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Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 20224 W h o W e A r We h o W e A r e T h e B r a n i g a n T e a m i s a p a r t o f S t r a i g h t R e a l t y , a l o c a l l y o w n e d r e a Tl h e B r a n i g a n T e a m i s a p a r t o f S t r a i g h t R e a t y , a l o c a l y o w n e d r e a l e s t a t e f i r m h e r e i n L i b e r t y H i l l . J o n a n d R o s e B r a n i g a n a r e b o t h l i f e l o n eg s t a t e f i r m h e r e i n L i b e r t y H i l l . J o n a n d R o s e B r a n i g a n a r e b o t h l i f e l o n g r e s i d e n t s o f L i b e r t y H i l l , h a v i n g o v e r 2 5 y e a r s o f e x p e r i e n c e c o v e r i n rg e s i d e n t s o f L i b e r t y H i l l , h a v i n g o v e r 2 5 y e a r s o f e x p e r i e n c e c o v e r i n g a l l a r e a s o f r e a l e s t a t e i n c l u d i n g , n e w h o m e c o n s t r u c t i o n , c o m m e r c i a l a, l l a r e a s o f r e a l e s t a t e i n c l u d i n , n e w h o m e c o n s t r u c t i o n , c o m m e r c i a l , l a n d d e v e l o p m e n t , r e s a l e l i s t i n g ls a n d d e v e l o p m e n t , r e s a l e l i s t i n g s . J o n a n d R o s e h a v e d e v e l o p e d a n Jd o n a n d R o s e h a v e d e v e l o p e d a n d s o l d m a n y o f t h e l o c a l L i b e r t y H i l l s u b d i v i s i o n s s u c h a s , R i o A n c h o s, o d m a n y o f t h e l o c a L i b e r t y H i l s u b d i v i s i o n s s u c a s , R i o A n c h o , I r o n O a k , S t o n e C r e e k R a n c h , R a n c h e s a t B e n t l e y R i d g e a n Id r o n O a k , S t o n e C r e e k R a n c h , R a n c h e s a t B e n t l e y R i d g e a n d R o s e m o n t . W i t h o v e r 5 0 0 + h o m e s s o l d i n t h e L i b e r t y H i l l a r e a , t h Re o s e m o n t . W i t h o v e r 5 0 0 + h o m e s s o l d i n t h e L i b e r t y H i l l a r e a , t h e B r a n i g a n s h a v e p l a y e d a k e y r o l e i n L i b e r t y H i l l ’ s g r o w t h o v e r t h Be r a n i g a n s h a v e p l a y e d a k e y r o l e i n L i b e r t y H i l l ’ s g r o w t h o v e r t h e y e a r s y. e a r s . W h y C h o o s e U s W? h y C h o o s e U s ? A s R E A L T O R S ® i n t h e L i b e r t y H i l l a r e a r e a l e s t a t e m a r k e t , w e h a v Ae s R E A L T O R S ® i n t h e L i b e r t y H i l l a r e a r e a l e s t a t e m a r k e t , w e h a v e m a n y f e a t u r e d p r o p e r t i e s f o r s a l e W e h a v e a n e x t e n s i v e m a r k e t i n mg a n y f e a t u r e d p r o p e r t i e s f o r s a l e . W e h a v e a n e x t e n s i v e m a r k e t i n g p l a n t h a t i n c l u d e s s e v e r a l s t r a t e g i e s o f a d v e r t i s i n g a n d m a r k e t i n g f o pr a n t h a t i n c u d e s s e v e r a l s t r a t e g i e s o f a d v e r t i s i n g a n d m a r k e t i n g f o r o u r c l i e n t s t o s e l l t h e i r h o m e s a n d l a n d w i t h m a x i m u m e x p o s u r e . W oe u r c l i e n t s t o s e l l t h e i r h o m e s a n d l a n d w i t h m a x i m u m e x p o s u r e . W e h a v e e x t e n s i v e e x p e r i e n c e i n d e v e l o p i n g l a n d a n d c a n u s e t h a ht a v e e x t e n s i v e e x p e r i e n c e i n d e v e l o p i n g l a n d a n d c a n u s e t h a t e x p e r i e n c e t o h e l p o u r c o m m e r c i a l a n d l a r g e l a n d o w n e r c l i e n t s f i n ed x p e r i e n c e t o h e l p o u r c o m m e r c i a l a n d l a r g e l a n d o w n e r c l i e n t s f i n d b u y e r s f o r t h e i r p r o p e r t i e s . C a l l u s t o f i n d o u t h o w w e c a n h e l p y o bu u y e r s f o r t h e i r p r o p e r t i e s . C a l l u s t o f i n d o u t h o w w e c a n h e l p y o u r e a c h y o u r r e a l e s t a t e g o a l rs e a c h y o u r r e a l e s t a t e g o a l s . 109 Dax Drive, MLS # 3774066 196 Rockney Rd. MLS #2534439 Our Development ResumeOur Development Resume Jon@Braniganteam Jcom on@Braniganteam.com (512) 801 (8619 512) 801 B8619 Braniganteam.com raniganteam com
AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 5 The information in this publication was compiled with great care to assure the accuracy of editorial content and advertising copy. Liberty Hill Independent Monthly and its parent company assume no liability for the accuracy of the information reported to us herein, and the opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. For advertising rates and information, or to obtain additional copies, call (512) 778-5577 or send email to news@LHIndependent.com. This publication is truly a collaborative e ort of experienced journalists, a professional design team, advertising specialists and many others passionate about sharing the story of Liberty Hill, Texas. Copyright©2022 Texas Independent News Corp./Liberty Hill Independent. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. Contact Us: (512) 778-5577 | News@LHIndependent.com | Liberty Hill Independent, PO Box 1235, Liberty Hill, TX 78642 Stop by at 921 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, TX 78642 LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT MONTHLY A Publication of Texas Independent News Corp. PUBLISHER | Shelly Wilkison CREATIVE DIRECTOR | Stacy Coale GRAPHIC DESIGN Katie McLaughlin ADVERTISING SALES | Stacy Coale CONTRIBUTING WRITERS | Rachel Madison, Scott Akanewich, Elizabeth De Los Santos, James Wear www.LHIndependent.com BACK TO SCHOOL FEATURES 8 | LHISD STAFF GROWTH Significant enrollment growth creates challenge for filling staff positions 11 | UNDER CONSTRUCTION LHISD upgrades include expansion of Panther Stadium 14 | KEEPING BUSES ON TIME School bus routes are busier than ever 17 | NEW YEAR NEW MARCHING SHOW Much work goes on behind the scenes to support the Panther Marching Band 19 | LEAVING LASTING MEMORIES Bill Burden Elementary’s mural was painted by more than 800 students 20 | RECOGNIZING TALENT LHISD Gi ed & Talented Program not based solely on good grades 26 | HERE COME THE PANTHERS! What to expect from the Football and Volleyball teams in 2022 DEPARTMENTS7 | Q&A -- JUNE BADON School receptionist is much more than the official greeter 36 | LOCAL EVENTS Local entertainment coming in August CONTENTS 1911 ABOUT OUR COVER In Liberty Hill, the month of August is synonymous with a return to Panther Football and Back to School. Despite the heat, anticipation is high for a new school year for Panthers of all ages. FILE PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO 2017 26 CARPET & RUG CLEANING UPHOLSTERY CLEANING TILE & GROUT CLEANING POWER DISINFECTIONWASHINGSERVICES www.tetriscleaningservices.com 815 Loop 332 | 512-825-4005 500+ FIVE STAR REVIEWS YOUR TRUSTED LIBERTY HILL EXPERTS FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 2012 HALLELUJAH! THE KIDS ARE FINALLY HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL! The summer has been fun, but let's be real. Your house needs a DEEP CLEAN. Tetris can help! FREE ESTIMATES! CALL 512-825-4005 OR SCAN TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT
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LHI: In these days of heightened security because of school shootings, how has that climate impacted you?
BADON: My kids went to school at Liberty Hill Elementary, so it feels like home to me. Back when my kids were in school, if there was anything I needed, I could call. That was before email and the Internet really be came a thing. It was a comfort to know that I knew the receptionist, and knew she had kids there as well. I never hesitated to call and ask questions or stop in to volunteer. I first fell in love working in the front office when I was serving as volunteer coor dinator and subbing at Liberty Hill Middle School, which used to be where the LHISD administration building is now. Between subbing periods, I would go to the front office and help. I found a passion for it, be cause it was fast paced and fun. Whenever I was subbing at any campus, I would go to the front office to see if they needed help.
LHI: Is it challenging getting to know each student, as well as their parents and siblings? Because of your role, are you able to recognize everyone?
LHI: What are your duties in your cur rent role as administrative assistant to Principal Collison?
First and foremost, my job was to be up front and answer the phone and greet visitors, which entailed students checking in late, coordinating parents dropping off school lunches, and setting up for meet ings, parties and luncheons. Because you are in the front office, you are the first face people see when they enter the school. I enjoyed that because you never knew who was going to walk in the door. It was fun to greet the parents I’d known for years as well as welcome the ones who had just moved to Youtown.really have to be able to handle whatever comes across your desk and you have to be good at handling interruptions. No matter what project you are working on, like if you’re helping the principal or cutting laminate for a teacher, you have to be prepared for somebody to come in. You could go from working on a project to a sick kid puking in your office. Or you could get a call on what I called the ‘bat phone,’ which teachers used if they needed more paper towels or help with discipline or something like that. Everything is happening at the same time, and it could be a range of things happening. You just have to be ready for anything.
LHI: What are the most common ques tions or concerns people have? BADON: The most common question I got was asking what time lunch was for each particular grade. I kept a laminated schedule right by the keyboard and phone so I could easily tell parents. Honestly, you kind of have to know where the kids are at all times. They have so many different specials they can go to between art, music, PE, Spanish and the library, that if parents come in to check out their student and they aren’t in their classroom, we have to know where they are. This upcoming year we have 600 kids we will have to keep track of. It’s a lot of communicating with the class room teachers and the specials teachers.
BADON: I have accepted the fact that it could happen anywhere and anytime. During our moment of silence every day, I pray that God protects our campus. It’s real ly all you can do. However, this year we are going to get active shooter training, which I am looking forward to. I have been wanting that for a long time.
June Badon
BADON: I started doing that job last Au gust. I handle the campus budget, including grade level budgets, and I do all the order ing for the campus. I help coordinate trans portation for field trips, help keep teachers on budget and do the finances, like deposits and bank reconciliations. I also serve as the principal’s secretary, by making appoint
BADON: Our focus is to keep kids safe. We have to be able to answer questions and be knowledgeable about campus. When you get an answer you don’t want, just know we are only enforcing policy and procedures, which are all devised with kids in mind to keep the campus safe and fair for every body. The bigger we get, the more those procedures and policies will be enforced. Lastly, get your kids to school on time. It helps set the pace for the whole day when kids are on time.
Being up front to see the visitors and the parents coming in, especially the new families with a brand-new kinder gartner. They come in needing to find out everything and so I always tried to make that parent feel like their child was special, because we do love all of them. All of the kids are special, and I loved getting to know them and their families by name.
AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 7 BACK TO SCHOOL 2022
LHI: What does it take to be successful as a BADON:receptionist? You have to be able to wear many hats at one time, handle interruptions and be a people person. You can’t take offense to anything that comes in, because parents may come in upset with a teacher or the principal or a certain policy, but as the receptionist, you are the first contact, and you represent the school. You have to have really good communication skills and a pleasant personality.
LHI: What did you enjoy most about being a BADON:receptionist?
BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER LHI MONTHLY: Describe your job as a receptionist. What were your responsi BADON:bilities?
LHI: Is there anything you specifically want parents to know about your role in the front office?
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BADON: If your child is never tardy, you never check them out or never bring them lunch, I don’t get to know you. It’s the parents dropping off cupcakes, calling and ask questions, or coming to eat lunch with a student that I get to know. They are the parents that make themselves visible on campus. They want to know who their student is spending the day with. I think we’ll maintain that culture at Liberty Hill Elementary. A lot of growth is happening on the east side of town at the bigger elementary campuses, but at LHE, a lot of the families have lived there for a long time and are established. A lot of our par ents went to school there and don’t want to leave there; they want their kids to go there, too. LHE feels like home to a lot of people.
LHI: Looking back to when your own chil dren were going through school, what did the receptionists in the schools they attended mean to you?
For 20 years, June Badon was a stay-at-home mom who saw her three sons through their schooling within the Liberty Hill ISD. And while her kids were in school she found ways to get involved, like substitute teaching and serving as volunteer coordinator for different campuses. After they graduated, Badon decided to take on an even bigger role within the LHISD. She served as the receptionist at Liberty Hill Elementary for four years, and now serves as the administrative assistant to LHE Principal Heather Collison. Read on to learn more about what it’s like to be the first face parents and students see when they enter the front doors of the school. ments and helping to handle her calendar.
“Those have been beneficial, but the challenge is getting the word out,” Mabry said. “We use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and I reach out to all the universities and the [teacher] certification programs in the area.”Mabry added that current staff is also incentivized to do some of their own recruiting.“Ifsomeone on staff recommends a teacher and we hire them, they get a $200 bonus,” he said. This summer, Mabry has focused on recruiting teachers from other nearby dis tricts. So far, 27 teachers have been hired from Round Rock ISD, 26 from Leander ISD and 18 from Georgetown ISD.
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“We get a lot of experienced teachers to come here,” he said. “One of the things we are focusing on is building a positive culture so teachers want to come here and stay.”Along with a positive culture, money alwaysDuringtalks.the last school year, Mabry said two different retention stipends were given to teachers in the amounts of $900 and $1,000. Earlier this summer, the LHISD Board of Trustees approved what Mabry calls a “historic compensation plan,” which increased the minimum salary to $15 an hour for auxiliary staff and gave a $4,500 step increase to teachers, librarians and nurses.“Noone in our district will make less than $15 an hour,” he said. “We have also put some additional funds into our benefit programs, like our dental plan, and at least two of our medical insurance options will be free to the employees. We are doing everything we can to be as competitive as we can with larger districts.”
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One way the district has tried to recruit additional staff is through job fairs. The first one was held in spring 2021, and since then, four other job fairs have been hosted.
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Mabry said recruiting new teachers has especially been more challenging, as fewer and fewer potential candidates are graduating from college with their teacher certification. However, for those who are already college graduates and decide later on in life to become a teacher, there are several programs that help them obtain a teaching certificate.
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“I believe we are in better shape than most, but everybody is struggling with filling positions,” he said. “It’s especially been a challenge the last couple years finding custodians, bus drivers and other auxiliary staff. But everyone is having the same issues.”
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LHISD hosted multiple job fairs this year that have proven successful as the district tries to fill positions before school starts Aug. 17. This summer, the district has hired 200 new staff members, according to Bobby Mabry, executive director of Human Resources and Operations. (Courtesy Photos) industry is facing the same struggle.
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BACK TO SCHOOL 2022 BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER As the student population across the Liberty Hill Independent School District continues to grow at an extraordinary rate, officials are working tirelessly to make sure the teacher and staff population stays on par.Bobby Mabry, executive director of Hu man Resources and Operations for LHISD, said when it comes to hiring, it’s a numbers game. New student enrollment projections are what he uses to determine how many staff members each campus will need. “It’s always a gray area because you don’t know how much the enrollment is going to grow from the beginning of the year until the end, so that’s the hard part to plan for, but we base it all off of numbers,” he said. “We use demographers to give us estimates [through the school year].” Using those enrollment numbers, Mabry said it’s also important to keep the student to teacher ratio at 22 students to one teacher or less at the elementary level. From fifth grade up there is more flexibility on the number of students per teacher, but the district tries to keep it below a 25 to one ratio.Mabry said the growth the district is seeing is impressive, adding that more than 200 new positions have been added this summer alone to accommodate that growth.“Weadded 70 new teaching positions for this next year,” he said. “We also added 26 special education positions to support that growing population, 10 additional support staff positions and six additional assistant principal positions. That doesn’t even count auxiliary staff, like custodians, maintenance and bus drivers.” Last school year, just 29 new teachers were added to the district. So far, Mabry said the district has onboarded around 200 new staff members this summer, and there will be more before school starts on Aug. 17.
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Mabry said competing against larger dis tricts is a challenge because LHISD doesn’t have as big of a tax base, but the approved pay increase did a lot to bridge that gap. The turnover rate in LHISD is approximate ly 18 percent, he added. Mabry is continuously working to hire more employees for the district and said ev erybody he talks to in the human resources
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“We have a handful of teachers that took this route,” Mabry said. “They have to pass a content level exam, take online course work, and then they can get a statement of eligibility that allows us to hire them and they’ll get an intern certificate for one year so they can teach in the classroom and gain experience while on the job.”
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Upgrades include increased capacity at Panther Stadium BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER As brand-new schools have been added to the landscape of the Liberty Hill Inde pendent School District in recent years, the need for upgrades to its older campuses is now the focus, with the result being sweeping additions to several campuses thisAccordingsummer.to Liberty Hill ISD Superin tendent Steve Snell, the presence of Santa Rita Middle School and Rancho Sienna and Santa Rita Elementary schools prompted makeovers for Liberty Hill Middle School and Liberty Hill and Louine Noble Ele mentary schools in order to provide a level playing field for all of the district’s students.
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LHISD under construction
“The long-range planning committee and the board of trustees set facility equity as a top priority,” said Snell. “We have three older buildings that are being expanded and modernized to provide equity in our facilities.” LibertyHill Middle School will feature perhaps the most noticeable changes, with an entirely new entranceway that includes a canopy over the main walkway in addition to a parking lot expansion, an emergency fire loop and retention ponds.
Nearly all of the work will be completed by the first day of school on Aug. 17, said Snell.“Construction is progressing nicely and what is scheduled to be finished by the time school starts should be,” he said.
At Liberty Hill Elementary, the current gym is being expanded along with addition al parking between the main building and old Panther Stadium, while five portable classrooms have been added to accommo date increased enrollment.
“Included are expanded parking lots and drives at Liberty Hill Elementary and Liberty Hill Middle School and the Panther Stadium bleacher expansion will also be complete. The projects were broken down by phasing so summer items could be com pleted on time.”
Snell said the specter of the global pan demic still haunts progress in presenting challenges that were non-existent when the current plans were drawn up.
AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 11 BACK TO SCHOOL 2022
(Above left) Construction at Panther Stadium has increased capacity to 5,250 on the home side and 2,500 on the visiting side. (Above right) Liberty Hill Middle School’s entranceway will feature a new, more modern look. (Below) Among other improvements at Liberty Hill Elementary is an expanded gym that will be ready for the new school year. (Bottom) Storm drains are added to Liberty Hill Elementary, which is seeing the most extensive renovations this summer. BY SCOTT AKANEWICH
A refurbished Panther Stadium at the high school will have increased seating capacity on both the home side (from 3,500 up to 5,250) and away side (1,680 to 2,500), with a new combined capacity of nearly 8,000 when football season kicks off on Aug. 26.
“The current ‘post-COVID’ era brings many challenges with supply chain issues, price increases due to inflation and supply shortages and workforce concerns,” he said. “But, LHISD and our construction teams have done a good job managing those challenges.”Asthecity of Liberty Hill continues to grow at such a rapid pace – and the school district along with it – Snell said constant upgrades to existing buildings and con struction of new ones will continue to be a staple of its existence.
“LHISD grew by 24 percent this year and there is no sign of the growth slowing down,” he said. “In fact, LHISD is consid ered a ‘Fast Growth’ district and should see continued growth for the next 20 years. However, we’re prepared and have a great strategic plan in place and LHISD will con tinue to work with committees consisting of community, staff and other stakehold ers to make sure our students have the facilities they need to receive a world-class education.”
Finally, Noble Elementary is getting a new library, with the old one being convert ed into administrative space in addition to the placement of six portable classrooms.
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“One of my kids, a fifth-grader – she’s one that likes to mouth off and talk back,” she said. “So, I had her sit up front near me and gave her things to do to help me. Some times, you need to make a kid feel useful.”
Keeping transportation on time
Not just anyone is cut out to be a school bus driver, said Hale.
“It can be a challenging proposition,” she said. “The job is only about 25-30 hours per week and with the cost of living what it now is, people need more. But, there are oppor tunities to do other work – like helping in a cafeteria – in between your routes to get yourself up to 40 hours.”
PHOTO BY SCOTT AKANEWICH
“For the past three years, we’ve had the SMART Tag system for all our students,” said Cox. “Which makes it a lot easier to trackSMARTeveryone.”Tagwas developed by Secured Mobility, a Georgetown-based technology firm and allows students to be tracked with a passive Radio Frequency Identification chip in a badge the student has scanned, which is connected to an on-board tablet Liberty Hill’s school bus routes are busier than ever when they board or disembark and allows parents to monitor their children while in transit.Inaddition, Cox can track the buses as they move along their routes with a system known as Transfinder, a service that allows her to monitor their comings and goings with the click of a mouse at her desk. But, that’s not all the digital age has to offer the business of keeping kids safe.
With all this space-age technology at the disposal of those charged with ensuring safe passage to school for students, the average school bus these days goes for approximately $130,000 and can take up to 10 months for delivery due to worldwide supply-chain issues, which makes for some times dicey propositions when the district needs additional vehicles, said Cox.
Hale said she encountered a situation this past school year she was able to find a solution for based on her years of experi ence transporting students on the highways and back roads of Central Texas.
“AboutDistrict.40percent of the kids in the district ride the bus to school,” said Cox, Liberty Hill ISD Director of Transportation.
“Our buses have collision mitigation software,” said Cox. “If the system senses the bus is approaching an object too fast to have enough time to stop, it will take con trol from the driver and apply the brakes.”
“It’s a lot of responsibility just mak ing sure everything gets done,” she said. “Making sure the routes are set, the drivers get their yearly physicals and we also have random drug testing.” According to Cox, there is one aspect of the environment she works in that is always paramount.“Safety,”said Cox, who has been with the district for 19 years and her current position for nine. “We need to be aware of everything that’s going on to keep the kids safe – it’s more complex than most people think.”
Liberty Hill ISD Director of Transportation Meleia Cox can track buses along their routes along with the locations of individual students through software programs.
“Used to be you would order a bus at a particular price,” she said. “Now, they can’t guarantee the price you agree to will be the final price if costs for materials go up in the time it takes to be built.”
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Digital age Part of that complexity comes in the form of the myriad technology employed to monitor a number of different aspects of the transportation process – not the least of which is the human aspect, she said.
To register your student for bus transpor tation, visit LHISD Transportation online at libertyhill.txed.net. Bus routes will be released on Aug. 12.
“We have 61 buses in all.” Cox is at the controls of the ever-growing area the district’s buses service and said it’s a tall order to keep all the trains running on time, so to speak.
Filling the ranks Motorists passing by the entrance to Lib erty Hill Middle School on State Highway 29 have undoubtedly noticed the school bus parked off on the side of the road on school grounds with a banner advertising for drivers wanted.
Cox said it can be difficult to attract and keep new drivers despite a competitive $21-per-hour starting rate.
BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER When Meleia Cox first drove a school bus in Liberty Hill nearly two decades ago, it was still the small town of yesteryear, with fewer traffic lights and even fewer vehicles on the road to compete with the lumbering, yellow machine she was behind the wheel of.Fast-forward 20 years and surroundings have changed quite a bit as the city that was once a blip on the radar is now bustling like never before, as more and more families with school-aged children move to the area – many of whom need a ride to and from one of the eight different schools under the umbrella of the Liberty Hill Independent School
“I think it takes a special person to be successful in this industry,” she said. “You have to be able to make the environment inside the bus as safe as the one outside because you’re carrying precious cargo.”
One more thing, don’t be late – or early –said“WeCox.always want our drivers to be on time,” she said. “Even if they have to stop if they’re running ahead of schedule because that can also mess everything up.”
Personal touch However, despite all the computer chips and software, the human touch is still a vital part of a school bus driver’s job description.BridgettHale is a veteran driver who has returned to Liberty Hill after working for many years in the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District and under stands this concept very well. “You have to get to know your kids,” said Hale, who graduated from Liberty Hill High School in 1993 and is also one of the district’s driver trainers. “Once you build a rapport with them, you learn how to be a little more stern with some and more gentile with others.”
A Class B commercial driver’s license is required, along with online and practical training in order to be a driver, but only by experience can one truly become skilled, said“We’reCox. still largely a rural district and some of those country roads can be diffi cult, with tough turnarounds,” she said. “When we plan our routes, we include as many right turns as possible to avoid going directly thorough intersections and all of our buses have good mirrors so drivers can always be aware of their tailswing to avoid running over curbs.”
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Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202216 T o p 1 % I n v i s a l i g n ® P r o v i d e r i n A u s t i n 1 4 3 6 5 W S t a t e H w y 2 9 # 1 2 , L i b e r t y H i l l , T X 7 8 6 4 2 512-716-0307 O N L Y " D IA M O N D P L U S " P R O V I D E R B Y I N V I S A L I G N ® I N L I B E R T Y H I L L 2 0 Y E A R S O F E XP E R I E N C E B O A R D C E R T IF IE D O R T H O D O N T I S T A F F O R D A B L E P A Y M E N T O P T I O N S S IX C O N V E N I E N T L O C A T I O N S S c h e d u l e y o u r F R E E C o n s u l t a t i o n O r t h o 3 6 0 . c o m M A D E Y O U S M I L E Braces and Invisalign® for Children and Adults Proud Supporter of LHISD! GO N HE RS t Book an Appointment Online! www.HansonInsuranceAgency.com Contact Us! (512) 817-6906 Emily@HansonInsuranceAgency.com Our help is NO COST to you! SHOULDMEDICAREBEEASY!LETUSHELP We are LOCAL, independent brokers, contracted with every insurance company. We will help you through the entire process; education, enrollment and customer service. YOU are our priority! Emily Hanson (512) 817-6906 Don Chabala (512) 420-3363 Tia Pruett (737) 747-0026 Paul Allin (512) 657-0263 Thank you for voting us BEST INSURANCEMEDICARECOMPANY and BEST INSURANCEMEDICAREAGENT We’ll help extraenrollWe’llextradecideWe’llMedicareunderstandyouhelpyouifyouneedcoveragehelpyouinyourcoverageWe’llcontinuetohelpafteryouenroll00001234
Much of what the Panthers band does couldn’t be accomplished without the support of the Liberty Hill Band Boosters – a group of parents who must be just as dedicated to the program as their sons and daughters are – in providing some of the things they need to be at their best levels of performance.Inordertodo that, money must be raised, said Shawna Ware, treasurer of the booster club. “It’s a huge challenge,” she said. “We help with a little bit of everything from equip ment to travel to buses and even props for the performances. Last year, we did pretty well by raising $39,000.”
Maintaining a culture When Murphy took the reins last year, one of his primary goals for the program was to build a winning culture – one based on a premise of letting nobody slip through the cracks, he said.
“We always want to be committed to each individual member of our band and we do that by breaking them down into small groups of instruction – divide and conquer,” said Murphy. “If you can make each one the best they can be, the entire band will be better as a whole.”
Liberty Hill finished just shy of qualifying for the Class 5A state championships last year, finishing fourth at the area compe tition, with only the top three moving on, so that culture is indeed beginning to take hold.Onward and upward, as the new school year provides a fresh musical canvas for the Panthers to paint on and much like the Pan thers’ football coaches are busy readying their players with workouts and film study, Murphy and his staff are doing the same with their charges in the form of rehearsals and“Eachdrill.week as we get ready, we want to give them confidence,” he said. “So, there’s not a lot of anxiety when it’s time to per form because we’ve put them in a position to Murphysucceed.”said as his musicians’ respective skill levels continue to rise, the collective group can be expected to handle more complicated performances.
According to Liberty Hill Band Director Shawn Murphy, the show may change, but the theme remains the same.
(Above) Members of the percussion section of the Liberty Hill band rehearse this summer while getting ready for the new school year. (Photo by Scott Akanewich) (Right) The marching band finished fourth at the Class 5A area championships last year. (Courtesy Photo) Much work goes in behind the scenes for Liberty Hill musicians
BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER In the band hall at Liberty Hill High School is a sign that reads – “Music isn’t what we do, it’s who we are.” However, before all of the notes and melodies can flow smoothly through the air and resonate around Panther Stadium on a Friday night, the 150 members of the Panthers’ marching band must go through a training regimen as thorough and detailed as those they share the gridiron with under theUnlikelights.its football brethren, though, a brand-new playbook must be learned each year as the band features a unique perfor mance with different music.
One of the things the band needs most is a bigger trailer to haul the increased amount of equipment to road venues as the ranks continue to grow, said Murphy. “We could really use an 18-wheel trailer because we’ve grown so much,” he said. “We’re up to 150 this year from 120 last year.”
“I’m just really excited about this group because they’ve gotten so much better so fast,” he said. “Every section is stronger and better than we were, so we can have a show with more wrinkles, layers and complexity. All they have to do is put in the work.”
“This year, we’re doing ‘American Sol dier,’” said Murphy. “We want to say ‘thank you’ to our servicemen and servicewomen. There are other places that aren’t as free as we are thanks to them, so we want to honor them.”
Panther Band gearing up for upcoming campaign
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New kids on the block
A critical piece of the Panthers’ puzzle in the run up to the new school year is indoctrinating freshman musicians who are making the jump from middle to high school, where more will be expected of them – with one very big difference, said Murphy.“Middle school bands don’t march,” he said. “There are some instruments, such as the tuba, that have different versions for sitting while playing and marching. They’ll also be required to play longer tones and sustained notes.” On the intangible side of the situation, the first-year musicians must be integrated into the ranks in order for complete assimi lation to take place. “We have our student leadership – our captains and lieutenants – come in and help with our freshman camp,” said Murphy, of the three-day orientation program that takes place in the week leading up to the first day of official practice. “This way, they can come in on the first day without being intimidated or overwhelmed.”
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Support system
“I feel like every one of our shows should be a ‘thank you,’” said Murphy, in his sec ond year in charge. “It’s now the identity of ourLastband.”year, the band honored late Liberty Hill head football coach and athletic di rector Jeff Walker with a poignant perfor mance and this year, it will pay tribute to those who wear the uniform of our country.
PHOTO BY ELIZABETH DE LOS SANTOS Liberty Hill ISD is transitioning back to paid school meals and offering Free and Reduced-priced school meals based on eligibility.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Con gress authorized spending that allowed schools to serve free meals for all students. Those funds are not authorized to continue for the 2022-2023 school year. As a result, Liberty Hill ISD must return to charging for school meals and offering free and reduced-price meals based on student eligibility.Decisions regarding payment for school meals are made at the federal-government level, not by the school district, nutrition team or Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).The dedicated staff at Liberty Hill ISD is looking forward to serving healthy, bal anced meals to students in the new school year.Families are encouraged to complete the Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals, also available online at liber tyhill.txed.net, for Child Nutrition Services and return the completed form online or to any school office. The Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees ap proved a revised dress code for schools across the district on July 18. Perhaps the most notable change is the authorization of male students to wear earrings, which was previously prohibited. In addition, small nostril studs are now allowed for both genders. However, bridge and septum piercings along with all other facial piercings are still Anotherbanned.notable change to district policy is the ability for both genders to feature high lights of any color in their hair, but full hair colors that are unnatural and spiked hair are stillAccordingprohibited.to Liberty Hill ISD Director of Secondary Education Travis Motal, a comprehensive survey was conducted over several months to solicit opinions from stu dents, staff and parents concerning changes they would most like to see to the dress code policy.“One of the biggest things we heard from students was they wanted consistent enforcement regardless of the rules,” said Motal. “Parents wanted clearer language, so we got rid of words like ‘excessively’ that wereSuperintendentsubjective.”
While awaiting official certification from US Dept. of Defense, the program will be known as Panther Cadets
Steve Snell said although the dress code may not seem as if it deserves so much attention, it serves as a vanguard for what the district wishes to represent.
LHISD required to transition back to paid school meals Trustees approve changes to student dress code
Officers from the Liberty Hill Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Liberty Hill ISD Police Department participated in a two-day active shooter training in early July at Liberty Hill HighOfficialsSchool.from DPS ran the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Train ing (ALERRT) developed by Texas State University.Thetraining instructed officers on the tactics and techniques most effective at neu tralizing an active-shooter threat, includ ing shooting and moving, room entry and breaching, culminating in force-on-force scenarios.Inorder to make the entrances at LHHS more secure, plans are to add police offices at each, including large windows allowing an officer has a clear view of the approach.
Jonathan Lemenager is the instructor of JROTC/Panther Cadet Program at Liber ty Hill High School.
“We’re really looking forward to this pro gram,” Lemenager said. “ I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun. I think it’ll be very successful. So yeah, just looking forward to building it and having Liberty Hill be proud of their cadet program.”
Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202218 BACK TO SCHOOL 2022
Liberty Hill High School is starting a new program for students interested in charac ter growth and citizenship development. “The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) is a program for students to learn to be self-confident, self-driven and to pay attention to details so that they can become better citizens in society,” said Jon athan Lemenager, instructor for the new JROTC program. “We’ll focus on studying skills, time management skills, leadership skills, decision-making, and problem-solv ing. Of course, there will also be fitness and wellness to help shape you physically, mentally, and spiritually. So, it’s a program to better Lemenagerstudents.”added that the program is not a military preparation class as some might think. “It creates a foundation of success for students that want to go into ROTC to become commissioned officers in the military. Still, our primary focus is to make students better citizens,” he said. Lemenager has served 20 years in the Army as an Army Communicator. “I’ve supported multiple units, from infantry to engineers and medical units. I’ve been stationed in Germany, Fort Bragg, Fort Dix, New Jersey, and then Fort Hood. And I have a couple of overseas tours. So I just have a lot of experience from 20 years,” Lemenager added. After he retired from the Army, he took a year off before searching for (and finding) the perfect job to impact the community. He applied, and before he knew it, he was the first JROTC instructor for Liberty Hill HighBecauseSchool.the program is in the early stag es, it is not yet an official JROTC program.
officially certified. Once it is permitted, students will be able to wear mil itary uniforms. Despite this divergence, students will still experience the cadet program and carry out regular JROTC tasks, such as presenting the flags during football games.“Anybody can be suc cessful in JROTC or the Panther Cadet program,” says Lemenger. “As long as they have a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, and they come in not wanting to quit when presented with challenges, they will do well.”Lemenager invites all students to join the new cadet program. He emphasizes that his goal with this program is to have “confident students, capable of making great decisions for themselves, solving problems, achieving their dreams and being successful.”
“I would say the vast majority of our students wear what they want and it falls within the dress code,” he said. “But, we still want our community to have a voice.”
To learn more, visit usarmyjrotc.com.
BY ELIZABETH DE LOS SANTOS STAFF WRITER
Students can join while signing up for classes or by speaking to a school counselor.
According to the U.S. Department of De fense, becoming certified requires at least two instructors and 100 students. Current ly, there are 65 students enrolled. Until they are officially certified, the program will be known as the Panther Cadet Program. How ever, it will be run in the same manner as JROTC and follow the same curriculum.
LHHS introduces JROTC Back to School Briefs
There will be a slight distinction between the Panther Cadet Program and JROTC in students’ uniforms. Students will wear a panther cadet uniform until the program is
Local officers trained for shooter scenario this summer
Aside from the student contributions, there are many smaller items hidden away in various parts of the mural that were painted by Kane in order to add to the per sonality of the wall. One portion depicts the flags of the United States, Scotland, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Norway, a nod to the ancestry of Liberty Hill’s earliest settlers.
BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER
“I was super-shocked when Emily took a picture of it and sent it to me,” said Lambert, who has served as the school’s principal for three years. “But, I’m honored she added us.”
But, perhaps the most notable addition is one of Burden Elementary Principal Tanya Lambert and her husband Michael – in spired by a photo Kane saw on social media from the couple’s wedding day in April 2017, with bride in gown being carried by groom in tuxedo exchanging a kiss. Upon seeing her blessed event forever emblazoned on the wall, Lambert was duly pleased – albeit a bit surprised, she said.
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School mural was painted by over 800 students
“McCoy’s was kind enough to provide half of the paint we needed,” said Kane. “In all, the entire wall needed seven gallons and paint is very expensive, so that helped us a lot.”
“It’s really fun to see kids pass by the wall and point out to their peers what they did,” she said. “They’re really proud of their artwork.”
Emily Kane organized the painting of the mural at Bill Burden Elementary School, in which every student contributed to the colorful wall near the back entrance to the school.
“We wanted to add a historical aspect that was educational,” said Kane. “They were some of the first people here.”
Of course, art is all about one’s interpre tation – from both the artist’s and viewer’s perspective – so for the older painters, some of the finished products are a bit unique – with one in particular standing out, said Kane. “We told them to make a flower however they wanted it to look,” she said. “But, we had one boy who asked if he could paint a monster, so we told him he could as long as it was still a flower and he did it. Another kid painted a black flower. In the end, it didn’t matter how each flower looked because some kids are more talented than others.”However, the individual touches couldn’t be made until the background – a blend of green grass and blue sky – was painted, which took four weeks and was helped by a generous donation from a local business.
Artistic origins However, the mural isn’t the first artistic flair that has been added to the school, which opened in 2007, said Lambert.
Along those lines, there are also depic tions of a Native American village, a cowboy on horseback carrying the state flag of Texas and a longhorn skull.
“We wanted to have flowers and plants that are indigenous to the area,” said Kane. “So, we have yellow roses, poppies, sunflow ers and cactus flowers.”
PHOTO BY SCOTT AKANEWICH
Easter eggs
Leaving lasting memories
As students at Bill Burden Elementary School exit the back of the main building of the campus and head for the playground they pass a concrete wall that was once empty, but is now a colorful creation that was contributed to by each one of them. In all, 806 pairs of young hands grasped brushes and rollers as each added his or her own unique mark on a monument that will stand the test of time. The mural – which measures 50 feet in length and is six feet high – is a creative collaboration that was the brainchild of Emily Kane, a mother of six children, three of whom attend Burden and was a proj ect whose genesis was rooted in another undertaking.“Weweretaking care of the box gardens that are right next to the wall,” said Kane, of the planters located adjacent to what be came a concrete canvas. “We had approval for the mural, so went ahead with it.”
“We have a tradition where Rebecca Kott, one of our art teachers, has her sec ond-graders draw a picture, then we send them to a company that makes tiles out of them,” she said. “We have them hanging all over the school and every year, seniors from the high school come back and find theirs, so it’s pretty cool.” Lasting legacy Kane said one of her favorite aspects of the entire process is how communal it was over the course of the mural’s creation and the lasting effect it will have.
In full bloom According to Kane, the plan was to have the younger children each paint a flower on the wall with the use of a stencil, while the older students were permitted to freehand their individual versions – with an eye on localizing the mural.
“Most of them can’t wait to be in our class,” she said. “It’s the most exciting part of their day – a place where they can make noise and be themselves.”
“A child can simply have creative abili ties,” said Wendy Pleak, Liberty Hill Inde pendent School District gifted and talented campus coordinator for Rancho Sienna El ementary School, Santa Rita Middle School and Liberty Hill Middle School. “We look at things like if a child thinks out-of-the-box or is a good Approximatelyleader.”8.3 percent of the student population of Liberty Hill ISD is currently enrolled in the Gifted/Talented program and in order to determine how many more should be added to the ranks annually, testing is conducted each January with the results of the formal assessments used as a baseline to determine which students are candidates.“Wewant to make sure we’re casting a big enough net,” said Kristine Kline, Liberty Hill ISD elementary education director. “Our goal is to have 10 percent of our stu dentsLibertyenrolled.”HillISD is part of the Region 13 Texas Education Service Center, an area that encompasses Williamson, Llano, Burnet, Travis, Bastrop, Lee, Blanco, Hays, Caldwell, Kendall, Comal, Guadalupe, Gon zales, Gillespie and Fayette counties.
Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202220 BACK TO SCHOOL 2022
There are multiple ways a student can be identified to qualify for the GT program – they can be referred by a teacher, by a par ent – or in some cases, by themselves.
First-graders in the GT program at Rancho Sienna experiment with solids and liquids to create a gas to propel Easter eggs during a chemistry lesson. (Courtesy Photos)
Recently, the region’s average of GT students has risen from 6.6 percent to its current rate of 9 percent. Raising the bar For the first time during the 2022-23 school year, each of Liberty Hill ISD’s eight campuses will have a GT coordinator, which will help boost the numbers and make sure no child slips between the cracks. Along those lines, many of the dis trict’s teachers are re ceiving the 30 required hours of training to be GT-certified and be able to better pinpoint the qualities that make a student a candidate for the program, with the goal to have three or four at each school.
Sowing seeds
Recognizing talent
“I believe I was gifted as a child, but was never identified,” said Pleak, a member of Liberty Hill High School’s Class of 1998. “So, I feel like I can relate to them better in find ing what does and doesn’t work for them.”
A critical component to properly nur turing young, gifted minds is to constantly challenge and stimulate them with unorth odox teaching techniques, such as “Genius Hour,” during which second through fourth-grade GT students are charged with brainstorming and developing ideas and concepts along the lines of a “Shark Tank” variety.“GTstudents have to be allowed to do something they’re passionate about,” said Pleak. “If not, they won’t care about it and will lose Gradesinterest.”onethrough five each have a dif ferent underlying theme – known as “Scope and Sequence,” – with first grade (explo ration), second (English), third (critical thinking), fourth (collaboration) and fifth (innovation) rounding out the smorgasbord of subjects the students are tasked with. Joining the ranks
However, although tangible test scores are taken into account, Kline said there is much more to the vetting process.
Although some students are late bloom ers, the ability to identify gifted students at the outset of their respective educational journeys is crucial in maximizing their potential, said Kline. “We want to get them as soon as pos sible,” she said. “We want them to be high-level thinkers and not bored in school.”Pleak said the GT program is designed to ensure uniqueness never goes to waste. “GT is special education on the highest level,” she said. “If you don’t use your gifts, you’ll lose them.”
(Above) Second-grade GT students at Rancho Sienna Elementary School learned about how muscles and bones work together in moving the body, then constructed precise models of fingers and a hand complete with strings acting as tendons, allowing joints to bend properly. (Below)
Gifted program not based solely on good grades
“One of the biggest things we focus on is making sure we’re meeting the students’ social and emotional needs,” she said. “These kids need to be able to be them selves because many times they’re misun derstood. So, they need a support system they don’t get with the other kids – where they can think out of the box in a safe place to do it.”
“We had our princi pal reach out to their teachers,” said Kline, who is in her third year in her current position after serving as principal at Santa Rita Elementary School following a lengthy stint in the Leander Independent School District. “We want people that are passionate about these kinds of opportunities and we love support ing our GT teachers by providing them with the time to plan and coordinate – they’re an amazing group of teachers.”
But, the beginning of the process are the tests given each year that are broken down into four different areas of study, with stu dents needing to score at or above average in at least two of the categories.
Each day, GT students are removed from their regular class to spend time together while being taught by a GT teacher in order to foster the kind of learning environment they need to thrive, said Pleak.
“There’s a story behind every kid,” she said. “We look at all of the additional data we collect in making our determinations.”
BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER Giftedness can manifest itself in many forms.Itcan come to fruition on a canvas, in a song, or even in how one carries themself among their peers. However, one ingredient that certainly helps – but isn’t necessarily part of the rec ipe are the letters and numbers that show up on a report card. In fact, according to the National Organi zation for Gifted Children, “Gifted Does Not Mean Smart.” Or at least only smart. Being intelligent is only a piece of the pie when gauging an individual’s overall repertoire of talent and despite the fact every child indeed has gifts of one kind or another doesn’t mean he or she is gifted.
In fact, Pleak said that particular portion of the daily schedule is many times the highlight for many GT students.
Pleak should know.
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Early Liberty Hill settler recalls log schoolhouse, ‘rather deaf’ teacher
LOOKING BACK
AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 23
OPINION
BY JAMES WEAR COLUMNIST
Nearly 30 years ago, in the Sept. 3, 1992 issue of The Independent, then-editor Diane Pogue shared excerpts from a scrapbook loaned to the newspaper by W.K. and Mildred Seward. The scrapbook included recollections of early Liberty Hill by a man named Crockett Collier, whose family came to this area in the 1850s. Collier’s narrative included recollections of the log schoolhouse that he and other children attended. “Our little log school had split log benches, one door and a window half the width and the length of two logs, but with no glass. A wide ‘puncheon’ was fitted under this window, serving the whole school for writing exercises,” noted Collier. “If I remember alright our first teacher was named Allen, a very old man, rather deaf and always had a bunch of wool in his ears. He used the black haw switches regu larly. In studying our lessons -- reading and spelling -- all was done out loud, and the more noise we made the more it pleased theCollier’steacher.”recollections included memo ries of the post office, which he wrote was “up the road a little distance, kept by G.W. Logan. However, our first postmaster was Oliver Spencer. There were no stamps to be had in those days and it cost one dime to send a letter anywhere in the United States. “Logan, not being posted as to the postal laws, failed to keep a record of his receipts, so when the regular postmaster came to make his report it could not be done in a satisfactory manner to Uncle Sam and Spencer, the postmaster, was bothered a whole lot before matters were finally settled. I don’t suppose anybody lost any thing, and the job of being postmaster was more trouble than it was worth to hold the office.”Collier, in his writings, also mentioned Greenleaf Fisk as a neighbor and pointed out Fisk served as the first county judge of Williamson County, and recalled traveling to a mill in Georgetown and not meeting anyone on the journey between Liberty Hill and“GreatGeorgetown.dayswere these, and a greater people never lived,” wrote Collier. “Every one knew everyone else’s worth. There wasn’t much money in those days. Values were measured in land and stock. The man who could make the most rails or the lon gest string of rock fence was never out of a job, and regarded as a necessary citizen.” Collier died at home on Feb. 1, 1922, according to an article appearing in a publication known as Confederate Veteran Magazine. He had enlisted in the 16th Texas Infantry when he was 16 years old. It was reported that he had married Annie Branch in 1869. Both Annie and the couple’s only daughter died several years before Collier, who is buried in the Bagdad Cemetery in Leander. Greenleaf Fisk was among those early settlers in Lib erty Hill mentioned by Crockett Collier in a journal Collier kept describing life in the Shin Oak Ridge area. Collier would go on to serve in the Confederate Army while Fisk gained acclaim throughout Texas for his various exploits. He served as Williamson County’s first county judge and later became known as the “Father of Brownwood, Texas” for his contributions there. (Courtesy Photo)
Nina ‘Faye’ (Landrum) Canady
a25th,bornHill.infamilyenjoyedwhatold,atJulyonpassedCanady,(Landrum)“Faye”awayTuesday,12,202286yearsdoingsheattheranchLibertyFayewasOctober1935,insmallhomeon the banks of the South San Gabriel River, to Fred Lee Landrum and Ima Brooks Landrum. As a child, Faye and her parents lived near the North San Gabriel River in the community of Pilot Knob in a simple house with no electricity, running water, or telephone. She often reminisced about her childhood, the picnics they had along the banks of the river, and picking cot ton. Often friends would join them, and they would catch fish and fry them beside the river or play dominoes. She loved to play games, laugh, and joke. She and her parents didn’t have much, but they had each other and this is where she learned the value of family which stayed with her throughout her entire life. Faye met her husband, Joe Ed Canady, while they were in high school before being married in 1956. After high school, she went to work for State Farm Insurance Company in Austin before going to work as a Federal Government employee with the U.S. Postal Service. In 1957 the bridge had washed out at the Hwy 183 South San Ga briel River Crossing and she was unable to get home. Having never spent a night apart from Joe Ed, she was adamant to make it home. There was a tree that was laying across the missing section of the bridge and she crawled across it with raging water un derneath to get home to Joe Ed. In 1974, she was appointed Post Mistress for the Liberty Hill Post Office, where she worked until she retired in 1992. Faye and Joe Ed had the birth of their first child, Lisa Jo Canady Laminack in 1960. Two more children came along in the 1960’s; Charles Lee Canady in 1962 and Joe Ed Canady Jr in 1968. Faye often did without so that her children, and even Joe Ed, could have the things they needed. As a family, they would enjoy summer trips to Aransas Pass where they camped on an island, fished, and made many memories. They spent many weekends together cut ting brush at the ranch, piling, and burning it while roasting hot dogs on the fire. A little white house on Grange Street was their home until buying a big white house a block away. The new house was a fixer upper and had little to no insulation. The family slept in the same room during the wintertime to keep warm. In the summer time they would sleep outside in a screened tent to keep cool. It took many years to get all the rooms completed in the house. When they had central air conditioning installed, they thought they were in high cotton. Years later they sold the big white house and built a ranch style house at the family ranch where they enjoyed tending to cattle, clearing cedar trees, seeing grand kids, and riding around the pasture. On the day of her death, she was able to do two of the things she loved; chasing cows and riding in the pasture. Faye was best known for the love that she had for her family. She was a big believer in taking care of family members that had reached an age and condition in which they were unable to take care of themselves. She cared for her mother and Joe Ed’s mother, aunts, her son Charles, brother and sisterin-law, and many others. Most notably, when Joe Ed had a stroke and was unable to walk, she took care of him for several years before his death so that he could spend his last few years in the comforts of their home at the Ranch. Faye loved all her grandchil dren and great grandchildren. She used to get them to cut cedar in the pasture and the reward was that they got to drive her car around one of the fields. One of her great est wishes was for all of them to succeed in life and she helped them with all of her might to make sure they did. Faye was a lifelong member of the Liberty Hill Church of Christ and was always there on Sunday mornings when she was able. The second row from the back was her spot, so she could keep an eye on everyone. She was a member of the Over the Hill Gang and enjoyed playing dominoes with friends. She enjoyed playing all types of games but most of all she wanted to play moon or 42 and she was good at it. If she was playing with a partner that knew what they were doing, they weren’t going to be beat. Faye is preceded in death by her parents, Ima and Fred Lee Landrum, her brother and his wife, Robert and Marie Brooks, her husband, Joe Ed, and son, Charles Lee Canady. She is survived by her daughter and her husband, Lisa Jo and Randy Lami nack; her son and his wife, Joe Canady and Jeanie; six grandchildren: Kristen Davis and husband Jason, Brandon Canady and wife Jessica, Katie Canady, Paige Canady, Blair Canady, and Lindsey Laminack; and eight great grandchildren. Lisa and Joey wish to give a special thank you to Brandon Canady and Terry Johnson for all of the help they graciously provided to their mom. Brandon and Terry are a big reason for Faye to have been able to remain independent and live at the ranch where she truly loved to be.
Gavin. He married Glenda Calder, October 18, 1958 in Mullin, Texas. He lived in Liberty Hill for the past 42 years. Glen proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force, and continued that service by participating in organizations that sup ported love for others and American values. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service, and after retirement, successfully owned and operated two businesses. He was a Shriner, Mason, and Scottish Rite member. Glen served on the Liberty Hill City Council from 2007 to 2010. To his family, Glen was affectionately known as Papaw. He was patient, kind, gentle, caring, and was a great role model for lots of things such as being a calming influence, rarely in a hurry while never late. He took life in stride and didn’t worry about things he could not change. He exhibited patience in everything he did -- slow to anger and quick to teach. He had several hobbies and at the top of the list was cars. He loved to talk, work on, look at, and own cars. He was a master of mechanics and could fix almost anything. His love of mechanics transitioned into the love he had for fast cars and racing. He also loved vintage cars and was a member of the Burnet Car Club. He enjoyed showing off his ‘57 T-Bird along with admiring and appreciating the cars of others.
Glen stayed busy in retirement -- he was never idle, but not in a hurry. During the holidays, he was a true artist when it came to decorating the outside of his house for Christmas. In fact, his artistry drew people to downtown just to enjoy the beauty of the season.Glen was never short on conversation. He was a great listener, loved to laugh, and was always up for telling a joke or listening to something funny.
Survivors include his wife, Glenda Gavin of Liberty Hill; his daughter and husband Teresa Clarkson and David of Austin, TX; his son, Ricky Gavin and Judy of Brooke land, TX; his grandchildren and spouses, Lindsay Swift and husband Bryan, Sydney Mullins and Seth, Clint Gavin and Erin, and Noah Clarkson and; his great-grand children, Troy Clarkson, Bentley Clarkson, Miriam Swift and Remington Mullins. Glen was preceded in death by his parents, Sampson Gavin and Minnie Smith Gavin; his brother, Don Gavin. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospital. Visitation was held Friday, July 22, 2022 at Stacy-Wilkins Funeral in Goldthwaite, Texas. Masonic and Military graveside services were held Friday, July 22, 2022 at Oakview Cemetery, Mullin, Texas. Inter ment followed at Oakview Cemetery.
Glen Ellis Gavin Glen
Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202224 OBITUARIES
A funeral service was held July 20, 2022 at Liberty Hill Church of Christ. Burial followed at Liberty Hill Cemetery. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldendavisfu neralhome.com for the Canady family.
MinnieGavinSampsonFloridaingustwasTexas.Libertyhis17,Sunday,passedGavin,Ellis85awayJuly2022athomeinHill,HebornAu17,1936Crestview,toandSmith
Nina
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“For us, it’s state or bust,” said Walker, who is entering his second full season as Panthers sideline boss. “We have to have that same goal every year and keep trying to get it accomplished. If you don’t look at it that way, you get complacent and feel like you’ve done something. But, we haven’t done anything since 2007.” Indeed, 15 years ago marked the second of back-to-back state championships under former head coach Jerry Vance, with the Panthers failing to hoist a title trophy in the years since.
Panthers look to take title quest one furtherstep
FILE PHOTO BY ALEX RUBIO
Reese leads by example and steps up and takesLastcontrol.”season, Vickers stepped in for injured starting signal-caller Will Szewczyk and helped lead the offense all the way to the promised land of AT&T Stadium in Arlington while providing an additional dimension to go with the workhorses in the backfield.
Tougher test After spending two seasons in a non competitive district that did little to test its mettle before the playoffs, things will be different this year as the Panthers find themselves in a more competitive atmo sphere.Gone are the Austin-based schools Liberty Hill defeated last year by a com bined score of 296-23 and in their place are a group that includes Bastrop, Cedar Creek, Pieper, Tivy, Lockhart and Veterans Memorial.However, of the new district opponents, only Cedar Creek (6-5) managed to post a winning record last season and Pieper – a brand-new San Antonio school – will debut at the varsity level this year. Still, an upgrade, said Walker.
“We had 44 seniors last year,” said Walk er, who is 17-4 as head coach after taking over for late brother Jeff Walker near the end of the 2020 season. “You don’t just replace guys like Andon Thomas, Lloyd Johnson, Kade McMahan and Aaron Brew er – we have a lot of holes to fill.”
Senior center Jackson Harrison will an chor the offensive line, with Hudson Still well, Brendan McAdams, Julius Osborne and Aiden Nunez also playing prominent roles in clearing the way for Liberty Hill’s stable of runners.
Perhaps the most rugged portion of the Panthers’ schedule will be the four non-dis trict games with home contests against Wagner and Georgetown – both Class 5A Di vision I – and a pair of road contests against Hutto (Class 6A) and Rouse, a Class 5A Division II team Liberty Hill has defeated in the playoffs the past two seasons.
LHHS advanced to state championship last season have a great summer,” said Walker. “They’ve put in a lot of hard work.”
Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202226
When a football team is coming off a season that saw it win 13 of 16 games, the standard for success has been raised fairly high.For the Panthers of Liberty Hill, the final defeat just happened to be in the Class 5A Division II state championship game – a contest the Purple-and-Gold lost by a 23-14 score to South Oak Cliff of Dallas – a game that had been tied, 14-14, at halftime.
Long – 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds – led Liberty Hill with 2,008 yards and 29 touch downs, while the 6-2, 195-pound Pitchford piled up 1,166 yards and 16 scores on the season.With Long as the lightning and Pitchford the thunder, the Panthers again have a dynamic duo akin to the tandem of Blake Simpson and Trey Seward, who combined for 3,646 yards and 52 touchdowns in their senior season of 2020, combining speed and power to devastate defenses.
Liberty Hill’s defense will feature nine new starters this season after the offense began last year with 10 fresh faces on the field.“We’ve had several players step up and Panthers running back Joe Pitchford (#6) scored 16 touchdowns last season in helping lead Liberty Hill to the state championship game.
At a school where anything less than a state title is considered a sub-par season, Head Coach Kent Walker has made it clear the only goal for his squad is to kick the door in it was knocking at last season.
SPORTS BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR
Massive turnover According to Walker, his defense has the same issue the Panthers’ offense had lead ing into last season – a slew of new starters.
“I think our new district is underrated,” he said. “This is a district with a lot of great coaches and a lot more athleticism – it’s going to be a tough test.”
“Without a doubt, this is the toughest non-district schedule Liberty Hill has ever played,” said Walker. “But, we’re excited for theAschallenge.”theseason-opener against Wagner on Aug. 26 approaches, Walker said the anticipation of a new campaign continues to “Webuild.have so much work left to do, but we just have to trust the process,” he said. “There’s always that nervousness, but excitement at the same time.”
Players such as linebacker Andrew Har dy-McCleod, safety Tanner Cearley, nose tackle Ryan Jacobs, safety Carlton Schrank, cornerback Aden Burrell and safety Colin Brandt, who will all be depended on to form the foundation of the Panthers defense. Only Schrank and Burrell were starters last season. On the offensive For the offense and its vaunted Slot-T attack, the battle plans are a bit clearer entering the new campaign, said Walker. “It’s going to be the Noah Long and Joe Pitchford show,” he said, of the Panthers’ pair of junior running backs. “Along with them, we have (senior quarterback) Reese Vickers, who has been throwing the ball extremely well in 7-on-7 – he’s grown up and matured so much the past year-and-a-half.
2022 LHHS VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE AUG 26 7PM WAGNER SEPT 2 7:30PM @HUTTO SEPT 9 7PM GEORGTOWN SEPT 16 7PM @ROUSE DISTRICT 13 - 5A, REGION IV SEPT 23 7PM KERVILLE-TIVY SEPT 30 7PM CREEK@CEDAR OCT 7 7PM MEMORIALVETERANS OCT 14 7PM @LOCKHART OCT 21 OPEN OCT 28 7PM BASTROP NOV 4 7PM @PIEPER
(Top) Gigi Mason (#14) blossomed into her outside hitter role last season after seeing increased playing time.
For the first time in nearly two de cades, there will be a fresh face on the sidelines when the Lady Panthers hit the court for the 2022 season. Marie Bruce will be the bench boss for Liberty Hill as the new campaign kicks off, replacing Gretchen Peterson, who led the Purple-and-Gold for 18 years before stepping down after last season to focus more on family.
(Above) Kealy Dirner (#2) stepped up last year when Liberty Hill encountered injuries to starters and performed well.
Junior setter Carson Glenn will provide much of the supply line to the hitters up front, with players such as junior defensive specialists Keegan Walton and Kylie Hutchinson, and sophomore Brooklyn Escobar playing crucial back-row roles.
Liberty Hill finished second with a 12-3 mark to go with an overall record of 36-11 before losing to Alamo Heights in the opening round of the Class 5A state playoffs.Evenmore will be expected of the duo during their respective junior campaigns, along with senior middle blocker Morgan Poulain, whose 6-foot-2 frame will provide a dominating pres ence at the net. Bruce plans to employ a 6-2 forma tion, a setup that ensures there are always three hitters at the net to take advantage of offensive opportunities, while also having the luxury of two setters on the court at all times.
Ironically, Bruce is returning follow ing a sabbatical for the same reason, having taken a break from head coach ing duties for the past five years after stints at Austin and Glenn earlier in her career to spend more time with sevenyear-old son Easton, who will be a third grader at Rancho Sienna Elementary thisOnefall.thing Bruce won’t have at her disposal that Peterson did in her final year in charge is a roster stocked with seniors, as players such as Emma Becker, Haley Kuhlmann, Emma Par sons, Maddi Rowley and Ailie Hair – a quintet that formed the nucleus of the Lady Panthers’ teams of the past three seasons – all graduated. As a result, Bruce’s first task will be finding young players who are ready to step into the void left by such an esteemed group – one that she is em bracing.“Thisyear is about all of us starting over and building a foundation for the future,” said Bruce. “We have a young varsity team, a new coach and we’re ex cited about the future, even though we don’t know what it’s going to look like.”
SPORTS
In order to do that, Bruce has used the one hour per day of practice over the summer permitted by UIL rules to begin that process.
AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 27
“We’re starting over in solidifying the connections between the girls on the court,” said Bruce. “I need to figure out everyone’s role, but I think that happens organically.”
FILE PHOTOS BY ALEX RUBIO
Coaching change catalyst for upcoming campaign
“I have some big shoes to fill because Gretchen did such a great job for 18 years,” she said, of Peterson, who will still coach track and teach at Liberty Hill. “She set me up for success and has helped me all summer – this is an easy program to walk into.”
A new dawn for Lady Panthers BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR
As for her predecessor, Bruce showed appreciation for the plentiful cupboard Peterson left behind for her.
Bruce added the youth of the roster and the learning curve will play a prominent role in the progression of the“Weprogram.havesuch a young team with so many sophomores and juniors,” she said. “So, it’s really a two or three-year plan, but our expectations for this year are just as high and I think the players have the same expectations for them selves.”During her introduction in April, Bruce spoke of always envisioning per haps one day coaching in Liberty Hill and now that she has the opportunity, she’s ready to go all out in taking the program to the next level.
Building chemistry
Stepping up Last year, a season-ending injury to Becker provided additional playing time for sophomore outside hitters Gigi Mason and Kealy Dirner, who both acquitted themselves well under the pressure of being thrust into the Lady Panthers’ lineup in the midst of a rugged district schedule.
“Liberty Hill has a reputation that proceeds it,” said Bruce. “It’s a place that’s full of phenomenal students and athletes and still has every bit of a small-town feel.”
“We’ve had about 30 girls out per day,” said Bruce. “Working a lot on skills training and overall knowledge of the game.”The Lady Panthers will open their season with a dual on Aug. 9 against Canyon Lake and Clemens at the former before playing at the Westwood tournament, then opening the home schedule against Cedar Ridge on Aug. 16 with the district slate starting at home against Glenn on Sept. 9. However, before the match against her former Grizzlies squad, Bruce hopes for her players to use the previ ous matches to develop the cohesion that will serve them well when the matches really count.
Bruce was quite an accomplished player herself during her days at Con nolly High School and Southwestern University in earning district MVP and all-American status, respectively, at her two alma maters. She understands the importance of the bond that must be built between player and coach. “I want to have great relationships with all my players,” she said. “Getting to know them so they feel like I’m just as part of the team as they are.”
(Courtesy
On May 21, the Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of Prime Dental. Attending the ceremonial ribbon cutting were owner Dr. Priyanka Agrawal, along with family, friends and members of the Chamber. Prime Dental is located in the Vista 29 Shopping Center, 9073 W State Hwy 29, Suite 105, Liberty Hill. Learn more at primedentaloftx.com. (Courtesy Photo)
Krab Kingz celebrated their Grand Opening with a ribbon cutting on May 6. Members of the Chamber of Commerce joined owners Brian, Marvis, Steven, Judy and Brittney Releford, family friends, and community leaders. Krab Kingz is located at 719 US Hwy 183, Unit B-104, Liberty Hill. Visit them online at krabkingzlibertyhill.com. Photo)
Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202228 BUSINESS
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The Chamber of Commerce welcomed Rek’d Alternative Therapy with a ceremonial ribbon cutting on June 23. Owner Gabby Fallacara, along with family, friends, and community leaders tried out the rage room. The new business is located at 719 US Hwy 183, Suite 200 B, in Liberty Hill. For more information, visit www.irekdit.com. (Courtesy Photo)
possible locations: Hwy. 29 and CR 200; Hwy. 29 & Hwy. 183; Hwy. 29 and Ronald Reagan Blvd.
Marketplace • Alfaro
OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS • Jennifer’s
The Backyard 202 W. Myrtle Lane, Liberty Hill Starting Aug. 12, Liberty Hill’s newest food truck park will host family-friendly Friday night events with food trucks, inflatables, outdoor movies and beer. Attendees are invited to bring their own lawn chairs and games.
• WORC Fitness
Urgent
American Mama Bakery Mobile, Liberty Hill Amanda Davis is the baker behind Liberty Hill-based American Mama Bakery, which specializes in cake balls, mini cupcakes and dipped strawberries.
AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 29
OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS
•Hwy.parkingHigginbotham’sHill,lot,1250029Mr.Gatti’sPizza,
Noir Nail Bar 19368 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Bar W AMarketplacenewnailsalon opened near the H-E-B on Ronald Reagan Boulevard in July. The salon specializes in a full range of nail services, as well intricate nail designs and waxing services. Unbridled Talks Mobile, Liberty Hill Speech language pathologist Tara Trott recently opened Unbridled Talks, a business that services those with developmental delay, ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, autism, brain injuries and more.
• Tropical Sno Liberty
ON THE MOVE Main Street Marketplace 704 Loop 332, Liberty Hill Several new vendors have joined on at downtown Liberty Hill’s co-op Main Street Marketplace, including Silk & Stone by Susan, Blissful Finds, Oodles Children’s Boutique, Rose & Rabbit Gifts, and Darlin’s French Farmhouse Hats & Tees.
The tomarketplaceanSheriShop,locationsecondofalternativefindunique and a ordable pre-owned items, opened in July in downtown Liberty Hill. The original location is in Lampasas. The new store o ers a variety of items such as clothing, furniture, home décor, books and more. The shop’s items come from area estates and are high quality finds.
RegencySERVICESAmenity Center 500 Sweetgrass Court, Santa Rita Ranch Ground was broken earlier this summer on the new amenity center and clubhouse in the Regency at Santa Rita Ranch community, which is for 55 and older active adults. The future clubhouse, which will be open exclusively to Regency residents, will feature a resort-style pool, pickleball courts, bocce courts and more.
BikesFreedom 1201 Loop 332, Liberty formersoonopeningBikesFreedomHillisinthelocation of Rys Above Nutrition in downtown Liberty Hill. The bike shop, which was previously mobile, will o er full-service bicycle repair as well as used bikes for sale.
Trotter House 155 Hillcrest Lane, Liberty Hill The Trotter House o ers toprogramsspecializedandservicesassistwomenandfamilies who find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy or di cult situation. A Liberty Hill location is opening soon in the Community Resource Center. Ride Share, Mobile, Liberty Hill Liberty Hill Care, 13130 State Hwy. 29 Boston National Title, 9017 Hwy. State 29, Vista at 29 H-E-B Wellness Primary Care, 19368 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Bar W Foundation Repair, Mobile, Liberty Systems, Liberty Hill Studio, 13750 State Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill Plaza F45 Training, 9101 State Hwy. 29, Vista at 29 1400 Spivey Rd.,
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•HillFreedom Rainwater Collection
• Scoop Local Pet Services, Mobile, Liberty •HillOak Ridge Academy,
Leander BIZ BRIEFS: Latest business openings and what’s coming soon to Liberty Hill What’s New? OPENING A BUSINESS? JUST MOVINGPROMOTED?LOCATIONS? Scan this code to sign up or www.lhindependent.com/users/signup/visit SHARE YOUR BUSINESS NEWS WITH US! Email rachel@LHIndependent.com DAILY DELIVEREDNEWS FREE TO YOUR INBOX! Information gathered from the City of Liberty Hill, Liberty Hill Economic Development Corporation, LoopNet and Williamson County ESD No. 4.
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The Wildflower Republic 13651 State Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill Owners Christina Hobbs and Melissa Dudley announced that their brick-and-mortar boutique will close July 30. The business has moved completely online.
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Mobile,
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FOOD & BEVERAGE
ThriftSheriShopRETAILStore 1201 Loop 332, Liberty Hill
Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202230 WORSHIP ANDICE BAPTIST CHURCH 6570 FM 970, Florence (254) www.andicebc.org793-2557 PASTOR Derrick Norris, Senior Pastor Matt Koehler, Associate Pastor of Students & Families SERVICES Sunday Bible Study 9:45am Sunday Worship 11am Wednesday AWANA 6:30pm Sun. Online facebook.com/andice baptist/ CROSS TRACKS CHURCH 101 Church St., Liberty Hill (512) crosstrackschurchumc.org515-0070 PASTOR Michele Lott SERVICES Sunday School 9am Sunday Worship 10am Sun. Online Facebook.com/ crosstracks church/ FELLOWSHIP CHURCH 3600 RR 1869, Liberty Hill (512) fellowshiplh.com515-5579 PASTORS Tim McIlhaney, Dan Riemer, Ed Billock & Angel Perez SERVICES Sunday Worship 8:30 & 11am Servicio española a las 11am Sunday Bible Study All ages 10-10:45am Wednesday Bible Study All ages 6pm THE HILL CHURCH 111 Holmes Road, Liberty Hill g.church PASTORS Tim Richardson, Pastor Kendall Ringler, Youth Pastor SERVICES Sunday Worship 10:15am Sunday Online churchfacebook.com/thehillchurch.10:15am HOLY ORTHODOXANNUNCIATIONCHURCH 5205 County Road 236 Liberty Hill, TX 78642 (512) annunciationtx.com782-9940 PASTOR Bp. Irineos Placek SERVICES Vespers, Sat. 6:30pm Divine Liturgy, Sun. 10am LIFE CHRISTIANSPRINGSCHURCH 15611 W. State Hwy 29, Liberty Hill (512) lifespringschristianchurch.org633-6074 PASTOR Dr. William Brannan SERVICES Sunday Bible Study 9am Sunday Worship 10am Sun. Online youtube.com/c/Life Springs MISSION LIBERTY HILL LUTHERAN CHURCH (LCMS A liated) 15725 W Hwy-29 #7, Liberty Hill (512) missionlibertyhill.com778-9310 PASTOR Rev. Mike Cofer SERVICES Sunday Bible Study 9am Sunday Church Worship 10am Sunday Online ship/missionlibertyhill.com/onlinewor-10am NEW LIFE CHURCH 1015 US-183, Liberty Hill (512) newlifechurch.family567-3809 PASTORS Stephen Behrman, Senior Pastor Kimberly Behrman, Worship Pastor SERVICES Sunday Worship 10am Wednesday Bible Study/ Livinit Youth 7pm Sunday Online newlife family/media/livestreamchurch. ONE CHAPEL LIBERTY HILL 811 Loop 332, Liberty Hill CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING $25 for Minimum 30 Words (Print Edition) Additional Words NEWS@LHINDEPENDENT.COM$0.20ContactusforOnlineRates COMPUTERSERVICESTUTOR At your place, at your pace, or remotely, I can help you with your computer, iPhone, iPad, or tablet. Helpful tips and tricks. Reasonable rates. Call Karen, 432-553-2468. FREELANCEEMPLOYMENTREPORTER THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT is looking for an experienced freelance reporter with a passion for community journalism. You should be able to write, take photos and videos to tell local stories in new and unique ways. To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples by email to news@ LHIndependent.com. Look for the Classifieds online! WORSHIP GUIDE Liberty Hill & Surrounding Communities Residential & Commercial Propane Sales, Tank & Cylinder Sales, Service & Installation rty Hill • (512) 259-4 710 • LibeWWW.PRPROPANE.COMocally Owned & Operated Since 19 61 14251 W Hwy. 29, Thank you for voting us BEST PROPANE PROVIDER in Liberty Hill for the last four years! The Local One-Stop Shop for All Your Propane Needs! (512) onechapel.com/liberty-hill729-6200 PASTOR Darren Shaw SERVICES Sunday Service 10am Online Service online.onechapel.com10am Wednesday Youth 7pm SELAH HILLS CHURCH 14370 W. SH 29, #10, Liberty (833)Hill info@selahhillschurch.comselahhillschurch.com735-2489 PASTOR Chris Wimberly SERVICES Sunday Services 9am & 11am Sunday Youth Service 11am Wednesday Services 7pm Wednesday Youth 7pm Roam Co ee Shop Thurs-Sat 7am-2pm Live Stream selahhills church. com/livestream
AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 31 Please Help Us Thank Our 2022 Summer Reading ProgramSponsors! Our generous sponsors helped make this our most successful summer ever! Thank You to Our Si lver Level Sponsors Thank You to Our Copper Level Sponsors Thank You to Our Bronze Level Sponsors 355 Loop 332 Liberty Hill, Texas ∙ Located in Lions Foundation Park Monday-Friday 9am-6pm∙ Saturday 9am-4pm∙ Sunday 1pm-6pm 512.778.6400 ∙ Text: 512.675.2428 ∙ askthelibrary@lhpl.org
Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202232 Call us today for a FREE comparative analysis! ChecklistFabulous Outfits Awesome School Supplies Cool SavvyBackpackRealEstate Agents Beautiful New Home Great Memories To Be Made Adrienne Hughes Broker/Owner, Realtor ®, GRI, SRS ® 512-810-0185 Cheryl Stephens Realtor ®, GRI, MRP 512-417-0026 Located in Historic Downtown Liberty Hill 3106 Ranch Road 1869 | Hughes-and-Company.com ESTATE ADOPTIONPLANNING•PROBATEGUARDIANSHIPREALESTATEBUSINESSLAW VOTED BEST20212019ATTORNEY•2020•2022 T he C ar ing Downtown A ttor ney925 Loop 332, Libert y H ill EtzkornLaw.com jamie@etzkornlaw.com (512) 515-0555 14865 W. Hwy 29, Liberty HappyTrailsLearningCenter.comHill Voted Best Child Care Center 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022! Toddler & Kindergarten Readiness Programs Breakfast, lunch & afternoon snacks included Ages 6 weeks to 5 years Dax Oglesby Team Realty of REALTORTexas® (512) 635-7529 www.DaxSellsTexas.com | DaxOglesbySGRHomes@gmail.com Love thy neighbor. Serving Williamson, Burnet and Travis Counties Residential • Farm and Ranch • Minerals • Land and Leasing
“It was horrible. I was living in Huntsville at the time,” said Haynes. “My sister and I had gone to visit my mother. I was there when Pearl Harbor was a acked. I had a sister-in-law and her husband living in Pearl Harbor at that time, and we did not hear from them for about two weeks before we could get a message. We didn’t know where they were if they had go en hit at Pearl Harbor. So we didn’t know if they were alive or not. That was high anxiety, those two weeks.”Unfortunately, that was not the last major historical event that Haynes would be personally affected by. On April 8, 1945, her first husband, Joseph Coleman, died in battle during World War II. Coleman was a PFC tank mechanic who fought in one of the last major ba les, the Ruhr Pocket. Before that, his unit is recorded as having fought in other major ba les such as The Ba le of St. Vith and the Ba le of the Bulge. “Ten years a er the war, they decided that they would send the people that were killed overseas back to the States,” said Hayes. “But his side of the family said ‘oh, no’, the military cemetery there was so much pre ier than any here. And there was a family that adopted Joe’s grave. So everyone said don’t move him, this is a beautiful place. So, that’s where he is, and they have all been there. I have not, but most of his familyColemanhas.” is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetary.
Haynes attributes long life to healthy eating, active lifestyle BY ELIZABETH DE LOS SANTOS STAFF WRITER
AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 33 COMMUNITY 100 years and counting
“For us, it was normal. You just didn’t know any different,” she said. When asked how it feels to live for a century, she said, “I can’t even imagine anybody being 100. It just slipped up. All of a sudden, they told me, ‘well, you’re 100 now, but I don’t feel any different. I don’t feel any pain. I feel like I was when I was 20.” History and Winona In the past 100 years, Haynes has been witness to such historical milestones as the Great Depression to WWII, to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In 1940, Haynes a ended college at Sam Houston State University with the help of her mother and an academic scholarship.
“My mother wanted me to go to college so bad,” she recalls with a fondness. “She did it with her chickens. She sold eggs, egg salad, andShechickens.”remembers Dec. 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was bombed.
“I was the secretary to the manager of the prison system. At that time, the prison system consisted of only eight different units now, it’s about 30 different units, but it was all over the state of Texas,” Haynes recalls. Haynes’ second husband, Lemuel “Lee” Haynes, was also employed at the prison, and soon, the two would become close friends.“It’smy li le joke. I always like to tell people we met in prison,” Haynes said. “But it was an interesting job. It was the first time women had ever been employed in the prison system.” The two married in 1949. Winona continued to work at the prison while her husband went back to school at Texas A&M to earn a master’s degree. Forever a teacher A er working in the prison system, Haynes went on to work in the education system for over 30 years. She first worked
‘We met in prison’ A er WWII ended, Haynes was encouraged by her late husband’s family to remarry. At the time, she was working at a state prison in Huntsville.
(Above) Winona Haynes of Liberty Hill recently shared memories and reflected on life at age 100. PHOTO BY ELIZABETH DE LOS SANTOS (Below) Winona grew up on her parents’ farm in Mauriceville, and later worked in the Texas prison system and worked 30 years as a Texas public school teacher. (Courtesy Photo)
Haynes’ life began in Mauriceville, Texas, on her parents’ farm with her two brothers and one sister. Life was very different back then. While it may be hard to imagine, Haynes’ everyday reality did not include a TV, a washer or dryer, in-door plumbing, and certainly no air conditioning. Even the way food was consumed was different. Rather than buying packaged meat, her family would buy half of a cow or a whole pig, which would last them about six months.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 at Bridge City Junior High and High School. “I was in charge of curriculum. I was employed as a teacher, but since I had worked for the prison system, they felt I could take care of the teachers and the new schools in the area. I was in charge of se ing up the junior high and the high school,” says Haynes.While at the time, her title was “teacher”, her official title now would be assistant superintendent. Haynes eventually le Bridge City to work in Port Arthur at their elementary school. “I started teaching school at the elementary, I was there for the first year of integration, I had four African-American children in my
In 1922, Warren G. Harding brought the first radio into the White House. That same year, on June 29th, Winona Haynes was born.Haynes celebrated her 100th birthday this year surrounded by friends and four generations of family. Haynes’ legacy includes two daughters, three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.Shereflectsonherfamily, saying, “It didn’t start out big, but it is now.”
Celebrating 35 Years as Liberty Hill’s Trusted News Source
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33
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While her school was integrating, Haynes was sent to Austin to educational conferences about integration.
Winona Haynes celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by friends and four generations of family. Her legacy includes two daughters, three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. (Courtesy Photo) class,” said Haynes. “It didn’t bother me at all. One li le girl I remember was in the third grade, she was tall, taller than me, and she was as smart as a whip. At the time, the schools were separated by color, and her father was in charge of all the black schools. Evidently, he said something about how I treated her just like a white person. Those were different times, of course.”
Liberty Hill Independent
Life in 2022 Haynes now lives in Liberty Hill with her family. She enjoys spending time with them, reading the newspaper, watching college football, and going for walks. She was still driving until two years ago and has remained incredibly active. She a ributes her long life and good health to healthy eating, starting from the early days when she was just a child on the farm, until now, following doctor’s orders and eating a balanced diet. When asked what the secret to a long, happy life she said, “No secrets. Secrets are what get you in trouble.”
“I went back to my school at Port Arthur, and I held classes for the teachers about how they must treat all the students. It was a different time, a very different time,” she said.Despite decades in retirement, Haynes recalled multiple of her students. “There was this one li le boy, he was such a character. He always knew what was going on everywhere,” said Haynes through a chuckle. “When JFK was assassinated, we were told not to tell the children, but he found out and went around telling everybody, ‘the president has been shot.’ We dismissed everyone that day, but this li le boy had to tell everybody.”
(Right) Winona and her second husband, Lemuel “Lee” Haynes, met while working in the prison system. (Courtesy
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Haynes
(Above) Winona Haynes and her first husband. Joseph Coleman died in battle during World War II.
Liberty Hill Independent Monthly | AUGUST 202234
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In Libe y Hill, spo s journalism is much more an words and images. For many loyal followers of e Purple-and-Gold, it’s a connec on to e teams and a letes ey hold so dear to eir hea s. But, not only when e Pan ers take to e arenas of compe on. Here at The Libe y Hill Independent, we strive to tell e stories of e young men and women who transcend e spo s ey play – to show e human side as ey grow and mature and to get to know em as people first, a letes second. But, most of all, spo s journalism in a place like Libe y Hill ma ers because as our community con nues to grow, it’ s one ing at unites us as a community. IT’S GREAT TO BE A PANTHER!
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AUGUST 2022 | Liberty Hill Independent Monthly 37
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