June 14, 2021 at 6:30 PM - Regular Meeting
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I. OPENING - CALL TO ORDER, PLEDGE(S) OF ALLEGIANCE & INVOCATION
Description:
UNITED STATES FLAGI pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all. TEXAS FLAGThe amended (HB1034, effective June 15, 2007) pledge of allegiance to the Texas state flag is:"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee,
Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible." |
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II. OPEN FORUM
Description:
Persons desiring to address the Board of Trustees must fill out a speaker's card and submit it to the Administrative Assistant to the Board prior to the meeting. No presentation shall exceed three minutes. The Board cannot deliberate on any subject matter that is not included on the agenda.
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III. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION
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III.A. Consent Agenda
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III.A.1. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
Description:
Background:
The following minutes are provided for your review:
Minutes become official when approved by the Board of Trustees. Recommendation: Approve the minutes of the meetings as presented. Board Action: Board Approval
Attachments:
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III.A.2. Financial Reports
Description:
Background:
Financial reports for the previous month are presented. Administrative Considerations: None Recommendation: As desired by Board Board Action: As needed
Attachments:
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III.A.3. Contracted Services- Regions 7 and 10
Description:
Background:
Education Service Center contracts are presented for processing for the 2021-2022 school year. Administrative Considerations: Contracts for Region 7 and Region 10 are presented. Recommendation: Approve contracts for services as presented. Board Action: Board approval.
Attachments:
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III.B. Business and Finance
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III.B.1. WAG Report
Description:
Background:
The WAG Report is provided by the Assistant Superintendent of Finance. Administrative Considerations: This report keeps the Board apprised of the district's current financial status. Recommendation: As needed Board Action: Approval is not required for this report, unless action is needed. |
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III.B.2. Bank Depository Bid
Description:
Background:
The Bank Depository Bid is to be considered on odd years. Administrative Considerations: The Bank Depository Account is currently with Commercial Bank of Texas- Emory. Recommendation: The district provided bid packages to all banks in the district. The district received bids from Austin Bank, City National Bank, Commercial Bank of Texas, and First National Bank of East Texas. Stifel, Nicolaus & Company was contracted to review and give their recommendation to the district. Assistant Superintendent of Finance, Jeff Fisher will present the report from Stifel. Board Action: Board approval. |
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III.B.3. Rains County Appraisal District - 2022 Budget
Description:
Background:
The Rains County Appraisal District annually prepares a proposed budget that is presented to RISD for approval, according to their budget calendar. Administrative Considerations: As available, the RCAD proposed budget will be presented. Recommendation: Board approval. Board Action: Board approval.
Attachments:
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III.B.4. Consider V.A.T.R.E. (Voter-Approved Tax Ratification Election)
Description:
Background:
Asst. Superintendent, Jeff Fisher will present the information regarding consideration of the V.A.T.R.E. Administrative Considerations: The board will determine if the district will move forward with a V.A.T.R.E. Recommendation: As needed Board Action: As desired by Board. |
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III.B.5. Substitute Teacher Pay Proposal
Description:
Background:
Assistant Superintendent, Jeff Fisher will present the Substitute Teacher Pay Proposal. Administrative Considerations: Consider and approve the Substitute Teacher Pay Proposal as presented. Recommendation: Board approval Board Action: As desired by Board.
Attachments:
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III.B.6. Consider Increase in Health Insurance Contribution
Description:
Background:
Assistant Superintendent Jeff Fisher will present this information to the Board. Administrative Considerations: Consider increasing health insurance contribution by $25.00. The current contribution is $275. Recommendation: Administration recommends Board approval as presented. Board Action: As desired by Board. |
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III.B.7. Consider Track Proposals
Description:
Background:
Assistant Superintendent, Jeff Fisher will present the Board with the track proposals. Administrative Considerations: Consider and approve the recommended track proposal as presented. Recommendation: Board approval. Board Action: As desired by Board. |
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III.B.8. ESSER Proposal- Current Planning
Description:
Background: While keeping in mind the purpose and requirements under ESSER related to accelerating student learning, TEA strongly encourages school systems to plan for how to use these one-time federal funds expeditiously over the entire covered period. ESSER III funds must be spent by September 2024. Schools should facilitate a comprehensive long-term approach to learning acceleration that will be necessary to support all Texas students affected by COVID-19 while also avoiding a local fiscal cliff caused by the expiration of federal funds in September 2024. As part of the ESSER grant application process, superintendents must brief their boards on the one-time nature of these federal funds. School systems should not anticipate that ongoing, replacement funds will be provided at either the federal or state level. There are many requirements that must be met before the application is submitted. There are also numerous guidelines that will be constantly monitored throughout the grant period (until 2024) which will involve random validation submissions. Rains ISD will utilize the plethora of input received from all stakeholders throughout 2020 and 2021. However, more input is needed before the application can be submitted. The RISD June Board Meeting serves as a public meeting and public comment will be received before submitting the plan. Two plans are required. One is the Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services (RIPICS) Plan. Although most Texas school districts safely returned to school in August 2020, many states throughout the country did not. Therefore, we must continue to post and revise the plan every six months (with meaningful consultation from all stakeholders) throughout the entire grant period. The second plan is the Use of Funds Plan. This is submitted in and with the application. Again, there are many requirements which must be met, and it must be posted on the website. Rains ISD’s 2020-2023 (with one additional year of carryover allowed) ARP ESSER III Grant allocation is: Immediately available- $2,214,393 Remaining 1/3- $1,107,197 Total= $3,321,590 Administrative Considerations: For information only. Recommendation: |
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III.B.9. Life Skills Stipend
Description:
Background:
Add stipend in order to assist in hiring highly qualified Special Education Life Skills Teachers. Administrative Considerations: None Recommendation: Approve stipends as desired by Board. Board Action: As desired by Board. |
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III.C. Curriculum & Instruction
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III.C.1. End-of-Year Report
Description:
Background:
The End-of-Year Report is presented by the Curriculum Department. Administrative Considerations: The following items are provided:
Recommendation: Action is not required for these reports. Board Action: As desired by Board.
Attachments:
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III.C.2. Region 7- Reading Academies Purchase
Description:
Background:
The cost of the Region 7 Reading Academies for teachers and principals will exceed the threshold of $50,000. Per HB3(House Bill 3), passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in June 2019, all kindergarten through third-grade teachers and principals must attend a teacher literacy achievement academy by the 2022-2023 school year. The goal of the Texas Reading Academies is to increase teacher knowledge and implementation of evidence-based practices to positively impact student literacy achievement. Administrative Considerations: Approval of purchase as presented. Recommendation: Purchase approval. Board Action: Board approval
Attachments:
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III.C.3. Heinemann and STEMscopes Purchase
Description:
Background:
Purchase of curriculum from Heinemann and STEMscopes will exceed the threshold of $50,000. Administrative Considerations: The curriculum materials purchased by the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and campus representatives. Recommendation: Purchase approval Board Action: Board approval
Attachments:
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III.D. Superintendent Reports
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III.D.1. District Activities & Projects
Description:
Background:
The Superintendent will share information with the Board on district activities and projects. Administrative Considerations: Any items that would require Board action will be presented along with the report. Recommendation: As needed Board Action: As needed |
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III.D.2. Report of Disbursements
Description:
Background:
A report on the payment of bills is provided under this item. Administrative Considerations: The payment of bills is only reported to the Board. Recommendation: No action required Board Action: No action required
Attachments:
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III.D.3. Andrews Center MOU Consideration
Description:
Background:
The Superintendent will present the Andrews Center MOU agreement. Administrative Considerations: Consider and take action. Recommendation: Board Approval Board Action: As desired by Board. |
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III.D.4. State Softball Rings Consideration
Description:
Background:
The 2021 Rains Lady Cat Softball team were the winners of the UIL 3AAA State Championship game on June 3, 2021. Administrative Considerations: Consider the purchase of the state championship rings for the girls' softball team. Recommendations: Administration recommends Board approval as presented. Board Action: As desired by Board. |
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IV. PERSONNEL ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION
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IV.A. Personnel Changes/Update
Description:
The following is for review only and does not require board action:
Employment:
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V. CLOSED SESSION
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V.A. Personnel, Texas Government Code § 551.074
Description:
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 6. Section 551.074. Personnel MattersSection 551.074 authorizes certain deliberations about officers and employees of the governmental body to be held in executive session: (a) This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting: (1) to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee; or (2) to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee. (b) Subsection (a) does not apply if the officer or employee who is the subject of the deliberation or hearing requests a public hearing.267 This section permits executive session deliberations concerning an individual officer or employee. Deliberations about a class of employees, however, must be held in an open session.268 For example, when a governmental body discusses salary scales without referring to a specific employee, it must meet in an open session.269 The closed meetings authorized by section 551.074 may deal only with officers and employees of a governmental body; closed deliberations about the selection of an independent contractor are not authorized.270 Section 551.074 authorizes the public officer or employee under consideration to request a public hearing.271 In Bowen v. Calallen Independent School District,272 a teacher requested a public hearing concerning nonrenewal of his contract but did not object when the school board moved to go into executive session. The court concluded that the school board did not violate the Act.273 Similarly, in James v. Hitchcock Independent School District,274 a school librarian requested an open meeting on the school district’s unilateral modification of her contract. The court stated that refusal of the request for a hearing before the school board "is permissible only where the teacher does not object to its denial."275 However, silence may not be deemed a waiver if the employee has no opportunity to object.276 When a board heard the employee’s complaint, moved on to other topics, and then convened an executive session to discuss the employee after he left, the court found that the employee had not had an opportunity to object.277 263 TEX. GOV’T CODE ANN. § 551.0726. 264 Id. § 551.073. 265 See Act of Mar. 28, 1973, 63d Leg., R.S., ch. 31, § 2, 1973 Tex. Gen. Laws 45, 46 (former article 6252-17, § 2(f), Revised Civil Statutes). 266 See, e.g., Dallas Cnty. Flood Control Dist. No. 1 v. Cross, 815 S.W.2d 271, 282-83 (Tex. App.—Dallas 1991, writ denied). 267 TEX. GOV’T CODE ANN. § 551.074. 268 Gardner, 21 S.W.3d at 777; Tex. Att’y Gen. Op. No. H-496 (1975) (construing predecessor to Government Code, section 551.074). Closed Sessions 2012 Open Meetings Handbook • Office of the Attorney General |
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V.B. Student Discipline, Texas Government Code § 551.082
Description:
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE § 551.082
Sec. 551.082. SCHOOL CHILDREN; SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES; DISCIPLINARY MATTER OR COMPLAINT. (a) This chapter does not require a school board to conduct an open meeting to deliberate in a case: (1) involving discipline of a public school child; or
(2) in which a complaint or charge is brought against an employee of the school district by another employee and the complaint or charge directly results in a need for a hearing.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply if an open hearing is requested in writing by a parent or guardian of the child or by the employee against whom the complaint or charge is brought.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 28, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
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V.C. Security, Texas Government Code § 551.089
Description:
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE
18. Section 551.089. Deliberations Regarding Security Devices or Security Audits; Closed Meeting. Deliberation Regarding Security Devices or Security Audits; Closed Meeting Section 551.089 provides as follows: This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting to deliberate: (1) security assessments or deployments relating to information resources technology; (2) network security information as described by Section 2059.055(b); or (3) the deployment, or specific occasions for implementation, of security personnel, critical infrastructure, or security devices. .354 TEX. GOV'T CODE ANN. § 551.089(2). 354 TEX. GOV'T CODE §551.089. Chapter 2059 of the Government Code relates to the "Texas Computer Network Security System" Id. §§ 2059.001-.153. Closed Sessions 2012 Open Meetings Handbook -Office of the Attorney General |
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VI. BOARD CORRESPONDENCE, HANDOUTS (As Available)
Description:
The Superintendent has placed this item on the agenda for the purpose of sharing miscellaneous correspondence/information item(s) that may be of interest to Board members.
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VII. Board Workshop/Training
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VII.A. Team Building/Evaluating and Improving Student Outcomes Training
Description:
Background:
This Superintendent has scheduled Team Building “Team of Eight” and Evaluating and Improving Student Outcomes “EISO/SB1566” training for this meeting, which will enable members to receive continuing education hours. Administrative Considerations: Randy Perry with Region 7 will conduct this training. Recommendation: As needed. Board Action: As desired by Board. |
