Rochelle School Notes
By: Steve Butler
“Who’d a thunk it?” my grandpa would have said years ago. Who would have
believed 40 or 50 years ago that we would be generating electricity and sending it
hundreds of miles away to light up 1500 households with one windmill? More
importantly for us here in Rochelle, Texas who would have imagined we would be
benefiting financially from these windmills? The prospect of wind turbines in
McCulloch County has been the talk of the coffee shops and the board rooms for several
months now. Inevitably there will be those “agin” it. There will always be “aginners”.
They are “agin” everything. These folks will always see the glass half empty, even,
sometimes when the cup is almost running over (as in this case). I recently read a letter
to the editor from an “aginner” who was “agin” the wind turbines being proposed in
another County. The writer several times begged the entities to not jump into something
without studying and researching. Now I can’t speak for everyone, but I think I can
speak for all three school districts in our county when I say that extensive research has
been done and all things considered. All three school districts utilized as a consultant
during these negotiations the premier school finance expert in the state and perhaps the
nation. We all three consulted with other districts who have been through this process
and we have weighed the pros and cons of the project including a 28 page economic
impact study. This project is truly a “win-win” for all involved. Rochelle ISD will see
the smallest amount of revenue because we will have the fewest wind turbines, but the
eight or nine wind turbines that we will have in our district will generate for Rochelle
School District approximately $70,000 in the first year of operation and near $70,000 per
year for many years down the road. Some people may look at $70,000 and not see much
money but we see a new school bus or two teacher salaries. Brady ISD and Lohn ISD
will benefit to a much greater extent due to the number of wind turbines in their district.
I think I can also speak for the other districts when I say thank you to the other entities in
McCulloch County that stepped up and did what they had to do to get this project off the
ground. These entities do not have as much to gain as the school districts or the
landowners but they have been wise enough to realize that if this project is benefiting the
school districts and the landowners then it is benefiting the entire county. My only regret
is that I don’t own land on a hill in the northwestern part of our school district!
Everyone is back from the holidays, a little heavier (or a lot) and ready for the
second semester which will begin on January 22nd. Our enrollment has actually dropped
a little since we came back from the holidays but we expect it will pick back up when the
semester changes. Our Hornets and Lady Hornets have both started district play with
wins. The boys and girls dominated the Cherokee boys and girls by 30 points in the first
district game of the season. The boy’s final score was 61 to 31 and the girls 59 to 29.
The Hornets are at home Tuesday night facing a very tough Eden team and Friday we
travel to Lohn for our third District match up. By the time you read this hopefully the
Hornets will be 2-0 in district. The Lady Hornets are ranked 11th in the state in TABC
polls and finished in the regional semi-finals last year. We are looking to repeat and
hopefully surpass last years run and get our boys into the playoffs for the first time in ten
years. We want everyone to come out and fill the stands and back your Hornets!
There will be no school on January 21st in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.
Day. Teachers will have a workday that day and students will get to sleep in.
Last year Rochelle participated for the first time in the American Cancer Society
Relay For Life Campaign and raised over $3,000 to aid in cancer research. The
“Rochelle Wranglers” also won “Best Campsite” and “Most Spirited” at last year’s event.
Plans are already under way for this year’s event. If you are interested in being on this
year’s team or if you are able to donate to the Relay for Life campaign call the school at
243 5224 and speak to Claylene Gossett or Steve Butler.