Brown notes, underscoring the community’s support for arts education. Career-tech education received a significant boost through a $1.5 million vocational building renovation.“I remember one of the board members saying, you know, we have gone the extra mile to make the high school a really special place and have it be a facility that the kids would be proud of and we want to have that same kind of pride in our vocational education building,” notes Brown of the board’s vision. The project modernized spaces for programs like carpentry and welding without additional debt. The stadium renovation exemplifies the district’s perseverance. “We spent $5.2 million on a facility that’s worth over $10 million now,” Brown says, despite pandemic-era challenges that quadrupled some change order costs. Looking ahead, a comprehensive deferred maintenance plan ensures sustainability through 2042, addressing HVAC, roofing, and the stadium’s artificial turf replacement cycle. “We’ve been pretty intentional about building a deferred maintenance program,” Brown explains, demonstrating fiscal responsibility while maintaining facilities that match the district’s educational ambitions. VISION FOR THE FUTURE AUSD continues building momentum through strategic investments in its educators and instructional practices. “We really encourage a lot of collaboration with our teachers, and we’re developing teachers on the fly, really,” says Brown, 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 09 ABILENE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
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