The Board President or his/her designee will call the roll of members.

Students representing the House System at Smithville Elementary will lead the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.  Those students are:

1st Grade:  Olivia Miller, Rebecca Huggins, Edilberto Olalde

2nd Grade:  Jada Hall, Bridger Little-Neuhaus, Dalton Gartman

3rd Grade:  Keatyn Becker, Tyler Jones, Riley Navarro

4th Grade:  Bryce Goodwin, Whitley Ladewig, Almaguer Ledezma

5th Grade:  Olivia Larkin, Luke Fowler, Lyzander Luther

Student guest speakers will be present at each board meeting to read a short essay on the Character Trait of the Month. The character trait for April is curiosity.
This month the Board will hear from Cameron Gaither, a fourth grade student in Ms. Rogers class, and Anthony Fajardo, a fifth grade student in Ms. Hall's class.

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. 

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".

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 March 25, 2024 regular meeting.

Monthly reporting of financial position in relation to the budget.  The Board is provided monthly financial statements.

Meet legal reporting requirements for investments.
In order the meet legal reporting requirements for investments, the Board receives quarterly reports on District investments.

The Board has requested a monthly status report of earned state aid in relation to the budget.

The Board has requested a monthly status report of earned state aid in relation to the budget.

Attached is the Tax Assessor-Collector's Report.

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.

The Superintendent will update the Board on important issues pertaining to the District.
 

April Superintendent Report

• District enrollment as of Friday, April 12, 2024 is 1795 students.

• Reminder: according to Board Policy DC (Local), the Board retains final authority for employment of contractual personnel; however, from June 1 to August 31, the Board delegates to the Superintendent the authority to employ contract personnel. The Superintendent shall inform the Board of any persons hired under this authority.

• Please add June 6, 2024 to your calendar for a budget workshop.

• Also, we have confirmed that Mrs. Kay Douglas, with TASB, is available to conduct a Team of Eight training session for the Board on Monday, August 12th.  Please plan to attend.

• State Testing starts this week, and will continue through the second week of May.

• Many students participated with projects and records were broken for sales at the Smithville FFA Livestock Show.

• In the last week, we have had students participating in softball, baseball, track, band, theater, Texas Problem Solvers and Destination Imagination.

• Students who advanced to regional track and field will be competing this weekend.

• We hosted our first Pre-K and Kindergarten registration on Friday and had about 30 students register.  The next registration will be held May 10th.

• Early voting for the regular May 4, 2024 school board election begins on April 22, 2024 and ends on April 30, 2024.

• The Tiger Insider-Spring Edition is at your seats.

• Please refer to the Smithville ISD website for the latest news and resources.

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 and/or program progress within the district and on campuses.

Administrators from the high school review and edit the course catalog on an annual basis for the upcoming school year.  A report will be given to the Board of Trustees and updates or changes will be noted.  Most changes are typically due to legislative mandate and the course catalog provides information for students and parents to select required courses as well as elective courses.  The information is also used to determine staff and budget.
The Board of Trustees reviewed the course catalog at its regular meeting in March.  Staff made edits and additions, and the final draft is being presented for review.

Board Policy BBD [Legal] and 19 TAC 61.61 requires the Board President to announce the name of each Board member who has completed the required continuing education, who has exceeded the required hours of continuing education, and who is deficient in the required continuing education.  This announcement is required annually.  The Board President must announce Board members’ continuing education hours at the last regular meeting prior to the next board election, shall cause the minutes to reflect the information, and shall make this information available to the local media. 

Tentative items to be included on the May agenda are:

1.  Issue Oath of Office for New Board Members
2.  Reorganization of the Board of Trustees
3.  Recognition of State Qualifiers
4.  Recognition of Outstanding Students for the 4th-9-Weeks
5.  Recognition of Tiger Award Winners
6.  Financial Report
7.  Superintendent's Report
8.  Graduation Procedures
9.  2023-2024 Dress Code
10. Consider Amendment of Signatures on Bank Depository
11.  Revised 2023-2024 Salary Schedules
12.  High School Security Fence RFP
13.  Resignations and Employment of Certified Personnel
 

Smithville ISD is in receipt of the following communication from the Texas Department of Transportation:

Potential Sale of State-Owned Property +/- 0.8813 acres: D14-011-512 SL 230@Faulkner Road, Smithville, Bastrop Co, TX 78957

The Austin District of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has determined that the above-described property is no longer needed for state highway purposes.  A copy of the survey of the property is attached.  In accordance with Texas Transportation Code 202.01, governmental entities with the authority to condemn the real property have a priority right to purchase TxDOT real property that is sold, and this letter is a notice of your right to purchase this property.
The purchase price for this property is FIFTY-ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED and No/100 DOLLARS ($51,600.00), plus survey costs, appraisal costs, and any additional incurred closing costs, including the cost of any owner's title insurance policy that may be required.  This transaction is subject to change or cancelation by TxDOT.  Furthermore, the conveyance will be made subject to any easements for access to a right of way, implied or otherwise, appurtenant to any and all properties abutting the property being sold.
To exercise your priority, you must provide TxDOT a written election statement of your entity's intent to purchase the property on these terms, within thirty (30) days of the receipt of this letter.
If TxDOT does not receive a written election statement, TxDOT will consider your right to purchase the property waived.  If the priority holder is not interested in purchasing the property, please return the attached waiver prior to the automatic 30-day waiver.
Mr. Tim Sanders with BEFCO Engineering will be present at the meeting to answer any questions.

The purpose of this agenda item is to authorize the purchase of a new marquee at the high school.

This request is currently not budgeted and would require the use of fund balance to get the project completed. Mrs. McCarthy and Mr. Harris will be available for discussion on this project.

 

The Superintendent would like to inform the Board of the resignations of:

Karley Snyder - teacher at Brown Primary, Stephanie Foster - principal at Smithville Elementary, Amaris White - teacher at Smithville Elementary, and Charles Hodge, Jordan Trahan, Sergio Garcia and Michael Shane Savoie - teacher/coaches at Smithville High School.

According to Board Policy DC [Local], the Superintendent has the authority to make recommendations to the Board regarding the selection of all personnel.

Cydney Marlow - Teacher/Head Volleyball Coach
Education - Criminal Justice at Texas Christian University
Certification - pending
Years of Experience - 0 years
Campus - Smithville High School      

Shannon Munson -Teacher/Coach
Degree - Bachelor of Science from University of North Texas
Certification - Special Education EC-12, PE EC-12
Years of Experience - 17 years
Campus - Smithville High School

Lenard Mayo - Teacher/Coach
Degree - Bachelor of Science from Tarleton State University                    Certification - Sec. Biology 6-12, PE EC-12
Years of Experience - 27 years
Campus - Smithville High School

Paul-Jason Quinters - Teacher/Coach
Degree - MS from Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Certification - History 7-12, SpEd Supplemental 7-12
Years of Experience - 6 years
Campus - Smithville High School

Lance Neumann - Teacher/Coach
Degree - BS from Texas State University
Certification - PE EC-12, Generalist 4-8
Years of Experience - 12 years
Campus - Smithville High School

Caralisa Mayo - Teacher
Degree - BS from Tarleton State University
Certification - Mathematics 4-8, Elementary English 1-8, Elementary Self-Contained 1-8, Elementary Reading 1-8
Years of Experience - 26 years
Campus - Smithville Junior High School

Courtenay Gulley - Teacher
Degree - ME from the University of Houston
Certification - Elementary Self-Contained 1-8, Elementary Speech Communications 1-8, Generalist - EC-4, ESL Supplemental EC-8, Gifted and Talented Supplemental EC-8
Years of Experience - 14 years
Campus - Smithville Elementary School

Nicole Cartledge - Teacher
Degree - BS from UT Austin
Certification - ESL Generalist EC-4, Generalist EC-4
Years of Experience - 16 years
Campus - Smithville Elementary School

Jacqueline Tucker - Teacher
Degree - BBA from Texas State University
Certification - Generalist EC-6, Special Education Supplemental EC-6, ESL Supplemental EC-6
Years of Experience - 6 years
Campus - Smithville Elementary School

 

The administrators of the district have submitted to the office of the superintendent their recommendations for contract renewal of existing certified staff members.  The Board of Trustees is the final hiring authority for certified contract employees for Smithville I.S.D. and will act upon the recommendations for renewal of certified staff as presented by the Superintendent.  According to Texas Government Code §573.062, employees affected by the nepotism laws would have to abstain from voting on the contract (or salary) of a spouse or family member if that action applies only to the individual and is not taken regarding a bona fide class or category of employees.  Therefore, according to code, we will need one motion for approval of faculty contracts.

The Superintendent recommends renewal of current contracts, including addendums, for the 2024-2025 school year for the following personnel:
Arnold Cavazos, Jennifer Holmes, Andrew Lowery, Bethany Collins, Leah Stinson, and Jenny Martinez.