign-off on the Wetzel Park Splash Pad project. Signing off on it would have indicated that all the safety measures had been done in advance of opening the Splash Pad. She refused to do so because she knew it wasn’t true. In fact, Sally’s job was to protect the local taxpayers from undue influence from politicians and government who wanted to cut safety corners, get re-elected, and get paid. Sally refused to just go away quietly. She established the Better Together Project in an effort to seek more transparency in government and create a positive movement for sober, unpaid volunteers to seek public office. The politicians who fired Sally are giving a false, negative, and self-serving response to her movement because they are nervous. Regardless of who wins the next election, Better Together Project is not going away!

Contact us today to find out how you can get involved to make a difference in Liberty Hill!

Add your name to a growing list of supporters seeking to improve our community.

sally@lhbettertogether.org

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Political Ad Paid for By the Better Together Project, PO Box 722, Liberty Hill TX 78642. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

BACK TO SCHOOL 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

(TOP) The new playground at Santa Rita Elementary awaits students Aug. 27. (ABOVE) Classrooms at Santa Rita are equipped with the newest technology. (Courtesy Photos)

SANTA RITA

Continued from Page 8

excellent job getting that school ready for the first day.”

The technology on the new campus will not differ greatly from other recently-built campuses.

“The name of the game now with technology is flexibility and adaptability,” Snell said.

“You really want a system that requires less plug in and more wireless. To have more wire-

less access points you just plan ahead and it saves the district a little money.”

Under current safety precautions, the usual fanfare may be missing from the big opening of Santa Rita Elementary, but the district is looking forward to the time it can invite the community in to see what the campus is all about. Until then, there are plans in place

to create virtual tours to share as much as possible about the school.

“We’re very excited,” Snell said. “Normally that would be having a ribbon-cutting and a party and having the community in to celebrate everything that comes with opening a new school, but that has taken a back-burner to safety.”

A full service bank with a community feel.

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OPINION Throwback Thursday Among those Liberty Hill students who used crayons in school were members of the Liberty Hill graduating class of 1990, here pictured back when they were second graders in Mrs. Perry’s class in 197980. (Courtesy Photo)

Recalling the ‘crayon days’

By JAMES WEAR Columnist The start of another school y e a r prompts memories from days long gone, and while I’m certain methods of instruction have changed since I was in the first grade it appears at least one item, other than a No. 2 pencil, remains near the top of the list of school supplies -- a box of crayons.

Back in the mid-1960s most of us students at Florence Elementary brought a box of 16-count crayons to school, although a few kids had boxes of 24 and there would be at least one or two kids every year who would show up with a box of 48, and be the envy of the entire class.

Most of us packed our box of crayons in a cigar box along with our extra pencils, glue

and scissors and while the first few days we were careful enough to return our crayons to their original container, before long we’d simply toss them in the cigar box, particularly after we’d find ourselves applying a bit too much pressure on a crayon and it would snap into two pieces.

And, as the year progressed, crayons would be lost and we’d be borrowing from each other to complete assignments.

The time of year dictated which crayons would be soon worn down…orange was heavily used leading up to Halloween and red and green crayons often didn’t survive Christmas leaving us in the predicament of convincing our parents a new box of crayons was needed before we could start the second semester.

Girls, I noticed, were always much more adept at staying inside the lines when coloring and the shading they used

always appeared to be much more even that any of us boys could achieve, and there was always at least one student who perhaps was color-blind and who would end up turning in works where the wrong colors were used…pumpkins weren’t meant to be purple.

It was a box of crayons that led to an early lesson for me that perhaps steered me from a life of crime. Our family often shopped at a little store in Andice known as Dollahon’s Grocery that was owned and operated by a sweet lady. One afternoon, before I had started to school, I had wandered back to where she had the school supplies displayed and, perhaps due to my jealousy of my older brother having a brand new box of crayons for his first grade year, decided to tuck a box of crayons beneath my shirt.

Once home, I found a coloring book and was soon working away…right up until the moment my mother noticed I

had a new box of crayons.

My punishment was swift… we loaded up in the car and drove back down to the store where, with my parents standing behind me, I placed the pack of crayons on the counter and confessed to Mrs. Dollahon that I had stolen them, and that I was truly sorry and would not do such a thing again. She listened, and then said, since I had been honest enough to return them and apologize, she was going to let me keep the crayons.

Crayons were first developed in the mid-1860s, and by 1889 three colors had been produced: carbon black, yellow and red. In the early 1920s many advances were made as wax crayons found a market.

Over the years some colors have been retired while other colors have been renamed; for example, Ultra Green was renamed Screamin’ Green.

There is actually a Crayola Hall of Fall in Easton, Pennsylvania.

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, August 20, 2020 Page 18

EDITORIAL:

What’s in a Facebook name?

“When it comes to privacy and accountability, people always demand the former for themselves and the latter for everyone else.” ~ David Brin Words are very powerful.

They have the ability to inform or deceive and tear down or build up. We should all pick and choose them carefully and with the best intent toward honesty and the good of others.

What makes words truly impactful and meaningful is accountability for them, and today, we become less and less so all the time.

The biggest culprit in the new age of such hollow words is our love affair with social media. We can be hidden far away from the fray behind a screen, protected by whatever screen name we choose to give ourselves. Fake profiles, especially on Facebook, are rampant today and have reached our corner of the worldwide web in Liberty Hill.

The Independent encourages public discourse on our own Facebook page. We love the comments, we listen to the criticisms and appreciate being able to share the stories with an ever-growing audience. But it seems we need some ground rules these days.

In the last five months, more than a half-dozen very busy “newcomers” to the virtual world of Facebook have made it their cause to attack from both sides of each and every issue that stirs controversy in the community. It is clear that some people have either suddenly found Facebook, have only recently taken a deep interest in community politics or are just not real people at all. We will let you decide which of those three options is most likely.

In The Independent, stories and reports have names attached.

Our reporters, whose names appear on each story, are responsible and accountable for their words. When an editorial appears in our pages, the message is one from the ownership and staff as a whole addressing the community. But there is no word in the newspaper that someone has not openly taken responsibility for.

We expect the same of those who choose to engage in discussion and debate on our Facebook page. We ask that comments be polite and not attacks on a personal level, instead focusing on the issues presented. And we expect that commenters be accountable for those words, which means they come from the real name of a real person.

Whether we agree or disagree with someone’s comments, there is a much higher level of legitimacy for a person’s point of view when they are taking responsibility for their words.

Support Local Journalism.

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BACK TO SCHOOL 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

LHISD WELCOMES NEW TEACHERS

Liberty Hill Elementary School

MIKE EDDLEMAN PHOTOS

Liberty Hill Elementary welcomes the following new teachers this fall (not in photo order): Jessica Solis, Dual Language; Jennifer K. Jones, SpEd/Resource; Ann Corney, SpEd PPCD; Mary Bozelli; Jamie Hamilton and Heather Mazza.

Rancho Sienna Elementary School

New to the teaching staff at Rancho Sienna Elementary this fall are (not in photo order) Racheal James, Early Childhood/SpEd; Ashlynn Volek, 1st grade; Hope Sorensen, 1st grade; Leslie Driskell, SpEd Behavior Support; Molly Dwight, Art; and Jennifer Jones, SpEd.

It’s a new world

By VICKI BATES Guest Columnist So, this is a new world that we are living in. If you find yourself b e i n g more irritable and short-tempered, or if you feel down in the dumps or especially anxious, join the party! You ARE NOT ALONE! When all of this madness started in March, I, like so many other people, really had no idea how long it would go on, but I surely never imagined that it would affect the fall school semester! As a therapist, I was really hesitant to start seeing clients on video.

When I was in school, that was a hot topic and most of my professors felt like “absolutely NOT!” But….fast forward to mid-2020 and video counseling appointments have been a lifeline for so many people.

Many insurance groups that would not pay for it before, have changed their rules to allow people to continue or begin counseling appointments.

I have grown more used to it, but still miss the face-to-face relationships with my clients.

The positive side is that I have met a number of really interesting pets and have been able to see a more personal side of my clients.

So, how do we learn to deal with the added stressors to our lives that this pandemic has caused?

First, I think it is important to be able to talk to other people about how we are feeling, about doubts and fears, about the uncertainty that this change has brought into our lives—our personal lives as well as our work and school lives. Realize that no one has really ever been through anything exactly like this and it is

not normal! Do not feel that talking about the unknown, the fear, the isolation is a sign of weakness, but rather it is a sign that you are human, with the same fears/unknown/questions as everyone all around you.

Yes, there are people who act like nothing has changed and they indicate that they are really not affected by what has been happening in our nation and world. Don’t let those people fool you. We live in a state and a part of the country where we believe in pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps, so often people don’t feel safe in letting their vulnerabilities show. Just know that admitting you are afraid or worried is not a sign of weakness! It takes strength to be able to recognize the emotions that are building up inside.

Second, you need to take some time for self-care, and that does not really mean drowning your sorrows in a bottle of wine! Instead, do something kind for yourself.

For those of you who are stuck at home working with kids who are also stuck at home, you need to find someone to help you out and take the kids for an evening. You might not even go anywhere, but maybe run a nice bubble bath, with candles all around it. Or, you might take your favorite book and find a quiet place to curl up and read. Or, you could even go someplace that is beautiful and take a nice, leisurely walk.

But mostly, find some ways that you can pamper yourself.

Third, you need to flex your creative muscles a bit. Try painting, photography, making mosaics, remodel a room in your house. We definitely need a creative outlet to help us get through this mess.

Next, reconnect with some people that you have lost contact with over the years.

This would be a good time to reminisce with someone from your past and build back some relationships. Write real,

Page 19

handwritten letters/notes to the people you love. You will be surprised at their reaction!

Make sure you are taking time to exercise. Many people have been eating a great deal and moving very little. We often turn to food as comfort and I have heard from a number of friends that they have gained weight. So…start small if you need to. Go for a 15-minute walk every day or turn on some old disco music and dance! Try to get on the floor and see how long you can hold a plank or do a wall sit to see how long you can do that. You will find that exercise will help your moods and fight off depression.

And last, if you, your partner, or your children are feeling extremely overwhelmed and depressed or anxious, reach out for professional help. It is okay to say that you are not okay.

Open the doors of communication for your children to be able to express themselves. If your children are totally isolating themselves in their rooms, get them out and have some family time. Play charades or horseshoes or Monopoly. And most of all, do not lose hope.

We will get through this trying time, and hopefully, we will have gained some new knowledge of ourselves and appreciation for our loved ones.

Vicki Bates is a Licensed Professional Counselor with offices in Bertram and marble Falls. Before becoming a counselor, she spent 29 years teaching and coaching -- 14 of those years were spent in Liberty Hill schools, with 8 years at the high school teaching English and coaching basketball and track, then 6 years at the Intermediate School teaching PE to 5th and 6th graders. She loves working with people to help them find “their best selves.”

See her ad on Page 12.

Page 20

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Council pushes new Liberty Parke entrance forward

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The traffic hazards created by the current entrance to the Liberty Parke subdivision on SH 29 led the City of Liberty Hill to look for a safer alternative, which materialized in the opportunity to relocate the entrance and align it with the intersection of Stonewall Parkway and SH 29.

“No one can get out of there,” said Council member Steve McIntosh, a resident of Liberty Parke. “If traffic is normal no one can get out. I’ve heard about this for three years. It’s been asked of me for three years and we never addressed it because it was our understanding that TXDoT would not agree to do this so we didn’t even appeal to them.

When we understood it was possible that we could move the exit and entrance down to the existing light, and that would give people protection turning left and right out of the

subdivision, we started formulating the idea.”

The initial design, presented to the Council by Curtis Steger of Steger Bizzell, got the goahead from Council Aug. 13 to move into the detailed design phase, preparing the project to go out for bid.

The new design will eliminate the portion of Liberty Way at SH 29, and the new extension will come off of Liberty Way to the east and wrap around the back side of Classic Bank to line up with Stonewall Parkway at the traffic light east of the bank. A bank drive between the back of the bank lot and the new road is being added to the project in exchange for right of way from the bank.

Mayor Rick Hall said he hopes the project can go out for bid before the end of the year.

The estimated cost of the project, without contingency and engineering, is $1.33 million. Hall is hoping to cut

that cost to the City some by diverting Williamson County road bond funds originally intended for the Long Run extension project, which would have extended that road on the north side of the Stonewall subdivision east to intersect with US 183.

“In the last (county) bond package there was money that was approved by the county to do some road construction work in the Liberty Hill area,” Hall said. “We kind of initially earmarked it and it was not advertised this way so the county has the ability to shift that money around based on a resolution request from the City.”

The shift in funds would make approximately $500,000 available for the project and there has been no announcement how the City would fund the remaining balance.

Because the Long Run extension was not a project listed on the ballot for the county bond package it was not guaranteed

funding, so the Commissioners Court would have to vote to dedicate those funds to the new project.

Hall explained that after the City was unable to annex the Stonewall Ranch subdivision into the city limits due to the debt cost of the MUD, there was no more opportunity to create a public improvement district that was initially intended to pay for the City’s portion of the Long Run extension. That extension is part of the City’s current long-range transportation plan, which Hall shelved in August 2019 when he told residents the current plan would be removed from the City website.

“I have taken the initiative to totally stop the transportation plan that we have in effect right now because we do have to go back to ground zero,” Hall said at the time.

To date, there has been no public discussion of a new transportation plan.

New retail developments A site development plan for a new McCoys Building Supply was approved unanimously by the Council.

McCoys currently operates 88 stores in five states – Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas and Mississippi – with its nearest regional store in Georgetown. The company – which began in 1927 – is headquartered in San Marcos.

McCoys will be a 26,000 square-foot retail building and warehouse on 12.5 acres located at the south corner of SH 29 and RM 1869, between SH 29 and Carl Shipp Drive.

“I think this is a great opportunity for the City of Liberty Hill to have a national brand to put us on the map,” Hall said.

The Council also approved the preliminary plat for the Heritage Ridge retail development.

The 10.5-acre development will include eight commercial spots and is located along the

south side of SH 29, between the highway and Liberty Hill Junior High.

The property is heavily covered in trees, making tree preservation an issue for the developer. The proposal calls for the removal of 158 trees that are 10-inches or greater in caliper size, and at least 50 of which are considered legacy trees of 19-inches or more.

“One thing to note is there was extensive tree coverage on the subject’s property, and in recognition of that the applicant decided to place some concessions in the preliminary plat,” said Director of Planning David Stallworth.

Developer Michael Beevers, of Liberty Hill Investments, LLC, proposed a number of development concessions due to the planned removal of the trees to include an eightfoot shared use path along the 1,200 feet of SH 29 frontage,

See COUNCIL, Page 43

BACK TO SCHOOL 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 21

PANTHER SPORTS 2020 Fall Preview

Panthers build while moving up in class

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Last year was like a nightmare that wouldn’t end for the Liberty Hill football squad for the entire first half of the season – a campaign that saw the Panthers struggle to a 2-5 record out of the gate – with it all on the heels of a berth in the Class 4A state championship game the previous fall.

However, the Purple-and-Gold – under the guidance of head coach Jeff Walker – found an elixir for what was ailing them and proceeded to run off an impressive five-game winning streak before falling in the fourth round of the postseason to local rival Lampasas.

Still, a 7-6 record certainly isn’t what Panther football is all about and despite seeming like a victory after the rough start his team endured, Walker has the added challenge this year of moving up to Class 5A competition as he and Liberty Hill look to regroup.

After being short on seniors last season, the Panthers’ roster this season will feature experience at almost every position and will be led offensively by the backfield duo of senior running backs Trey Seward and Blake Simpson, who will line up behind fellow senior quarterback Charlie Calabretta.

Last season was truly a breakout year for the speedy Seward, who led the Panthers with 2,046 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns, while the bruising Simpson added 1,702 yards and 18 touchdowns, so gaining yardage in the Panthers’ vaunted Slot-T offense shouldn’t be

Liberty Hill will compete in Class 5A Division II, Region 4, District 14 and will face district opposition in Marble Falls, along with a quintet of Austin schools in Crockett, McCallum, Navarro, Northeast Early College and Travis.

In addition to their district opponents, the Panthers will open the season against a pair of Class 6A squads in Killeen Ellison at home on Sept. 25, as well as a road game at Del Valle the following week on Oct. 2.

Liberty Hill’s schedule will also feature three open dates, including consecutive weeks without games on Nov. 6 and Nov. 13 and another on Dec. 4, which is the final week of the regular season.

Although the Panthers’ district opponents all have larger enrollments – which usually equates to larger talent pools to draw from – the schools combined for a 15-46 record last season.

But, Walker and his club won’t have to wait long to find out firsthand how the competiALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO tion will be, as there are only Senior Trey Seward (#20) led Liberty Hill with 2,046 yards and two non-district contests this 22 touchdowns last season. year due to the delayed start an issue. efforts to go with 17 tackles for of the season before district Calabretta filled in for injured loss and a pair of sacks on the play begins against Crockett at starting signal-caller Jacob campaign. home on Oct. 9.

The departure of graduatCearley and will use the experience gained under center last ed seniors defensive lineman fall to lead the Liberty Hill of- Walker Baty and safety Drake Oberpriller will leave a void on fense this season.

On the defensive side of the the defensive unit that Thomas line of scrimmage, junior line- and his teammates will need to backer Andon Thomas will shore up if the Panthers are to lead the way after leading the stop teams on defense as effiPanthers with 121 total tackles ciently as they should roll up last season, including 81 solo big yards on offense.

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, August 20, 2020 Page 22

LHHS VARSITY FOOTBALL 2020 Sept 12 11am Purple & White Scrimmage Sept 18 7pm NB Canyon (Scrimmage) Sept 25 7:30pm Killeen Ellison (Senior Night) Oct 2 7:30pm @Del Valle District 14 AAAAA, Region IV Oct 9 7:30pm Crockett (Homecoming) Oct 15 7:30pm @Austin Travis - Burger Stadium Oct 23 7:30pm Austin McCallum Oct 30 7:30pm @Marble Falls Nov 6 OPEN/Make-Up Nov 13 OPEN Nov 20 7:30pm Austin Navarro Nov 27 7:30pm @Austin Northeast - Nelson Field Dec 4 OPEN/Make-Up

No one covers the Panthers better than THE INDEPENDENT!

For complete local sports coverage, www.LHINDEPENDENT.COM/SUBSCRIPTIONS

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Liberty Belles prepare for unknown

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer With the new school year starting, the Liberty Hill High School varsity dance squad, the Liberty Belles, is ready and unafraid to traverse the murky and unknown waters ahead.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Belles haven’t had the opportunity to dance since before Spring Break. The new boot camp practices are the first time the squad has had the chance to see each other.

“We’ve had our boot camp, which is two-a-day practices,” said Belles Director Melanie Bovine. “It was challenging for them not having danced since before Spring Break. We tried to start with basic conditioning and stretching.”

Like a duck to water, after shaking off a bit of the rust, it was back to business as usual, setting high expectations for their year.

“We hit the ground running with technique practices and learning the football routines,” said Bovine. “We are preparing for the year and setting ex-

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pectations as soon as we walk in that door.”

Belles Captain Dominique Berzin believes the adversity of a season that ended abruptly, and new adjustments to safety standards, are helping this squad develop and grow.

“Our year was sadly cut short last semester, but being with a new team and a new position, all the girls have seemed to be very patient with us,” said Berzin. “Considering the circumstances, practices have been a little difficult trying to get back into the swing of things, but I know as a team this will only build us and make us stronger during these tough times.”

The difficulty of new safety standards isn’t a physical thing as much as it a psychological and social one. New safety measures make the interaction between teammates different.

“They’ve done an excellent job with all of the safety protocols we’ve put in place,” said Bovine. “They want to come in and immediately start talking to their friends and teammates, but it’s hard because we have

to have these rules set in place because of the pandemic.”

In her first year as the head director of the Belles and the dance program overall, Bivone hopes to continue its streak of excellence.

“My goal is to continue our high level of education and performance with them,” she said. “They have increased their technique, and they’re honestly little powerhouses now. They’ve been working hard over the last two years, and the goal is to continue that.”

It is the opportunity to create lasting memories and the excitement of getting back to performing that fuels Belles 1st lieutenant Caitlyn Mutchler’s enthusiasm.

“Since we missed out on spring show for the shutdown, I’m looking forward to performing with my teammates and being a part of the community again,” said Mutchler.

“I’m most excited about the multitude of opportunities to make lasting memories with my teammates and participat-

The Liberty Belles are aiming to pick up where they left off when last season was cut short by COVID-19. (Courtesy Photo) ing for my senior year.”

With so many unknowns, nerves are bound to rise. For line member Sara Hesskew, the fear of a canceled season sits in the corner of her mind.

“I’m most nervous about preparing our dances and getting excited about football season, then for it not to happen,” Hesskew said. “The seniors who graduated this past year didn’t

get a spring show, so I’m nervous the beginning of our year will be cut as well.”

Leading her squad forward, Berzin is spreading a message of no regrets for the season, whether it gets cut short or they get to see it to the end.

“There are so many goals I or we have planned for this year, but the number one that we want to hold as a team,

considering COVID-19, is our new team Motto, ‘No Regrets,’” said Berzin. “Even if our year is cut short, we have fewer performances, a season is taken away, or our trip to New York City is no longer in motion, we want to be able to say we fulfilled this year with positivity and solutions to problems thrown at us.”

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Statements required in notice if the proposed tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue tax rate and the voter-approval tax rate but does not exceed the de-minimis rate, as prescribed by Tax Code §§26.06(b-1) and 26.063(c).

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE

This notice only applies only to a taxing unit other than a special taxing unit or municipality with a population of less than 30,000, regardless of whether it is a special taxing unit.

PROPOSED TAX RATE $0.098250 per $100 NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE $0.092935 per $100 VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE $0.093295 per $100 DE MINIMIS RATE $0.101665 per $100 The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the 2020 tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax revenue for Williamson County ESD No. 4 from the same properties in both the 2019 tax year and the 2020 tax year.

The voter-approval rate is the highest tax rate that Williamson County ESD No. 4 may adopt without holding an election to seek voter approval of the rate, unless the de minimis rate for Williamson County ESD No. 4 exceeds the voter-approval rate for Williamson County ESD No. 4.

Senior Ayanna Donwerth will lead the Lady Panthers on the cross country trails this season after a top-25 finish at the state meet last year.

Cross Country counters losses with gains

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Gone are Madison Sears, Gabe Diaz and Kevin Berber.

More than anyone else who ran the trails for the Liberty Hill Panthers cross country squad over the past four years, that Purple-and-Gold trio provided limitless amounts of energy and enthusiasm – which was reflected not only in race results, but in creating an unmatched synergy and camaraderie any team would miss following their departure to graduation.

So what does Panthers head coach Kim Holt do to counteract the losses?

What any good coach does in a situation such as this.

She simply reloads.

“I’m not concerned because we already have great leadership this year,” said Holt. “The seniors this year have been doing a good job of leading the team in the right direction.”

At the head of the class on the girls’ side is senior Ayanna Donwerth, who shone for the Panthers last season after transferring to Liberty Hill from Leander High School as a junior and posted a top-25 finish at the Class 4A state meet after a pair of third-place results at the regional and district meets, while for the boys, seniors Cade Johnson and Isa-

iah Delagarza will be depended on, said Holt “On the boys’ side, we’re looking to Cade and Isaiah for leadership and on the girls’ side, we’ll be looking to Ayanna,” she said. “These three were a part of the team who competed at the state meet last year, so they have a lot of experience to help lead us back there. In all, we have eight seniors, so we’re hoping some of them can contribute to helping lead the team as well.”

The brightest star for the Panthers last season was freshman Zaila Smith, as the rookie runner wrapped up a spectacular season with a fourth-place performance at the state meet and will look to build on a solid first year with a stellar sophomore campaign.

According to Holt, moving up to Class 5A this season will have more of an impact on the girls’ results due to increased race length.

“I think the biggest challenges will be on the girls’ side,” said Holt. “The girls are competing at 5K this year instead of two miles. I think it’s also a challenge for some of the freshmen girls and boys – they run two miles at the junior-high level.”

Holt added the fact her returning runners experienced a taste of what it’s like to compete at the state championships will

help fuel their hunger as they embark on the new season.

“Having so much success from last year helps,” she said. “The kids want to get back to state. They want to do well in the new 5A district. Many of the kids have been working hard all summer and talking about running at the state meet again.”

Despite the loss of so much of the team’s heart and soul with the departure of last year’s seniors, Holt believes her squad this season will not only continue to build on the legacy the likes of Sears, Diaz and Berber left behind – but will add to it and leave their own indelible mark on the program in the process, something she has come to realize is a big part of leading young athletes.

“I think when I was a coach just starting out, I was unaware of how much building relationships with your kids helps to build a successful program,” she said. “The kids talk about all the time how Liberty Hill cross country is a big family. I think that encourages many of the kids to want to run cross country and get up to make it to the 6 a.m. practices – they want to be with their cross country family at 6 a.m. every day.”

The de Minimis rate is the rate equal to the sum of the no-new-revenue maintenance and operations rate for Williamson County ESD No. 4, the rate that will raise $500,000, and the current debt rate for Williamson County ESD No. 4.

The proposed tax rate is greater than the no-new-revenue tax rate. This means that Williamson County ESD No. 4 is proposing to increase property taxes for the 2020 tax year.

A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE WILL BE HELD ON August 24, 2020 at 6:30 PM at 301 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, Texas, 78642.

The proposed tax rate is greater than the voter-approval tax rate but not greater than the de minimis rate.

However, the proposed tax rate exceeds the rate that allows voters to petition for an election under Section 26.075, Tax Code. If Williamson County ESD No. 4 adopts the proposed tax rate, the qualified voters of the Williamson County ESD No. 4 may petition the Williamson County ESD No. 4 to require an election to be held to determine whether to reduce the proposed tax rate. If a majority of the voters reject the proposed tax rate, the tax rate of the Williamson County ESD No. 4 will be the voter-approval tax rate of the Williamson County ESD No. 4.

YOUR TAXES OWED UNDER ANY OF THE TAX RATES MENTIONED ABOVE CAN BE CALCULATED AS FOLLOWS:

Property tax amount = ( tax rate ) x ( taxable value of your property ) / 100 FOR the proposal: AGAINST the proposal: PRESENT and not voting: ABSENT:

Dan Clark, James Crabtree, Keith Bright None None James Baker, Chuck Walker

The 86th Legislature modified the manner in which the voter-approval tax rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of property taxes in the state.

The following table compares the taxes imposed on the average residence homestead by Williamson County ESD No. 4 last year to the taxes proposed to be imposed on the average residence homestead by Williamson County ESD No. 4 this year.

2019 Total tax rate (per $100 of value)

$0.098250

2020

Change

$0.098250

0% increase

Average $340,957 homestead taxable value

$339,441

0% decrease

Tax on average homestead

$334

0% decrease

$4,438,884

18% increase

$335

Total tax levy on all $3,747,128 properties

For assistance with tax calculations, please contact the tax assessor for Williamson County ESD No. 4 at 512943-1601 or proptax@wilco.org, or visit www.wilco.org/propertytax.

Page 30

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Family affair turns into lifetime love New tennis coach has lived a life of wonder on the courts

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor For new Liberty Hill head tennis coach Sherry Rhoden, there’s one thing she will insist on her new team having as the Panthers embark on a new season.

Unity.

“For Liberty Hill to compete at the next level, we will need to be united with a champion mindset,” said Rhoden. “We will need to be united within the coaching staff, our players, our amazing booster club, in the athletic department and we will need to know administration supports the growth of this program.”

To this end, the seeds must be sown at the lower levels in order to ensure excellence down the road by adopting a proactive approach.

“We will need to build players from a younger level starting in the elementary grades,” she said. “Players need to start competing on USTA Junior Team Tennis teams with red and orange-level tennis balls.

We’re past the days of learning the game in junior high – we need earlier exposure. Players need a Universal Tennis Ranking before high school. We need advanced team players who are selfless and willing to

be a champion on and off these Panther tennis courts in order for this program to be successful. LHISD has a wonderful tennis program at the junior high coached by Coach Barry Boren – I’m so excited to partner with him – it’s truly an honor. Also, we need support from the tennis community.”

Certainly, Rhoden’s pedigree and resume suggest she is exactly the right person for such an undertaking.

“For me, tennis began as a family outing,” she said. “I was introduced to the game of tennis at an early age when my aunt took my sister and myself to the local courts to play tennis with our cousins.”

But, that was only the beginning of a lifelong love affair with the game.

“I started playing tennis competitively in junior high and went on to make it to the UIL state tennis tournaments in high school. My high school coach is still one of my best friends and mentors,” said Rhoden. “I played NCAA Division II for Texas Woman’s University in the Lone Star Conference while earning my bachelor’s degree in education.”

From there, Rhoden went on to earn a master’s degree

in Special Education from the University of North Texas before moving to Cedar Park in 2000. For the past 16 years, she has owned and operated her own tennis program in Cedar Park and most recently added a location in Liberty Hill, teaching children ages four and older and women of all ages through spring, fall and summer classes while offering Junior Team Tennis teams, Women’s Team Tennis, leagues, summer camps and private lessons.

Rhoden is also a member of the Capital Area Tennis Association’s Junior Development Committee, a United States Professional Tennis Association Elite teaching professional – which she has been for 13 years – and was recently awarded the Capital Area Tennis Association’s Junior Coach of the Year by her peers. She also serves as a court-appointed board member to the Williamson County Child Welfare Board, an organization offering extra support to case workers and foster children in the county.

According to Rhoden, her players should be engaged in an environment in which one not only learns the craft of the sport, but finds fulfillment and

Liberty Hill tennis squad poised to continue growth

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Over the past two seasons, former Liberty Hill head tennis coach Philip Dodd built the Panthers into a competitive squad.

Enter new head coach Sherry Rhoden, an experienced tennis veteran, who will look to build on that foundation and in doing so, take the program to the next level.

Make no mistake, Rhoden knows exactly what she’s got-

ten herself into – and is embracing the challenge of living up to the Liberty Hill legacy of winning.

“Liberty Hill is competitive in all programs, so my expectation is we’ll be prepared, competitive and present ourselves on and off the court with a championship mindset,” said Rhoden. “Yes, I’m a first-year head coach here, but I’ve been coaching and running my own business for 16 years. My favorite classroom just happens

to be outside on the tennis courts. I enjoy positivity and building relationships and I put high expectations on myself and expect those around me to work hard. I’m so excited to learn from new experiences this year. The best programs are built on trust and relationships – both of these take time, so I do expect time will benefit us. As educators and coaches, we’re in the business of

See TENNIS, Page 41

LAURA COLEMAN PHOTO

New Liberty Hill head tennis coach Sherry Rhoden has positive plans to continue to build the Panthers’ program at all levels. gratification in doing so.

“I believe the game of tennis should be taught in a fun, age-appropriate environment full of laughter, hard work and time for fellowship,” said Rhoden. “Tennis is a game of errors and should be experienced on a foundation of grace for self and others. I feel my number one job is to meet my players wherever they are, build their confidence from this point and make sure they have the correct tennis knowledge with ample opportunities to use their court knowledge through muscle memory and live-ball instruction.”

However, one objective outweighs all the rest.

“Above all else, I want players to love this game for life,” she said. “I intend to create a fun-filled environment for the Panther tennis teams. I want them to graduate knowing they were a part of a united tennis family and I want them to create lasting memories and leave this program knowing they are created for a purpose and are deeply loved for who they are.”

Rhoden added despite tennis having an image that might

be different from other more traditional sports, beneath the surface lies the same set of guiding principles for her as a coach.

“I don’t think being a tennis coach is any different from being a football, volleyball, basketball or any other team coach. We all learn to use our resources wisely and appreciate what we’ve been given,” she said. “Great coaches will leave no player behind, so the successes of the team will be exhausted. We all want our players to develop a deeper understanding for the game as we encourage healthy relationships and personal growth in the supportive environment we help create.”

As with any new coach taking over a program, Rhoden has aspirations for what she envisions Liberty Hill tennis to develop into – both at the moment and in the future.

“My short-term goal is to enjoy every day we have on the courts and create margin within our daily and weekly practices for relationships to develop based on trust and positivity,” said Rhoden. “The short-term has been amazing

for me – I’ve had the opportunity to work with Coach Sue Davidson – she has been such a blessing to me and I’m tickled to have the opportunity to partner with her this year. She’s truly a work horse and is one of the most passionate educators I have ever met. She accepted the assistant coach title, but she is so much more -- I’m delighted to call her my teammate and friend. These short-term and daily goals will plant seeds for our long-term goals to have a winning program cultivated from pre-k and up. I plan to go into the elementary schools and supplement their physical education strike units following the USTA curriculum like NetGeneration and Team Tennis. I plan to continue offering weekly lessons here in Liberty Hill following JV and varsity practices and I most certainly want to unite the Panther community through the lifelong game of tennis. We’re going to work hard, make memories and have so much fun creating a united, championship culture.”

BACK TO SCHOOL 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 31

Second-round postseason defeat a motivator moving forward

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor As the Lady Panthers of Liberty Hill walked off the court after a second-round playoff defeat last fall in the Class 4A state volleyball playoffs, it didn’t matter they had breezed through another dominant regular-season campaign, which included not losing even a single set during district play.

What mattered to head coach Gretchen Peterson and her club was the disappointment of yet another quick postseason exit for the second straight year after an appearance in the state semifinals in 2017.

However, Peterson attributed her squad’s struggles in the playoffs to problems that had plagued the Lady Panthers all season long – but without being exposed in the form of defeat, she said.

“Sometimes you learn more from your losses and I have no doubt we all took a lot away from our season ending sooner than expected,” said Peterson. “It definitely exposed things we have to get better at, but honestly these were things we struggled with all season.”

Chief among those things was an overall consistency that was missing much of the time – not only as far as on-court tangibles were concerned, but perhaps even more importantly, the intangible approach her players must take, she said.

“We have to be more consistent in everything. We can’t be up and down, we have to push ourselves to be steady. Serve receive, defense, blocking, hitting – basically all aspects of our games,” said Peterson.

“We also have to be consistent with the effort and intensity we bring to the court in games and practice. We can’t just be up for the big games – all games are big games and our effort, focus and intensity has to be there for every game. We can’t just go through the motions and expect the results we want.”

This season will bring the added challenge of the jump

ALEX RUBIO FILE PHOTO

Emma Becker (#5) was named District Most Valuable Player last season and will lead a strong front line this year. up to Class 5A, which will mean shorter road trips against schools in places like Georgetown, Leander and Cedar Park, but also more rugged competition – something Peterson is certainly cognizant of, but not overwhelmed by the prospect of, she said.

“In terms of challenges for this year, the jump to 5A doesn’t really seem as daunting as once perceived,” said Peterson. “This is a crazy year in general, so why not, right? We’ve always tried to play a very tough preseason

schedule of 5A and 6A teams, so we’re somewhat use to seeing that level of play. Our kids will rise to the occasion – they’re excited and ready for this, so I’m not worried about them stepping up and competing -- that’s what they always do.”

Gone are seniors Ashley Nelson, Lauren LaDuque and Emily Huppee from last season’s squad, but the Lady Panthers have plenty of firepower returning to the roster.

Seniors this fall will feature middle blockers Ashleigh

Dubbs and Lilli Wilkins, along with outside hitter Kindsee Escamilla, who had a stellar season last year after returning to the lineup from an injury which ruined her sophomore season.

This year’s junior class includes setters Emma Becker (District Most Valuable Player) and Emma Parsons (District Setter of the Year), who both had breakout campaigns last fall and defensive specialist Haley Kuhlmann (District Newcomer of the Year), as well as middle blocker Ailie

Hair and outside hitter Maddi Rowley who also burst onto the scene for the Purple-andGold.

But, despite her team’s youth, Peterson believes she has a potent roster at her disposal.

“We actually aren’t that young, we have players with a ton of varsity experience,” she said. “They’ve been on the court and have played together for a while now, they all have the ability to be leaders in different capacities and I trust them – they’ll do a great job.”

Peterson, who is entering

her 18th season as Lady Panthers head coach, believes the knowledge and wisdom she has gained over nearly two decades of coaching now provides her with a position of strength she didn’t have earlier in her career – due not only to on-court experience including over 400 victories patrolling the sidelines, but life experience away from the game which had given her on very valuable thing, she said.

“Perspective. As we get older and life happens, we start to focus on the things that really matter. We still want to win, we still work to win, but the focus really starts to be on helping these athletes becoming strong, smart, independent young women who value and understand hard work, family and the importance of lifting each other up,” said Peterson. “After becoming a mother, I got a whole new level of clarity and I try my best to be a coach and teacher I would want my son or daughter to have. I want them to know they’re valued, loved and are going to be pushed to be the best athlete and person they can be. In light of all that has happened with COVID, it further drives home the fact sports aren’t forever, seasons aren’t forever, so focus on the stuff that’s going to stick around – the stuff that will be there when everything else is long gone.”

LHHS VOLLEYBALL 2020 9/11 Georgetown/East View TBA @GISD F/JV/F/V 9/12 Cove/Waco Scrimmage TBA @Cove F/JV/F/V 9/15 Copperas Cove 5:30/6:30 @Cove F/JV/F/V 9/18 Clemens/Antonion @Antonion JV/V 9/19 Cedar Ridge 11/12 Home F/JV/F/V 9/25 Pflugerville 5:30/6:30 @Pflugerville F/JV/V 9/26 Brenham/Huntsville 11 or 12 @Brenham F/JV/V DISTRICT GAMES 9/29 Rouse 5,5,6,6 @Rouse F/JV/F/V 10/2 Leander 5,5,6,6 Home F/JV/F/V 10/6 East View 5,5,6,6 @East View F/JV/F/V

10/9 Glenn 5,5,6,6 Home F/JV/F/V 10/13 Georgetown 5,5,6,6 @Georgetown F/JV/F/V 10/16 Cedar Park 5,5,6,6 Home F/JV/F/V 10/20 Marble Falls 5,5,6,6 @Marble Falls F/JV/F/V 10/23 Rouse 5,5,6,6 Home F/JV/F/V 10/27 Leander 5,5,6,6 @Leander F/JV/F/V 10/30 East View 5,5,6,6 Home F/JV/F/V 11/4 Glenn 5,5,6,6 @Glenn F/JV/F/V 11/6 Georgetown 5,5,6,6 Home F/JV/F/V 11/10 Cedar Park 5,5,6,6 @Cedar Park F/JV/F/V 11/13 Marble Falls 5,5,6,6 Home F/JV/F/V

Page 32

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Bids will be opened and publically read aloud at 2:00 pm CST at the offices of LandDev Consulting, LLC, 5508 Highway 290 West, Suite 150, Austin, Texas, 78735, on September 10, 2020. No faxed bids will be accepted. Any proposal received after the closing time will be filed unopened. Bids must be submitted on the form included in the bid documents, in sealed envelopes marked “Bid for Omega Ranch Phase 4 Subdivision Project”.

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A bid must include Bid Security in the form of a certified or cashier’s check or a bid bond issued by a surety legally authorized to do business in Texas, payable to the District, in an amount of at least 5% of the total amount of the bid, in accordance with Texas Water Code Section 49.271(c), as a guaranty that, if awarded the contract, the bidder will promptly enter into a contract with MA Omega Ranch, LLC on behalf of the District and furnish bonds on the forms provided.

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(8/27p) MISSING PROPERTY If you believe the police department may have a found item that belongs to you, you can call the Property Division directly at 512-548-5530 or email at ekrause@libertyhilltx.gov. When contacting the Property Division, describe the item(s) you are looking for, in detail, and we will let you know if we have it. If we do, we will make arrangements to get it back to you.

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BACK TO SCHOOL 2020

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Page 34

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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Page 38

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

LHHS Band prepares for major changes

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer The Liberty Hill High School band is preparing to head into a school year unlike any before. Instead of letting circumstances get them down, the group and program director John Perrin are finding the silver lining.

Things this year are already set to be much more different than ever before.

“I’m on the TEA website and UIL website every single day to make sure nothing new has come out to change things,” said Perrin. “In the band world, we have changed what we’re doing. We shelved our competition show. Most of the bands in our region are not going to compete in UIL. The reason is that the marching competition deadline means what would happen is we push everything back for just this one day, and it ruins the deadlines for all the other things we do.”

This year students can expect the same level of music but less of it — the idea being an emphasis on quality not quantity.

“We have a new show we picked out, and it’s called ‘Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining,’” said Perrin. “We didn’t decrease the difficulty; we just shortened the amount of material they need to learn.”

This move takes the pressure off of students, keeps them at the same level, and makes for a more effortless adjustment if COVID affects the school year.

“Last year, we had over 80 individual moves, and now we’re going to have 20 or 25,” said Perrin. “The music will be at the same level of difficulty but less of it. They get the same rigorous training and still function on the same level, but we can be prepared if something happens, and we have to go virtual. Who knows what

Thursday, August 20, 2020

might happen.”

Perrin hopes that the opportunity to play under the Friday night lights isn’t taken from the students because it’s an integral part of their experience.

The idea of rotating groups of band members during games is under consideration. These measures allow all the students to take part and social distance.

“We have that show, and Lord willing, we can go to some of the home football games and put on a halftime show for the fans,” he said. “That’s part of our curriculum. We want our kids to go through that process. Our freshmen need to The LHHS band worked over two weeks to hone their fundamentals and get ready for the unique know what it’s like to prepare school year ahead. for marching shows and have most excited to see the new same thing.” band fundamentals and playresponsibility.” friendships I will be able to The practice was held over 10 ing fundamentals. We didn’t Percussion section leader Mi- make with the incoming fresh- days. The focus of these prac- work on show music or anychael Dodson looks forward men,” said Dodson. “Last tice days was solely on funda- thing. It was strictly fundato welcoming the next group year, when I was a freshman, mentals. mental work.” of freshmen the way he was I made many upperclassman Despite two cases of COVID “We were able to hold funwelcomed. friends, and I feel like I will damental in-person practice,” See BAND, Page 44 “Heading into this year, I am help the new freshmen do the said Perrin. “We did marching

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Page 39

Stars work to exceed expectations

Under the instruction of new director and second-year educator, Kenna Priore, the Liberty Hill High School JV Dance Squad, the Stars, has lofty goals of its own.

As the instructor for the squad, Priore’s goal is to show that her girls aren’t just a JV team, they’re much more than that and endlessly talented.

“They are a JV team, but I want them to be treated like a normal dance team,” said Priore. “I’m going to push them hard to showcase the awesome skills that they have. I want people to look at this JV team and not believe that it’s JV because they’re so talented.”

Three-year veteran member of the Stars squad Harc Richardson is thrilled to finally have the opportunity to meet so many of the new members of her team.

“It feels so great to be back.

Dancing with the people that I’ve become so close with, and

with new ones, I have been able to get to know these past few weeks feels so good,” said Richardson. “I never knew how much being with my team really meant to me until it wasn’t possible to do so, and now that we’re back, we are going to have a great year.”

Many of the Stars members have a heightened level of excitement that comes from moving to the high school level.

“Seeing their transition from junior high into high school, I can see they’re so excited to be there because it’s a whole new experience, and every kid is excited about the first day of high school,” said Priore.

“They’ve been so easy to work with because they genuinely want to be there, and most of them know each other from junior high and are comfortable with each other.”

Priore is making it a priority to be there for her new high

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school students and encourage and support their education.

“To be on the team, they have to maintain a certain grade point average in classes, so they know education is a priority,” she said. “Anytime they need to go to tutoring, I am all for that because school comes first. As for the transition, I’ve let them know that I’m someone they can come to if they need anything.”

In her veteran role, Richardson welcomes the duty of helping along with new members of the squad.

“I’m excited to get to know the new freshmen and introduce them to the program and the idea of high school in general,” Richardson said. “Dance has always been a great support system for me at LHHS, and building that for them as well is very important to me.”

For the Stars, inspiration during the return to practice comes from being able to

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Like the Belles, the Stars plan to get all they can from this year.

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staying stagnant and always pushing to the next limit and leaving the year with no regrets,” said Priore. “They get to practice sometimes at the

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That’s their goal, to be on Belles, so they’re motivated more than ever.”

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

BACK TO SCHOOL 2020

Tennis

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 30

growing people.”

Gone from last season’s squad are experienced players such as Lauren Crow, Lorelei Fay, Ava Enstrom and Tyler Franklin, but Rhoden certainly has plenty of talent at her disposal entering the new campaign.

On the girls’ side, seniors Mackenzie Coleman and Cassidy Sudikum will lead the way, along with juniors Eliza Homorodi and Sophie Sherman and sophomore Ava Ortega.

Senior Ethan Warrington will head the boys’ roster, with juniors Ethan Wukasch, Colin Garner, Zach Kizer, Will Gray and Will Snell and sophomore Patrick Fay, who spent much of last season as the Panthers’ number-one singles player.

However, Rhoden said she’s more concerned with the collective cohesion of the group, as opposed to individual excellence.

“My goal is to unite the players,” she said. “Honestly, I’m looking for leadership from all

of the players. I believe each player has a gift to share with the team and I want them to learn what their gift is and use it freely. The players who are positive and are selfless with the deepest fight will make the biggest impact on this team.”

Compared to other sports that track team success with standings, tennis takes a more technical approach, said Rhoden.

“In tennis, we measure potential success from the Universal Tennis Ranking system,” she said. “We use these individual rankings to turn in our preseason team rankings to the Texas Tennis Coaches Association. Like other sports, we look at past wins and experiences to determine rankings, but our rankings just don’t get publicized like other sports.”

The past two seasons have seen the Panthers dominate district competition in Class 4A, but with Liberty Hill’s move up to Class 5A this season, the challenges will be

against bigger programs such as Georgetown, East View, Glenn, Rouse, Leander and Cedar Park – meaning the level of competitiveness may change, but not the Panthers’ mentality, said Rhoden.

“Our approach will not change,” she said. “We will do our best to build relationships from the beginning. We’ll show up prepared and ready to battle physically and mentally and will support each other.

Our biggest challenge will be our stiff competition, but we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

One thing Rhoden has learned over years of experience around the game is for a coach to get the most from players, she must be able to relate to them on a personal level – creating the kind of chemistry that carries over into on-court performance.

“As I get older, I realize the more relaxed a player is the better he or she will focus

Page 41

LAURA COLEMAN PHOTO

Sophie Sherman is one of Liberty Hill’s talented girls’ players who will be looking to have success in the fall. and perform,” she said. “They need to feel wanted and know they’re needed whether they

win or lose. I also recognize the best players and leaders are playing with a higher purpose

in mind.”

Page 42

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Kline leads new Santa Rita Elementary

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor When Kristy Kline was named the first principal of the new Santa Rita Elementary in January, the world was a very different place.

What everyone imagined about the school’s opening this month was altered in March when the COVID-19 virus forced school to shutter and administrators and teachers to reinvent much of what they do.

“It’s been a challenge for sure, but it’s been a great opportunity to think outside the box,” Kline said. “I had to rethink everything. How are we going to build a team and do it virtually? How were we going to hire teachers and do it virtually? I did over 85 Zoom interviews to hire this staff.”

The new campus has a staff of 50, which is a mix of teachers with experience in the district and new faces.

“We feel like we have an absolutely amazing team of teachers and staff members in place,” she said. “I love that it’s a mix of Liberty Hill folks and new folks. We’re learning from our Liberty Hill staff members the way of Liberty Hill, but we have all of these new teachers as well that are bringing new ideas and new ways of doing things. It is a great combination.”

While it might not initially come with the traditional fanfare of a new school opening, Kline is excited about opening the doors next week, and feels like the entire district has played a role in preparing for this unique school year.

“Everyone here – all my fellow administrators – are so wonderful and we have worked together and problem solved as a team through the summer to get to where we are today,” Kline said. “It’s been a huge collective effort. I have been so embraced by the staff.”

KRISTY KLINE Santa Rita Principal Looking back on her first days in a teaching environment, Kline remembers how it all clicked.

“I came home that first day, I was working with 3-year olds as an assistant, and I said ‘I want to be a teacher, this is what I’m meant to do’,” she said. “It was just so clear and within two months I was enrolled at UT and pursuing a teaching degree.”

It didn’t take long to change her whole perspective on careers as she remembers what she calls an “Aha moment.”

“It was reading with children in my lap,” Kline said. “I’ve always heard people say go back to what you wanted to do when you were little. Sometimes we miss our true calling and I remember as a child always playing school and always loving to learn. It was just one of those moments being around children and realizing what I wanted to do.”

In her 20 years in teaching, Kline has taught preschool, second and fourth grades, and has been a principal for 14 years, the last four-plus years leading Laura Welch Bush Elementary in Leander ISD. “I just knew very clearly I was very interested in administration,” she said. “I just felt like that really fit my skill set and so my principal at the time gave me some good opportunities to shadow and to work on some

See KLINE, Page 44

Hudgens picked for Santa Rita AP

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer As Santa Rita Elementary prepares to open, staff selection is vital to its success.

Stepping in as Santa Rita’s Assistant Principal, Joy Hudgens is bringing almost two decades of experience to the new school.

The passion for cultivating the growth of children runs deep for Hudgens.

“I’ve been married for 22 years to my husband, Phillip, and he’s also an educator,” she said. “We’re both very passionate about pouring into this generation of kids that will be the next generation of adults.”

The mother of four teenage daughters earned a bachelor of science in elementary education from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University. Hudgens has a variety of teaching experiences to call on.

“My journey has been a really exciting one that has taken me on lots of different turns,” she said. “I have over 17 years’ experience, and I worked in both the public and private sectors. I’ve taught every single grade level from Kinder readiness to 8th grade.”

Beyond her classroom roles, the veteran educator has vast experience in administrative functions, with her most recent being in Leander ISD. “I’ve been an instructional coach. I’ve been a program director and worked with gifted and talented students.

I’ve also worked with students who need intervention and support. My last principalship was in Leander ISD. I’m just excited to be in Liberty Hill.”

Aside from what the district has to offer, the community

JOY HUDGENS Asst. Principal, Santa Rita feeling of Liberty Hill is a significant reason for her move.

“One of the things that drew me to Liberty Hill was their strong sense of community,” Hudgens said. “Everybody comes out on Friday nights to root for the football team. I think it’s so great.”

For Hudgens, relationship building is the most crucial step in creating the proper environment for children to flourish.

“I’m passionate about building relationships and about creating a joyful and challenging learning environment. I’m passionate about every child having a year’s growth,” she said. “Whether they come in and need intervention or they come in and already advanced, I think every child needs a year’s growth. Partnering with teachers and creating those relationships with them creates a joyful and challenging environment where every child feels valued and can find success.”

Joining the district in a year like 2020, with a pandemic in full swing, Hudgens has to adjust to new ways of approaching education.

“I think the most recent difficulties are the challenges presented by keeping everybody safe because of COVID,” she said. “We have worked hard to rethink how school works to make it a safe place for kids.

I would say that’s our biggest challenge at the moment.”

See HUDGENS, Page 44

Thursday, August 20, 2020

LH Elementary welcomes Russo as AP

By ANTHONY FLORES Staff Writer Aaron Russo is a homegrown product of the Liberty Hill school system, attending school in the district from Kindergarten through to graduation. Following his Liberty Hill education, Russo attended Howard Payne University, DePaul University, and Dallas Baptist University.

Initially, the new administrator intended to enter a completely different field.

“My goal there was to work in business, and my major was sports management,” he said. “I was on my way to working in the marketing world, but through my experiences, I ended up joining a mentorship in Chicago, and that brought me to Dallas Baptist.”

While working in the Dallas Baptist athletic department and his subsequent graduation, Russo learned that his true calling was working with students.

“I worked in outreach. I worked very closely with communities, building leadership programs where athletes were going into schools, reading to children, and presenting them with mentorship opportunities,” he said. “Upon graduation, I became a camp director at the YMCA, and that showed me that every opportunity that I had professionally kept bringing me back to working with students and youth. I knew that I was gifted and blessed with those opportunities, and I know that wasn’t by accident. So, I started pursuing education full-on from that point.”

Russo began his education career in Fort Worth, teaching sixth and eighth grade before relocating to Liberty Hill and starting a family.

AARON RUSSO AP, LH Elementary “My son was born my first year here in Liberty Hill,” he said.

“I knew it was a great place to raise a family. I was very grateful to come back home and start my family and work in the school district. That naturally led to other opportunities.”

Russo coached basketball and cross country with his athletic background while teaching AP Physics at Liberty Hill High School.

“If you asked me, would I be teaching AP physics or physics in general, when I was a student here I would have told you there was no way that will ever happen in my life,” Russo said. “It was just part of my journey.”

A man of faith, Russo believes strongly in his calling as an educator.

“No matter what subject area I was doing or what sport I was coaching, my job was to equip others, provide them a space to learn and to grow and to be an example. I’m very grateful for all those opportunities, and that led me to this position.”

Despite it being a vastly different plan from where he is now, Russo can apply much of what he learned early on to his career.

“I can take a lot of aspects from things that I learned in business and what I learned in that world, and it makes me stronger for it,” he said. “Being organized, being innovative,

See RUSSO, Page 44

BACK TO SCHOOL 2020

COUNCIL

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 20

enhanced streetscaping along SH 29 and Championship Drive, and trash enclosures.

The development will be accessed in two places on SH 29 and also along championship Drive, which leads to the Junior High from SH 29.

Loop speed limit The Council found itself at an impasse once again on the debate over the speed limit on Loop 332.

In July, the Council received the results of a traffic study conducted after the speed limit along the entire Loop was lowered in January to 30 miles per hour.

That study showed that the suggested speed limits along the Loop were actually the same limits previously posted, ranging between 30 and 40 miles per hour.

“The traffic study was completed about two weeks ago and we got the report last week,” said Curtis Steger of Steger Bizzell Engineering.

“The recommendation is to increase the speed in different sections of 332 from the existing 30 mile per hour speed to 40 miles per hour (on some portions).”

Sign purchases in March show the City spent $350 on signage and the recent traffic study cost the City $3,550.

When asked why the speed limits were changed initially without conducting a traffic study, Hall said, “It was a gut instinct by the Council that we felt like it was too fast.”

This time the debate was over whether to change back to the original speed limits before the Main Street Social food hall, on the west end of the Loop between Liberty Hill Elementary School and SH 29, is opened.

“My recommendation is once the food court is open, maybe 30 days down the road, we do another study for right there in that section,” Hall said.

Council member Kathy

Canady, who made the initial push for the speed limit reduction, said she was unaware that the study would not take into account projected future traffic impacts, and agreed that a new study after Main Street Social was open would be beneficial.

“If I’d have realized that wasn’t included I probably would have just shut my mouth and not said anything about it until after the food court was finished,” Canady said.

Drainage delays Also postponed was consideration of changes to the City’s drainage master plan, which Hall first brought to the Council in July and has presented for a vote now on two occasions.

Cindy Englehardt, with Halff Associates, was present at Thursday’s meeting to address the proposal shared by Hall, but was unable to speak specifically in detail on the current or proposed plans.

“I was asked to take a

high-level look at the prior drainage master plan and provide high-level estimates of what it might take to reevaluate that drainage master plan,” she said. “Until we take a look, we really don’t know that, and I haven’t been able to take a look at the prior analysis either. I haven’t seen any of the models or anything associated with the prior analysis.”

Hall said the City would get that information to Englehardt for more analysis.

“We will have to dig that up and get that over to her so she can do a better assessment on that,” Hall said.

In July, the Council was given the new proposal Hall said was put together in partnership with Halff Associates. The plan emphasized five steps, including flood risk refinement, conceptual drainage capital improvement project refinement, drainage maintenance, a drainage utility rate study and drainage criteria recommenda-

Page 43

tions. The estimated budget for the five areas to be addressed is $265,000.

The current plan, approved in 2018, was developed by K. Friese and Associates and was presented in phases. The Phase 2 report was 72 pages with methodology, funding

recommendations, maps and a detailed list of 17 identified problem areas. The City invested $22,471 into the study.

Hall cited the high cost of implementing the project as his reason for seeking an alternative.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Masons make donation to Hope House

Liberty Hill Masonic Lodge #432 made its annual donation to Hope House recently. Members presented a $700 check to the nonprofit, which provides a forever home to the severely disabled.

(Courtesy Photo)

Hudgens

Continued from Page 42

Along with her new staff, Hudgens still wants to give students and parents an experience close to a traditional school year.

“We’re opening a brand-new campus, and we’ve hired an incredibly talented and dedicated staff, but the parents won’t be able to come to the building. The question is what we can do as a faculty and staff

Kline

to create still a joyful learning environment where the children and community feel that warm, welcome, and inviting space but with the challenge of COVID. We’ve been working hard to learn how to create that.”

In her first year, Hudgens’ mission is to make sure to maintain a sense of normalcy and let parents know that their

Continued from Page 42

special projects. Probably after my second year of teaching I knew I wanted to pursue administration. I’ve always felt that my calling was to support teachers and coach teachers so they can do what they need to do in the classroom for students to succeed and grow.”

Building relationships and helping teachers quickly rose to the top of Kline’s list of priorities, and that opportunity presented itself best in an administrative role where she could help teachers succeed.

“I find a lot of value in coaching teachers,” Kline said. “I love curriculum, I love instruction, I love doing observations and giving feedback. I really want to help every teacher grow professionally and develop the skills they need to be great educators. Teaching is

such a hard job and I like to see myself as the teachers’ biggest cheerleader.”

With a focus on setting and reaching goals, Kline said everything begins with keeping kids at the center of each goal.

She believes that when teachers are successful, students are as well.

“I always ask myself ‘what is best for students?’” she said.

“It always goes back to that. In every conversation, every decision we make, I ask myself or ask the team I’m working with what’s best for students.

It may not be the easiest thing for us.”

There was no shortage of reasons the new position in Liberty Hill appealed to Kline, but the top of the list was all she’d heard about the culture of the district.

kids are in safe hands.

“We’ve got lots of parents that are worried about safety, and safety is top priority right now,” she said. “We know it’s going to look a little bit different, but we want them to understand their kids are going to be loved, challenged, and safe.”

“I’ve heard people over the years talk about Liberty Hill in such a positive way,” she said.

“I’ve been intrigued, wondering what is it about Liberty Hill? I think the focus on academics is important, that’s what we’re here to do, but I think Liberty Hill’s focus not just on academics but on building character and community is so important. I really was drawn to that.”

Kline and her husband have five grown children and three grandchildren, all of whom she said live in the area surrounding Liberty Hill.

She has a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting from Tarleton State University and a Master’s in Education from Texas State University.

Hughes & Company donates supplies for teachers

Hughes & Company Real Estate donated items recently to Kristin Hutcherson a Special Ed Teacher at Liberty Hill Intermediate. Hutcherson had items on an Amazon Wish list and Adrienne Hughes fulfilled that list for her. Pictured above are, from left, Cheryl Stephens Realtor - Hughes & Company Real Estate; Kristin Hutcherson-FAC Teacher; Adrienne Hughes Broker/ Owner Hughes & Company Real Estate; Cecilia Naylor-FAC Paraprofessional; and Amber Elliott, Realtor Hughes & Company Real Estate. (Courtesy Photo)

Band

Continued from Page 38

on the color guard, the program’s safety measures were effective, with zero cases for the band.

“We had two cases in the color guard, but zero in the band and the kids took it seriously,” said Perrin. “We told them they had to be 10 feet apart, and any time you aren’t 10 feet apart, you mask up. They went for two work weeks, 10

Russo

days total, and they did that.

They stood 10 feet apart and wore masks and had their own water bottles.”

With proven safety measures, there is still a glimmer of hope that competition could come back at some point, and if so, the band is ready. For Perrin and his program, this is something they can adjust to and overcome.

Continued from Page 42

working well with others, being a strong leader, and being sure you can manage people and resources. It all goes hand-in-hand and applies to what I’m doing now.

I feel like what you do as an educator and what you do in a position like this, you have to be well-rounded.”

With a pandemic in full force and a school year that’s going to be much different from the typical year, Russo feels his experience has him prepared to adjust to any possible issues.

“I have enjoyed this transition; even given the circumstances, I am very grateful

“We have some things in our back pocket and participate in UIL if it comes around, and the conditions are right,” he said. “We can still compete if we have the opportunity. We aren’t completely shutting ourselves off, but we’re also trying to be realistic about what we can do.”

to be where I’m sitting right now,” he said. “I get to be a part of the conversations. I get to be part of the problem-solving striving and working diligently to make sure that our community is safe and protected. We get to give them the gift of learning by any means necessary.”

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 20, 2020

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