February 26, 2024 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 Smithville Elementary will lead the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. Those students are:
1st Grade: Collin Bennett, Brycen Esser, Kinley Powell 2nd Grade: Zachary Kellogg, Gwendolyn Magden, Joshua Colosky 3rd Grade: Sullivan Brantley, Paige Owen, Case Kristynik 4th Grade: Shayrani Borjas Juarez, Preslee Manuel 5th Grade: Nicholas Henry, Alexis Kuenzi, Jett Adams |
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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.
This month's speaker is Mavis Guillory-Whitehead, a 5th grade student in Mrs. Armstrong's class. The character trait is loyalty. |
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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.
Attached are the minutes from the January 22, 2024 regular meeting.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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F.6. Tax Collection Report
Description:
Attached is the Tax Assessor-Collector's Report.
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F.7. Donation Received
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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.
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G.2. Superintendent's Report
Description:
The Superintendent will update the Board on important issues pertaining to the District including:
February Superintendent Report
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G.3. SISD Instructional/Curriculum Program Highlight - Destination Imagination
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. Safety and Security Update
Description:
Dr. Michael Caudill, Assistant Superintendent, will report to the Board on measures being taken in the district to address safety and security for students and staff, and update the Board on the recent safety audit.
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G.5. Tentative March Agenda Items
Description:
Tentative items to be included on the March agenda are:
a. Financial Report b. Superintendent’s Report c. Board Recognitions d. Curriculum Highlight e. Presentation of 2024-2025 High School Course Catalog f. Resignations and Employment of Certified Personnel g. Consider and Take Action Regarding Certified Staff Contract Renewal |
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H. Action Items
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H.1. Consider Approval of Additional School District Legal Counsel
Description:
Mr. Mark Goulet, formerly an attorney with Walsh Gallegos Trevino Kyle & Robinson, PC, the school district's legal counsel, has now moved to private practice and has approached Smithville ISD to allow him to continue serving the district in a legal capacity. Smithville ISD has enjoyed a professional working relationship with Mr. Goulet in excess of 25 years, and we are comfortable that Mr. Goulet has broad knowledge of the legal needs and history of SISD. While it is the intent of the district to continue the services of Walsh Gallegos Trevino Kyle & Robinson, P.C. as its primary legal counsel, we would like to request authorization by the Board of Trustees to use Mr. Goulet as an attorney as needed.
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H.2. Consider Custodial Contract Renewal
Description:
Our current agreement with IQS, Inc became effective June 15, 2019. The agreement was for one year with four possible renewals each year thereafter by amendment upon approval of the Board of Trustees. Since IQS is a member of the Buyboard purchasing coop, we are able to extend our services for an additional year.
The agreed renewal amount is the CPI rate of 4.0%, which amounts to an increase of $25,005 on our current fees. Per the terms of the custodial service agreement, it is the recommendation of administrative staff that the Board of Trustees extend the custodial contract with IQS, Inc for an additional year through the purchasing coop procurement method. |
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H.3. Consideration and Possible Approval of 2024-2025 School Calendar
Description:
Administrators designed three potential school calendars that complied with standard state requirements and incorporated suggestions from campus principals and other district staff. Surveys were sent out to solicit input from staff, parents and community members. The campus site-based committees met to review the drafts. The district site-based committee then met to discuss and analyze the calendars presented. Changes were made by the district site-based committee. The calendars with changes were then sent back to the campuses and a vote was taken. The calendar being recommended by the Superintendent reflects the results of the campus vote, Calendar A.
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H.4. Designating School Holidays in Accordance with HB 3033 Public Information Act
Description:
HB 3033 passed during the 88th Legislative Session, effective September 1, 2023, makes significant changes to the Texas Public Information Act (PIA), prompting a need for districts to update their procedures and for the board of trustees to take action. Various provisions throughout the PIA require a governmental entity to act within a prescribed number of "business days." The statute previously did not define the term "business days," However, for years, the Attorney General’s Office interpreted the term "business days" to not include days the governmental entity was closed for business or holidays the governmental entity chose to observe. For school districts, this meant that closures such as fall break, winter break, and spring break were not counted as business days when calculating applicable deadlines. This longstanding interpretation has now been changed by the legislature. Under HB 3033, the only days that do not count as business days are the following:
To take advantage of the 10 additional "non-business days" each calendar year, the board of trustees must officially designate these days. |
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H.5. Consider Approval of Resolution to Waive Staff Make-up Day for Bad Weather Event
Description:
Recently, Smithville ISD canceled and delayed school due to a freezing weather event on January 16, 2024. Due to area flash floods, SISD delayed the start of school on Wednesday, January 24th by 2 hours. SISD has adjusted the school calendar and the number of minutes in the school day to make up for the missed time for students, and the majority of the missed time for staff. We will use the March 8, 2024 professional development day/bad weather day for a make-up day for students and staff. It is being proposed by administrators that the original professional development day be waived for staff and require no make-up for that day only. This is a Board decision, requiring Board action.
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H.6. Consider Approval of Instructional Materials Allotment and Textbook Adoption
Description:
Board policies EFAA (legal) and EFAA (local) address the selection and adoption of instructional materials for the district. The instructional resource committee recommendation is to adopt all titles on the state approved list. From the list, each campus will determine the supplemental materials to be ordered based on instructional allotment funds and need assessments for each campus.
In order to remain in compliance with board policy and state guidelines to enable the district to obtain state-funded instructional materials for the school district, the Board of Trustees must certify the use of Instructional Material Allotment Funds for instructional resources within the school district. All instructional materials presented are on the State Board of Education's state approved materials list. Science K-8: SAVVAS Science: Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, Chemistry, Physics, Forensics,AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics: SAVVAS Career and Technology Education and Social Studies Financial Literacy: BE Publishing Technology Applications K-8: Learning.com PreKindergarten Phonics: Frog Street Press |
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H.7. Personnel
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H.7.a. Resignations of Certified Personnel
Description:
The Superintendent would like to inform the Board of the resignation of Dianna King, assistant band director. Mrs. King is retiring as of the end of the school year. Mrs. Burns is also reporting the resignation of Ava Zapalac, teacher at Smithville Elementary effective March 8th, and Ashley Cooper, teacher at Brown Primary effective the end of the school year.
No action is required. |
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H.7.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.
The Superintendent recommends the hire of: Rachel Mahaffey - Teacher Degree - BS from Texas State University Certification - Core Subjects EC-6, ESL Supplemental EC-6 Years of Experience - 2 years Campus - Smithville Elementary Miss Mahaffey will take over for Ava Zapalac to complete the current school year, and is also being recommended for hire for 2024-2025. |
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H.7.c. Consideration/Action Regarding Administrator Employment Contract Renewals/Extensions
Description:
Board Policy DC Series addresses employment of personnel and contracts. According to Board Policy DC [Local], the Superintendent has the sole authority to make recommendations to the Board regarding the selection of contracted personnel. Final authority for selection and employment of classroom teachers, principals, librarians, nurses, counselors, and other certified contractual personnel is retained by the Board.
The following administrators are currently on a two-year term contract and are in the first year of that contract. The Superintendent recommends the following administrators for a one-year extension of their existing contract which will, in effect, give them a new two-year contract to expire June 30, 2026: Michael Caudill - Assistant Superintendent Bethany Logan - Director of Curriculum Tucker Copeland - High School Principal The following administrators are currently on a one-year probationary contract and are being recommended for a two-year term contract to expire in June 2026: Sarah Vinklarek - Brown Primary Principal The following administrators are currently on a one-year probationary contract and are being recommended for a one-year term contract to expire in June 2025: Tracy Johnson - Director of Special Education Brenda Ricketts - High School Assistant Principal Amanda Hudspeth - Junior High School Principal The following administrators are currently on a one-year term contract, and are being recommended for a one-year term contract to expire June 30, 2025: Holly Brockman - Elementary Assistant Principal Erin O’Rourke - Elementary Assistant Principal Whitney Brown - Special Programs Coordinator Misty Vasquez - 504 Facilitator The following administrator is currently on a one-year probationary contract, and is being recommended for a one-year probationary contract to expire June 30, 2025: Gregory Maxwell - Assistant Principal at Smithville Junior High School |
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I. Closed Session Disclaimer - During the course of the meeting, the Board of Trustees may conduct a closed meeting in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, Subchapter D and E. Decisions may be made as a result of executive session.
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