The following are major initiatives, which have received grant support from the Foundation. Each major initiative is generally described and regular updates are provided below:
CITY OF HOBBS BEAUTIFICATION INITIATIVE
Like many communities with significant economic dependence upon oil and gas production, the local economy has experienced dramatic cyclical swings. Such cyclical volatility is influenced by variations in global demand and supply for oil and gas, which impacts local employment and the overall well being of the community. The local population and median household incomes have fluctuated with these historical economic cycles.
Community leaders have expressed a desire to find ways to diversify our economy to provide a more stable economic base. Furthermore, community leaders want to look at long-term solutions to the problems sometimes inherent in rural communities, those surrounding basic services and the perceived quality of life.
Countless economic studies related to the immediate region have concluded that improving livability within the community is an essential prerequisite to meaningful economic diversification. These studies show that the ability to attract/retain businesses, and the skilled labor they require, the community must be perceived as a desirable place to live for people with diverse lifestyles, cultures, and interests. Such perceptions are the basis for viewing the livability of a community. The previously referenced studies focused primarily upon two dimensions of perceived livability for which considerable public leadership, planning, and financial investment are required to achieve. First, the community needs to address its physical appearance. Many major corridors in Hobbs have undeveloped with unattractive streetscapes. Conditions within the downtown area have deteriorated over a period of decades and the area is in need of significant redevelopment. Second, there is significant need to provide a variety of engaging recreational/cultural facilities and programs to promote quality of life within the community.
A large survey of Hobbs residents was conducted in 2002 to ascertain local interest in making beautification improvements and in developing recreational/cultural facilities and programs. Over 98% of the people surveyed said they believed the City of Hobbs’ image required improvement and over 84% indicated that they wanted to see the City develop major recreational/cultural facilities and/or programs.
Given the observations and recommendations of several economic studies and the results of the aforementioned community survey, Mayor Monty Newman and the Hobbs City Commission decided to initiate an ambitious program focused on improving the appearance of strategic corridors within the City. To this end, Mayor Newman and the City Commission made application to the Foundation for a significant matching grant to help fund this initiative.
In response to this request, the Foundation made a matching grant for up to $15 million to the City of Hobbs, which also involves matching funds of at least $5 million, for a total project budget of not less than $20 million.
Furthermore, the City and the Foundation acknowledged that insufficient ordinances existed for appropriate facilitation of new developments and to fully leverage the potential impact of the beautification improvements contemplated within the City’s request to the Foundation. Accordingly, the City decided that it would develop and implement sufficiently comprehensive land-use regulations to address this concern.
The City’s request included planned improvements to three strategic corridors where significant development activity is beginning to occur. These corridors include the downtown area, Lovington Highway, and Joe Harvey Boulevard. The following are conceptual illustrations of improvements contemplated to each of these corridors:
Downtown Area:
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Lovington Highway:
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Joe Harvey Boulevard:
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Updates:
Downtown - Design work has been completed on the downtown streetscape and construction began on March 6, 2006. All phases of the downtown project are to be completed by July 2007. To meet some the concerns of merchants in the downtown area, the City decided to break the project up into phases, so that the entire street is never completely closed during construction. The first phase will involve the 100 blocks of Broadway (East and West) and the adjoining block of Turner Street (North and South) and then proceed until seven blocks have been totally redone. This will include new streets, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and signage.
Lovington Highway - The City of Hobbs has also begun the planning and design work for a portion of the Lovington Highway (along the railway on the West side of the Lovington Highway North from the end of the County’s Health walk to Jack Gomez Boulevard).
| Broadway intersection as it was, March 6, 2006 |
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| The Broadway intersection as it is designed! |
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| Proposed design for Broadway between intersections |
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| Progress Updates: |
-- 05/09/2006 --
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| Workers pour concrete to finish the “bulb-outs” along Turner Street. The area inside of the bulb-out will be landscsaped with a mixture of brick pavers, vegetation and planters. This bulb-out, located on the West side of Turner Street, is scheduled to have a 7”caliper tree. |
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| Residents shop downtown while contractor prepares to pour new sidewalks. |
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-- 05/16/2006 --
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| Photo taken 5/16/06– the first “bulb-outs” at the corner of Turner and Broadway are prepared to be oured. The area inside the forms will be colored pavers. |
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| Photo taken 5/16/06, looking East on Broadway from Turner. Concrete forms are placed in preparation of pouring curb. To the far right of the concrete forms will be brick pavers, as part of the bulb-out. This curb should be poured by 5/19/06. |
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-- 06/13/2006 --
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| This picture shows new sidewalks and the just completed street on Broadway. The open “diamond” area at the center of the photo is where a tree will be placed with a iron grate around the tree. The area between the curb and the sidewalk is where the terra cotta brick band will be that runs the length of Broadway on both sides. |
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| This merchant has the ability to send his customers to his backdoor during construction. This will not be the case for many of the merchants on the northside of Broadway, because they have no rear entrance doors. There has been talk about some new businesses coming into downtown, as soon as construction is over. |
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-- 06/20/2006 --
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| The northside of Broadway is now under construction. |
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| New light poles are installed along south Turner, just off of Broadway. These new poles are approximately 10’ taller than the previous downtown lights. fixtures. |
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-- 06/29/2006 --
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| New directional signage by local merchants shows their involvement in the downtown project. |
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| The northside of Broadway is now undergoing trenching. |
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| A new project for downtown is this art park that is proposed for the intersection one block north of Broadway and Turner. |
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-- 07/21/2006 --
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| The north side of Broadway has extensive excavation to be completed to provide for storm water run-off. While doing the dirt work for the run-off, the contractor is also excavating the areas for the bulb-outs and planters. This should save time later in the project. |
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| The first set of sidewalks to be replaced on the north side of Broadway were completed on the 20th. |
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| Bricklayers have begun the work of putting the brick in the bulb-outs on Broadway and Turner. The “ribbon” of red brick around the along the outside edge of the bulb-out will continue along the length of the sidewalk for Broadway. The interior of the bulb-out will be 8” tan bricks. |
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-- 09/16/2006 --
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| The city has started removing pavement in the 200 and 300 blocks of East Broadway as they prepare for the next phase. This two block section is scheduled for completion prior to November 1, 2006. This time, both sides of Broadway will be worked on at the same time. |
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-- 09/19/2006 --
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| Work continues on the North Turner portion of downtown. The picture to the left is from Broadway and Turner looking North . The picture below is of the North side of Broadway looking West. The dirt areas in both pictures are the bulb-outs that will be a mixture of brick pavers, concrete and planter boxes. |
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-- 11/06/2006 --
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| Store front of IL Cicerone is renovated as Turner Street opens. New signage will go up next week for the store’s 5th anniversary. |
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| TURNER STREET OPEN!! Traffic at Broadway and Turner flows in all directions...the first time in a number of months! |
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| Construction is underway on Turner and new tree grates along Broadway (these are 4ft x 4ft). Also shown are the completed crosswalks at Broadway and Turner. |
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-- 1/15/2007 --
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CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON NEXT PHASE OF STREETSCAPE
Contractors have been building the base for the first phase of the Lovington Highway Trail, that will run north from the northern end of the existing Lea County Healthwalk to Jack Gomez Blvd.
The billboards (shown to the right) will be removed with the next 30 days. |
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| When completed, the trail area will be landscaped on both sides of the trail. The design calls for a variety of vegetation, with a complete irrigation system to maintain the plants. |
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-- 1/29/2007 --
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West Broadway is torn up as the next phase of the Downtown Beautification Project starts!
Construction crews worked over the weekend to completely tear-up the south side of Broadway, as they prepare to replace both the pavement and sidewalks for the remaining three blocks of Broadway.
Landscaping materials are being ordered for the east portion of the project and should begin installation in late February with a completion date of June 1, 2007. |
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-- 3/07/2007 --
Phase 2 of the Downtown Streetscape (on Broadway from Dalmont to McKinley).
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The picture to the right shows new sidewalks and lights just installed on the south side of the street.
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| In the picture to the right, the new bulb-outs on the east side of Broadway in front of the new City Hall take shape. The City will be totally renovating the parking lots shown in the left of this picture, so that the level of landscape intensity is continued. |
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| Work progresses along the Lovington Highway Trail, from Jack Gomez south to the existing Healthwalk. Lights are being installed and the concrete curb has been poured that will form the west side of the asphalt trail surface. The landscape company should begin installing the irrigation system within two weeks. |
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| Trees for this area of the trail project started arriving March 1 and will be ‘warehoused’ on a drip irrigation system until needed. This should allow the trees to become acclimated prior to planting. |
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-- 4/05/2007 --
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The landscape contractor has had two, 12-man crews working downtown. The bulb-outs were not excavated during construction, so that is the first order of business for the landscaper. For the trees, the excavated area will be 5 foot deep.
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A substantial amount of curbing that will define the trail surface has been completed.
As shown below, there are a number of places where the trail splits, providing areas where more intense landscaping can take place.
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-- 6/04/2007 --
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In spite of the rain, work has moved to the north side of Broadway. Tentative date for the street to open to two-way traffic and to have sidewalks in place is the first week in August.
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Construction has not deterred prospective new businesses from opening downtown. A new coffee shop, called Just Friends, is now operating at the corner of Broadway and Turner. [Note the outdoor seating.]
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Heavy rains have slowed the progress of the trail component on the Lovington Highway beautification project. As the photo to the left shows, a substantial part of the trail project deals with the electrical requirements to operate the irrigation system and lights for almost 2 miles of trail.
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-- 6/26/2007 --
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Good weather has helped construction crews catch-up on the work to be done on the trail component of the Lovington Highway Streetscape Project. Forms are put in place for the curb that will be on either side of the asphalt trail path. Approximately 1 1/4 miles of curb has been poured, with another mile to go.
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-- 6/26/2007 --
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The picture above shows the remaining trail area to receive curb. Note that much of the electrical work is already in place.
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-- 7/3/2007 --
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Shrubbery and bedding plants have been added to the bulb-outs at Turner and Broadway. Benches and trashcans are wrapped in plastic to protect them during installation.
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-- 7/3/2007 --
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The asphalt trail along the Lovington Highway is being laid. The irrigation system has been installed on both sides of the trail area shown in these pictures. The next phase will be to build-up the berms on each side of the trail in advance of plantings.
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-- 8/30/2007 --
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The plantings in the downtown area continue, with the bulb-outs along Broadway in front of the new City Hall. The brick work in the bulb-out areas is lagging behind schedule, but is anticipated to be complete in all areas, except the Shipp Street venue area, by November 1, 2007.
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-- 8/30/2007 --
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The area of the Lovington Trail under construction begins to take shape, as seen in this photo, looking north from the new trail as it connects to the existing Healthwalk.
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-- 8/30/2007 --
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Planting of the various trees is taking place on the Lovington Highway Trail. The soil is being prepared for grass seeding that should start around mid–September. This picture gives a feeling for the intensity of plantings that make up a back-drop along the railroad.
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-- 8/30/2007 --
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This picture shows a grouping of trees that is in an area where the trail splits and goes on either side of the trees.
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HOBBS MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS SECONDARY CURRICULUM INITIATIVE
The Hobbs Municipal School District (HMS) made a funding request for $5,299,523 to the Foundation in 1998 to implement an ambitious secondary curriculum-based initiative based upon the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program. The proposal envisioned the creation of a secondary curriculum with Pre-AP and AP courses in all four major disciplines (math, science, language arts, social studies) beginning in grade seven through the twelfth grade. HMS contemplated an overwhelming majority of secondary students participating in the program.
HMS’ plan involved considerable teacher training within the context of specific course content and at the level of AP instruction, the establishment of vertical teams (involving teachers within given disciplines in grades 7 through 12) to align the curriculum with AP standards, incremental pay for participating teachers, and financial rewards for teachers and students for successful AP testing outcomes.
Update:
At the secondary level (grades 7-12), Pre-AP courses are available to junior high students and Pre-AP and AP courses are available to high school students. The Foundation has provided funding for both the Pre-AP and AP programs within HMS. The Pre-AP and AP courses are designed to offer students the opportunity for achieving an enhanced level of knowledge in various subject areas. HMS combines these programs with a unique financial incentive package for teachers and students.
Currently, approximately 56% of all HMS students in grades 7 through 12 are enrolled in either Pre-AP or AP classes. In the school year preceding implementation of the Pre-AP and AP incentives program offerings (1999-2000), Pre-AP courses were not available, and only 10% of high school students enrolled in AP courses. Research shows that students who take AP courses and AP exams graduate from college at much higher rates than non-AP students. Data from a study performed in Texas schools by the National Center for Educational Accountability indicates that all students who took an AP exam in high school increased their chances of graduating from college within 5 years of high school graduation significantly, regardless of their score on the AP exam. The college graduation success rate for low-income students who had taken an AP exam in high school was up to 3 times greater than low-income students who had not taken an AP exam in high school. The same study found similar trends for minority students. HMS strives for high participation in AP courses while maintaining a high-quality program.
After completing AP courses, students take exams administered by the College Board and may be eligible to earn college credit for acceptable exam results. AP exam scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score possible. A student who scores a 3 or higher is considered by the College Board to have obtained a college level of competency in the subject area; however, a student who scores a 2 on an AP exam is considered to have mastered the course content at a level above high school comprehension. The number of students who scored a 2 or above on AP exams has increased significantly since the program was implemented.
For more information about the HMS AP program, please visit the HMS website at the following link: http://www.hobbsschools.net/APCore.htm
HOBBS MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM INITIATIVE
The Hobbs Municipal School District (HMS) requested a grant from the Foundation for $247,690 to explore elementary curriculum initiatives in 1999. HMS was interested in pursuing meaningful education reform at the elementary level, which would prepare students for rigorous Advanced Placement secondary courses. HMS selected a research-based curriculum, which had achieved significant outcomes in many elementary schools across the nation. HMS selected the Core Knowledge curriculum, which is a coherent, sequential, and content-rich curriculum.
Subsequent to defining its interest in Core Knowledge, HMS requested a grant for $1,487,388 to help fund multi-year implementation of the curriculum in all 12 of its elementary schools. This grant was awarded in 2001.
Update:
In the elementary grades, the Core Knowledge curriculum has been fully implemented throughout all 12 elementary schools, providing a uniform sequence of curriculum at each grade level that is consistent from one grade to the next. HMS began implementing the Core Knowledge curriculum in grades Kindergarten through sixth in 2000, and fully implemented the curriculum by 2003.
Since the Core Knowledge curriculum has been implemented, HMS has seen various successes. They have had 9 of 12 elementary schools designated by the National Core Knowledge Foundation as Official Core Knowledge Schools. The Core Knowledge Foundation has also designated 6 of the 9 Official schools as Official Core Knowledge School Visitation Sites.
Three of the HMS schools designated as Official Core Knowledge Schools, Edison, Southern Heights, and Taylor Elementary, have also been designated as Schools on the Rise by the State of New Mexico. Schools who receive this designation have met Adequate Yearly Progress standards for two years in a row after once being designated by the state as schools that need improvement.
The following HMS schools have received the designation as Official Core Knowledge Schools:
Broadmoor Elementary School +
College Lane Elementary School +
Coronado Elementary School
Edison Elementary School *
Mills Elementary School +
Sanger Elementary School +
Southern Heights Elementary School *
Stone Elementary School +
Taylor Elementary School +*
+ Official Core Knowledge Visitation School
* New Mexico “School on the Rise”
For more information about the Core Knowledge program at HMS, please visit the HMS website at the following link: http://www.hobbsschools.net/APCore.htm
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