January 24, 2022 at 5:30 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  The purpose of the meeting is to review the amended plan for spending the ARP ESSER III federal funds for COVID related expenditures including those targeting learning loss from COVID pandemic.

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https://youtu.be/i3pmefS52Ss

Description:  The monthly expenditures is presented for the Board of Trustee review in the Revenue and Expenditures Report and the Check Register in the Financial Update Section.

Description:  The General Fund Proposed Budget Includes

• Adjusted local, state, and federal revenue to new projections and added additional revenue generated from VATRE.
• Added salary adjustment for passing of VATRE
• Added salary of additional positions added and pay adjustments made
• Added additional budget for utilities
• Added additional budget for athletic past district events
• Added Revenue and Expense for Emergency Connectivity Fund purchases 

The General Fund will have a deficit budget of $ $1,281,740 after this amendment is approved. The total change in deficit is a reduction in the deficit of $1,261,812.

The Child Nutrition Amended Budget includes:

• Adjusting state and federal revenue projections
• Added salary for passing of VATRE
• Adjusting food and other expenses to new projections
• Added salary of new director and employee pay adjustments

The Child Nutrition Fund will have a $191,702 net revenue after this amendment is approved.  The total change is excess of $191,702.

The Debt Service Amended Budget includes:

• Adjusting local and state revenue for new projections and additional revenue generated from VATRE
• Added amount for early payoff of bonds 

The Debt Service budget will have a deficit budget of $1,452,939 after this amendment is approved.  The total change is a deficit of $1,618,381.

See attached worksheets for additional details.

Description:  White Settlement ISD was approved for the Emergency Connectivity Fund through USAC as requested for a total of $882,483.20. 

A Proposal was submitted for (1) 2,000 Dell computers in the amount of $828,483.20, (2) 200 hot spots  for $18,000 and (3) 12 months of service for 200 hot spots  for $36,000. 

Updated quotes have been requested.

These items will be purchased by the district, then refunded in full.  

Description:  The Practicum of Entrepreneurship is a new course that will greatly benefit our CTE program. This course is able to act as a capstone practicum course for over half of our programs of study. (Design and Multi-media arts, Digital Communications, Culinary, Business Management, IT, and Computer Science, just to name a few!)  
 
Not only will it allow our students to learn how to become an entrepreneur within their specific program of study, it could potentially alleviate stacking courses on our other practicum teachers.  Innovative courses may only satisfy elective credit toward graduation requirements.  Please refer to TAC §74.13 for guidance on endorsements.It is an innovative course which requires school board approval.  
Here is the course description:
The Practicum in Entrepreneurship provides students the opportunity to apply classroom learnings and experiences to real-world business problems and opportunities, while expanding their skill sets and professional relationships as a real or simulated business owner versus the experience one would have as an employee. Students will prepare for an entrepreneurial career in their area of interest in their career cluster and build on and apply the knowledge and skills gained from courses taken in an array of career areas. Practicum experiences occur in a paid or unpaid arrangement and a variety of locations appropriate to the nature and level of the student’s need for work-based learning experience. Students implement personal and interpersonal skills to strengthen individual performance in the workplace and in society and to make a successful transition to the workforce or postsecondary education. It is recommended that students are paired with local business owners or employers in their specific industry program of study.
 

Description:  Update 118 includes changes almost exclusively from legislative changes from the 87^th Regular Legislative Session. All referenced bills have already gone into effect unless noted.
The Board is requested to approve Update 118 as presented with recommended changes to FL (Local).

 

Description:  District recommends the renewal of the current District of Innovation Plan to be effective from January 2022 to January 2027.  

Description:  The District is requesting the Board of Trustees to consider an order authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax refunding bonds, appointing a pricing officer and delegating to the pricing officer the authority to approve the sale of bonds, establishing certain parameters for the approval of such matters, levying an annual ad valorem tax for the payment of the bonds, and enacting other provisions relating to the subject.  The bond series that will be refunded are 2014 and 2015B.

The order the Board of Trustees is requested to consider contains certain parameters that must be met in order for the Delegated Pricing Officers ( Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations) to authorize the sale of bonds.  Such parameters include minimum savings of $600,000, the original maturity date of the bonds cannot be extended, and the outstanding principal amount of the bonds cannot be increased. The length of the parameter authority is 180 days.

See attached presentation from Hilltop Securities for further details.

Description:  District personnel recommend the Board of Trustees call a bond election to address growth, grade alignment, and capital improvements as presented to the School Board by the Long-Range Planning Committee 2021.

The proposition will read as follows:
For _____ Against _____
The issuance of $115,000,000 of bonds by the White Settlement Independent School District for school facilities and sites and levying the tax in payment thereof.  This is a property tax increase.