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Service + Achievement Awards

By | News

Another year has passed … and it’s been one of growth, opportunity and continued impact on education! At our annual holiday celebration, we took a moment to reflect on the year, recognize our team members and spend time together as friends and colleagues. This included recognizing our peers as part of the 2022 Huckabee Service and Achievement Awards.

Service Awards

Each year we recognize employees for years of service, starting at 5 years on up to 30 and beyond! Service awards this year were celebrated for individuals in our Texas offices as well as those in California who joined our firm as part of a partnership with Rachlin Partners.

Achievement Awards

Huckabee presents two awards each year: The Huckabee Achievement Award and The WHOA Award.

The Huckabee Achievement Award recognizes an individual who is characterized by their commitment to excellence and dedication to our clients and to our team. It is the pinnacle recognition that can be achieved at Huckabee. Joshua Cogburn, Principal in Fort Worth, was nominated by his peers as this year’s Achievement Award recipient.

The WHOA Award is a special distinction that recognizes an individual who “took hold of the reins” and expertly guided the team with wisdom, integrity and spirit. It is presented each year in memory of our friend and colleague, Jerry Hammerlun, who passed away in 2017. This year’s award was presented to Lesley Weaver, Director of Communications for Huckabee’s client engagement team.

A Year of Growth

2022 was a year of growth! Huckabee started in Texas, and we are proud to serve educational communities across the state. The students, educators, staff, administrators and parents who breath life into our schools are inspirational! What we design—together—has a lasting impact on the success of all students.

Our passion for creating opportunity for all inspired us to build partnerships with firms who share our same beliefs. Huckabee is the founding brand of MOREgroup, a family of architecture, design and engineering firms that are delivering best-in-class experiences to clients across the United States. Through MOREgroup, we are contributing to a holistic network of services, expertise and innovation that is shared across markets … while maintaining Huckabee’s dedicated focus on education. 

Visit wearemore.com to explore MOREgroup and learn about our partner brands.

IEG Partners with Huckabee

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Huckabee is excited to announce the addition of MEP engineering to our suite of education-focused services with the acquisition of IEG, the state’s leader in sustainable and cost-effective design strategies for school facilities.  

Huckabee has provided in-house structural engineering services for two decades and, with this acquisition, can now provide clients with an even more integrated and holistic design approach.  

Founded by Don Penn over 30 years ago, IEG has been dedicated to educating school districts and other specialty clients in ways to become more environmentally friendly and cost-effective in their mechanical, electrical and plumbing design. IEG has created some of the most energy-efficient facilities in the country, designing over 25 million square feet of geothermal heat pump systems and the first Net Zero middle school in Texas.   

Together, Huckabee and IEG have completed 150 projects together over the past 20 years for school districts across Texas. Don Penn and his staff of talented engineers and other professionals will remain in the company and continue to serve current and future clients.  

“We are excited to partner with IEG,” said Chris Huckabee, CEO. “We have always been like-minded in our commitment to excellence and client service – we knew joining forces would enable both our organizations to bring even MORE value to our clients.”  

For more information about IEG, please visit https://www.iegltd.com/. 

TSK Partners with Huckabee

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As part of a strategic vision to grow our impact beyond Texas, Huckabee is excited to announce a partnership with TSK Architects, a 62-year-old firm focused on education and other public sector work with offices in Nevada, Arizona and California. 

TSK is joining our nationally recognized network of architecture and engineering professionals who are committed to creating environments that inspire. Together, we are more, and we are poised to create an impact of excellence on the communities we serve!

The investment will help Huckabee expand our resources to serve educational clients in the southwestern region of the country. It will also help TSK grow their civic and federal practices with enhanced services, technology and innovative approaches to planning, design and project delivery. 

Uvalde CISD Foundation

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As the nation continues to mourn the 21 innocent lives that were lost at Robb Elementary School, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District has announced it has secured support from donors for the construction of a new elementary school.

We stand with other generous donors who are also committed to helping Uvalde move forward. To join our efforts, donations can be made to the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, a nonprofit charitable foundation established to raise funds for this meaningful project. Learn more at UvaldeCISDMovingForward.org.

Among the donors leading the way for this project are the Butt family and H-E-B. Huckabee and Joeris General Contractors are donating our services for this effort and would like to thank our consulting partners who are doing the same:

  • Alpha Testing
  • Baird, Hampton & Brown
  • Crux Technologies
  • Engineered Exteriors
  • FDP
  • Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc.
  • Studio 16:19
  • Waddell | Serafino

Huckabee’s Future Vision

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For 55 years, Huckabee has solely focused on serving educational clients in Texas through the design of innovative learning environments. Our team passionately believes you can change the world through education, and we have continually evolved to find new ways to support our clients in this incredibly important mission.

At our core, Huckabee is a design firm, but as teaching and learning continues to evolve, so too have our services. The phrase “More Than Architects” isn’t just a slogan—it’s our commitment to provide our clients with the diverse range of services needed to prepare students for the future. This approach has been the catalyst of our sustained growth into one of the largest educational firms in the nation, without ever leaving the State of Texas.

For the past several years, Huckabee’s leadership team has been strategically focused on growing our impact and is excited to announce two new partnerships that will launch our next phase of growth.

Huckabee is welcoming a new investment partner, Godspeed Capital, to bring strategic relationships, substantial investment capital and impressive experience in building premier professional services companies. In partnership with Godspeed, Huckabee has acquired the California-based firm, Rachlin Partners, who is aligned with Huckabee’s educational focus and our commitment to being MORE for our clients.

Rachlin is a fully-integrated architecture, planning, interior design, program management and construction management firm that was established in 1982 in Los Angeles. Since its inception, the firm has grown and established a reputation for imaginative and innovative solutions for education and government clients.

“I couldn’t be more proud or more excited. My father founded this firm in 1967 with a single focus on education; we have built upon his legacy and are now poised to impact students, educators and communities across the country,” said Christopher M. Huckabee, Chief Executive Officer of Huckabee. Chris will maintain his current position as CEO, and the firm’s leadership team will remain in place. “Now, we can have an even greater impact with our new partners. The future is incredibly bright for our clients and employees, and I look forward to sharing our continued story of success.”

2021 Achievement Awards

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During our annual Christmas presentation, the Huckabee team took a moment to pause and reflect on the blessings and accomplishments of the past year. This included recognizing our colleagues as part of the 2021 Huckabee Achievement and Service Awards.

“Every day I wake-up feeling blessed to work with incredible people. Each of the individuals we recognized today have made an impact on Huckabee from the moment they stepped through our doors. It’s my pleasure to celebrate their commitment to our mission, clients and the entire Huckabee family.” —Christopher M. Huckabee, Chief Executive Officer

Achievement Awards

Huckabee presents two achievement awards each year: the WHOA Award and the Huckabee Achievement Award.

The WHOA Award is a special distinction that recognizes an individual who “took hold of the reins” and expertly guided the team with wisdom, integrity and spirit. It is presented each year in memory of our friend and colleague, Jerry Hammerlun, who passed away in 2017. This year’s award was presented to Corrie Hood, a Principal in our Fort Worth office. 

The Huckabee Achievement Award recognizes an individual who is characterized by their commitment to excellence and dedication to our clients and to our team. It is the pinnacle recognition that can be achieved at Huckabee. LaShae Baskin, Principal and Director of Austin, was nominated by her peers as this year’s Achievement Award recipient.

Service Awards

Employees are recognized for years of service at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 years and beyond. This year, we had the chance to celebrate 33 Huckabee-ans, in addition to celebrating the retirement of our longest-tenured employee, Mike King, who has impacted education for the last 41 years at Huckabee.

5 Year Service Awards

  • Bryan Acomb, Project Architect
  • Andria Barton, Interior Designer
  • Paul Bienvenu, Director of Information Technology
  • Alex Bowman, Architectural Associate
  • Joshua Cogburn, Principal
  • Amber Davis, Accounting Administrator
  • Dianna Freeman, Architectural Associate
  • Jose Galindo, Director of Digital Practice
  • Nathan Geier, Project Architect
  • Charles Griffiths, Construction Manager
  • Bergen Hashemian, Marketing and Business Development Manager
  • Andrew Huckabee, Chief Financial Officer
  • Kelsey Huckabee, Employee Development Manager
  • Zephyr Hudgins, Project Leader
  • Greg Louviere, Director of Design
  • Gigi Morgan, Project Architect
  • Ross Morgan, Project Architect
  • Caitlin Munch, Project Architect
  • Fay Perez, Project Architect
  • Markita Richardson, Architectural Associate
  • Jason Scott, Senior Architect
  • Marie Sheen, Project Leader

10 Year Service Awards

  • Kim Hopper, Chief Administrative Officer
  • Benchmark Harris, Vice President of Engineering
  • Eric Ramirez, Structural Construction Administrator

15 Year Service Awards

  • Aubrey Slaybaugh, Principal
  • Jesus Rodriguez, Architectural Associate
  • Jason Stevenson, Senior Architect

20 Year Service Awards

  • Casey Casstevens, Director of Design
  • Brad Freas, Senior Construction Observer
  • Jaime Hughes, Project Accounting Specialist

25 Year Service Awards

  • Tom Lueck, Chief Operations Officer
  • Tracy Hardcastle, Senior Construction Observer

Huckabee is exclusively dedicated to education; and each of our team members share a passion for this meaningful work. It is our pleasure to take a moment and recognize those whose contributions impact education year after year.

#3 K-12 Design Firm in Nation

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Huckabee was named the #3 K-12 design firm in the nation by Building Design + Construction in the Giants 400 Report. Education is all that we do, and our clients have put their trust in our team for more than 54 years. We are grateful for their partnership and for our shared commitment to the success of all students.

The Giants 400 Report tracks the largest architecture, engineering and construction firms in the United States. Huckabee ranked #24 in the overall Top Architecture / Engineering Firms and #3 in the more targeted K-12 School Sector Architecture and A/E Firms list. We are one of the only firms represented that focuses exclusively on education. Because of our partners, we have sustained a presence in the top five since 2015 when Huckabee started expanding our team and services to further invest in public education.

To view the list of K-12 design firms in the K-12 School Sector ranking, click here.

Huckabee Honored by KISD

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Huckabee is proud to be recognized by Killeen ISD as part of the Texas Association of School Boards “Stand-up for Texas Public Schools” initiative. The Killeen ISD Education Foundation recognized Huckabee and other business partners in November for our investment and commitment to their district, students and public education. The initiative allows school districts to recognize the partners that have made a difference in their ability to serve students. Our firm has partnered with Killeen ISD for nearly 20 years and has served Texas public schools for 54 years. Education is our sole focus, and we are committed to investing in the success of all students.

Read the press release from Killeen ISD for more information: Click here.

TEA Facility Standards

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Revisions to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Facility Standards have been published in the October 8, 2021 issue of the Texas Register. They will go into effect on Monday with an implementation date of November 1, 2021. Revisions can be read here (start on page 313) and are intended to give school districts more local control as well as guidance and flexibility in the design of 21st-century schools. Key updates include:

  • (1) the inclusion of all projects requiring the hiring of a licensed architect or engineer in Texas,
  • (2) an increase in the space minimum of middle school science laboratories,
  • (3) two methods of compliance,
  • (4) a change to campus-based aggregate square footage compliance, and
  • (5) new safety and security requirements stemming from the passage of Senate Bill 11.

The Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) developed a committee to explore the existing standards and make recommendations to the TEA for revisions. Kerri Brady, Huckabee’s Vice President of Educational Practice, and Dawson Orr, Clinical Professor of Education Policy at Southern Methodist University, co-chaired the years-long engagement with a committee made up of 22 members and 95 subcommittee members. Their committee was charged with evaluating and recommending changes to the TEA School Facilities Standards. The process Kerri designed involved proactively evaluating topics related to 21st-century learning and school design, including school safety and security.

As school districts navigate these changes, Huckabee is committed to ensuring a smooth transition for our partners. We have always been, and will continue to be, an advocate for Texas public schools.

Overview of the TASA School Facilities Committee Process

Top 5 Educational Design Firm

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Huckabee was named to the Top 5 Educational Architecture firms in the nation by Engineering News-Record. The 2021 Sourcebook follows the growth and success of architecture and engineering firms within the United States and abroad. Huckabee exclusively serves education and has for 54 years. It’s an honor to be recognized nationally for our service to Texas public schools. This recognition also represents the resiliency and innovation found within our public school systems, who continually focus on what matters most, the success of all students, educators and the communities that embrace them. It’s their innovative spirit that inspires us to do more and be more every day.

For the full list, click here.

Our recent projects

Channelview High School

May 16, 2023

Longfellow Career Exploration Academy

May 15, 2023

Fredericksburg Middle School

May 15, 2023

Godley High School, Phase 2

May 2, 2023

Midway High School CTE

May 2, 2023

Elementary School #59

April 18, 2023

McGhee Elementary School

April 18, 2023

Park Hill Elementary School

March 8, 2023

Righetti High School Addition

July 31, 2022

Josh Brown Named President

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Huckabee, a 54-year-old firm exclusively committed to educational planning and design, is excited to announce a new President to help lead the company into the future.

Josh Brown, AIA, was named President in April. He has provided 18 years of leadership and innovation to Huckabee, helping position the firm as a trailblazer in educational design. Josh joined Huckabee in 2003 as an Intern Architect, later serving as a Project Leader, Associate Principal, Principal and Office Director. His experience provided him a well-rounded perspective of the people, industry and clients we serve; and it is complemented by his deep belief in the firm’s mission and commitment to the success of all students.

“On many occasions, Josh stepped up and answered the call to do very difficult work in the company,” said Christopher M. Huckabee, AIA, Chief Executive Officer. “Moving Josh into the role of President recognizes his contributions and represents an exciting transition toward the next generation of Huckabee’s leadership group.”

Among his accomplishments, Josh has designed and managed more than a billion dollars in educational projects for the firm, he has provided mentorship to many current and future leaders, and he has supported strategic growth as a Shareholder of Huckabee. Notably, Josh played a critical role in the development of Huckabee’s educational research lab, LEx Labs at Baylor University, a facility where clients explore the connection between the learning environment and student engagement. He also opened Huckabee’s Dallas office and has led the team to increase its client base in a rapidly-growing market. Most recently, Josh served as Office Director for the Dallas and Fort Worth offices, leading the development of solid relationship with clients, new business opportunities for the firm, and the growth of internal team members.

“Integrity is the foundational principle of this organization,” said Josh. “And, it will continue to drive us into the future, along with our commitments to ‘collective wisdom,’ empowerment, mentorship and continuous improvement. I am humbled and excited to lead this next chapter of the Huckabee story.”

Josh graduated from Texas Tech University in 2003 with a Master’s in Architecture and has spent his entire career at Huckabee. He and his family live in Prosper, Texas. He currently serves on the PISD Education Foundation Board and is an active member of the Prosper community.

Huckabee Announces Promotions

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Huckabee announced the appointment of five new Associate Shareholders, two new Office Directors and seven new Principals to the leadership team. These moves represent our commitment to best serve our clients, to continue our pattern of growth and to develop the next generation of Huckabee leaders.

“Huckabee’s culture is one of empowerment, mentorship and service,” said Josh Brown, President of Huckabee. “We are excited to recognize the expertise these individuals bring to their clients and our company, and we look forward to seeing the many ways in which they will realize success and empower others through their work.”

Huckabee’s newest Associate Shareholders join a team of 12 employee Shareholders and two current Associate Shareholders. In their role they support the strategic vision of the firm. The newest Associates include:

  • LaShae Baskin, RID, Principal and Office Director of Austin
  • Andre Brackens, Principal and Office Director of Dallas
  • Mike Hall, AIA, Austin Director of Design
  • Brendon Hoffman, AIA, Principal in our Houston office
  • Paul Thompson, AIA, Principal and Office Director of Fort Worth

Paul Thompson has also been named the Office Director of Fort Worth, and Andre Brackens has been named the Office Director of Dallas. Paul and Andre joined Huckabee in 2014 and currently serve as Principals.

Huckabee’s newest Principals include:

  • Alex Araujo, AIA, LEED AP, in our San Antonio office
  • Dan Luttrell, AIA, LEED AP, in our San Antonio office
  • Shannon Bearden, AIA, in our Fort Worth office
  • Dave Gustaf, AIA, LEED AP, in our Fort Worth office
  • Corrie Hood, RA, LEED AP, in our Fort Worth office
  • Joe Tremblay, RA, in our Dallas office
  • Tim Barnes, AIA, in our Houston office

Huckabee is a full-service architecture and engineering firm that is exclusively committed to educational planning and design. We have served our clients for over 54 years.

Confirmed to TxSSC Board

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Kerri Brady’s second appointment to the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) Board was confirmed by the Texas Senate this week. She remains the first and sole architect on the 17-member board. The TxSSC Board reports to the Governor, the legislature, the State Board of Education and the Texas Education Agency regarding school safety and security. They also advise the Texas School Safety Center on its function, budget and strategic planning initiatives. 

Kerri was first appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Board in 2019, and re-appointed to her second term in 2020 pending Senate confirmation. She brings expertise in the areas of school architecture, safety and security, planning and research. 

At Huckabee, Kerri serves as Vice President of Educational Practice; leads our educational research efforts at the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative; led efforts to rewrite the school facility standards for the state of Texas (including school safety revisions); and has participated in several working groups focused on school safety and security. Her passion to create positive changes in education through her work motivates all that she does.

MORE Momentum: Wichita Falls

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Wichita Falls ISD is in the midst of consolidating their three high school campuses into two new facilities. The new high schools are designed to embrace the district’s bold vision for online learning. They feature a unique configuration of spaces that reflect a new approach to “classroom” capacity and utilization. While the district’s vision for online learning started well before 2020, the schools were designed almost entirely through virtual charrettes during the height of the pandemic. This perspective helped inform the design solution in creative ways. Huckabee’s latest MORE Momentum explores the district’s approach to onsite, online learning and how to plan for the types of spaces needed to support a shift in student interaction within a high school campus. 

Our guests include:

  • Michael Kuhrt, Superintendent, Wichita Falls ISD
  • Tom Lueck, AIA, Chief Operating Officer, Huckabee
  • Greg Louviere, AIA, Director of Design, Huckabee
  • Mike Vermeeren, AIA, Director of Planning, Huckabee

We’ve broken out each question for MORE Momentum #8: Educational Transformation below.

Introduction

Huckabee and our partners at BYSP Architects had the privilege of working with Wichita Falls ISD to design a prototype for two new high school campuses. The schools are being constructed at the same time and will replace the district’s three existing high schools when complete. 

Question 1—To kick us off, I’d like to ask Michael about your district and why your community opted to build two high schools at one time.    

Wichita Falls ISD’s oldest high school is a 1922 building. Their two “new” high schools were built in 1961 and 1962. At that point, people anticipated growth but it never came. Today, the high schools range from 900 to 1,600 students and don’t offer parity. The district wouldn’t be able to rebuild three new high schools, and the community didn’t want to consolidate into one large high school. The solution was to design two equal high schools (based on a prototype), that would offer parity in all aspects. 

Preparing for the Bond

Question 2—What process did you take your community through to set the groundwork for today?  

Wichita Falls ISD had a failed bond in 2014 to address the high schools. From that process, the community realized its support of a career tech center. A bond passed in 2015 for a new CTE building, but it didn’t address major facility issues at the high schools. After a facilities study, the district realized that each high school needed over $20 million each to simply fix major problems, but that didn’t account for new or updated items to improve the learning environment or create equity and opportunity. 

In preparation for a 2020 bond election, the district worked with the community and found the right solution that would address the high school needs. The momentum started with the opening of the new career tech center from the 2015 bond. The community saw that building and wanted the same experience for all of their kids at all of their high schools. The bond passed in November 2020 to replace the three high schools with two and start a new era for Wichita Falls ISD.

Guiding Vision

Question 3—What was your guiding vision for these schools?   

Wichita Falls ISD tends to keep buildings for 100 years. The district has seven campuses that are about to be 100 years old. They knew the high schools needed to retain relevance well into the future. They wanted buildings that were flexible and adaptable. The district believed that the way brick and mortar buildings are used today may become obsolete in the future. The design of the high schools integrates spaces for online learning but also emphasizes the value fine arts and athletics brings to a student’s experience. 

Space and Needs for Online Learning

Question 4—Related to online learning, what were your projected needs?   

COVID-19 was an unplanned pilot for the district. Freshman and sophomores struggled more with virtual learning than juniors and seniors. The same is true for online learning outside of a pandemic. The goal of the design is to create a college atmosphere where students have choice in how they take a class (in-person or online) and when (buildings open from 7 AM to 7 PM to accommodate student needs). There are flex spaces designed into the building that support online learning; a student can take a class online while on the campus and still be a part of the culture of learning. 

Planning

Question 5—How did the conversation evolve to address Wichita Falls ISD’s vision?   

As the program was developed, the team realized it would be an innovative approach. They considered the total number of students (a capacity of 1,900) against where they would be at any given moment: in a classroom, at the CTE center, in fine arts or athletics. The total capacity for general ed classrooms was then pared down to about 700 students at a single moment, of which a large percentage could be online learning outside of the classroom. As a result, the team was able to decrease the total number of general ed classrooms and transition that space into flexible environments within classroom wings and the commons. The result was improved efficiency of space and space that was adaptable in a number of ways. The district also removed classroom ownership with the idea that teachers wouldn’t be losing a classroom, they would be gaining a building. This further improved utilization.

Notably, designing in a virtual setting helped the team better understand the holistic needs of students and educators related to the integration of online learning within the campus. The district’s unique approach introduces 9th graders to online learning within the classroom and slowly engages them in online learning outside of the classroom (but within the campus) through 10th grade. By 11th and 12th grade, students have a higher comfort level and more autonomy to take full advantage of the blended environment created through the design of their high school. 

Design Response

Question 6—What was BYSP + Huckabee’s design response to Wichita Falls ISD’s needs?

With blended learning, the team understood that space needed to be engaging and that it wasn’t a static element. The team looked at the design as a way to create a dynamic continuity of choices that could be made. This meant understanding the tools needed by students and educators for face-to-face or online learning, intermixed with individual or group work. The design offers a great deal of flexible learning space. 

The Commons

Question 7—How do you forsee students using the commons?

BYSP + Huckabee worked with Wichita Falls ISD to identify the tools, spaces, activities and zones students needed within this blended environment. The team created spaces that could transform over time or in the next few minutes in response to student needs. The commons became the core of the building and created a gradation of space from the private, individual learning space to places that allowed students to congregate on soft seating and into an active dining zone. The design team used the term “structured flexibility” to define the commons.  

Takeaways

Question 8—What can other districts take away from this approach?

First, we have a better understanding of online learning. As a result, we know that a blended environment that incorporates online learning (on campus and off) can work. Second, the concept of structured flexibility related to utilization applies to all spaces. Wichita Falls used the concept not only in the commons but in the design of their auditorium. They didn’t want a single space in the school that couldn’t be used in multiple ways; the auditorium can be split into small or large group space and used throughout the day for instruction. Finally, the district wanted students to be prepared for the future and to know their value through the investment of the community. The consolidation of three schools into two will give all students better opportunity. 

Bonus Content: Safety and Security

Bonus content—How do you address safety and security within a large, open environment?

The existing high schools in Wichita Falls ISD have 10-12 entrances, yet the two replacement high schools will only have four controlled entrances. Additionally, while the commons was designed to provide a large, open space, the design team embedded short distances to secure locations. With an open and transparent environment, school resource officers can also stand at a single point and observe student behavior; the dark hallways found in the aging high schools are a thing of the past. 

Notably, the compact nature of the building will allow the district to keep the 4-5 minute passing period as opposed to expanding to a 7-8 minute passing period as they move into the larger campus. 

Two New High Schools for Wichita Falls ISD

About MORE Momentum

Huckabee’s MORE Momentum series started as an exploration of how school districts were investing their time, energy and focus to keep the momentum going during the pandemic. In 2021, we are transitioning the series to highlight school planning and design and the unique ways our clients are building toward the future. Follow us @HuckabeeInc on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In for the latest MORE Momentum webinars. 

MORE Momentum: Technology

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Our latest MORE momentum webinar focuses on technology, instruction and virtual learning in 2020 and beyond. We discuss the tangible aspects like infrastructure and devices, the instructional aspects like designing learning and the tools to do that well, and the relational aspects like student engagement and teacher support. Each guest offers a unique perspective as we explore the past, present and future of these new waters we are charting.

Our guests include:

  • Jesse Garn, Executive Director of Technology, Midway ISD
  • Dr. Becky Odajima, Director of Innovation and Learning, Midway ISD
  • Wes Kanawyer, Principal at Woodgate Intermediate School, Midway ISD
  • Russ Johnson, CEO, True North Consulting Group
  • Kerri Ranney, Vice President of Educational Practice, Huckabee

We’ve broken out each question for MORE Momentum #7: Technology + Instruction below. You can view the webinar in its entirety by clicking here.

Introduction + Past

Let’s start by looking back at March 2020 when schools closed for the school year. School districts had about a week to prepare amidst significant change. What did that look like in Midway ISD and what did your teams do to solve the challenges you faced?

One of the first things we had to do was mobilize technology to each student in the district and address connectivity (which remains one of the biggest challenges). We also had to support staff, students, devices and services from a remote location to homes across the district. Being a district with an existing 1-to-1 technology initiative helped us deliver instruction. We also focused on professional development to help teachers understand the online tools, resources and learning management systems they’d be using on a daily basis. We released about 100 hours of PD. Our curriculum and instruction team simplified instructional requirements, which helped teachers and parents in this situation.

At the campus level, our number one priority was student wellbeing and ensuring fundamental needs were met. We know that when anxiety goes up, performance goes down—that is true for adults and students. The goal was to lighten anxiety levels, simplify the process and then push out content.

Across the state we saw a lot of innovation in district technology teams. Districts fully embraced collaborative tools so they could maintain engagement with students and staff, but they also had to create new ways to support these tools in remote environments. Districts knew they still had the job of delivering instruction and delivering it to high expectations; this led to exploration of asynchronous PD as well as the #bettertogether movement that opened up new partnerships between school districts and business organizations.

Present

Let’s look at summer 2020. School districts are working feverishly to develop plans to open schools safely in the fall while meeting the needs of families while they deal with this pandemic. What are some of the solutions from the spring that you’re carrying forward into fall?

Instructionally, we are looking at the essential curriculum standards and the best way to deliver them to students. We are implementing a hybrid learning model for students who cannot return to school and supporting the transition for students, teachers and families whose delivery method for learning could change throughout the year. Student interaction is still important, even if learning is taking place remotely. We are re-formulating our approach to interaction and even assessment.

We are also utilizing technology to keep students connected to their peers and developing methods for synchronous instruction that can occur with virtual and at-home students concurrently. At the same time, we are looking to maintain virtual collaboration between teachers and across campuses. Professional development will never be the same, and we are looking at ways to evolve our efforts. 

At the site level, we will have to work to build rapport with new students and families across the district. We will front-load the year with tech proficiency and relationship building.

On the technology side, we have realized more flexibility within our support model. We have also become more comfortable with being uncomfortable and are more flexible mentally. School districts state-wide are remaining focused on connectivity and filling the gaps where needed. We are also seeing the success of content capture in higher ed trickling down into K-12 as school districts incorporate asynchronous learning into curriculum.

Future

Let’s look to the future. What are some of the challenges you already foresee that you’re just now beginning to tackle?

Even once we overcome this virus, we will likely see hybrid learning remain for many different reasons. Some of the main challenges of this environment will be: improving accessibility to fiber networks and community WiFi; cybersecurity threats; and our ability to secure devices and data in an environment that we don’t always control.

We also have to prepare teachers for this hybrid model of learning and set a new standard for best practices in pedagogy. While we hope we never have to close schools so unexpectedly like we did this year, we’ve learned that we need to create a contingency plan in case we ever need to move to a fully virtual learning model again while maintaining consistency.

#InnovationRevolution and the Power in Collaboration

In education, we preach the power of collaboration, and this crisis has continued to show us the importance of collaborating with our colleagues, students and communities. We have found collaborating with different districts in the area to be beneficial as we are able to give one another encouragement and best practices. Our district began using the term #InnovationRevolution to publicly share ways we can all be innovative during this time.

About MORE Momentum

Huckabee’s MORE Momentum series highlights how our educational partners are investing their time, energy and focus to keep the momentum going during this unprecedented “pause.” We will explore themes related to bonds, planning, design and safety and security, among other topics that impact Texas public education. Follow us @HuckabeeInc on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In, or complete the form below to get a first look as new content is released. 

For the full webinar, click below

To learn more about True North Consulting Group, click here.

Keep the momentum going!
Reach out to our Huckabee Communications team to learn MORE.

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Reappointed to TxSSC Board

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Kerri Ranney was reappointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas School Safety Center Board, remaining the sole architect on the 15-member board. The committee focuses on school safety and security and their voices have been key in discussions involving reopening schools amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. To learn more about recent appointees and sitting board members, click here.

The Texas School Safety Center’s mission is to “serve schools and communities to create safe, secure, and healthy environments.” Kerri serves as our Vice President of Educational Practice; leads our educational research efforts at the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative; led efforts to rewrite the school facility standards for the state of Texas (including school safety revisions); and has participated in several working groups focused on school safety and security. Her passion to create positive changes in education through her work motivates all that she does and is crucial now more than ever.

Investing in Public Education

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Texas public education matters, and Huckabee continues to actively support and advocate for our partners in education as we collectively address critical needs. As a Board Member of the North Texas Commission, our CEO, Chris Huckabee, has joined numerous business and education leaders across the state to ask our elected officials to address public education recovery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Huckabee firm is supportive of this initiative.

Nineteen major business and education associations, backed by hundreds of public education advocates, signed a letter on June 29 urging elected leaders to enable a statewide task force to assess the challenges posed by COVID-19 to public education in six key areas:

  1. Maintenance of funding
  2. Connectivity, access to technology and contingency planning
  3. Professional development
  4. Assessment and support for students
  5. Health and safety
  6. Acknowledgement of the economic cost of inaction.

Read the letter here.

Through the North Texas Commission, Chris was also asked to join Dr. Susan Bohn, Aledo ISD Superintendent, to co-chair the Education & Workforce Task Force. The group has been charged to develop a list of legislative priorities that require action in the 87th Texas Legislative Session. The success of the previous legislative session brought finance reform to public education, yet, it remains critical that these reforms remain part of a long-term strategy to invest in Texas school districts.

“Together, we made great progress for public education in 2019, but COVID-19 will certainly create budget challenges for the legislature,” said Chris. “We will need a solid and unified voice in Austin this January to keep the ground we have gained and prevent challenges that a lack of funding will create.”

MORE Momentum: Construction

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Part three of Huckabee’s MORE Momentum market update series focuses on the Texas construction market. We discuss the current construction market, what’s changed in the past few months, what school districts can learn from the current state of affairs and the pro/cons of pre-design before passing a bond.

Our guests include:

  • LaShae Baskin, Huckabee’s Austin Office Director
  • Kevin Byrd, Central Texas Vice President of Operations for Bartlett Cocke
  • Dennis Yung, Vice President and General Manager for the Houston and Dallas areas for Skanska
  • Chris Huckabee, CEO of Huckabee

We’ve broken out each question for MORE Momentum #6: Construction Market below. You can view the webinar in its entirety by clicking here.

Austin / San Antonio Market

What is driving the market right now in the Austin and San Antonio areas?

For the first time in 10 years, we are seeing a pricing correction in the market. In recent months, 9/9 project bids have come in significantly under budget, including prototype designs. Factors contributing to savings opportunities include: subcontractor backlog, the supply chain and availability of manpower. If you’re ready, it’s a great time to build.

DFW / Houston Markets

Does this differ from what is going on in the DFW and Houston areas?

In the DFW/Houston markets, commodity prices are favorable. Supply chain updates predict that for the next 6 months, pricing on construction materials and equipment will remain flat and even potentially decrease. This creates ideal conditions for construction projects.

In Houston, 15-20 percent of projects have been delayed, suspended or canceled. Companies are looking to rebuild their backlog. This competitive environment, when combined with favorable commodity prices, creates an ideal time to start construction projects.

Dallas is one of the fastest growing construction markets in the country and is expected to be the second busiest construction market in 2020. However, like other areas throughout Texas, companies, including subcontractors, are looking to fill their backlog.

Impact to School Districts

What are some things that school districts need to be on the lookout for or aware of?

Be diligent when selecting contractors. The K-12 construction and subcontractor market will be flooded with businesses stepping outside their primary sectors. Make sure firms are qualified and capable to deliver K-12 projects. Evaluate their experience and qualifications related to your scope of work.

We have a new normal in the construction industry with new standards for safe work environments. Requirements for social distancing, safe work practices and personal protective equipment all have an impact on productivity. As you build schedules for your projects, make sure they account for these changes.

How Can School Districts Take Advantage of Market Changes

Work with your construction manager and architect to understand the opportunities in your region. While we are not able to see if the price correction will last beyond six months, we see real opportunity right now. If you can take advantage of the current market, do it.

Shovel Ready Pre-Bond

What is critical for school districts to understand about the process of design before a bond is passed? 

The concept of shovel ready pre-bond essentially means getting your project ready to bid so that you can capitalize on a favorable market as soon as funding is available. Districts have adopted the process to help save on inflation. Today, we are looking at a favorable climate where districts can take advantage of the lower prices in the construction market over the next six months.

There are several considerations to determine if this approach is right for your community, including:

  • Mental shift
  • Availability of design funds
  • Community support for this approach
  • Scheduling and time-lost due to COVID-19

It’s critical to ensure that your stakeholders are on board. Your administration, school board and bond steering committee should all be involved in the conversation. Help them understand the pros and cons of this process so you can make an informed decision.

Pros and Cons of Pre-Bond Design

Pre-bond design requires design fees upfront. If this seems like a risk to your community, then this process might not be a good fit. Your decision should be based on data-driven information and what is most logical for your community.

One major benefit of pre-bond design is the ability to keep your projects on schedule. Right now, we are also looking at the opportunity to take advantage of a narrow window for optimum bids. The current market also gives districts the chance to more accurately align costs with contractors, which results in a positive impact on the bottom line.

Final Takeaways

The construction market is very competitive right now, which is driving prices down. Districts can take advantage of this within the next 6 months, because beyond that, we don’t know what pricing will look like. If you have never gone through the process of pre-bond design, and this is something that feels viable for you, start having the conversation with your stakeholders and talk with your architect on what the process looks like for your district. You don’t need to rush anything, but if you are in the position to take advantage of the market right now, you should.

About MORE Momentum

Huckabee’s MORE Momentum series highlights how our educational partners are investing their time, energy and focus to keep the momentum going during this unprecedented “pause.” We will explore themes related to bonds, planning, design and safety and security, among other topics that impact Texas public education. Follow us @HuckabeeInc on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In, or complete the form below to get a first look as new content is released. 

For the full webinar, click below

Keep the momentum going!
Reach out to our Huckabee Communications team to learn MORE.

More Momentum
Sending

MORE Momentum: Real Estate

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Huckabee’s most recent on-demand webinars highlight the state of the market in three key areas: Bond Sales / Financing, Real Estate and Construction. The second of this series looks at the real estate market with a focus on selecting and purchasing land for new school buildings.

Our guest is George Curry of JLL, a commercial real estate firm. George has helped Texas public school districts locate and purchase land for dozens of schools (elementary to high school) over the last several years. George is joined by Gary Rademacher, a Principal at Huckabee, who has served as an architect for Texas school districts for nearly 30 years.

We’ve broken out each question for MORE Momentum #5: Real Estate below. You can view the webinar in its entirety by clicking here.

Introduction

Since the start of the pandemic, what are you seeing in the real estate market? Clients are asking how the pandemic will impact their ability to negotiate and purchase land. Is now a good time to buy?

There hasn’t been much of a change to this point. Up until March, the market was hot and Texas was doing well. It has certainly cooled some, but we haven’t seen any changes as far as land prices are concerned. 

In DFW, we continue to have a good market. Globally, as far as Texas is concerned, DFW, Austin and San Antonio are steady, but Houston has taken it on the chin. They’ve been hit with a double whammy from the virus and low oil prices.

Advice for School Districts

Buy Buy Buy! The market has been strong over the past 3-5 years and prices are continuing to escalate, especially around major metroplexes. There may be a small window in the next 3-12 months where prices may not go down, but instead, may take a pause. It’s a good time to lock down sites which may go up in price over the next few years. 

Working with Developers

Recently, developers seem more willing to donate land if they have a mega-site, somewhere between 200-500 acres for a development. However, with smaller acreage sites (100-200 acres), developers aren’t as willing to give land freely for schools. There’s been more resistance to donating land as homes sales have been strong.

Selecting the Right Piece of Land

The school site is important to school districts for many reason. When a school district is receiving donated land or purchasing land, they are making decisions about property that will serve them for decades. What should school districts focus on when considering a purchase?

People look for the best price or low cost, but I advise clients to get the right location. Get the best site near or in the right location and then try and get the best price you can. Some developers will go to a district and donate land, but the site is in a corner, or it’s too small or it’s got topography issues. This means that sometimes the free sites are the most expensive to develop. We try to focus on the best site in the development, and sometimes it doesn’t work out with donated land.

What else are you looking for?

Location is one of the most important things. We’ll meet with demographers and see where the growth is coming from. We’ll then search and try to find a site or multiple sites that could work in the area. Once you’ve identified a site, there are several things to consider: acreage, type of school and amenities, net usable acres, etc. It’s a good time to bring in partners, such as a civil engineer, to assess the site and estimate costs for development.

Additional Advice

Some of the most challenging sites have been the free or the “best deal” sites. Focus on the best site first, and then work on price. Price is about 3-8 percent of the total cost of a school, so you are dealing with a relatively small component of overall price. It’s critical to get it right. Having the right partners (real estate agent, civil engineer, architect) up front will help you down the road. Being diligent is important to respecting your taxpayers.

To learn more about JLL, click here.

About MORE Momentum

Huckabee’s MORE Momentum series highlights how our educational partners are investing their time, energy and focus to keep the momentum going during this unprecedented “pause.” We will explore themes related to bonds, planning, design and safety and security, among other topics that impact Texas public education. Follow us @HuckabeeInc on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In, or complete the form below to get a first look as new content is released. 

For the full webinar, click below

Keep the momentum going!
Reach out to our Huckabee Communications team to learn MORE.

More Momentum
Sending

MORE Momentum: Bond Market

By | News

Huckabee’s next three on-demand webinars highlight the state of the market in three key areas: Bond Sales / Financing, Real Estate and Construction. The first of this series looks at the school bond market and the impact of COVID-19 on bond sales. Our guest is Derek Honea of RBC Capital Markets, a financial advisor and underwriter for public school districts.

Derek walks through the current state of the municipal bond market and the impact to school districts who are looking to sell bonds, move up the sale of bonds or refinance, as well as those concerned about underlying credit ratings.

We’ve broken out each question for MORE Momentum #4: Bond Market below. You can view the webinar in its entirety by clicking here.

Introduction

What are you seeing in the bond market today with the impact of COVID-19?

It’s rare to see the municipal bond market shut down. School districts couldn’t access the capital markets, and it’s one of the only times in the past couple of decades that we’ve seen this, except for in 2008 / 2009. We are through that time now and getting back to normalcy.

Interest Rates + Moving up the Sale of Your Bonds

The municipal bond market essentially shut down at the beginning of the pandemic. Today, it’s open for business as usual and rates are steadily returning to at or near all-time lows. It’s an attractive time to lock-in a long-term rate.

Determining if it’s the right time to move up bond sales and take advantage of the rates is case-by-case. Typically, clients fall into two camps: Fast-growth districts who have strategically timed out their capital improvement plans and districts who have bond authorizations approved but have flexibility in their timing to sell. Things we consider in either case include impact to current rates, taxable assessed values, enrollment and the economy.

Interest Rates + Refinancing

We operate in two markets: Tax exempt and taxable interest rates. Both markets were shut down for awhile; tax exempt markets came back much sooner. The taxable market is just now returning to where we were in February, and we are seeing a lot of interest in refinancing taxable rates. These look really attractive, and we are generating a lot of debt-rate savings for school districts. If we can capture significant savings for clients, we will recommend that they refinance now.

Bond Market + Assessed Values

There is increased demand from investors for Permanent School Fund guaranteed paper, some of the highest credit bonds on the market. These are especially appealing given what’s occurring with corporate debt and corporate credits becoming distressed. We are seeing crossover buyers and European buyers investing in taxable bonds. Over the short term, we don’t see this demand decreasing. We are in a stable spot for interest rates over the next six months, although the presidential election could impact the market, including state and local debt.

In regards to taxable assessed values, we anticipate a large protest process which may impact certified values. Values for this school year were assigned before the pandemic; next year’s values will have fully accounted for its impact. We are advising clients who have flexibility in their sales to wait and see what the certified values look like. This gives you more data when structuring the debt. There may be ongoing impact in the coming years as well, and this is something for school districts to consider as they are developing bond programs.

Underlying Credit Ratings

Outside of local issues, RBC has been asked about the impact of COVID-19 to a district’s underlying credit rating, which could increase borrowing costs in the long-run. The rating agencies have put out a lot of information on what the impact could be, but we haven’t seen many credit rating downgrades for Texas school districts. This is something to keep an eye on as the impact of the pandemic continues to flow through the market.

Final Takeaways

The market is open, and school districts who have needs, have a plan in place and feel confident about their local economy can lock in historically-low interest rates. For those who have flexibility, it’s a good idea to stay in touch with your advisors and demographer to asses changes to enrollment, local economy and community needs.

To learn more about RBC Capital Markets, click here.

About MORE Momentum

Huckabee’s MORE Momentum series highlights how our educational partners are investing their time, energy and focus to keep the momentum going during this unprecedented “pause.” We will explore themes related to bonds, planning, design and safety and security, among other topics that impact Texas public education. Follow us @HuckabeeInc on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In, or complete the form below to get a first look as new content is released. 

For the full webinar, click below

Keep the momentum going!
Reach out to our Huckabee Communications team to learn MORE.

More Momentum
Sending