SMITHVILLE I.S.D.

BOARD BRIEFS

FEBRUARY 19, 2007

 

The Smithville I.S.D. Board of Trustees met in regular session on Monday, February 19, 2007 beginning at 6:00 P.M.  Items discussed or acted on by members included the following:

 

1.      Recognition of students named to Academic All-State in various sports, students named t  to All-State Band, and other state honors – No students were present to receive the Board’s recognition.

 

2.      Outstanding Students for the Third Six-Weeks – The Board recognized the outstanding

students chosen from the junior high and high school campuses for the third six-weeks.  Hunter Haney was the junior high selection, and Christina Blalock and Ross Matocha were the high school selections.  Ross Matocha was present at the meeting to receive recognition.

 

3.      Employees of the Month for December and January – Four employees were recognized as Employees of the Month at this meeting.  Employees of the Month for December are Kim Hemphill, librarian at the high school, and Tina Seidel, paraprofessional at the elementary. Employees of the Month for January are Stewart Burns, teacher at the high school, and Lucy Malina, principal’s secretary at the junior high.  All were present at the meeting to be recognized by the Board.

 

4.      Communications from the Public – There were no public communications.

 

Consent Agenda – Kamron Saunders moved to approve items 5 through 10 on the Consent Agenda as presented.  Mike Morgan seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.  The Consent Agenda included:

 

5.      Minutes of the January 16, 2007 regular board meeting

6.      Disbursements for the month of January 2007

7.      Financial Statements for January 2007

8.      Investment Report

9.      Tax Collection Report

10.  Budget Amendments

 

11.  Superintendent’s Report – The Superintendent had no news to report to the Board.

 

12.  District and Campus Plan Status Report – A format has been designed for a mid-year status report, which allows the Board to monitor the implementation of the District and Campus Improvement Plans.  Ms. Burns reported to the Board on the status of those plans. 

 

13.  District Benchmark Testing – Cheryl Burns, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, provided the Board with an update on benchmark testing in the District.

 

14.  Report on Board Member Continuing Education Hours –  Board Policy BBD [Legal]

      requires the Board President to announce the name of each Board member who has

      completed the required continuing education, who has exceeded the required hour of

      continuing education and who is deficient in the required continuing education.  The

      following board members have exceeded the required continuing education hours:  Mike

      Morgan, Michael Goertz and Craig Williams.  The following board members have not

      completed the required continuing education hours: Kamron Saunders, Mike

      Wittrock and Howard Burns.

 

15.  Tentative March Agenda Items – Tentative items to be included on the March agenda are:

a.       Employees of the Month

b.      Superintendent’s Report

c.       Teacher contract reviews/extensions

d.      Approve textbook selection

e.       Outstanding students for the fourth six-weeks

f.        Student recognitions

g.       Class-rank weighting system

h.       Bid results for demolition of unused metal structure

 

The Board entered closed session at 6:45 p.m. and returned at 7:21 p.m. with no official action taken.

 

16.  Consider Parent Appeal to Shorten the Length of a DAEP Assignment – In closed session, the Board deliberated an appeal made by a parent to shorten the stay of her son in the DAEP as a result of a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.  Mike Morgan moved to deny the parent appeal and uphold the consequences according to the Student Code of Conduct.  Kamron Saunders seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.

 

17.  Consider revisions to the high school course catalog for the 2007-2008 school year – Cheryl Burns, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, is recommending the addition of four innovative courses to the high school course catalog.  This would change the current three work base programs to one, and provide the opportunity to develop career pathways for Agriculture, Education and Teaching, and Human Services.  Kamron Saunders motioned to begin implementation in 2007-2008 with the recommended course work and continue to redefine pathways for future analysis.  Mike Morgan seconded the motion, and the vote passed 5-0.

 

18.  Approval of State Program Compliance Report – The 78th Legislature assigned responsibility for monitoring state programs, including Bilingual Education/English as a Second Language, Career and Technology Education, Dyslexia, Gifted/Talented Education, Optional Extended Year Program, Pre-kindergarten Notification, and State Compensatory Education, to local Boards of Trustees.  Cheryl Burns, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, presented the Board with a state monitoring guide demonstrating Smithville I.S.D.’s compliance with all state programs.  Howard Burns made a motion to approve the report as presented.  Kamron Saunders seconded, and the vote passed 5-0.

 

19.  Review and approval of staffing patterns for 2007-2008 – In order to address staffing

      needs for the upcoming school year, the Superintendent, along with other administrative

staff, has drafted a projection for staffing requirements that will best meet the educational needs of students for 2007-2008.  A motion was made by Kamron Saunders to approve the 2007-2008 staffing pattern as presented.  Michael Goertz seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.

 

20. Order of Election for School Board Members, Places 1, 5, 6, and 7 – School Board members

serve three-year staggered terms of office.  Each year the Board must call an election to elect places whose three-year term is expiring.  The next regular election of the Smithville ISD Board of Trustees will be held on May 12, 2007, with Places 1, an unexpired term, 5, 6, and 7 up for election. Howard Burns moved to call for election of Places 1, 5, 6, and 7, to hold the election for precincts within the city limits jointly with the City of Smithville, and to approve the list of Judges, Alternates, Early Voting Ballot Board, Early Voting Clerk, and polling locations as provided by the Bastrop County Elections Administrator.  Kamron Saunders seconded the motion, and it passed 5-0.

 

21.  Consider adoption of 2007-2008 school calendar – The district site-based committee, along with administrative staff, prepared a draft calendar for the 2007-2008 school year that complies with standard state requirements, including the new mandatory school start date.  This draft calendar is included in the board packet for Board approval. Mike Morgan moved to approve the draft calendar as presented.  Howard Burns seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.

 

22.  Consider the implementation of a mentoring program called “Helping Hands” – The administrative staff of SISD are continually exploring opportunities to involve community members on the campuses.  The Helping Hands mentoring program will allow community members to become involved in the mentoring of some of our neediest children in the school district who not have role models in their lives.  Kamron Saunders moved to approve the implementation of the Helping Hands program in the district.  Craig Williams seconded, and the motion passed 5-0.

 

Closed Session – The Board entered closed session at 8:55 p.m. and returned at 9:56 p.m. with no official action taken.

 

23a.Review performance evaluations of administrative personnel – This was done in closed         session.  No action was required.

 

23b.Consideration of administrative contract extensions – Howard Burns moved to approve

administrative contract extensions as recommended by the Superintendent.  With a second from Kamron Saunders, the motion carried 5-0.

 

23c.Resignations of Certified Personnel – The Superintendent informed the Board that he had

received resignations from Mike Stubbs, teacher at the high school, Jim Manning, high school principal, and Joey McQueen, athletic director.  Mike Morgan moved to approve resignations from Jim Manning and Joey McQueen, and not to approve the resignation of Mike Stubbs.  Kamron Saunders seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.

 

23d.Employment of Certified Personnel including Athletic Director – Howard Burns moved

to employ Sheryl Kosler as a teacher at the high school for the 2007-2008 school year, and Justin Wiley as athletic director beginning February 20, 2007 through June 30, 2009.  Kamron Saunders seconded the motion, and it carried 5-0.

 

24. Adjournment – The Board adjourned its meeting at 10:02 p.m.