My Computer Died

My stalwart HP computer that I have used for photography the past six years has given up the ghost. It is beyond reasonable ($$$) repair. Something a computer tech hates to admit. BUT, my new computer should arrive March 1-3, ($2K+ which may require me mowing lawns and painting houses) and after setting it up (24-48 hours) which requires backups, transfers, etc. I will back in business. Then I can finish the end of basketball season and FFA Valentine's dance photos and get them online. Stay tuned and I will get caught up ASAP.

[Side Note] Buckholts ISD parents, teachers and students. TEA has NOT given us a pass, merely a reprieve,so that you CAN show that Buckholts schools can succeed. More than ever, the PARENTS, STUDENTS and community have to prove that Buckholts has what it takes to SUCCEED.  Can we do it? Damn right we can! Will it take extra work and study? YES! Are you worth it? YES! YES! YES! Can you do it? YES! YES YES!

Students, (and you know) if you need help in math, reading, English, biology, don't be stupid. ASK for help. If I hadn't asked for help, I would not know photography, music, journalism, computers, cooking, emergency rescue, law enforcement, security, safety, finish carpentry, roping and bronc riding. (Don't ask about bull riding. Total failure.)

It is not up to me. It is not up to the teachers. It IS up to PARENTS and STUDENTS.

I've been around a long time, in various communities. This community, it's inhabitants and students are worth the extra effort. YOU have what it takes. DON"T be lazy. Grab your future and run with it.

Buckholts ISD Community Recognized On The Floor Of The Texas House of Representatives 02-21-17

Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Administrator, teachers and students traveled to Austin to witness a resolution by Representative Terry Wilson. Below is the text of the adopted Resolution. 85R11965 BK-D
	By: Wilson	H.R. No. 524

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, In an inspiring display of cooperation and hometown
	pride, community members have worked together to set the Buckholts
	Independent School District on a new path to success; and
	WHEREAS, Located in a single school building, the district
	has served the small town of Buckholts for nearly 130 years;
	recently, the community learned that Buckholts ISD, which is funded
	by a very limited budget, had begun to underperform and was at risk
	of closure; and
	WHEREAS, This knowledge led to a concerted effort on the part
	of a host of concerned citizens, including parents, retired
	teachers, and community volunteers, who have stepped up to help in
	any way they can; former teachers have come out of retirement to
	help instruct students in algebra and English, and another
	individual purchased gift cards to be awarded for the most improved
	STAAR test scores; still others are volunteering to tutor where
	needed, and the local Booster Club also lent its support to the
	campaign by sponsoring a raffle and hiring a deejay at football
	games; the district has since experienced a 75 percent increase in
	attendance at all football, volleyball, and basketball events; and
	WHEREAS, The time and effort that these dedicated residents
	have invested in Buckholts ISD have had a profound impact on teacher
	morale, and student performance has likewise improved; moreover,
	students representing Buckholts ISD have made a superior showing at
	recent UIL cross-country competitions and FFA stock shows, and a
	parent teacher organization has been established to promote the
	continued involvement of parents in the district; and
	WHEREAS, In only a short time, the outpouring of support from
	the community has helped to revitalize Buckholts ISD, and all those
	who have taken part in this worthwhile cause may take pride in their
	achievements; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
	Legislature hereby commend the many individuals who have given of
	their time to make a positive difference in the Buckholts
	Independent School District; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for the school district as an expression of high regard by
	the Texas House of Representatives.

District 20 State Representative Terry Wilson presenting House Resolution # 524 on the House Floor. Buckholts Seniors Sam Munoz, Dakota Hubnik, Megan Lopez and Katie Hubnik  stood behind the Speaker of the House, while the rest of the Buckholts ISD  entourage witnessed the Resolution from the gallery behind the Speaker.

Here is a YouTube video of Rep. Terry Wilson presenting the Resolution to the house. (Low quality video. Sorry.)

It was a bright (literally) day for Buckholts students and teachers on the steps of the Texas Capitol with Representative Terry Wilson.

Badgers Play Evant In Basketball

With home court advantage, the Badgers and Lady Badgers welcomed Evant to town on the basketball court, January 27th.

The Lady Badgers played the first game.

Followed by the Badgers.

Links to game photos: > >   HS Girls v Evant

                                             HS Boys V Evant

Buckholts Hoopsters Take on Jonesboro

The Jonesboro Eagles landed in Buckholts January 24th to challenge the Buckholts Badgers on the basketball court. The Lady Badgers played first.

Boys varsity followed.

Game photos here > >  Girls Hoops 01-24-17

                                     Boys Hoops 01-24-17

City Council Special Session 02-16-17

A Special Called Meeting of the Town of Buckholts City Council will be held on

February 16, 2016 beginning at 4:30PM at the Buckholts Community Center located at 112 W. Main Street, Buckholts, Texas 76518

SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AGENDA

1.      CALL TO ORDER

2.      ACTION ITEMS

a.      Convene into Executive Session in accordance with Chapter 551.074 Texas Gov't Code

1.      Discuss/Review/Approve Interviews of City Secretary Position and review Duties and Responsibilities

b.      Reconvene into Regular Session to Action or No Action in accordance with Chapter

551.074 Texas Gov't Code

2.      Discuss/Review/Approve - Filling Position of City Secretary

3.      ADJOURN

Buckholts Jr Hi Girls Basketball 01-23-17

Killeen Adventist Junior Academy visited the Junior High Lady Badgers for the last home basketball game of this season.

It was quite a show for the home audience.

Game images here > >   Jr Hi Girls Basketball vs KAJA

2017 B.C.

2017 B.C.

On the 20th day of the month of January, in the year 2017 Buckholts played Calvert, in games of basketball. 

In ye olde gynasium, in the township of Buckholts, in the shire of ye Independent School District, the lasses were prime.

The Badger lads were nigh.

Photos here  > >   Lasses' Basketball

                   Lad's Basketball

Buckholts City Council Meets Tonight

TO:  CITIZENS OF THE TOWN OF BUCKHOLTS

FROM:  KATHY MAYES, MAYOR

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND REGULAR CALLED MEETING OF THE BUCKHOLTS TOWN COUNCIL

A Public Hearing at 5:00 pm and 5:30 pm followed by a Regular meeting of the Town of Buckholts City Council                                                          will be held on February 9, 2017 beginning at 5:00 pm at the Buckholts Town Hall, located at

113 W. Main Street, Buckholts, Texas 76518

The subjects to be discussed or considered or upon which any formal action may be taken are listed below.                                                                       Items do not have to be taken in the same order as shown on this agenda.

PUBLIC HEARING – 5:00 PM

1.       Call to Order

2.      Review of Building Official’s inspection on property located at 100 W Main St

3.      Property Owner response

4.      Other Interested Party’s response

5.      Discuss/Review/Approve – Order to Repair or Demolish Property at 100 W. Main St, Buckholts Texas; aka, 02000 Buckholts O.T. BLK 27 LOT 20, Milam County, Texas

PUBLIC HEARING – 5:30 PM

6.      Final presentation of the Town of Buckholts 2017-2027 Comprehensive Plan

7.       Citizen’s Comments

8.      Adjourn

                                                                               REGULAR CALLED MEETING AGENDA

1.       CALL TO ORDER

2.      INVOCATION

3.       PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

4.      ACTION ITEMS

a.      Approve Minutes from January Regular Meeting

b.      Approve January Financial Statements Financial and Other Expenditures

c.       Discuss/Review/Approve Budget Amendments

d.      Discuss/Review/Approve – Resolution #020917, A Resolution Accepting the Town of Buckholts 2017-2027 Comprehensive Plan

e.      Discuss/Review/Approve – Resolution Nominating Candidate for Election to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting of Central Texas Water Supply Corporation

f.        Call for Order of General Election for the Town of Buckholts to elect Mayor and 2 Council Members on May 6, 2017

g.      Discuss/Review -  Position of City Secretary

5.      Convene into Executive Session in accordance with Texas Government Code Chapter 551.074

a.                        Discuss/Review/Approve –Interview/s for part time position of City Secretary

6.      Reconvene into Regular Session to Action or No Action in accordance Texas Government Code        

Chapter 551. 074

a.                        Discuss/Review/Approve  - Interview/s for part time position of City Secretary

7.       CITIZENS COMMENTS

8.      STAFF REPORTS

a.      POLICE DEPARTMENT

b.      WATER/SEWER

c.       CITY SECRETARY

d.      COUNCIL

e.      MAYOR               

9.      ADJOURN

Any final action, decision or vote on a matter deliberated in a closed meeting will only be taken in an open meeting that is held in compliance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.  The City Council reserves the right to adjourn into a closed meeting or executive session as authorized by Texas Gov’t  code, sections 551.001, Et seq. (the Texas Open Meetings Act) on any item on its open meeting agenda in accordance with the Texas open meetings act, including without limitation sections 551.071-551.088 of the Texas Open Meetings Act. APPROVED:

______________________________________     

Angela Morgan                             City Secretary

I certify that this agenda was posted on the front window of the Town Hall 113 W. Main St on or before Feb 6th on

or before 5:00 P.M.  I certify that the News Media was properly notified of this meeting as stated above.

IMPORTANT S-O-S Community Update, Thursday, Feb.9th

An extremely important community update for Save Our School will be held this [CORRECTION] Thursday, February 9th at 6:00 PM in the BISD cafetorium. YOU: parents, students, teachers, employees and all interested parties NEED to be present.

SPOILER ALERT: Buckholts schools have been granted an abatement by TEA Commissioner Mike Morath to allow the students to continue to improve grades to pass State standards. This abatement has a short life with strings attached. This is NOT a FREE PASS or Get-Out-of-Jail card; far from it. This just means the school will not close on July 1. What this DOES mean is the Commissioner has recognized the school's efforts and is giving the teachers, administrators and parents more time to fix things. It means a LOT of hard work and endurance.

Like it or not, Texas, through our legislators, has standards in place all public schools must meet to stay open. Like it or not, there are reams of Federal and State laws ALL Texas public schools are required to follow. Like it or not, education via technology is mandated. Like it or not, the State decides the subject matter on which students are tested. Like it or not, the State has a grading system for schools based on State required subject matter testing.

Yep, I bet things were better for you in school in the 1940's, the 50's and all the ways up to 1998. It was better when boys had short hair and girls had long hair. Yep, you survived and succeeded without a cell phone or computer. Yep, tattoos, facial hair, nose, lip and eyebrow jewelry were prohibited. Yep, students' free speech was reasonably suppressed at school. Yep, someone landed on the moon and color television appeared. Yep, there was no internet, no ISIS, no cutting edge medical procedures and no cure for cancer in sight. Yep, there were wars that marred many, in different ways, but most of us saw the horror occasionally on the TV news, at the movie theater or in the Sunday paper.

Yet, here it is! The year 2017! And, I wish it was 1964 again, but, like John Wayne said in the movie McClintock, "Things change." Education and the world are changing and we must prepare the students for the future. And we have to change with the times, or get out of the way.

And while we change, or get out of the way, our administrators and teachers have to figure out the most effective ways of imparting the time proven 3 R's into their students' busy brains while burdened with ever expanding testing and education technology requirements. I know for a fact it is not easy and it all has a hefty price tag.

Hug your kids, let them know they mean something. Bless the 99% of our public educators who bust their butts 60 hours plus, every week for your child, and let Boss #1 take care of the other 1%.

Our battle is not with TEA. The battle lies within the confines of our school district. It is a battle we CAN win.

Spanish Computer Translation:
Debido a mi disminución de las habilidades del idioma español, he utilizado un programa de traducción por computadora. Disculpe cualquier error. Gringo mudo, ¿qué más puedo decir?

He usado una computadora para traducir del inglés al español, debido a mis pobres habilidades del español.

Una actualización de la comunidad extremadamente importante para Save Our School se llevará a cabo este [CORRECCIÓN] el jueves, 9 de febrero a las 6:00 PM en el cafetorium BISD. USTED: padres, estudiantes, maestros, empleados y todas las partes interesadas NECESITAN estar presentes.

ALERTA DE SPOILER: Las escuelas de Buckholts han recibido una compensación por el Comisionado Mike Morath de TEA para permitir que los estudiantes continúen mejorando las calificaciones para pasar los estándares estatales. Esta reducción tiene una vida corta con las cadenas atadas. Esta NO es una tarjeta de PASO LIBRE o de Salida de la Cárcel; lejos de ahi. Esto significa que la escuela no cerrará el 1 de julio. Lo que esto significa es que el Comisionado ha reconocido los esfuerzos de la escuela y está dando a los maestros, administradores y padres más tiempo para arreglar las cosas. Significa MUCHO trabajo duro y resistencia.

Nos guste o no, Texas, a través de nuestros legisladores, tiene estándares en el lugar que todas las escuelas públicas deben cumplir para permanecer abiertas. Quiera o no, hay resmas de leyes federales y estatales TODAS las escuelas públicas de Texas están obligadas a seguir. Nos guste o no, la educación a través de la tecnología es obligatoria. Me guste o no, el Estado decide el tema en el cual los estudiantes son probados. Como quiera o no, el Estado tiene un sistema de clasificación para las escuelas basado en la prueba de materia requerida por el estado.

Yep, apuesto a que las cosas fueron mejores para ti en la escuela en los años 40, los años 50 y todas las maneras hasta 1998. Era mejor cuando los muchachos tenían pelo corto y las muchachas tenían pelo largo. Sí, usted sobrevivió y tuvo éxito sin un teléfono celular o una computadora. Sí, tatuajes, pelo facial, nariz, labios y cejas joyas estaban prohibidos. Sí, la libertad de expresión de los estudiantes fue razonablemente suprimida en la escuela. Sí, alguien aterrizó en la luna y la televisión en color apareció. Sí, no había internet, ni ISIS, ni procedimientos médicos de vanguardia ni cura para el cáncer a la vista. Sí, hubo guerras que afectaron a muchos, de diferentes maneras, pero la mayoría de nosotros vimos el horror ocasionalmente en las noticias de televisión, en el cine o en el periódico del domingo.

Sin embargo, aquí está! ¡El año 2017! Y, me gustaría que fuera 1964 de nuevo, pero, como John Wayne dijo en la película McClintock, "Las cosas cambian". La educación y el mundo están cambiando y debemos preparar a los estudiantes para el futuro. Y tenemos que cambiar con los tiempos, o salir del camino.

Y mientras cambiamos, o nos alejamos del camino, nuestros administradores y maestros tienen que averiguar las maneras más efectivas de impartir el tiempo probado 3 R en los cerebros ocupados de sus estudiantes, mientras que la carga de la expansión de las pruebas y los requisitos de tecnología de la educación. Sé que para un hecho no es fácil y todo tiene un precio fuerte.

Abran a sus hijos, hágales saber que significan algo. Bendice al 99% de nuestros educadores públicos que buscan sus culos 60 horas más, cada semana para su hijo, y deje que el jefe # 1 se encargue del otro 1%.


Nuestra batalla no es con TEA. La batalla se encuentra dentro de los confines de nuestro distrito escolar. Es una batalla que podemos ganar.

Gause Track Meet Shirts

The Gause Track Meet is coming up in March. The Gause Booster Club is selling shirts for the event.
This is the order form provided to Buckholts School.

For more information contact BISD Athletic Direct Kyle Rinderknecht by email, kyle.rinderknecht@buckholtsisd.net or phone, (254) 593-2744.

Buckholts Jr Hi Basketball 01-19-17

Geez! I've been a pro photographer longer than most of the kids in Buckholts school have been alive, and I am still amazed by the prowess of our young athletes and the variability of lighting in small school gyms on a day-to-day basis. Such was my challenge on January 19 of this year.

For many reasons, the arena and gym lighting in small school districts is dismal, at best, and can vary under many circumstances, giving photographers ulcers. But, the the gym lighting in Buckholts has been amazingly consistent, though dim, until the Junior High basketball games on January 19th of this year. Coupland was in in town to take on the Jr Hi Badgers and I was court-side with camera in tow. I am used to shooting school athletics in less-than-optimal conditions, but dammit, 01/19/17, was a real challenge for me, gym lighting-wise, for reasons unknown. Shot-to-shot conditions varied wildly in both the girls' and boys' games, casing an old geezer to work and cuss more than usual. But, in the end, I did get some passable images.

Being bashful during a time out.

Not gonna work, Dude. I'm going for the basket.

Game photo links:

> >  JH Girls Basketball 01-19-17

> > JH Boys Basketball 01-19-17