[00:00:04]
BRENDA, ARE YOU READY? THE TIME IS 5:30.[A. CALL TO ORDER]
A QUORUM IS PRESENT. DR.STINSON, WILL YOU CONFIRM THAT THIS MEETING WAS DULY CALLED IN? A NOTICE OF THE MEETING WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
YES, MR. DAVIS, WE DID POST AND ADVERTISE THIS MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW.
[C. CLOSED SESSION]
WE WILL NOW CONVENE INTO CLOSED SESSION AS AUTHORIZED BY TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.SPECIFICALLY 0.074 PERSONNEL 0.072 REAL PROPERTY, 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY, AND 0.076. THE TIME IS STILL 5:30.
[D. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION]
THE TIME IS 7:01.SORRY, I WAS TARDY FOR A MINUTE THERE.
WE'LL NOW RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION.
[E. INTRODUCTION OF MEETING]
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT DAVIS.STINSON. IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TWO OF OUR FIFTH GRADE MULLENDORE SCHOLARS.
JOINING ME TONIGHT ARE IAN QUINTANILLA AND HIS PARENTS, PAUL AND AMANDA QUINTANILLA, SOPHIA LOPINTO AND HER PARENTS, MIKE AND DOREEN LOPINTO AND HER SISTER, MEGAN.
THEY'RE GOING TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGES AND STUDENT EXPRESSION.
. GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND GUESTS.
I REMEMBER HOW WELCOMING AND KIND THEY WERE WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE.
THEY'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE IN HELPING ME ACHIEVE MY ACADEMIC GOALS AND GROWING AS A PERSON.
THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] . MOM AND DAD WILL GIVE YOU A SECOND TO GET SOME PICTURES.
ALSO, AFTER PHIL GETS THROUGH, WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR THAT.
[INAUDIBLE] . THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS, MR.
[F. AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS]
THOMAS. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. I'D LIKE TO CALL ON PHIL BECKMAN, OUR PARTNERS IN EDUCATION MANAGER, TO DO OUR RECOGNITION THIS EVENING.WITH US IS PASTOR DEAN LIBBY AND MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.
THE CHURCH WORKS WITH SCHOOL STAFF TO PROVIDE WEEKEND SNACK BAGS FOR 80 STUDENTS EACH WEEK.
THROUGH THEIR GENEROSITY AND COMMITMENT, THEY HAVE MADE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE NUTRITION AND SUSTENANCE THEY NEED TO THRIVE. ALONG WITH THE SNACK BAGS, THE CHURCH PROVIDES BIRTHDAY BAGS WHICH INCLUDE CAKE MIX AND FROSTING, AS WELL AS GIFTS FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR SIBLINGS WHO OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE A PARTY.
[00:05:06]
HIGH SCHOOL.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT FOR THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING.
[H. PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD]
FIRST ONE IS H1 2023-24 STUDENT ATTENDANCE UPDATE.WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON OUR STUDENT ATTENDANCE, AND THEN DR.
SHOWELL WILL FOLLOW UP WITH SOME OF OUR NEW PROGRAMS. SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.
I LIKE TO ALWAYS PULL A FEW YEARS BACK BEHIND COVID.
WE HAD BEEN AROUND 95.38 TO 95.71 HAD BEEN OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE OVER THE YEARS.
SO IT IS SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU'RE A DISTRICT OF OUR SIZE.
SO IN 19-20, OF COURSE, COVID OCCURRED IN 2021.
WE HAD OUR ONLINE STUDENTS AND THEN 21-22, WE STILL HAD A LOT OF STUDENTS OUT WITH COVID.
22-23 IF YOU'LL NOTICE, THE FIRST SIX WEEKS WITH MY PROJECTIONS I HAD LAID OUT, WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL THAT YEAR.
AND FORTUNATELY WE HAD ANOTHER SPELL OF COVID THAT FALL.
WE WERE ABOUT A PERCENT, A LITTLE OVER A PERCENT BELOW IN THAT FIRST SIX WEEKS.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE STARTED CLOSING THE GAP ON MY PROJECTIONS.
SO WE REALLY DID WELL IN THE DISTRICT AS THEY CONTINUED THOSE INCENTIVES.
SO THIS YEAR, THE BOARD ALLOWED US TO START THE YEAR OFF WITH THOSE ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES.
AND SO THE FIRST SIX WEEKS, REMEMBER WE DO FUNDING BASED ON SIX WEEKS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE ANYONE, BUT THE GRADES ARE BY NINE WEEKS.
SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT SIX WEEKS PERIODS.
SO THAT'S THE TOTAL I APOLOGIZE I FORGOT THAT WAS COMING UP FOR LAST YEAR.
SO WE WERE INCREASING OVER WHERE WE WERE AT 21, 22.
AND THEN THIS YEAR WE'VE DONE REALLY WELL.
SO WE'RE 0.7% ABOVE WHERE WE WERE THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
SO WE SEE THOSE ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES REALLY WORKING.
THEY ACTUALLY GO OUT AND ASK THE STUDENTS, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE MOTIVATING FOR YOU TO WANT TO WIN? THEY TRY TO DO A LOT OF SHORT TERM PRIZES, A LOT OF MIDTERM AND LONG TERM.
SO JUST TO KEEP THE KIDS ENGAGED, YOU DON'T WANT A CHILD ALREADY BEING OUT OF THE GAME, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO GET BACK INTO THE COMPETITIONS.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO REWARD THOSE THAT HAVE THE LONGER LEVEL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THEY HAVE PRIZES THAT THEY'VE PURCHASED FOR DAILY, WEEKLY, NINE WEEK PERIODS.
THEY'VE ASKED THE STUDENTS WHAT THEY WOULD WANT TO WIN.
THEY HAVE PARTIES, SOME OF THE CAMPUSES.
IT WAS CUTE. THEY'LL HAVE LIKE A CIRCLE.
THEY HAVE ICE CREAM PARTIES, POPSICLES, SUNDAE PARTIES AND OTHER DESSERTS, SNACK CARTS.
SO SOME OF THE CAMPUSES THE CLASSES WILL WIN, LIKE POINTS.
[00:10:05]
THE NEXT ONE THE KIDS REALLY LIKE ADDITIONAL RECESS OR ART TIME.THOSE DON'T COST US ANYTHING, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THE KIDS REALLY ENJOY.
THERE'S A WEEKLY WELCOME WALK THAT SEVERAL OF THE ELEMENTARIES DO, SO WHEN STUDENTS ARE DOING WELL WITH ATTENDANCE, THEY GET TO COME OUT WITH POM-POMS AND SIGNS AND STAND OUT IN FRONT WITH MUSIC AND WELCOME THE STUDENTS TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING.
THEY CAN ALSO PICK GAME DAYS, HAT DAYS, DRESS UP DAYS.
ATTENDANCE BOARD I BELIEVE THAT WAS SPICER, SO THEY HAVE A FOOTBALL FIELD ON A WALL AND EVERY DAY THEY SAY, HERE'S WHAT OUR ABSENCES WERE LAST WEEK. HERE'S WHAT THEY ARE TODAY.
AND THEN CLASSES CAN WIN TEN POINTS AT A TIME IF THEY WIN FOR THAT PARTICULAR WEEK, AND WHEN THEY GET A TOUCHDOWN, THEN THEY GET TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF AN ADDITIONAL PARTY OR SOMETHING.
AND THEN SOME OF THEM ACTUALLY ARE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE DOING WELL.
SOME OF THESE THINGS WOULDN'T WORK AT THE SECONDARY.
THEY HAVE PIZZA PARTIES, APPARENTLY THAT'S A PRETTY POPULAR THING TO HAVE IS PIZZA.
NOW THIS NEXT ONE I THOUGHT WAS REALLY CLEVER.
SO THEY'LL GIVE THEM PASSES TO GET SNACKS AT LUNCH.
BUT THEY ALSO THIS WAS HALTOM.
AND I THOUGHT, MAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE MOTIVATING.
IT GOES FAST, THAT I WOULD WANT TO BE IN THE FRONT OF THE LINE.
THEY GIVE OUT PROM TICKETS FOR WINNERS FOR THE SENIORS.
I THINK IT'S SHANNON HIGH THAT'S DOING A TRICK OR TREATING EVENT.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF OF WEEKLY LITTLE SMALL PARTIES FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE DOING WELL AND THEN SOME GIVE AWAY HAVE GIVEN AWAY NRH2O TICKETS AND SEASON PASSES.
SO THEY'VE ALL DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB THIS YEAR.
IN FACT, I WANTED TO CONVEY TO YOU THAT ALMOST EVERY EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM PRINCIPALS WANTED ME TO THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN THEM, BECAUSE IT REALLY HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE IF STUDENTS ARE IN SCHOOL, THEY'RE LEARNING AND THAT'S THE BIG THING YOU KNOW.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE SIDE FOR MY SIDE OF THE AISLE.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT ATTENDANCE? WHY AM I? I'M ON YOUR SIDE.
AND SO THE STATE BUDGETS A CERTAIN AMOUNT WHAT THEY THINK DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO GENERATE.
WE ONLY GENERATE REVENUE AS A DISTRICT IF STUDENTS ARE IN SCHOOL.
AND SO ON AVERAGE, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT LAST YEAR, WE WERE LOSING ABOUT $51,000 A DAY WITH ABSENCES, WHICH IS ALMOST THE FUNDING OF A TEACHER PER DAY FULL YEAR SALARY.
SOMEONE ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY, THEY SAID, WELL, IF OUR ATTENDANCE IS LOWER THAN NORMAL ON A DAY, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY? IT STAYS IN THE STATE BUDGET SO IT IS NOT DISTRIBUTED ANYWHERE ELSE.
THE STATE JUST DOESN'T SPEND IT.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'M GOING TO PASS THE HAT OVER TO.
DID I HEAR RIGHT THAT IF THIS VOUCHER PLAN PASSES THE GOVERNORS AND SIGNS OFF OF IT, THAT $8,000 THAT WILL GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY STUDENTS ATTENDANCE? THAT IS CORRECT. BASED ON THE CURRENT SENATE BILL ONE, THERE'S NO ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT.
SO SCHOOL DISTRICTS RECEIVE $6,160 PER DAY PER STUDENT AS THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
AND THE BILL IN THE CURRENTLY IN THE SENATE IS FOR $8,000 WITHOUT AN ATTENDANCE.
SO IF A STUDENT, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE IT'S LIKE AN APPLE.
IF A STUDENT ATTENDS SCHOOL A 100 DAY, 100% OF THE DAYS IN THE YEAR WE GET $6,160.
BUT THE VOUCHERS ARE TOTALLY BASED ON JUST A FLAT AMOUNT PER STUDENT.
KIND OF LIKE APPLES AND ORANGES.
THAT'S RIGHT, AND WHEN OUR TAX DOLLARS GO UP, OUR STATE FUNDING GOES DOWN.
SO WE NEVER GET MORE THAN THE $6,160.
UNLESS YOU'RE A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT RECEIVES THE VOUCHER AND THEN YOU WOULD GET THE WHOLE AMOUNT.
YES, MA'AM. YOU WOULD GET THE WHOLE AMOUNT, REGARDLESS OF ATTENDANCE.
SHOWELL. KATIE. THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMEWHAT INEQUITABLE.
YES, MA'AM, I WOULD DEFINITELY CONCUR.
[00:15:01]
STINSON. BOARD MEMBERS.WHEN WE THINK ABOUT STUDENT ATTENDANCE, WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT AS A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE TO YOU TONIGHT IS PAYTON NIX, WHO BRINGS TOGETHER OUR TRIBUNALS.
SO AFTER JUDGE PEYTON EXPLAINS ABOUT OUR TRIBUNALS, THEN MR. BICKNELL WILL FOLLOW UP WITH SOME DATA TO SHOW HOW WELL THOSE HAVE BEEN WORKING.
AND SO THINK OF THIS AS A JOINT PROJECT, IF YOU WILL.
WE HAVE AMAZING SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, BUT NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER SET OF SOLUTIONS TO HELP ALL OF OUR STUDENTS BECOME SUCCESSFUL. AND JUST AS A PRECURSOR, WE BEGAN THIS PROGRAM SEPTEMBER THE 18TH.
STINSON. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
BOARD, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US OUT.
IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING BECAUSE I GET TO SHARE WITH YOU THE BABY AND THE CHILD THAT I HAVE BUILT OVER A 28 NOW 34 YEAR CAREER CALLED THE TRUANCY PREVENTION MEASURE TRIBUNAL.
FOR MY 28 YEARS THAT I WAS ELECTED AS A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, WE SAW OVER OR OVER 98,000 KIDS DURING THAT TIME FRAME, WITH A 98.2% SUCCESS RATE OF GETTING KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL.
AND SO WHEN DR. CHARLES NIX, WHO IS MY BUSINESS PARTNER, CAME TO ME, WE HAD WORKED TOGETHER WHILE HE WAS AT ALLEN ISD, SAID, WE NEED TO TAKE THIS AND NOW GO OUT INTO SCHOOLS AND HELP GET KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL.
BUT GETTING TO DO WHAT I LOVE WAS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY, AND WE STARTED THIS IN 2019, AND WE'VE HAD JUST AN AMAZING TIME BEING ABLE TO COME IN AND HELP FAMILIES STAFF GET BACK ON TRACK AND KIND OF TRY TO ELIMINATE THAT AT RISK LABEL.
AND SO THIS EVENING WE HAVE BROUGHT WITH US A SMALL PRESENTATION.
I ALWAYS SAY THAT WE ARE A THIN LAYER BETWEEN THE COURTHOUSE AND THE SCHOOLHOUSE IS WHAT WE ARE.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS THAT YOU CAN POSE OR MAY WANT TO ASK, IS THE TRUANCY PROCESS EASY? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A SLIDE HERE IN A MINUTE THAT SAYS THAT IT'S 56 STEPS OF NOT EASY.
AND SO TO TRY TO GET AN INTERVENTION WITH A STUDENT YOU HAVE A BLOCKADE.
THE DA'S OFFICE OF THE COUNTY OR COUNTY ATTORNEY MUST FIRST APPROVE YOUR PETITION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT TO FOLLOW THE 56 STEPS TO EVEN GET THERE TO BEGIN WITH.
AND NORMALLY YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A STUDENT THAT'S GOT 30, 35 UNEXCUSED ABSENCES TO SCHOOL, AND YOU'VE ALREADY LOST CREDIT AS A RESULT OF ONE NOT BEING IN SCHOOL AT LEAST 90% OF THE TIME, AND THEN POTENTIALLY LOSING IT BECAUSE OF NOT BEING IN SCHOOL AT LEAST 75% OF THE TIME.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS A LAW ON YOUR SIDE? CAN YOU SET UP SOMETHING LIKE A TRIBUNAL AS A RESULT OF 2014-15, WHICH I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE DOWN IN AUSTIN WHEN ALL OF THAT WAS GOING ON, WHEN THEY GOT RID OF FAILURE TO ATTEND SCHOOL AND REALLY BEEFED UP TRUANCY PREVENTION MEASURES UNDER THE EDUCATION CODE, LEARNED THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN DO THE SAME THING IN SCHOOLS AS A RESTORATIVE PRACTICE AND USE DIFFERENT METHODS TO PREVENT TRUANCY, RATHER THAN HAVING TO RUN PARENTS AND STUDENTS INTO THE COURTHOUSE.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR STUDENT GO STAND BEFORE THE JUDGE.
WE DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU CHARGED WITH CLASS C MISDEMEANOR CHARGES AND PAY LARGE AMOUNTS OF FINES.
WE'D RATHER SEE YOU BACK IN SCHOOL, HAVE TEST SCORES GO UP, GRADES GO UP.
AS IT'S LAID OUT IN THE STATUTE, DOES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE THE SAME AUTHORITY AS THE COURTS? NOW THIS IS THE FUN ONE.
[00:20:03]
AT ALL THAT PARENTS OR STUDENTS MIGHT PAY ATTENTION TO.SO THEY GAVE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THE SAME EXACT POWER AS THE COURTS.
BUT THEY ALLOWED SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HAVE THAT KIND OF POWER.
LET'S FIX THIS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL THEN.
HOW DOES THIS WORK? THE NUTS AND BOLTS BEFORE WE GET THERE.
THAT IS ROUGHLY 56 STEPS OF EASY.
NOW, I CAN TELL YOU, SITTING ON THE BENCH FOR 28 YEARS, THAT EASY WAS A SCHOOL BRINGING IN AN AFFIDAVIT THAT WAS SWORN OUT BY A NOTARY ON CAMPUS SOMEWHERE AND DROPPING IT OFF.
AND SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET A CASE INTO THE COURTHOUSE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC DETAILS DONE BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN GET PAST THE DA'S OFFICE.
AND THEN YOU'RE HOPING THAT THE JUDGE DOESN'T USE THEIR DISCRETION AND SAY, WELL, YOU DIDN'T WORK HARD ENOUGH, WHEN IN FACT, I KNOW FROM WORKING WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS MY WHOLE LIFE THAT YOU'RE SPENDING HOURS, ENDLESS HOURS TRYING TO HELP GET THOSE KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL AND GET THEM RE-MOTIVATED.
AND SO THEN TO HAVE A COURT TELL YOU, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU DIDN'T WORK HARD ENOUGH, I'M KICKING IT OUT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT IS RIGHT THERE 56 STEPS OF EASY.
THIS IS WHAT WE GET TO USE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND SO BUT IF YOU LOOK DOWN AND IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT HERE.
OOPS, THAT DOESN'T LET ME HIGHLIGHT, DOES IT? OKAY. SO IF YOU CAN SEE NUMBER TWO, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE ALLOWED TO USE THE EXACT SAME PARALLEL STATUTE THAT THE COURTS ALLOWED TO USE.
WE CAN ORDER COMMUNITY BASED SERVICE IN SCHOOL OR OUT OF SCHOOL.
THE KEY FUNCTION THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THE EXACT SAME POWER IS WHERE IT SAYS IN SCHOOL OR OUT OF SCHOOL SERVICES AIMED AT REDUCING TRUANCY AND THE REDUCING PART.
I JUST DID NOT GIVE A DIRECT QUOTE TO I PARAPHRASED IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO.
SO WHAT IS OUT OF SCHOOL SERVICES? IT'S WHATEVER WE MAKE IT, AS LONG AS IT ADDRESSES THE TRUANCY ISSUE, AND WE CAN HELP GET A KID BACK INTO SCHOOL.
AND THAT ORDER IS BROKEN DOWN TO ADDRESS SCHOOL ISSUES.
IT ADDRESSES EMOTIONAL MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
IT ADDRESSES BEHAVIORAL ISSUES, IT ADDRESSES PARENTING ISSUES.
AND I'M GOING TO SHOW IT TO YOU HERE IN A FEW MINUTES, ALL ON A SINGLE PAGE.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST ADDRESSING TRUANCY.
WE'RE ADDRESSING THE CORE PROBLEM THAT'S CREATED THE SYMPTOM CALLED TRUANCY, SO THAT WE CAN ELIMINATE THE AT RISK BEHAVIORS THAT ARE GOING ON OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL THAT ARE CARRYING OVER INTO THE SCHOOL HOUSE.
THEY ARE CELEBRATED AND SO THEY WANT TO BE IN SCHOOL.
SO THEN WHAT'S IN THE WAY? AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S GOING TO BE AT HOME.
IT'S GOING TO BE FAMILY, IT'S GOING TO BE SOCIAL ISSUES, AND WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.
THIS IS A COMPARISON OF THE LAW THAT THE COURT CAN ISSUE ORDER UNDER.
AND IF YOU NOTICE THE COURT, THEY LIST ALL OF THESE THINGS.
WHEN THEY REWROTE IT IN 2014-15 FOR THE SCHOOLS, THEY DID IT IN A PARAGRAPH.
IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE REALLY COULD REDUCE SOME OF THESE LAWS IN WRITING.
THEY LIKE TO BE VERBOSE, BUT WE COVER THE EXACT SAME RIGHT HERE THAT THE COURT DOES.
THIS IS WHAT ONE OF OUR FORMS LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING, YOU'RE GETTING THE 28 YEARS NOW, 34 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, BOTH FROM DR.
RIGHT. SO NORMALLY A SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD SEND A LETTER.
[00:25:01]
BE LOOKING FOR A PHONE CALL OR POSSIBLE A CONFERENCE WITH YOUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.THAT LETTER MORE THAN LIKELY GOES INTO THE TRASH.
THEY'VE SEEN THEM. THEY GET THEM ALL THE TIME, AND SO THEY JUST DON'T PAY ATTENTION.
BUT WHEN THEY GET THIS, WHERE IT IS STYLED AS A COURT DOCUMENT AND IT'S BEEN CONVERTED TO A TRIBUNAL SUMMONS, YOU HAVE BEEN SUMMONSED AS A PARENT, GUARDIAN TO APPEAR AND BRING YOUR CHILD TO A TRUANCY PREVENTION MEASURE TRIBUNAL.
THIS LOOKS, IN MY OPINION, FAR MORE OFFICIAL THAN JUST A LETTER GOING HOME.
AND IF WE DON'T FIX IT HERE, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO COURT.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING WE DON'T HAVE TO GET TO THAT POINT, BUT WE GAIN THEIR ATTENTION VERY QUICKLY.
IT'S INTERESTING. PARENTS COME IN AND THEY LOOK AT THEIR KID.
HOW DARE YOU? I'M NOT GOING TO COURT OVER YOU.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ME FINED.
AND I'M THINKING, WHERE DO YOU THINK JUNIOR GOT THAT FROM? I MEAN, THE TREE GREW THE APPLE, FOR GOODNESS SAKES.
THIS IS WHAT THE TRUANCY PREVENTION MEASURE ORDER LOOKS LIKE.
AND AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BASED ON THE COURT ORDER THAT I HAD WHEN I WAS ON THE BENCH.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOING TRUANCY IN 1991, IT WAS AN EIGHT PAGE ORDER, AND IT HAS NOW BEEN ABLE TO BE BROUGHT DOWN TO DO ALL THE THINGS I SPOKE ABOUT IN ONE SINGLE PAGE, FRONT AND BACK.
NOW, AM I ABLE TO SCROLL WITH THIS OR WILL I LOSE THE PAGE? I CAN, VERY GOOD.
OKAY, SO AS YOU'LL NOTICE THE FRONT.
THE TOP PART IS VERY SCHOOL HEAVY.
WE'RE GOING TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO LET MOM AND DAD WRITE NOTES ANYMORE.
WE NEED THAT HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL NOTE THAT'S REQUIRED ACTUALLY, BY STATE LAW.
PARENT NOTES REALLY AREN'T STATE STATUTORY.
AND SO WE TELL A PARENT, HEY, WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
WE OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A STAFF MEMBER THROUGHOUT THE DAY, OVER A 20 TO 30 SECOND PERIOD OF TIME, TO CONNECT WITH A STUDENT, A STUDENT THAT THEY KNOW IS STRUGGLING. IT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SMILE, SAY, HEY, WE'RE SO GLAD TO SEE YOU.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE REQUIRE WHAT WE CALL A DAILY HOMEWORK AND ATTENDANCE SHEET.
I WILL TELL YOU, A LOT OF TEACHERS GET A LITTLE FRUSTRATED WITH THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, WHY AM I SIGNING THIS? IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THAT STUDENT ONE ON ONE FOR JUST A BRIEF MOMENT AND GAIN THEIR TRUST.
YOU DO THAT FOR THREE WEEKS ON A 32ND RUN.
YOU'VE JUST CREATED SEVERAL MINUTES OF AN OPPORTUNITY, AND WE KNOW THAT.
IF WE JUST GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE BUILD THAT TRUST, I ALWAYS LOVED IT WHEN PARENTS AND KIDS WOULD COME INTO COURT, THE PARENT WOULD SAY, WELL, WE'RE LATE BECAUSE THE LINE IN FRONT OF THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR WE'RE LATE BECAUSE HE WON'T GET UP AND GET GOING.
AND THEN THE KID'S LIKE, YEAH, BUT MOMMY NEVER COMES HOME UNTIL 5:30 IN THE MORNING.
SO THAT'S ALSO WHY WE'RE LATE.
OH THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.
SHUT UP. SO IT'S KIND OF FUN TO WATCH ALL THAT TAKE PLACE BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES.
IT HAS ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT ARE STILL RESTORATIVE.
YOU'VE NEVER YOU'VE NOT HEARD ME SAY A THING YET ABOUT PUNISHMENT OR DISCIPLINE.
IT'S ABOUT BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF AND LEARNING THAT ACCOUNTABILITY AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
REMEMBER ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH GETTING THE KID BACK INTO SCHOOL AND GETTING RID OF TRUANCY.
SO IF YOU'LL NOTICE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE, THE PARENT MAY COME AND SAY, I CAN'T GET MY KID TO COME HOME, SO WE'LL ISSUE A CURFEW IF WE NEED TO BECAUSE THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE TRUANCY.
WE MAY TAKE THE CELL PHONE UP.
WE'VE HAD CELL PHONES TURNED IN TO THE AP'S OFFICE.
PICK IT UP AT THE END OF THE DAY KIND OF A DEAL AGAIN, OUT OF SCHOOL SERVICES.
AND THE FUN PART ABOUT ALL OF THAT, NONE OF IT COSTS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BECAUSE THERE'S LEGISLATION THAT SAYS THAT YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY UNFUNDED MANDATES UNDER THIS TRUANCY BILL.
AND SO ALL OF THAT COST CAN BE PASSED ON TO THE PARENT, NOT THE SCHOOL.
SO WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT ARE IMPOVERISHED? WELL, AGAIN, BY HAVING PAYTON NIX IN, WE BRING WITH US A 14 PAGE COMPREHENSIVE TEN FONT COMMUNITY RESOURCE LIST WITH RESOURCES ALL OVER THE DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX.
IF YOU HAVE A NEED, WE CAN FILL THAT NEED, WHETHER IT'S COUNSELING, FOOD, CLOTHES, EYEGLASSES, MENTORING, TRAINING WE CAN FILL IT NO MATTER WHAT THE POCKET BOOK IS OR WHETHER YOU HAVE INSURANCE OR NOT.
[00:30:03]
NOW DO WE HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY? WE ABSOLUTELY DO.AND THEN OF COURSE, WE FINISH OUT WITH THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND THE SIGNING OF THE PROGRAM.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION AND KEEPING PARENTS AND KIDS OUT OF COURT.
THANK YOU, ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER? THANK YOU, JUDGE PAYTON.
ALL RIGHT, GREG, YOU'RE UP NEXT, I THINK.
PRESIDENT DAVIS, BOARD MEMBERS ,DR.
STINSON, I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF DATA WITH YOU.
THIS IS OUR FIRST GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO CAME ON SEPTEMBER THE 20TH.
WE INVITED QUITE A FEW OF OUR FRIENDS.
THESE ARE JUST THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE, THE BLUE DATA, THE ADA PRE TRUANCY PREVENTION MEASURE IS THE ATTENDANCE FOR 30 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BEFORE THEY CAME TO TRIBUNAL.
THE ORANGE LINES ARE THE POST TRIBUNAL TRUANCY PREVENTION MEASURE TIME.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT FOUR WEEKS ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT DATE OF SEPTEMBER, THE 20TH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE KIDS EXCEPT ONE, I BELIEVE IT'S JUST ONE, SHOWED GROWTH IN THEIR ATTENDANCE.
SO THAT'S THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WE CAN LOOK AT MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS JUST ANOTHER SLICE OF THE PIE.
THERE'S SEVEN OF THEM THAT CAME ON THE 20TH.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE GROWTH FOR THOSE KIDS AS WELL.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD INVITED A FEW OF OUR ELEMENTARY FRIENDS.
IT'S PRETTY EVIDENT WITH ELEMENTARY KIDS.
AND THIS LAST SLIDE THOSE ELEMENTARY I TOOK ALL OF SEVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS.
WE GROUPED THEM TOGETHER AND THAT'S THEIR GROWTH.
ALL OF THE ELEMENTARY KIDS, THEY WENT FROM AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE RATE OF 74% TO 87%.
THAT SEVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS GROUPED TOGETHER WENT FROM 63% TO 87%.
AND THEN THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WENT FROM 63% TO 89%.
AND SO OVERALL, ALL OF THESE KIDS GROUPED TOGETHER, THERE'S 49 OF THEM WENT FROM 65% TO 89%.
AND WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF THIS? I GET TO SIT THROUGH ALL OF THESE.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE EXCELLENCE THE KIDS HAVE SHOWN.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY NOT BE PASSING ALL THEIR CLASSES, BUT NOW THEY'RE NOT TRUANT.
SO WE CELEBRATE THAT, THEY CELEBRATE THAT WITH THOSE KIDS.
THOSE KIDS WALK OUT OF THERE SMILING, I CAN DO THIS.
AND THEY CELEBRATE THE GRADES THAT THEY HAVE.
SO IT'S NOT, OH, YOU DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING RIGHT.
IT'S LET'S CELEBRATE THE GOOD THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE.
SO WE HAVE SUMMONED A LOT OF KIDS TO THIS.
WE HAVE PRESENTED TRUANCY PREVENTION MEASURES TO OVER 300 KIDS.
AND ALL OF THOSE GROUPS ARE SHOWING THIS KIND OF IMPROVEMENT.
QUESTIONS FOR GREG? I'LL MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE WE OTHERS MAY ASK QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED, YES, IT'S A FINANCIAL YOU KNOW, MONEY'S COME BACK IN THE DISTRICT.
BUT THE BIGGEST KEY OF ALL THEY WILL LEARN NOTHING IF THEY'RE NOT THERE.
AND THEY'RE BEING IN THE CLASSROOM MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
THEN TEACHERS GOT TO TRY TO CATCH THEM BACK UP.
YES, AND WE'RE DOING THAT IN THE ELEMENTARY AGE.
ALL THE OTHER KIDS ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE TEACHERS HAVING TO SPEND EXTRA TIME WITH THE STUDENT.
THAT'S BEEN GONE FOR THREE DAYS.
BUT IT ALSO CAN BE A GREAT DOMINO EFFECT OF THE POSITIVE.
SURE, IF THEY'RE THERE, WHAT WILL HAPPEN? THEIR GRADES WILL GO UP.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF TEACHING THE SAME GROUP OF KIDS THAT MR. DILKS DID. I TAUGHT PRE AP BIOLOGY AT HALTOM.
100%. ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS? MR. BICKNELL, WILL YOU SHARE HOW OFTEN TRIBUNAL TAKES PLACE AND WHERE IT TAKES PLACE? TAKES PLACE EVERY WEDNESDAY.
WE SEND OUT A SUMMONS THE THURSDAY BEFORE IT GOES THROUGH AN EMAIL.
[00:35:04]
AND IT LOOKS LIKE A COURT SUMMONS AND THE ROOM IS ON THE BACK SIDE OF SHANNON HIGH SCHOOL.IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE PARKING LOT FROM THE FACILITY'S PARKING LOT, WHERE THE TRUCKS ALL PARK.
THEY WALK THAT WALKS ABOUT 120 YARDS.
THERE'S A PLACE TO SIT IN A HALLWAY.
AND THEN IT'S THE OLD SPECIAL ED RECORDS ROOM WHERE THE TRIBUNAL IS HELD.
IT'S A PRETTY BIG ROOM AND IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING TO SEE.
I THINK DR. STINSON HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AS AN OBSERVER YESTERDAY.
SO TRENT WASN'T IN TROUBLE THEN? TRENT'S NOT IN TROUBLE, BUT BRETT? BRETT'S VERY WELL AWARE THAT WE HAVE A PROGRAM.
AS A MATTER OF FACT AND ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS BENEFITS DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS OF BEING IN CLASS, I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS THAT IS SO ENDEARING IS THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE ARE FORGING WITH PARENTS.
AND TYPICALLY IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING, PLEASE GET YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL AND THERE'S A PUSH AND PULL THERE.
BUT NOW WITH THE HELP OF THE TRIBUNAL PROCESS, YOU BECOME A PARTNER WITH THAT PARENT.
THAT PARENT IS LOOKING FOR HELP TYPICALLY.
AND SO THEY WALK INTO THIS TRIBUNAL PROCESS AND WITHIN MOMENTS YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT OF WEIGHT LIFTED OFF THE PARENTS SHOULDER BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THEY HAVE A PARTNER TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR CHILD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S A TRIFECTA.
SO THAT'S WHAT I GOT OUT OF IT YESTERDAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATED SEEING THE INNER WORKING OF IT, AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS HONESTLY DEVELOP WITHIN MINUTES, AND A PARENT FEELING LIKE THEY HAD SOME HELP [INAUDIBLE].
SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE QUITE A FEW FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE DISTRICT IN THE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL AND ADMINISTRATION, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD A SINGLE BAD WORD ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WORKING AND REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF Y'ALL'S WORK WITH THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS WE CAN DO IS HELP OUR STUDENTS BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
AND I ALWAYS TAUGHT MY STUDENTS, WHEN THEY WERE IN MY CLASS, THAT YOUR ATTENDANCE IS DIRECTLY GOING TO RELATE TO YOUR ATTENDANCE LATER ON IN A WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
I SAID, SO HOW SUCCESSFUL ARE YOU BEING RIGHT NOW? YOU'RE PREDICTING YOUR FUTURE.
THANK YOU. JUDGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUDGE.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS H2 2022 BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT.
MR. THOMAS, YOU HAVE AN INTRODUCTION, PLEASE.
I DO. WE HAVE AGAIN WITH US THIS EVENING FROM OUR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
DR. STINSON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATORS AND GUESTS.
MY NAME IS CHRIS MCDONNELL, AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BISD BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
WE MET FOR OUR THIRD QUARTERLY MEETING AS A COMMITTEE ON OCTOBER 16TH TO RECEIVE UPDATES ON THE PROGRESS OF THE 2022 BOND ELECTION, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, SHARE OBSERVATIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS AT THIS TIME.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR OTHER BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT TONIGHT.
AARON MORGAN, DID YOU DID YOU MAKE IT? THERE SHE IS. THANK YOU, AARON, FOR COMING TONIGHT.
AND SHE HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO THE REMARKS I'M SHARING TONIGHT.
I'LL BEGIN WITH THE UPDATE ON THE NOTES THAT WE HAD FROM THAT MEETING.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE GRIGGS HIGH SCHOOL AND KUNKEL LEARNING CENTER.
THE INSIDES HAVE BEEN GUTTED AND ARE WORKING ON.
THEY'RE WORKING ON MOVING THE PLUMBING AND CUTTING THE CONCRETE TO DO SO.
THE SANCTUARY HAS BEEN REMOVED DOWN TO THE STUDS, PREPARING FOR A SECOND LEVEL.
[00:40:05]
AND THIS COST FOR THE SECOND LEVEL IS COVERED BY A BUDGETED CONTINGENCY ALREADY PLANNED FOR.MOVING ON TO THE TURF FIELDS AND THE PRESS BOXES, THAT IS A PROJECT.
THEY'RE UNDER BUDGET BY 1.1 MILLION.
THE TURF COMPLETION IS ON SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER OF 2023 AND FOR A JANUARY PRACTICE BEGINNING IN JANUARY, AND THE PRESS BOXES TO COMPLETE AT LEAST BY THE END OF JANUARY OF 2024.
I HAD CALLED A MEETING EARLIER THIS MONTH WITH OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, BARRY NORTON, THE RICHLAND HEAD BASEBALL COACH, STEVEN FOSTER AND SCOTT NIBIT AND MYSELF TO MEET AND DISCUSS SPECIFICS ABOUT THE CONFIGURATION, ESPECIALLY AT RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL, FOR POSSIBLY INSTEAD OF HAVING A PRESS BOX INSTALLED THERE, WHICH THE FEASIBILITY OF IT WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE WHERE WE THINK IT MIGHT GO. INSTEAD, USE THE EXISTING PRESS BOX AND CONCESSION STAND THAT IS ALREADY THERE.
WE WENT AT THE BASEBALL. THE CONFIGURATION BEHIND HOME PLATE.
IT WAS REALLY GOING TO BE TOO TIGHT FOR A PRESS BOX.
I THINK THAT RICHLAND IS PROBABLY THE UNIQUE FIELD FOR THAT.
ALL OF THESE FACILITIES AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER HAD VOLUNTEERS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE BUILDING OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOME SORT OF MAKESHIFT ANNOUNCER'S BOOTH OR SCOREBOARD STAND OR SCORING TABLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO AND ALSO THE FIELDS WILL BE READY FOR PLAY BY YEAR'S END.
AND THE PRESS BOXES, AS I SAID BEFORE, GAMES WILL BE UNDERWAY IN LATE JANUARY.
ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO MULLENDORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THAT IS NOW, OF COURSE, THE DEMOLITION IS COMPLETE.
IT'S A COMPLETE CLEAN SLATE OVER THERE.
I DRIVE BY THERE JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY AND SEE CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN.
THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE OF MARCH 15TH OF 2025 HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
I ASKED SCOTT, SINCE I DO DRIVE BY THERE EVERY DAY IF THEY'VE UNEARTHED A TIME CAPSULE.
ONE OF THE TEACHERS THERE HAD ASKED ME IF THERE WAS ANY CHANCE THAT WOULD EVER HAPPEN, AND I SAID, DO YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS? AND SHE COULDN'T REMEMBER WHERE IT WAS BURIED.
SO I'M SURE THE BULLDOZERS CAME ACROSS IT SOMEWHERE.
BUT AND IT WAS PROBABLY I THINK IT WAS IN 1989 WHEN IT WAS BURIED.
BUT THAT AND THAT'S AT MULLENDORE USING THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK METHOD AND THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE, WHICH IS DELIVERED BY THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, THAT CURRENT PROJECT AT MULLENDORE IS 3.8 MILLION UNDER BUDGET, AND CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN ON THAT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE NOW WE'RE TALKING IN GEORGE JETSON YEARS.
YOU KNOW, 2025 WAS JUST A NUMBER SOMEWHERE WAY IN THE FUTURE.
NOW THAT'S LIKE THE YEAR AFTER THIS.
SO MOVING ON TO SMITH ELEMENTARY AGAIN.
AND THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE ON THAT WOULD BE MAY OF 2025.
I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF MR. SMITH COULD BE AROUND TO ALSO DEDICATE THAT BUILDING.
THAT WOULD BE AWESOME IF THAT COULD HAPPEN.
MOVING ON TO THE BIRDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL COURTYARD RENOVATION.
AGAIN, THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE WILL BE EXTENDED TO THE BOARD IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR OR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, AND THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE ON THAT IS PROJECTED TO BE AUGUST 1ST OF 2024.
MOVING ON NOW TO THE HALTOM HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION AND ADDITION.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST COMPLEX.
IT'S NOT THE MOST EXPENSIVE, BUT IT IS THE MOST COMPLEX LOGISTICAL PROJECT BECAUSE THE BULK OF THE WORK IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE DONE BETWEEN DURING THE TWO SUMMERS WHEN SCHOOL IS NOT IN SESSION TO MINIMIZE STUDENT TRAFFIC ISSUES.
IT ALSO WILL CREATE ANOTHER ENTRANCE TO THE LIBRARY, AND THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE ON THAT WILL BE AUGUST 21ST, AUGUST 1ST OF 2025. ALSO, ROOFING AND GUTTERING PROJECTS WERE DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING.
[00:45:04]
THE BID WILL BE EXTENDED TO THE BOARD ON FEBRUARY OF IN FEBRUARY OF 2024 AND INCLUDES FOR THE FOUR PROJECTS.IT INCLUDES OUR THE ACADEMY AT CARRIE FRANCIS THOMAS, WALKER CREEK ELEMENTARY, NORTH RIDGE ELEMENTARY, AND SPICER ELEMENTARY, AND CONSTRUCTION BEGINS NEXT YEAR IN JUNE AT JUNE 1ST OF 2024, AND THOSE PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED AGAIN DURING THE SUMMER.
WILL HOPEFULLY WIND DOWN IN AUGUST 1ST OF 2024.
ALSO, THE HVAC UPGRADES WERE DISCUSSED AND LAID OUT FOR US.
AND THE BID WILL BE BACK TO THE BOARD ON DECEMBER, IN DECEMBER, TWO MONTHS FROM NOW.
AND THE SUMMER SCHOOL SCHEDULES WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE PROJECTS DUE TO THE LOCATIONS.
PAINTING AND FLOORING BIDS ARE ALSO OUT AND WILL BE BACK TO THE BOARD IN FEBRUARY.
THE TECH UPDATES THAT WERE SHARED WERE THE NETWORK UPDATES.
CATEGORY ONE THE WIDE AREA NETWORK IS NOW COMPLETE THE PURCHASE AND THE INSTALL.
THE PURCHASE ORDERS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, MOVING ON TO THE TEACHER AND STAFF LAPTOP ROLLOUT.
TECHNOLOGY INDIVIDUALS SAT WITH CAMPUS MEMBERS AND WALKED THEM THROUGH THE NEW INSTALLATION.
THE BID WAS ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
THERE ARE FOUR BIDDERS THAT ARE STILL BIDDING ON THE PROJECT.
TWO MORE ITEMS ON THE LIST WERE DISCUSSED.
THE BUSSES THERE ARE NINE THAT WERE ORDERED IN SEPTEMBER.
THIS PROJECT IS ALSO THERE'S 1.6 MILLION LEFT IN SPENDING ON THIS PROJECT, AND PARKING WILL BECOME AN ISSUE WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE FLEET OF NEW BUSSES ACQUIRED.
AND AS A FORMER BUS DRIVER, I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU I DRIVE BY THESE BUSSES WITH PRIDE.
SEEING THE BUS, I SAW ONE THAT WAS BUS NUMBER 2414.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THAT WHEN I WAS DRIVING A BUS.
SO ANYWAY, PARKING WILL BE AN ISSUE DOWN AT THE BUS BARN WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE FLEET OF NEW BUSSES AND SOME MORE SPACING WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND I ACTUALLY REMEMBER THE LAST TIME THAT WAS EXTENDED, WE DOUBLED THE SIZE OF THE PARKING LOT, AND NOW WE'RE HAVING TO TRIPLE THE SIZE OF THE BUS PARKING.
AND THEN MY LAST UPDATE INVOLVES SHANNON HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE HAVE NOT BEEN THERE'S NOTHING CONCRETE NO DECISION BEEN MADE ABOUT THE PERMANENT FUTURE OF IT.
THERE ARE OFFICES AND FACILITIES STILL LOCATED INSIDE.
THERE ARE SOME DEMOLITION WILL LIKELY OCCUR, BUT THE DAEP PROGRAM WILL LIKELY STAY.
AND I'M CERTAIN THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THAT BUILDING AS WELL.
OUR NEXT REPORT WILL BE ON JANUARY 16TH OF NEXT YEAR.
THE DAY AFTER THE MLK HOLIDAY FOR PRESENTATION WILL BE AT THE 2024 BOARD MEETING.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHRIS? ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU'VE GIVEN AND YOUR COMMITTEE.
WHEN'S MY PIZZA PARTY? PLEASE PASS THAT ON TO THEM.
AND ALSO, SINCE THEY'RE GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PRESS BOX THERE AT RICHLAND.
I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF INFLUENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT'S ANNOUNCED.
HEY, WE'RE NOT. WE CHOSE IT THIS WAY, NOT THAT.
YOU KNOW, BIRDVILLE GOT ONE, AND WE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW.
SO HOPEFULLY MY WORDING WAS SPECIFIC ENOUGH TO INDICATE THAT THE USE OF THE PRESENT PRESS BOX GOOD WOULD BE RENOVATED AT OR UNDER THE BUDGET OF A NEW PRESS BOX.
PERFECT. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE CONCESSION REVENUE AREA THAT HAS.
THOSE SCHOOLS REALLY ALL OF THEM DO DEPEND ON THOSE CONCESSIONS.
SURE. FUNDRAISING AND THAT WILL STILL ALLOW THE FREE FLOW OF THAT.
THANK YOU CHRIS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR CHRIS? THANK YOU AARON TOO AND AARON FOR YOUR COMMITTEE.
YES. ITEM H3 OUR EFFICIENCY AUDIT.
MISS BOWMAN, YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR US TONIGHT.
YES, SIR. EVERY BOARD MEMBER SHOULD HAVE A BOUND COPY OF THE EFFICIENCY AUDIT.
STEPHANIE WILSON FROM OUR AUDITORS [INAUDIBLE] IS HERE TONIGHT TO GO OVER A SUMMARY OF THAT AUDIT.
[00:50:20]
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THIS EFFICIENCY AUDIT.
WE DID ISSUE OUR REPORT DATED SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2023, AND IT WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT.
THE PURPOSE OF WHICH WAS TO ASSESS THE FISCAL MANAGEMENT, EFFICIENCY AND UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES BY THE DISTRICT AND WHETHER THE DISTRICT HAS IMPLEMENTED BEST PRACTICES UTILIZED BY OTHER SCHOOLS, TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WE DID CONDUCT OUR EFFICIENCY AUDIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS AND THE STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO PERFORMANCE AUDITS CONTAINED IN GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.
THIS GUIDANCE REQUIRED US TO SELECT BETWEEN 5 TO 10 COMPARABLE PEER DISTRICTS, UTILIZING EITHER TEXAS SMART SCHOOLS WEBSITE OR THE TEA SNAPSHOT PEER SEARCH TO FIND COMPARABLE DISTRICTS.
AND THEN WITH THOSE DISTRICTS, WE WERE REQUIRED TO ANSWER AND ANALYZE 22 ITEMS OF INFORMATION AND PROVIDE EXPLANATIONS FOR THOSE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT COMPARABLE TO THE PEER DISTRICT AVERAGE.
SO THE FOLLOWING PEER DISTRICTS WERE UTILIZED BASED ON, LIKE I SAID, COMPARABLE ENROLLMENT.
SO THE FIRST ONE WE WERE REQUIRED TO REPORT ON THE SCHOOL FIRST RATING.
IF YOU RECEIVED LESS THAN AN A, WE WERE REQUIRED TO NOTATE WHAT INDICATORS WERE NOT MET FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL FIRST RATING, WHICH WAS BASED ON THE 2021-2022 YEAR.
YOU DID RECEIVE AN A RATING, SO THERE WAS NOTHING TO REPORT THERE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS IN FIVE SPECIFIC CATEGORIES ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ENGLISH LEARNERS, SPECIAL EDUCATION, BILINGUAL ESL EDUCATION, AND CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS. AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION, THE DISTRICT WAS COMPARABLE TO THE PEER DISTRICT AND STATE DISTRICT, SORRY, PEER DISTRICT AND STATE AVERAGE ENGLISH LEARNERS AND BILINGUAL ESL EDUCATION WERE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE PEER DISTRICT AVERAGE, DUE TO THE MAKEUP OF THE POPULATION IN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES OF EACH DISTRICT AND STUDENT COUNTS OF EACH DISTRICT.
SO JUDSON HAD THE HIGHEST WITH 24,536 STUDENT COUNT.
CROWLEY WAS THE LOWEST AT 16,278 AND FOR THE YEAR THAT WE REVIEWED, BIRDVILLE WAS I THINK, 22,505.
SO RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT AVERAGE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT ATTENDANCE RATE INFORMATION AND ENROLLMENT INFORMATION.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE DISTRICT WAS IN LINE WITH THE PEER DISTRICT AVERAGE AND STATE AVERAGE.
OKAY. WE ALSO LOOKED AT DISTRICT REVENUE PER STUDENT.
THIS DOES RESULT IN LOWER AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR THE DISTRICT'S OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS, AS COMPARED TO THE PEER DISTRICTS AND THE STATE AVERAGE WHEN APPLIED OR WHEN PROJECTED. EXCUSE ME WHEN PROJECTED USING TOTAL ENROLLMENT.
[00:55:03]
AVERAGE, AGAIN PROJECTING USING TOTAL ENROLLMENT.OVERALL, DISTRICT SPENDS LESS PER STUDENT THAN THE PEER DISTRICT'S AVERAGE AND THE STATE AVERAGE, BUT THEY DO SPEND SLIGHTLY MORE 0.2% AND 0.6% MORE THAN THE DISTRICT AVERAGE AND STATE AVERAGE IN INSTRUCTION.
AND THEN OVERALL, WHEN APPLIED TO DISTRICT ENROLLMENT OR PROJECTED WITH DISTRICT ENROLLMENT, OVERALL SPENDING IS 12.9 MILLION LESS ON AVERAGE THAN THE PEER DISTRICTS AND 24.1 MILLION LESS THAN THE STATE AVERAGE.
WE ALSO LOOK AT TEACHER TURNOVER RATE AS COMPARED TO THE PEER, DISTRICT AND STATE AVERAGE.
THE DISTRICT'S TURNOVER RATE WAS COMPARABLE WITHIN 1%, OR 0.1 PERCENTAGE OF THE AVERAGE PEER DISTRICT TURNOVER RATE AND 1.9% LOWER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE OF THE PERIOD DISTRICTS THAT WE LOOKED AT, THEY RANGED BETWEEN 12.8% AND 20.8% IN TEACHER TURNOVER AND AGAIN, DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
OKAY. SO WE ALSO LOOKED AT, MID REVIEW AND COMPILE SOME ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL, OPERATIONAL AND ACADEMIC INFORMATION, AS WELL AS THE USE INFORMATION ON THE USE OF RESOURCES AND FINANCIAL REPORTING.
AGAIN, JUST MAKING SURE THAT THOSE WERE IN LINE WITH BEST PRACTICES, WHICH THEY WERE.
BUT AT THE TIME OF ISSUANCE, THE LAST ONE WE HAD ISSUED WAS JUNE 30TH, 2022, WHERE WE DID ISSUE AN UNMODIFIED OR CLEAN OPINION ON THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. AS A REMINDER, AN UNMODIFIED OPINION OR CLEAN OPINION IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE AS THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR CAN PROVIDE.
AND AS NOTED HERE, THE USE OF STATE AND REGIONAL RESOURCES AND THE STAFFING STRUCTURE WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE BEST PRACTICES. WE ALSO LOOKED AT BUDGET PROCESSES AND COMPENSATION SYSTEM PROCESSES TO ENSURE THOSE WERE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE BEST PRACTICES.
SO THE DISTRICT DOES USE PROJECTIONS FOR ENROLLMENT AND STAFFING IN THEIR BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS.
THEY DO ALSO DO MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY REVIEWS TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF ANNUAL SPENDING.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S ALL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE BEST PRACTICES, AS STATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD AND THEN THE DISTRICT SALARY RANGES INCLUDE MINIMUM, MIDPOINT AND MAXIMUM INCREMENTS TO PROMOTE COMPENSATION EQUITY.
AGAIN, WITH THOSE BEST PRACTICES, THEY DO HAVE AN ACTIVE.
YOU DO HAVE AN ACTIVE AND CURRENT FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, AN ACTIVE AND CURRENT ENERGY MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND A TEACHER MENTORING PROGRAM, AND UTILIZE QUANTIFIABLE DATA AND RESEARCH AND EXPECTATIONS IN YOUR ADOPTION OF NEW PROGRAMS AND ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING PROGRAMS. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? MR. KUNKEL? OR COMMENTS? AND SO WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW? JUST SUMMARIZING WHAT THE REPORT IS COMPARED TO THE SEVEN OTHER PEER DISTRICTS, TWO OF WHICH ARE IN TARRANT COUNTY, FIVE ARE OUTSIDE OF TARRANT COUNTY.
RIGHT. BUT OUR EXPENDITURES ARE NOT $5.5 MILLION.
I THINK IT'S $12.9 MILLION, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT SHOWS THE EFFICIENCY OF BIRDVILLE ISD.
YES. WHEN USING PROJECTED ENROLLMENT.
YES. THAT INFORMATION TELLS ME THAT THE EFFICIENCY AUDIT WAS WORTH HAVING SHOWING OUR EFFICIENCY.
[01:00:02]
DO YOU AGREE? I AGREE.WHICH OR MAYBE THAT WAS THE STATE.
BUT WE'RE SPENDING MORE. WE'RE SPENDING MORE ON INSTRUCTION AS WELL WHILE STILL SPENDING LESS.
SO I THINK WE'VE MADE IT A PRIORITY THAT THE MONIES ARE GOING INTO THE CLASSROOM.
CORRECT. WELL, AND I THINK THE AUDITORS CALL THAT THE CLERK EFFECT.
86% OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO PAYING OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO WE TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I THINK THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE TRULY ARE EFFICIENT.
IT'S NOT BEING CHEAP BECAUSE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE, BUT IT TRULY IS EFFICIENCY.
IT WAS REQUIRED FOR US BECAUSE THE ELECTION COMING ABOUT.
BUT THIS REALLY REVEALS THE COMPLEXITIES OF FINANCE IN TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
I WANT TO REITERATE SOME OF THE COMMENTS BEEN MADE HERE TODAY.
WHEN APPLIED TO ENROLLMENT, VERBALIZED SPENDS 12.9 MILLION LESS THAN THEIR PEER DISTRICTS AND 24.1 MILLION LESS THAN THE STATE AVERAGE.
MR. KUNKEL MENTIONED SOME OF THE REVENUES.
HOW WE'RE DOING. THE DISTRICT RECEIVES $5.5 MILLION LESS THAN OUR PEER DISTRICTS.
WE'VE BEEN EFFICIENT FOR A LONG TIME.
I CAN REMEMBER GO BACK MAYBE TEN YEARS, MR. TOLBERT. MR. KUNKEL, I REMEMBER WE GET AN ANALYSIS DONE BY THE ERG GROUP, AND IT SHOWED HOW WE WERE VERY MUCH EFFICIENT IN SPENDING OUR DOLLARS, BUT WE WERE GETTING RESULTS AND WE WERE TOLD BY OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE TIME, HE WASN'T A SENATOR YET.
THAT'S WHAT THE LEGISLATURE EVEN LOOKS AT AS FAR AS GRADING DISTRICTS OF HOW WELL THEY'RE DOING.
SO THIS IS RE-EMPHASIZING WHAT WE WERE DOING TEN YEARS AGO.
WE'RE STILL DOING FINALLY, WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS.
WE ANALYZE DATA, ANALYZE DATA, AND ANALYZE DATA ALL THE TIME.
WE DO INVITE OUR COMPENSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENSURING MARKET EQUITY.
WE REGULARLY UPDATE OUR FACILITY MASTER PLAN.
WE'VE GOT TO OUR BOND COMMITTEE STAYS ACTIVE AND OUR VOTERS ARE FOLLOWING US BY SAYING, YOU DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DO, AND THEY'RE CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE MONEY TO DO THAT. WE ALSO WE MONITOR, RESPOND TO OUR ENROLLMENT TRENDS.
THEY'RE KIND OF VOLATILE AT TIMES.
WE EVALUATE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS.
WE PROVIDE A VERY EXTENSIVE STAFF SUPPORT.
AND FOR THAT WE'VE GOT A GOOD CLEAN EFFICIENCY AUDIT HERE.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND STAFF, DR.
YOU'LL BE PROUD OF THE RESULTS.
BUT I'M REALLY PROUD FOR OUR DISTRICT THAT I CAN TELL ANYONE WE'RE USING YOUR DOLLARS WISELY AND WE'RE GETTING GOOD RESULTS COMPARED TO ANYONE, WHETHER IT BE THE STATE OF TEXAS OR OUR LOCAL PEER GROUPS.
THAT TEA SAYS WHO OUR PEERS ARE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I APPRECIATE IT AS WELL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WE WANT, WE NEED AND WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S SOMEWHERE WHERE WE NEED TO IMPROVE. WE ALWAYS NEED TO IMPROVE.
SO I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT WE NEEDED TO KNOW IF THAT WAS CORRECT.
WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, IF I COULD SAY ONE MORE THING, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO DR.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS DUE TO YOU.
SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.
YOU BET. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM, H FOUR ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM UPDATE.
SO WAYNE CAULDRONS HERE FROM SYNERGISTIC TO DO A SHORT PRESENTATION AND SHOW THE BOARD HOW WELL THE DISTRICT'S BEEN DOING UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP FOR THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS.
WAYNE? PRESIDENT DAVIS, BOARD MEMBERS, DR.
[01:05:02]
STINSON, OF COURSE. KATIE, THANKS FOR HAVING US.I'M HERE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE.
SO WE PARTNERED WITH BIRDVILLE IN JANUARY OF 2016.
IT'S BEEN A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP AND I'LL GET INTO THAT OVER THAT TIME SAVED THE DISTRICT ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY REDUCING CONSUMPTION. THAT'S A NATURAL GAS, ELECTRICITY, WATER, IRRIGATION, PROPANE, ETCETERA, REDUCED BY 5.2 MILLION.
THAT'S 15% OVERALL COMPARED TO THE BASE YEAR PRIOR TO OUR PARTNERSHIP.
THIS IS A ROLLING THAT QS AND PY ONE.
BIG SAVINGS HERE DURING THE COVID YEAR OBVIOUSLY.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT 20,000 SO FAR FOR SQUARE FOOTAGE VERSUS ANNUAL SPEND COMPARISON.
IT'S A THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS AND THEY'RE KIND OF CRUNCHED IN HERE.
BUT WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE AT THE TOP WHERE YOU SEE BASE YEAR JANUARY 2015 THROUGH DECEMBER 15TH, YOUR SQUARE FOOTAGE WAS THREE POINT 7,000,000FT² AND YOUR SPEND WAS 4.7 MILLION.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, THE DISTRICT HAS ADDED ABOUT 800,000FT² AND YOUR SPEND IS STILL IT'S $100,000 LESS THAN IT WAS IN THE BASE YEAR.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BUILDINGS THAT IS.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF EXPANSIONS, A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
I WANT TO POINT OUT JUST BEHIND ME, YOUR ENERGY SPECIALIST, CHRIS AND LARREN, IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEM, THEY'LL BE OUT IN THE BUILDINGS EVENINGS, WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE SET BACK AND THERE'S NO WASTE GOING ON IN THE BUILDINGS.
AND IF YOU WANT TO LAUGH, YOU CAN LOOK UP A ENERGY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
THEY'VE DONE SOME VIDEOS AND SOME MEME CONTESTS OUT THERE WITH SOME CAMPUSES.
BUT OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS THEY'VE DONE 3300 AUDITS OF YOUR FACILITIES.
HERE'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
EVERYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN WE REDUCE THE CONSUMPTION YOU HEAR METRIC TONS.
BUT WHAT'S A METRIC TON? WHAT IS A METRIC TON.
SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE IT'S A 27 FOOT BY 27 FOOT CUBE.
SO TWO STORY CUBE IS ONE METRIC TON OF CO2.
SO REDUCED METRIC CO2 BY 29,000 TONS, 486,000 TREES PLANTED.
AND THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THAT NUMBER.
IS THAT A TRILLION SMARTPHONES CHARGED.
THAT'S I DO WANT TO MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE HERE IN A MOMENT.
I'M GOING TO GIVE THAT OFF TO CARRIE.
BUT ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE DATA THAT I'VE PRESENTED? KEEP GOING. ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M GOING TO STEP ASIDE THEN.
WE DO HAVE AN AWARD, SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE THAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH.
AND I'M GOING TO LET CARRIE SPEAK TO THAT.
SO GOOD EVENING. I'M CARRIE DUBOSE, PRESIDENT DAVIS.
AND DR. STINSON, KATIE BOWMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ENERGY STAR CERTIFICATION AWARDS.
SO JUST TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ENERGY STAR.
SO THE BUILDING HAS TO SCORE A 75 OR HIGHER ON THE EPA'S SCALE OF 1 TO 100, THAT INDICATES THAT BUILDING IS PERFORMING BETTER THAN 75% OF SIMILAR BUILDINGS ACROSS THE NATION.
AND SO IT IS MY HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT BIRDVILLE ISD HAS 26 SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR ENERGY STAR CERTIFICATION. SO CONGRATULATIONS.
AND SO WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY.
THE PLAQUE RIGHT HERE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED OUT AT THE PRINCIPALS MEETING.
AND SO THAT IS THAT IS TO COME IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WHENEVER WE HAVE THE NEXT PRINCIPALS MEETING.
BUT CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
STINSON, YOU WANT TO COME DOWN FOR A PICTURE? A QUICK PICTURE, PLEASE? SURE. SO THAT'S ALMOST ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. HOW DO WE GET THE OTHER SCHOOLS ON THERE?
[01:10:01]
LET'S GET THE OTHER SCHOOLS ON THE LIST AS WELL.OF COURSE, THAT'S ONE OF THE ONE OF THE SCHOOLS.
SO SHANNON ISN'T ELIGIBLE BECAUSE IT'S A MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING IT'S OFFICE SPACE AND SCHOOLS.
SO IT JUST EPA JUST KEEPS THEM IN SEPARATE CATEGORIES.
AND THEN THE OTHER THREE ARE THE OTHER BUILDINGS [INAUDIBLE] 2 OR 3.
THESE GUYS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE.
SORRY, BUT SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN ENVELOPE THEN IT CAN'T IT CAN'T COMPETE IN THAT TIME FRAME.
SO BUT AGAIN WHAT IS THIS 90% OF YOUR BUILDINGS MADE IT.
AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SHOOT FOR THAT UPPER 25 PERCENTILE.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL GO TO ITEM I.
[I. 2023 TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS CONFERENCE RECAP]
SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD BRIEFLY ATTENDED THE TASB CONFERENCE IN DALLAS.THE ATTENDEES WILL GIVE A VERY SHORT RECAP OF SOME OF THE SESSIONS THAT THEY ATTENDED.
I'LL JUST START ON THE FAR RIGHT.
I THINK MR. TOLBERT, MR. KUNKEL AND MR. DREES. MR. DREES YOU'RE CLOSEST HOW ABOUT YOU START IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I DID ACTUALLY MUCH PREFER TASB TO THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION MEETING.
I THOUGHT THAT THE SESSIONS WERE MUCH MORE BENEFICIAL AND JUST REALLY LIKED THEM A LOT BETTER.
SO THE FIRST SESSION I WENT TO WAS ACTUALLY ON EXECUTIVE COACHING FOR SUPERINTENDENTS.
SO CEOS, MY WIFE AND I, A LOT OF OTHER HIGH PERFORMING INDIVIDUALS UTILIZE EXECUTIVE COACHING, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY NEAT IDEA JUST TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD WORK OUT WITH SUPERINTENDENTS.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD INNOVATION, THAT IT'S ACTUALLY BEING OFFERED, JUST THE IDEA OF, I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR SUPERINTENDENTS TO HAVE SOMEBODY TO TALK TO WHO'S SEPARATE FROM THE DISTRICT, SOMEBODY THEY CAN TRUST.
I KIND OF I LIKE THE IDEA QUITE A BIT.
WHAT DO WE DO? THE PRACTICE THAT WE JUST DON'T SEE.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A NEAT CONCEPT.
SECOND SESSION I WAS A LESSONS LEARNED IN SCHOOL BASED LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I HAD HOPED THAT THIS WAS ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CHANGES AS FAR AS REQUIRING ARMED GUARDS OR SROS ON CAMPUSES, BUT ACTUALLY WAS NOT. IT WAS GOING BACK TO THE SANTA FE SHOOTING IN 2018.
A LOT OF WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT, JUST BEING IN OUR SECURITY MEETINGS, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING THE VAST MAJORITY, IF NOT EVEN MORE THAN WHAT THEY MENTIONED, ABOUT VISITOR MANAGEMENT TRAINING OF STAFF.
I DO REMEMBER AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, A ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S A PARENT ALSO WAS SUBBED QUITE A BIT IN OUR SCHOOLS AND HOW SHE COMMENTED THAT EVEN AS A SUB, SHE WAS ALWAYS EDUCATED ON THE PROCEDURES FOR LOCKDOWNS ETCETERA.
AND SO WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD SYSTEM THERE GOING, I BELIEVE, TO TRAIN STAFF, SUBSTITUTES AND OTHERS THE DESIGN OF BUILDINGS, WHICH I THINK WE ALSO KEEP THAT IN MIND QUITE A BIT WHEN WE DESIGN OUR NEW BUILDINGS.
IT WAS GOOD. BUT AGAIN, I THINK WE WERE DOING WE'RE DOING MOST OF WHAT THEY DISCUSSED.
MR. DAVIS IS A VERY EFFECTIVE PRESIDENT.
IF WE FOLLOW KIND OF THE STANDARD PRACTICE, I'LL BE THE BOARD PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR.
SO I KIND OF WANTED TO SEE WHAT SOME OF THE METHODS WERE TO BE EFFECTIVE.
AND I MENTIONED THAT IN THE ROOM, AND EVERYBODY WAS JUST TRASHING THE IDEA OF ROTATING YOUR BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT, WELL, YOU GET SOMEBODY THERE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT, OR YOU GET SOMEBODY ON THERE WHO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
I THINK THAT'S VERY BENEFICIAL BECAUSE IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE.
[01:15:03]
THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE ALSO, AS OFFICERS HAVE A MONTHLY MEETING, AN OFFICERS MEETING TO SET THE AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT IT, WHICH HAS HELPED PREPARE ME, I BELIEVE, FOR EVENTUALLY BEING THE BOARD PRESIDENT.SO I THINK WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE SYSTEM THAT.
WORKS FOR US, EXTREMELY WELL FUNCTIONING FOR US.
I COULD SEE HOW IT WOULD NOT BE FOR BOARDS THAT WERE DYSFUNCTIONAL, BUT I REALLY DID.
MADE ME APPRECIATE THE WAY WE DO THINGS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I MEAN, THERE WERE SOME DETAILS THAT WE COULD PROBABLY UPDATE, FOR INSTANCE, ON LIKE TRUSTEE INFO REQUEST GUIDELINES, BUT IT WAS KIND OF BORING OVERALL, SO I WON'T BORE YOU ALL WITH THAT. THE GENERAL SESSION THAT I WENT TO WAS EXCELLENT.
I'M SURE THE OTHERS WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO THANK YOU, MR. TOLBERT. YEAH THANK YOU PRESIDENT.
YEAH. AT FIRST MY WIFE WAS VERY EXCITED.
SO THEN SHE WAS LESS INTERESTED IN GOING.
IT WAS, IT'S BACK AFTER AFTER COVID BROUGHT IT DOWN FOR A WHILE.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHILE HE WAS SPEAKING.
I TOOK A LOT OF MATH ALL THE WAY THROUGH GRAD SCHOOL AND A MATH JOKE, IF YOU WILL.
IF MATH PEOPLE HAVE JOKES IS, I MIGHT CLEAN IT UP.
THERE'S LIES. THERE'S DAMN LIES.
LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY. THE COMMISSIONER HAD A LOT OF STATISTICS.
OKAY, SO I'M REALLY JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE I'M JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THEM BECAUSE, I HAVE WORRIED THAT THIS CLASS EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
LONGVIEW HIRED AN HISPANIC OUTREACH COORDINATOR.
HE WORKS IN THEIR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT.
THE THINGS I'M SAYING, I'M NOT USING HIS GENERALIZATION STEREOTYPES IN ANY WAYS.
THESE ARE OBSERVATIONS THAT HE HAD AND HE USES THOSE IN ORDER TO REACH OUT TO THESE GROUPS.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO, THESE ARE NOT MY STATEMENTS.
THESE ARE STATEMENTS HE USES AS HE USES.
AND HE'S HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN BRINGING IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
ONE IS I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN THIS, TOO.
HE JUST TRACKED ME ALL THE WAY.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO HAVE PARENTS AS PARTNERS IN EDUCATION TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO HE SAID THAT THERE'S A LACK OF TRUST ISSUE AMONG AMONG THE ADULT HISPANICS.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU REACH OUTREACH NEEDS TO BE TO TRY TO GET THEM TO BE PARTNERS.
AND THERE'S A LOW TRUST ISSUE.
AND SO IT'S JUST IN THEIR DNA, IF YOU WILL, THAT THERE'S A KIND OF A LACK OF TRUST OUT THERE.
AND THAT COMES WHEN THEY COME TO THIS COUNTRY TOO.
AND THERE'S A FEELING THAT MAYBE PEOPLE DON'T WANT THEM HERE.
AND SO THEY KIND OF KEEP A LOW PROFILE.
HE SAID THAT THINGS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FAMILY, WORK, FAITH.
HE SAID THAT RADIO IS AND I'VE CHECKED WITH SOME OF MY HISPANIC FRIENDS AND THEY SAID, OH YES.
AND RADIO IS WHERE THEY GET THEIR BEST INFORMATION.
ALSO SAID FACEBOOK IS REALLY THE ONLY SOCIAL MEDIA THAT ADULT HISPANIC POPULATION IS ON.
HE SAID DON'T WORRY ABOUT TWITTER, DON'T WORRY ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] OR X OR WHATEVER.
HE SAID, DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANY OF THAT.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THE ADULT HISPANIC POPULATION, YOU NEED TO BE ON FACEBOOK.
HE SAID THAT A KEY FOR EVENTS, HE'S GOT A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS.
I WOULD LOVE SOMEBODY TO GO OUT AND MEET WITH HIM OR FACE TO FACETIME HIM, NOT FACETIME.
SORRY. THAT'S OLD, ZOOM WITH HIM.
HE'S LIKE I SAID, HE'S AT LONGVIEW.
IT'S SUPER INTERESTING DEMOGRAPHICS OUT THERE, BY THE WAY.
AND HE SAID THAT WILL IMMEDIATELY GET THEM INVOLVED.
HE ALSO SAID, AND AGAIN, I'M THESE ARE HIS TECHNIQUES THAT HE SAID HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
HE SAID SINCE FAITH IS IMPORTANT TO 90%, HE SAID THEY PROBABLY WILL NOT FORM THAT TRUST WITH YOU.
[01:20:03]
AND IN FACT, THE SUPERINTENDENT GOT UP AND HE SAID, I'VE TRIED EVERY WAY I KNOW TO TRY TO CONNECT WITH THE POPULATION AND THEY WOULDN'T CONNECT WITH ME.AND HE SAID, ONCE YOU GET IN WITH THE SPANISH SPEAKING MINISTERS OR PRIESTS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU'RE THERE FOR THEM AND THEIR KIDS AND THEY'VE DEVELOPED THAT TRUST, THEY WILL THEN FOLLOW THE MINISTER AND PRIEST AND COME TO YOUR DEAL.
YOU KNOW, HE HAD SOCCER CAMPS.
THEY BROUGHT IN A GROUP THAT WAS FREE TO THE DISTRICT FROM ECUADOR.
THEY BROUGHT IN A PRO SOCCER TEAM, JUST A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HIS IDEA WAS THAT YOU OUGHT TO IF YOU HAVE A SPANISH POPULATION OR HISPANIC POPULATION, THAT'S MORE THAN 20% OF YOUR STUDENT POPULATION.
IN WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICT DOESN'T THESE DAYS THAT YOU OUGHT TO HAVE A FULL TIME OUTREACH PERSON IN YOUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT? FASCINATING. I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO LOOK INTO THAT, TO HELP US WITH ATTENDANCE, WITH EDUCATION AND JUST OVERALL SUCCESS OF OUR POPULATION.
BECAUSE ARE WE AT ABOUT 60% HISPANIC AT THIS POINT? HOW MUCH? ABOUT 45.
MR. KUNKEL? YEAH. THANK YOU. I THINK I ATTENDED NINE TOTAL SESSIONS THAT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
A COUPLE OF THEM WERE ON LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.
IT STILL CONFOUNDS ME THAT THE ACUTE TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT ALL THE SURVEYS SHOW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THERE WAS NO LEGISLATIVE NOTHING, NO LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED REGARDING THAT.
AND SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT I GOT OUT OF THE REPORTS ON THE LEGISLATION, WENT TO A SESSION ON MENTAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS FOR YOUTH, AND THEY MENTIONED HOPE SQUAD A LOT.
AND I'M SO GLAD THAT OUR DISTRICT HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT PROGRAM FOR A WHILE.
MUCH OF THE WORLD IS TURNING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR KIDS, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT WE THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT IN OUR DISTRICT AND WANT THAT TO CONTINUE.
I THINK I WANT TO TALK ABOUT COMMISSIONER MORATH A LITTLE MORE THAN JOE DID.
HE SHOWED ALL THESE GRAPHS, IF YOU REMEMBER WHERE THERE WERE STUDENT TEACHER RATIOS AND HIS FOCUS AND HIS WHOLE TALK WAS WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR TEACHER STUDENT RATIOS.
EASIER SAID THAN DONE, RIGHT? AND AS PART OF THAT, HE IS JUST HARPING ON THE FACT THAT YOU NEED TO JUDGE YOUR TEACHERS AND PAY HIGH PERFORMING TEACHERS MORE THAN OTHERS.
AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE HE WAS MANDATING THAT DISTRICTS START DOING THAT, AND IT REALLY LEFT A BAD TASTE IN EVERYONE'S MOUTH, BECAUSE THESE GRAPHS THAT HE SHOWED WAS SHOWING TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULES LIKE WE PUBLISH, LIKE ALL DISTRICTS PUBLISH.
BUT HE DIDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT CHANGES EVERY YEAR.
BUT THAT'S JUST ON THAT YEAR'S SCHEDULE.
AND EVERYBODY IN MY WHOLE AREA WAS SAYING, THERE'S MORE TO THE STORY, COMMISSIONER.
MR. KUNKEL I HAVE TO SINCE YOU BROUGHT THIS UP, I HAVE TO JUMP IN.
SO HE SHOWS ONE DATA POINT FROM A FIFTH GRADE, I THINK, MATH FOR ONE YEAR.
AND HE SAYS, SEE THE BOUNCE? IT WAS SUCCESSFUL.
I DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT WAS NOT TRUE ON ANYTHING ELSE.
IT WAS WAY DOWN IN EIGHTH GRADE.
WHERE HE MENTIONED ONE SPECIFIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HE SAID THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL BUT HE SAID THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL WITH THIS PROGRAM.
AND HE SHOWED ONE DATA POINT FOR ONE YEAR FOR ONE GRADE.
AND I LOOKED A SIMPLE, SIMPLE 15 SECOND GOOGLE SEARCH.
AND I FOUND THAT THAT WAS NOT TRUE.
ACROSS THE BOARD. HE PICKED ONE DATA POINT OUT OF PROBABLY 50 THAT WERE ALL NEGATIVE.
I HAVE TO JUMP IN AND SAY ONE THING BEFORE MR. KUNKEL KEEPS GOING ABOUT THE ONE DATA POINT ON ONE DAY OF ONE YEAR, AND WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED WAS THE RIDICULOUS STATE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S ONE DATA POINT ON ONE DAY OF ONE YEAR FOR EVERY CHILD IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND HOW IS THAT AN APPROPRIATE STATE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM?
[01:25:03]
IT'S VERY PERPLEXING TO ME.I'M GOING TO STOP AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT IT WAS IT, I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF COMMISSIONER TALKS OVER THE YEARS, AND THAT ONE, HE BASICALLY DROPPED THE MIC AND WALKED OUT, DIDN'T TAKE QUESTIONS AND IT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE HE THOUGHT HE WAS, I DON'T KNOW, SUPERIOR TO US SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
I BETTER NOT SAY ANYMORE BECAUSE HE MAY WATCH THIS.
THE MEETINGS THAT I ATTENDED THAT WEEK ALL REVOLVED AROUND THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO IN COORDINATION WITH THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION, WITH TASA WITH THE TEXAS FIRST COALITION, THE MAIN CONVERSATION IS THAT TEACHER AND EDUCATOR PRIORITIES ARE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VOUCHER FIGHT, AND THAT HAS OVERSHADOWS THE NEED FOR IMPROVED TEACHER RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE SPEAKING TO.
IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A YEAR AND A HALF SINCE GOVERNOR ABBOTT CALLED FOR A TEACHER TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS THE TEACHER SHORTAGE IN TEXAS, AND AT THAT TIME, WE WERE EXCITED THAT THE FACT THAT HE WAS WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
LEGISLATION AIMED TO IMPROVE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION DIED DURING THE SESSION, DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, AFTER FINDING THE FATE, THEIR FATE WAS TIED TO VOUCHERS, WHICH ESSENTIALLY IS FUNNELING PUBLIC DOLLARS TO PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION.
CURRENTLY, THE TEXAS SENATE WANTS MONEY FOR TEACHER PAY, AND THE OVERHAUL OF WHAT WE CALL A BROKEN ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, PASSED ONLY IN TANDEM WITH GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S PROPOSED EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, I.E., VOUCHERS.
AND THE TEXAS HOUSE WILL NOT HEAR A VOUCHER BILL WITHOUT ADDRESSING PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING FIRST.
SO TODAY, SCHOOL FINANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY AND VOUCHERS SEEM TO BE DEAD FOR THIS PARTICULAR SPECIAL SESSION BECAUSE THE DEADLINE FOR RESOLUTION IN THIS THIRD SESSION IS NOVEMBER THE 7TH.
SO I'D BE VERY SURPRISED IF THERE WAS ANY MOVEMENT ON ANY OF THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF AND THE GOVERNOR HAS SINCE THREATENED A FOURTH SPECIAL SESSION OR ACTUALLY OR PUTTING VOUCHERS ON THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING.
WHY THE GOVERNOR REFUSES TO FUND TRADITIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION IS VERY PERPLEXING.
SO RIGHT NOW THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND NO ONE'S BLINKING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM OUR COLLEAGUES? MR. DAVIS, MAY I SAY ONE THING AND I'M SORRY.
I JUSTWANT TO TELL YOU IT'S VERY OBVIOUS OF WHAT'S NOT HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S THE BEST WAY TO RECRUIT IS TO RETAIN. AND I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR BEING VERY COURAGEOUS AND SHOWING THAT LEADERSHIP AND GIVING A NICE RAISE.
AND I MEAN THAT THAT WAS NOT WITH ONE DIME PUT IN OUR COFFERS.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING THE HR DEPARTMENT AND OUR TEAM, OUR CABINET TEAM AND DR.
SO THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I DO WANT TO THANK THE BOARD, BECAUSE ALREADY WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THAT $750 RETENTION BONUS THAT'S SLATED FOR TOMORROW, THAT WE'VE ALREADY HEARD THAT FOLKS HAVE GOT IT BECAUSE BUT THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING WE CAN DO.
IF WE CAN RETAIN OUR GOOD PEOPLE, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO GO FIND THEM.
DR. CLARK DOESN'T HAVE TO RETRAIN THEM.
THE PEOPLE THAT WE TRAIN DON'T HAVE TO DON'T LEAVE, AND WE GET TO KEEP PEOPLE.
AND THIS BOARD WAS VERY FORTHRIGHT AND THINKING AHEAD OF KEEPING OUR GOOD PEOPLE SO A LOT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT TWO MINUTES OF A COMMERCIAL AND SOAPBOX.
BUT IT MEANS A LOT TO WORK WITH FOLKS THAT SEE THAT VISION.
I HOPE I CAN MAKE THIS POINT. I'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT BEFORE AND I DON'T MAKE IT VERY CLEARLY.
THIS IS A STATE OF EDUCATION FINANCE AT THIS POINT.
WE OPERATE THIS ALL KIND OF COMES TOGETHER.
THE EFFICIENCY REPORTS SHOW THAT WE OPERATE AT ABOUT $5.5 MILLION LESS.
WE SPEND LESS ON OUR ADMINISTRATION THAN OUR PEERS.
[01:30:05]
SO THESE PEOPLE THAT SAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS JUST YOU CAN FIND THE MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEACHERS.NUMBER ONE, MR. WOMBLE POINTED OUT THAT WE SPEND OVER 85% ON SALARIES.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS BUT EVEN THEN I'M SAYING A DISTRICT AS EFFICIENT AS OURS THAT WORKS WITH LITTLE TO NOTHING IS BASICALLY ON THE POVERTY LEVEL OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE STILL ARE ABLE TO WE STILL MADE A COMMITMENT AND WE'RE STILL FIGHTING THESE FIGHTS.
YOU CAN'T BE ANY MORE EFFICIENT THAN US, BUT YET WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY OUR TEACHERS.
AND SO WE HAD TO PASS A DEFICIT BUDGET TO DO IT.
I MEAN, THIS IS NOT A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT'S FLUSH IN CASH.
AND WE COULD JUST OH, WELL, LET'S TAKE IT FROM HERE AND LET'S STICK IT OVER HERE.
AND THE EFFICIENCY REPORT FROM AN OUTSIDE AUDITOR HAS PROVEN THAT.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD DO IF THE LEGISLATURE WON'T FUND AND SO WE GOT THAT.
BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SUPER EFFICIENT ONE THAT CAN'T FIND A WAY AND HAVE MONEY TO PAY THEIR TEACHERS UNLESS THEY DO A DEFICIT BUDGET.
MR. DILKS. I SAW A GRAPHIC RECENTLY THAT SAID I THINK IT WAS 10, 12 YEARS AGO TEACHERS IN THIS STATE WERE MAKING, I'M NOT SAYING TEXAS, BUT IN GENERAL, WE'RE MAKING 60,000 AND THE HOME PRICES IN THAT AREA WERE LIKE 135,000.
THE DAY THEY SAID THAT HOME VALUE, THE HOME WAS WORTH 495,000, AND THE TEACHERS ARE MAKING 67,000.
I'M TELLING YOU, I WALK THAT WALK, I LIVED THAT ONE PAYCHECK A MONTH.
I DID CREDIT RETRIEVAL TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
IT'S A TOUGH ROAD, AND HOPEFULLY SOMEONE IN AUSTIN WILL SEE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART.
THEY CAN DO THEIR PART TOO. HOPEFULLY.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEMS. THIS IS ITEM J ONE.
MAY I MAKE ONE MORE STATEMENT? PLEASE DO.
OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE ALONG THOSE LINES THAT LET'S ALL NOT FORGET THAT THERE IS $5.5 BILLION APPROPRIATED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION SITTING THERE IN THE STATE BUDGET BEING HELD HOSTAGE BECAUSE OF A WAITING ON A VOTE, EITHER FOR OR AGAINST VOUCHERS.
AND THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT SOME MONEY WILL BE RELEASED IF VOUCHERS COME INTO FRUITION.
SO LET'S NOT FORGET THAT IT'S APPROPRIATED.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ITEM J 1, OPTIONAL FLEXIBLE SCHOOL DAY PROGRAM.
[J.1. Optional Flexible School Day Program [Dr. Elizabeth Clark, Associate Superintendent]]
DR. CLARK. THANK YOU.THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. DAVIS.
I COULD GET ON A SOAPBOX TOO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST ABOUT THE MONEY.
WE HAVE MORE KIDS WHO ARE COMING TO US WHO NOT ONLY NEED SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, BUT ACADEMIC SUPPORT.
AND SO THIS IS ABOUT A SMALL NUMBER OF STUDENTS, BUT IT DOES FLUCTUATE FROM TIME TO TIME.
THEY IN MANY INSTANCES HAVE TO CARE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS, BEDRIDDEN FAMILY MEMBERS, THEIR OWN CHILDREN, PERHAPS.
SO THE TEXAS CODE DOES ALLOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO USE WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE OPTIONAL FLEXIBLE SCHOOL DAY PROGRAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR MEETING THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS UNDER THESE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THE REQUIREMENT, HOWEVER, IS THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MUST APPROVE, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THE OPTIONAL FLEXIBLE SCHOOL DAY PROGRAM, SO THAT WE THEN CAN MAKE AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE TO IMPLEMENT THIS OPTION FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED IT IN ORDER TO PREVENT HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT.
SO WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ALLOWS THE DISTRICT TO SUBMIT THIS APPLICATION TO THE TEA, SHOWING THAT WE PLAN TO CONTINUE, AND WE DO PUT SAFEGUARDS IN TO MANAGE AND GOVERN THIS.
AND A STUDENT DOES NOT GET TO ELECT THEMSELVES TO BE IN AN OPTIONAL PROGRAM.
[01:35:07]
IT IS THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATION OF A COUNSELOR OR SOMEONE WHO SEES A GREAT NEED.AND I JUST WANT TO AT THIS POINT, IF YOU'LL GIVE ME THE LATITUDE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME MANY UNSUNG HEROES IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND ONE OF THEM IS RIGHT OUT THERE, TAMMY DANIEL, WAVE YOUR HAND.
TAMMY IS OUR ONLINE COORDINATOR AND SHE HAS A HEART FOR KIDS AND LEARNS ABOUT THESE CHILDREN WHO NEED SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND BRINGS IT TO OUR ATTENTION AND WORKS THROUGH OUR PROGRAM, OUR ONLINE CURRICULUM THAT WE HAVE EDGENUITY AS WELL AS PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS WHO NEED FLEXIBILITY AND CONSIDERATION.
SO JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY COMMEND HER FOR HAVING THAT BIG HEART AND LOOKING FOR WAYS.
CLARK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM? SO I SEE NINE OTHER DISTRICTS USING THIS PROGRAM IN REGION 11.
YES. SO THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER DISTRICTS IN REGION 11 THAT AREN'T USING THIS PROGRAM.
DO THEY JUST NOT GET THE FUNDING FOR THESE TOP STUDENTS? IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE? I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY OTHERS THAN WHAT I HAVE, BUT THOSE ARE THE ONES I KNOW ABOUT.
YOU DO HAVE TO MANAGE IT AND IT DOES REQUIRE SOMETIMES THE DISTRICTS DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S THERE IF YOU WANT IT.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DR. CLARK? IF NOT WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM K1.
CONSIDER PERSONNEL ITEMS AS DISCUSSED IN OUR CLOSED SESSION.
BEFORE WE CONSIDER THESE PERSONNEL ITEMS, I WANT TO ANNOUNCE DR.
STINSON HAS ACCEPTED FIVE RESIGNATIONS AND ONE RETIREMENT.
OH, SKIP, WE SKIPPED YOU THERE.
THANK YOU SIR. YOURS WON'T TAKE VERY LONG.
GO AHEAD, SKIP. SORRY. THANK YOU SIR.
[J.2. Birdville ISD Proposed Local Policy Updates (First Reading) [Skip Baskerville, Associate Superintendent]]
J2. YES.THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICIES EIA LOCAL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT GRADING PROCESS REPORTS TO PARENTS IN EIC LOCAL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT CLASS RANKING. THESE TWO POLICIES ARE REVISED FOR BETTER CLARIFICATION TO ALIGN PRACTICES.
EXCUSE ME. POLICIES TO PRACTICE, EIA LOCAL REVISIONS, REFER TO THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR.
TO ALIGN THIS POLICY TO OUR PRACTICE, BISD WILL REMOVE ALL REFERENCES TO 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR.
EIA LOCAL EIC LOCAL TO ALIGN POLICIES TO OUR PRACTICE.
SORRY ABOUT THAT, SKIP. QUESTIONS?SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS BEFORE.
WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MOVING DUAL CREDIT INTO ADVANCED CATEGORY? I THINK, MR. TOLBERT, I CAN DR.
CLARK CAN CHIME IN ON THAT, BUT THEY WERE SIMPLY MOVING IT AROUND.
IN THE SENTENCE I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION.
I ASKED THE EXACT SAME QUESTION.
I WAS LIKE, WHY ARE THEY CHANGING THAT? BUT IT'S NOT A CHANGE.
IT'S LITERALLY REARRANGING THE SENTENCE.
[K.1. Consider Personnel Items as Discussed in Closed Session]
NOW. WE'LL GO TO PERSONNEL ITEMS. DR. STINSON HAS ACCEPTED FIVE RESIGNATIONS AND ONE RETIREMENT.DO I HEAR A MOTION FOR THE PERSONNEL ITEM? IS THERE A MOTION? GO AHEAD.
MOTION MR. DILKS SECOND BY MR. KUNKEL. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SIGNIFY BY RAISED HAND.
[K.2. Consider the 2023-24 Campus Improvement Plans [Dr. Elizabeth Clark, Associate Superintendent]]
ITEM K TO CONSIDER THE 2023-24 CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVED THE BOARD APPROVE THE 2023-24 CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANS AS PRESENTED.
[01:40:04]
I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. TOLBERT. SECOND BY MR. DREES. ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? JUST LET DR. CLARK AND HER TEAM KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS.AND THE CAROUSEL PRESENTATIONS WERE VERY GOOD TOO.
VERY GOOD. [INAUDIBLE] MOTION MR. TOLBERT SECOND BY MR. DREES.
ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY RAISED HAND.
MOTION IS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
[K.3. Consider Proclamation 2024 Textbook Adoption Advisory Committees [Dr. Elizabeth Clark, Associate Superintendent]]
CONSIDER PROCLAMATION 2024 TEXTBOOK ADOPTION ADVISORY COMMITTEES.IS THERE A MOTION? MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE 2023-24 TEXTBOOK ADVISORY COMMITTEES FOR SCIENCE GRADES K THROUGH 12 AND PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY AND ECONOMICS AS PRESENTED. MOTION MISS SANDERS-WISE, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
MR. DILKS ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SIGNIFY BY RAISED HAND.
MOTION DOES CARRY UNANIMOUSLY BEFORE WE CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[L. CONSENT ITEMS]
I WANT TO MENTION A DONATION HAS BEEN PRESENTED FOR ACCEPTANCE AS PART OF THIS AGENDA.TONIGHT, PORTER ELEMENTARY PTA DONATED $40,682 TO PORTER ELEMENTARY.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THAT DONATION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE ALL ITEMS IN THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
MOTION. MR. DREES, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY MISS SANDERS-WISE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
MOTION DOES CARRY UNANIMOUSLY.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORTS TO THE BOARD ARE.
[M. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORTS TO THE BOARD]
REPORTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED AS INFORMATION TO THE BOARD HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW AND BOARD BOOK, DOES THE BOARD OR SUPERINTENDENT HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS CONCERNING ANY OF THESE ITEMS?[N. FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS]
IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE TO OUR NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING WE HELD THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH, A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE MONTH BECAUSE OF THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.WE'LL MEET HERE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH.
OPEN SESSION WILL BEGIN AT 7 P.M.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING? MOVE TO ADJOURN. GO, RANGERS.
MOTION. MR. KUNKEL, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY MISS SANDERS-WISE.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY GO, RANGERS.
GO, RANGERS! MOTION. THE MEETING ADJOURNED, 8:43.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.