CISD to improve storm shelter

Clarendon ISD students will soon have an improved storm shelter following action by the Board of Trustees last Tuesday, October 15.

The board unanimously accepted a proposal from Wiley Hicks, Jr., Construction for $34,431 to pave a 5,400 square-foot area under the library and cafeteria to make it more usable.

The area commonly known as the “bomb shelter” by school alumni was used for decades as a storm shelter after the school’s 1960s construction. But school officials stopped using it several years ago partly over concerns about the dust stirred up from the dirt floor when hundreds of students were in there.

Superintendent Monty Hysinger said over the summer the school had a National Weather Service representative tour the school and she felt the heavy concrete construction under the library and cafeteria would be the safest place to take shelter from severe weather.

“She was impressed and said that we were fortunate to already have what some schools needed to build,” Hysinger said.

After the school clears the area of items being stored there, the contractor will come in a do some initial dirt work and set forms in place before the Christmas break, Hysinger said. Then while students are gone for the holidays, the contractor will pump concrete through an access hole in the cafeteria and pave an area 150 feet long and 36 feet wide with a concrete floor that is four inches thick.

The school also intends to add more lighting to the area and to install emergency lights that can run off battery reserves.

Storage racks may also be installed for blankets and other supplies, Hysinger said.

“I’m really excited about the kind of shelter we could have under there,” Hysinger said. “In time we could add some benches or chairs and possibly signage to divide the area by grades.”

The school will also be coordinating with local emergency personnel to let them know exactly where kids will be in the event of a disaster and plans to work on communications with parents to keep order during emergencies, Hysinger said.

The improved storm shelter will house all students from Pre-K through eighth grade, Hysinger said. High school students would still take shelter in the basement of the high school building.

In other school business last week, Trustees:

Approved an additional fund contribution to support continued litigation efforts by the Texas Taxpayer and Student Fairness Coalition;

Nominated Max Myer to the Briscoe County Appraisal District Board of Directors; and

Nominated Dan Hall, Steve Carter, and Darrell Leffew to the Board of Directors of the Donley County Appraisal District.