Cumby ISD Superintendent, Bert Vandiver, second from left, and Cumby ISD School Board members,
left to right, Renee Seely, LuAnn Petty, Jesse Heer, Keith Newsome, Jody Jarvis, Jason Hudson,
and David Barrow, Board President, turn the soil for the construction of the new gymnasium and athletic complex.

"Turning The Soil"
For A New Gym At Cumby

by: Bobby McDonald

 

A large group of  Cumby ISD students, teachers, staff, parents, and supporters, gathered at the site of the new Cumby School Gymnasium and Athletic Complex and watched as Cumby Board Members turned the symbolic soil, to begin construction of the $2.2 million project that will bring a "state-of-the-art" facility for the students of the district, in western Hopkins County. The project contractors are Compass Builders of Longview, Texas, and has a project completion date of May 2007.

On Thursday night, at 6:30 p.m., a loud cheer went up in the crowd as Superintendent, Bert Vandiver announced that plans were for the Graduation Exercises for the Class of 2007 to be the first major event conducted in the new complex. "We've been promised that the building will be completed in time to host the May 2007 graduation ceremonies," expressed Vandiver, as he pointed to Project Coordinator and Job Superintendent, Robert Terry. "And, these guys here have said that they will get it done for us!"

 

Those in charge........left to right, Robert Terry, Job Superintendent, Mike Nelson, Architect, Robert
Treese, Project Manager, and Charlie Price of Compass Builders, are the men in charge of  completing
the new $2.2 million Gymnasium and Athletic Complex for Cumby ISD.

 

Terry serves as the Job Superintendent and will be living in Cumby throughout the project. Mike Nelson serves as the Architect for the project and Charlie Price represented the Compass Builders, while Robert Treese will be serving as the Project Manager for the new ultra-modern facility.

In introducing the Cumby ISD School Board, Vandiver said, "These board members represent those with the vision for providing a modern facility for our kids and saw the need to raze the old high school building, built in 1937, to make room for this new addition to our educational system!"

Cumby ISD currently plays volleyball and basketball in the gymnasium that has served the system for many years and the players, coaches, and fans are excited about the new addition.

 

Back row left, Don Madden, Cumby High School Principal, and Head Coach Kenneth Hawthorne, join
members of the Cumby ISD Board of Education, and project managers, in beginning the process to
build a new gymnasium and athletic complex at the school.

______