SPURGER – For Spurger ISD, a package of campus renovations will hopefully add more opportunities for its students and prolong the life of its facilities.
According to district superintendent Jeff Burnthorn, the total slate of renovations cost the district around $2 million, with funds from the district’s fund balance, at no additional cost to the taxpayers. The improvements included an exterior remodel on Minter Gymnasium, interior ceiling renovations to the elementary gym and a building-wide remodel and expansion of the Careers and Technical Education (CTE) building, which included the addition of 4,000 feet of space. That extra space includes two new classrooms and a 2,000-square foot woodshop.
The conversations about the renovations began about two years ago, with the board of trustees, administration and faculty discussing what was needed in the district. Burnthorn said the district looked at a couple of different iterations to see what projects were most needed.
“What this does is gives us two things: it allows us to have more pathways in career education, so that kids are ready to be employed right out of high school, and it also prolongs the life of our current structures,” Burnthorn said.
The renovations and additions began in June last year, and students began moving into the renovated classrooms around Thanksgiving, with the new spaces in the CTE building ready to use as the students returned from their Christmas break.
Burnthorn added that some of the aspects of the renovations, including the switch to LED lighting and the new ceiling on the elementary gym will also add up to energy savings for the district.
Within the CTE building, the district has its classes in welding, agriculture, floral design and health careers, with one of the two new classrooms occupied by the health careers classes. Health careers is one pathway that Burnthorn pointed out Spurger is able to offer with students eventually being able to obtain enough training to go right to work as CNAs out of high school through dual-credit work.
Much of the equipment inside the classroom, Burnthorn said, was donated to Spurger ISD through the Deep East Texas College and Career Alliance (DETCCA), of which the district is a member school.
Welding students can also get certified at different levels through the dual-credit program, through Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT), and Burnthorn said that with the addition of the new woodshop, it should make both the welding and woodworking classes flow easier.
Additionally, he said, the district hopes it can offer some additional pathways, with the addition of the new facilities, including construction management classes.
“We’re excited about the improvements, and we hope the community is excited,” Burnthorn said.
