November 13, 2023 at 6:00 PM - Regular Meeting
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A. Call to Order
Description:
The Board President or his/her designee will call the meeting to order.
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B. Roll Call
Description:
The Board President or his/her designee will call the roll of members.
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C. Student Led Pledge of Allegiance
Description:
Students representing the House System at Smithville Elementary will lead the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. Those students are:
1st Grade: Nolan Ortiz, Liberty Jones, Jamarkus Kellough |
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D. Board Recognitions
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D.1. Character Education Speakers
Description:
Student guest speakers will be present at each board meeting to read a short essay on the Character Trait of the Month.
Nolen Ortiz, a first grader in Mrs. Bishop's class, and Riley Navarro, a third grade student in Ms. Saffel's class, will read their essays on "service". |
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D.2. Recognition of Mentors
Description:
We would like to express our appreciation to the individuals who are assisting as mentors to the new educators in the district. Those mentors are:
Brown Primary: Shelly Naylor Vicki Vinklarek Smithville Elementary: Julie Bishop Jamie Bain Sarah Curtis Amber Garcia Anna Goertz Crystal Heimann Julie Humke Daymona Hunsucker Jesse Margolis Kevin Mahoney Crystal Saffel Smithville Junior High: Arlene Davenport Patricia Hawkins Dianna King Valerie Rodriguez Crystal Vinklarek Smithville High School: Jennifer Berry Mary Castello Virginia Marek Tessa Otten Lacey Schwanke Lisa Wood |
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E. Public Communications
Description:
Citizens wishing to address the Board of Trustees have so indicated by listing their name on the Communications from the Public sign-in sheet located on the table at the entrance to the boardroom if the meeting is done in person, or at the link provided on the published board agenda if conducted remotely. Those signing have given a brief indication of the topics to be addressed.
Comments to the Board of Trustees under this provision will be limited to three minutes. The members of the Board of Trustees will listen to citizen presentations during this portion of a regularly scheduled meeting, but they will not comment or participate in a discussion of the topic. |
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F. Consent Agenda
Description:
Board members routinely approve items on the consent agenda as a group. These are routine agenda items. Board members have the option to ask questions regarding any of the items listed under "consent agenda".
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F.1. Minutes
Description:
State law requires that a record be kept in the form of official minutes on each meeting held by a governmental body and that these minutes be approved at the next regular meeting.
Included in the board packet are the minutes from the October 16, 2023 regular meeting and the October 30, 2023 special board workshop.
Attachments:
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F.2. Financial Statements
Description:
Monthly reporting of financial position in relation to the budget. The Board is provided monthly financial statements.
Attachments:
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F.3. Investment Report
Description:
Meet legal reporting requirements for investments.
In order the meet legal reporting requirements for investments, the Board receives quarterly reports on District investments.
Attachments:
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F.4. State Aid Comparison - Budgeted vs. Earned
Description:
The Board has requested a monthly status report of earned state aid in relation to the budget.
Attachments:
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F.5. Earned vs. TEA Payments
Description:
The Board has requested a monthly status report of earned state aid in relation to the budget.
Attachments:
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F.6. Tax Collection Report
Description:
Attached is the Tax Assessor-Collector's Report.
Attachments:
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G. Information Items
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G.1. Financial Report
Description:
The Chief Financial Officer, Jean Ann McCarthy, will review the financial disbursements for the previous month with the Board of Trustees. No action is required.
Attachments:
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G.2. Superintendent's Report
Description:
The Superintendent will update the Board on important issues pertaining to the District.
November Superintendent Report
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G.3. SISD Instructional/Curriculum Program Highlight - Instructional Technology
Description:
The Board will be presented with curriculum and program area highlights on a regular basis. The purpose of each presentation is to keep the Board informed of the academic progress within the district and on campuses.
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G.4. Update on the Proposed Drainage Project Pursued by Bastrop County, Texas and City of Smithville
Description:
Superintendent Burns will provide an update on the proposed drainage project pursued by Bastrop County, Texas and City of Smithville, Texas, for which the County and the City propose use and inclusion of school district property.
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G.5. Intruder Detection Audit Findings and Training Plan
Description:
Dr. Michael Caudill, Assistant Superintendent in charge of safety and security, will present audit findings, and a staff training plan and information to the Board of Trustees.
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G.6. Tentative December Agenda Items
Description:
Tentative items for the December meeting include:
a. Consent Agenda - Investment Policy Review b. Consent Agenda - Review Approved Providers of Investment c. Superintendent’s Self-Evaluation Submission to the Board d. Distribution of Superintendent Evaluation Materials |
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H. Action Items
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H.1. Review and Approve 2022-2023 District Financial Audit
Description:
As required by the Texas Education Agency, an annual audit of financial information is conducted to assure that all legal requirements are being met and sound fiscal responsibility is maintained. The audit was conducted by Armstrong, Vaughn and Assoc, P.C. Kim Roach, who is a Principal with Armstrong, will present the audit. Included in the board packet is the Management's Discussion and Analysis, Exhibit C-2 and the Governance Letter for the Board's review.
Attachments:
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H.2. Consider Approval of SHAC Recommended Curriculum
Description:
The SHAC committee will present the recommended SB9 curriculum and announce 2023-2024 officers.
Attachments:
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H.3. Consider Approval of Certified Levy in Accordance with the Texas Property Tax Code 26.09(e)
Description:
The district is in receipt of a request from Ellen Owens, Tax Assessor/Collector for the Smithville Independent School District, for approval of the attached document in accordance with Texas Property Tax Code 26.09(e). This document requires that the Board of Trustees approve the original certified tax levy.
Attachments:
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H.4. Approval of Expenditure in Excess of $50,000
Description:
The purpose of this agenda item is to authorize the processing and scanning of the District's Permanent documents to a cloud management system. We currently still have our original documents in a secure location. However, due to weather, aging documents and storage issues, we are asking for authorization to proceed with Records Consultants, Inc with the included proposal.
This request is currently not budgeted and would require the use of fund balance to get the project completed. Mrs. McCarthy will be available for discussion on this project.
Attachments:
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H.5. Consider Approval of Interlocal Agreement for Tax Collection Services
Description:
Section 6.24 of the Texas Property Tax Code and the Interlocal Cooperation Act, Chapter 791, Texas Government Code, as amended, authorizes political subdivisions of the State of Texas to enter Interlocal contracts for the provision of tax assessing and collecting services. The County of Bastrop has agreed to provide tax assessing and collecting services for Smithville Independent School District and an interlocal agreement for services is included in the board packet.
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H.6. Consider Approval of District and Campus Improvement Plans and Performance Objectives
Description:
Board Policy BQ [Legal] requires the Board to annually approve district and campus performance objectives and ensure that the district and campus improvement plans are mutually supportive to accomplish identified objectives and at a minimum, support the state goals and objectives. Smithville ISD presents these plans and objectives to the Board of Trustees in order to meet legal requirements for approving campus performance objectives and to improve student achievement.
Site-Based committees, campus principals, and central office staff began working on revising our improvement plans and establishing performance objectives for the 2023-2024 school year last spring. The committees have made final revisions this fall and are ready to present their performance objectives and improvement plans to the Board for approval. Included with the board packet are the performance objectives and improvement plans established for the district and each campus.
Attachments:
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H.7. Voting for Bastrop Central Appraisal District Board of Directors
Description:
The Bastrop County Appraisal District is governed by a five-member board of directors which is elected by the governing bodies of the taxing entities in Bastrop County. Board members serve two-year at-large terms, which begin on January 1st of even numbered years. Chapter 6 of the Property Tax Code allows each tax unit to cast votes for the Board of Directors of the Bastrop Central Appraisal District in proportion to their tax levy. At its regular meeting in September, the Board of Trustees nominated Justin Bezner, Jeannie Ralph and Stacy Tiner to be placed on the ballot for BCAD Board of Directors. The Smithville Independent School District is allocated 384 votes out of a total of 5,000 to cast for the candidate of its choice. The vote must be conducted at an open meeting of the Board of Trustees. The deadline to return a signed resolution of votes cast is December 15th. The five candidates who receive the largest cumulative vote totals will become the five appointed board of directors. We will be notified of the results after December 15th. Our goal is to elect a Smithville representative to the Bastrop County Appraisal District Board of Directors.
Included in the board information is a voting entitlement for each of the taxing entities in Bastrop County, and a voting resolution. Please note: on November 2, 2023, SISD was notified by Faun Cullens with the Bastrop Central Appraisal District that Stacy Tiner had withdrawn her name as a candidate for the BCAD Board. Total Allocation of Votes: Bastrop County - 1,185 Bastrop ISD - 2,318 Bastrop City - 192 Elgin ISD - 664 Elgin City - 111 Lexington ISD - 1 McDade ISD - 45 Smithville ISD - 384 Smithville City - 53 ACC Elgin - 46
Attachments:
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H.8. Personnel
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H.8.a. Resignations of Certified Personnel
Description:
Mrs. Burns received the resignation of Desiree Sorber as fourth grade teacher at Smithville Elementary School.
No action is required. |
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H.8.b. Employment of Certified Personnel
Description:
According to Board Policy DC [Local], the Superintendent has the authority to make recommendations to the Board regarding the selection of all personnel.
There are no recommendations for employment at this time. |
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H.8.c. Closed Session:
Discussion regarding assignment/reassignment of administrative positions. Tex. Gov’t Code sec. 551.071
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