Update on School Bond Project Construction

The Olney Independent School District Board of Trustees received an update on two major construction projects at its June 23 meeting— storm shelters at the daycare and elementary school campuses, and security upgrades at the public library used by students.

Superintendent Matt Caffey reported that demolition and groundwork are complete at the daycare site, and that foundation work has begun. “I feel pretty confident that they’ll have the daycare ready to go in time for school, which will be a good thing,” he said. However, he expressed concern about progress at the elementary campus, noting the construction is about a week behind schedule.

The storm shelters are part of Olney ISD’s ongoing efforts to protect students and staff in severe weather events. Delays had occurred due to permitting issues, but those have been resolved. Dr. Caffey did not offer a projected completion date for the elementary school shelter.

The board also voted to approve an $18,448 quote for new security modifications at the Olney Community Library and Arts Center, which serves both the public and local students. The planned upgrades include the installation of a glass wall and card-protected doors to separate the children’s library area from the rest of the facility.

“It’s to comply with the new state security laws for any educational facility,” Board President Summer Branum said. “Since our kids go over to the library for instruction, we need to make sure we meet the same security standards as the schools.”

The new wall will be constructed with partial opaque glass to allow visibility for staff while maintaining student privacy.

The design calls for a full glass wall from floor to ceiling, with special film to obscure visibility while still allowing light to pass through.

“Using glass helps staff monitor both the public and student areas,” Library director Lori Cox said.

Two matching glass doors will be installed and later outfitted with card scanners to restrict access between the school and public areas. Mrs. Cox confirmed the door security components are not included in the initial quote but will be added once the district’s usual contractor installs the electronic system.

Concerns were raised about parking adjustments, as the main entrance for the public will shift to the west side of the library. Mrs. Cox noted that a new handicap- accessible parking space would need to be added to accommodate this change.

Although a start date for construction was not confirmed, Mrs. Cox said the contractor had initially estimated completion within two weeks of starting the project.