SMITHVILLE I.S.D.
BOARD BRIEFS
The Smithville I.S.D. Board of Trustees met in regular session
on
1.
Recognition of Band and Cross X
2. Employees of the Month for January and February – The Board saluted the employees of the month for January, Laura Fox and Jane Navarro. Ms. Fox is a teacher at the elementary, and Ms. Navarro is an aide, also at the elementary. The Board also recognized the employees of the month for February. They are Diana Virdell, high school counselor, and Pam Gregory, an aide at the high school. Ms. Navarro, Ms. Virdell and Ms. Gregory were present at the meeting to receive recognition from the Board.
3. Outstanding Students for the Fourth Six-Weeks – The Board recognized those students chosen from the junior high and high school as outstanding students. Lisa Tirion, eighth grader at the junior high and daughter of Pieter and Raleigh Tirion, was recognized by the Board, as was freshman Kasey Kellar, daughter of Alan and Kim Hemphill, and senior Sean Sedwick, son of Sharon Sedwick, representatives from the high school.
4. Communications from the Public – The Board heard from Cindy Cogdell and Charlotte Collins, both expressing support for public use of school facilities. They also heard from Therese Goggins regarding special education issues for autistic children, and from Dwight Stockton regarding tax concerns.
Consent Agenda – Kamron Saunders moved to approve the Consent Agenda, items 5 through 10, as presented. Peggy Walicek seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. The Consent Agenda consisted of the following:
5.
Minutes of the
6. Disbursements for the month of February 2004
7. Financial Statements for February 2004
8. Investment Report
9. Tax Collection Report
10. Budget Amendment
11. Superintendent’s Report – The Superintendent advised the Board of upcoming training opportunities and provided them with information regarding the upcoming Board of Trustees election.
12. Grade 3 TAKS Testing Results for Spring 2004 – Cheryl Burns, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, reported on the positive results from the spring administration of the TAKS reading test for third grade students.
13. Tentative April Agenda Items – The tentative agenda items for the regular meeting in April are:
a. Employees of the Month for March
b. Superintendent’s Report
c. Student Transfer Requests
d. Resignations of Certified Personnel
e. Employment of Certified Personnel
f. Recognition of DECA State and International Qualifiers
g. Review Board Policy CDA [Local] regarding investment of district funds
h. Demographic map of student population
i. Facility Use Revisions in GKD [Local]
14. Review Board Policy FM [Local] relating to extra-curricular absences – In order to simplify policy regarding absences by students due to extra-curricular participation, the Superintendent is recommending a revision of policy FM [Local]. Peggy Walicek motioned to change the wording of FM[Local] to read:
INA SCHOOL YEAR The District shall make no distinction between absences for UIL activities and absences for other extracurricular activities approved by the Board. A student shall be allowed a maximum of 22 absences in a year for extracurricular activities.
ACTIVITIY LIMITS No school activity shall be scheduled for a Sunday, except
ON WEDNESDAY certain appearances for school-sponsored organizations at
AND SUNDAY local churches, or in emergencies. Practice on Sundays for UIL, band and athletics is strictly prohibited. School activities shall not be scheduled on Wednesday nights. Special permission for Wednesday participation may be granted as deemed appropriate by administration.
With a second from Howard Burns, the motion carried 7-0.
15. Adoption of Textbook Committee Selections – Board policies EFAA [Legal] and EFAA [Local] address the selection and adoption of textbooks for the district. The district is required to submit a report of textbook adoption by the Board to TEA no later than April 1, 2004. The following individuals were appointed by the Board to the District textbook selection committee:
Cheryl Burns, Director of Curriculum and Instruction (Chairman)
Kevin Shipley, High School Principal
Jimmy Trousdale, Junior high Principal
Larry Partridge, ESL Teacher 3rd grade-12th grade
Sarah Cowen, High School Biology Teacher
Penny Raney, High School AP Biology Teacher
Matilda James, High School Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher
Olivia Brown, High School Technology Application Teacher
Stewart Burns, High School Marketing Education Teacher
Royce Gregory, High School Building Trades Teacher
Chad Saunders, Agricultural Science and Technology Teacher
Debra Thorne-Francis, Junior High Career Orientation Teacher
Jill Fowler, Junior High Technology Teacher
Mike Wittrock motioned to approve the recommendations as presented by the textbook committee. Mike Morgan seconded, and the vote passed 7-0.
16. Facility Use Policy GKD [Local] – In light of some requests for gym and old baseball field usage, whether a school employee must be present and/or paid during the usage, and in order to adhere to Board Policy GKD [Local] in a consistent manner, it has become necessary to discuss and review the language found in that policy. After much discussion by the Board, permission was given to the Superintendent to gather more information and possibly revise the current fee schedule. Craig Williams moved to table Agenda Item 16 until a future board meeting. Mike Morgan seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
17. Consider adoption of the 2004-2005 school calendar – Local school districts may establish any school calendar they choose that meets a few minimum requirements established by the Texas Education Agency. After input from the District and campus site based committees, as well as administrative, central office and campus staff, and an overwhelming vote for Draft 2, the Superintendent recommended a calendar for the upcoming school year. Mike Morgan moved to approve Draft 2 of the school calendar as presented. After a second by Mike Wittrock, the vote passed 7-0.
The Board took a short break, then moved ahead to agenda item 22.
22. Parent Appeal to the Board for Student Transfer Exception to Board Policy FDA [Local] – The Board heard from parents of a sophomore student requesting continued enrollment in Smithville ISD through the 2005-2006 school year, even though the family no longer resides in the District. According to FDA [Local], the District does not permit transfers into the District, except as deemed appropriate on a case-by-case basis. After careful consideration of the situation by the Board, Mike Wittrock motioned to not accept the transfer request. Kamron Saunders seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
The Board then returned to agenda item 18.
18. Review and approval of staffing patterns for 2004-2005 – The Superintendent furnished the Board with a projected staffing pattern for the 2004-2005 school year. This document includes current staffing of personnel, as well as proposed reduction in staff. Mike Morgan moved to approve the staffing pattern as presented. Peggy Walicek seconded, and the motion carried 7-0.
19. Conduct Election for Region 13 Board of Directors, Places 3 and 6 – Service center board members are elected by school board members from the schools that are within the region served by the particular service center. At this time, the board cast their ballots for the Region XIII Education Service Center Board Election.
20. Set Board Meeting Date for special meeting to canvass board election results – The election for board trustees is Saturday, May 15, 2004. Election law requires us to canvass the results not earlier than the eighth day following the election and not later than the eleventh day. Howard Burns made a motion to call for a special board meeting on Monday, May 24th at 7:45 a.m. Peggy Walicek seconded the motion and it passed 7-0.
21. Consider soliciting bids for custodial services – The Superintendent requested permission from the Board to solicit bids for custodial services for 2004-2005 that could possibly be friendlier to the budget of the district. Craig Williams moved to allow the administrative staff to solicit bids for custodial services for 2004-2005. With a second by Mike Wittrock, the Board passed the item with a 7-0 vote.
23. Clarification of Board Policy CNA [Local] concerning Transportation Management and Student Transportation – Currently, the state of Texas allows the local school district to determine the roads traveled by the district’s transportation fleet in regard to county approved state highways, and private roads on ranches and subdivisions. Mr. Sage felt as though current policy needed to be clarified in order to circumvent any requests for transportation services by persons living on a non-approved road. Kamron Saunders moved to amend the eligibility portion of CAN [Local] as recommended. Peggy Walicek seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. The eligibility portion of CAN [Local] will now read as follows:
Eligibility The District shall provide transportation to any student living two
miles or more from the front door of the school they attend. Any student living within the two-mile limit may be transported if they live in a designated hazardous area. The students must live on a state or county approved road in order to receive services. Sub-division roads that are state or county approved must be at least .4 of a mile in length in order for the district to provide service. Exceptions to these guidelines will be determined by an Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee as indicated by the student’s Individual Education Plan.
24a. Resignations of Certified Personnel – Mr. Sage advised the Board of the following
resignations:
Karen Turner – special education teacher at the junior high
Sandra Alexander – math teacher at the high school
24b. 1,2 Consider contract Renewal/Non-Renewal of Certified Staff – The
administrators of the district have submitted their recommendations for contract renewal/non-renewal of existing certified staff members to the Superintendent. In order to stay in compliance with Board Policy DBE [Legal], the motion to approve or not approve the recommendation has been separated into two categories. One category for certified staff not closely related to a board member by affinity or consanguinity, and the other category for those that are closely related by either affinity or consanguinity. Peggy Walicek motioned to approve the recommendations for staff members not affected by Board Policy DBE [Legal]. Kamron Saunders seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. Craig Williams then motioned to approve the contract recommendations for staff who are affected by DBE [Legal]. Kamron Saunders seconded, and the motion carried 6-0 with Howard Burns abstaining.
25. Adjournment – The Board adjourned its meeting at 10:40 p.m.