Board of Education meets

Teacher training improvements, construction projects, athletics updates and free meals for high school students were the highlights of Monday night’s meeting of the Jeff Davis County Board of Education.
The school system is on track to have three facilitators to address the training of teachers, enabling teachers to update their teaching skills locally in the near future.
Dr. Adam Kirby updated the board on construction projects that have been in the planning stages for months. Now, the beginning of actual construction of those projects is on the horizon.
Kirby said he expects construction of the new primary school should begin in October.
Pre-construction meetings have already been held for the multi-purpose building, and Kirby anticipates construction will begin in July on the show barn and tennis field house. He is in hopes the show barn will be ready for use by February.
Athletic Director Roger Metts reported on the “really good year” the school system had in 2023-2024. While there was not a state championship during the year, of the 14 sports programs, there were seven region winners, three runner-ups and seven programs advancing in the state playoffs to finish among the top eight programs in the state.
Additionally, the high school won the Region 1-AA sportsmanship award and the All Sports award.
It was the second year in a row and the third time in five years that Jeff Davis High won its region All Sports award.
“It was the best year we’ve had in a long time,” Metts said.
In the past several years, the school has assembled good coaches. “It’s getting better and better,” Metts said of the coaching staff.
He added that all the coaches “want to be here,” and they’re working hard during the summer to continue the school’s sports excellence.
School Nutrition Director Alisa Jones ended the presentations by announcing that, after years of effort, high school students will get free meals for the first time. Jones and School Superintendent Dr. Chris Roppe both pointed out that it had been hard to explain to parents how their children could get free meals at the primary, elementary and middle schools but, once they reach the high school, the children have to pay for their meals.
Jones was able to find a program that will enable high school students to eat for free during the 2024-2025 school year.