March, 2024 Academic Update

Action Required

This year, eRate has included bus Wi-Fi as an allowable category-one service.  Many students spend a good portion of time on the bus and would benefit from the ability to work on their schoolwork while being transported daily.  The service must be filtered and only available during the transportation of students to school activities.  We posted an RFP and received 7 quotes from 5 different vendors to install the hardware and necessary equipment to broadcast Wi-Fi in the buses.  The quotes were from anywhere from $26,000-$60,000 for one year of service, hardware, and installation.  Our eRate discount is 80%.  We have chosen the quote from Kajeet for Cradlepoint Smart Sim devices.  The one-year pre-discount commitment will not exceed $30,000.

The three satellite campuses/offices of DAEP, the Greenhouse, and Maintenance buildings are not part of the WAN to receive internet services as the rest of the campuses do.  Therefore, we have been using a cable internet service at each of these entities.  We issued an RFP for these services this year.  We received quotes ranging from cable modems to fiber at each of the buildings.  The most cost-effective solution remains using the current month-to-month services we currently use with Optimum.  Our discount rate is 80%.  Each entity is from $139-165 per month for services.

Brad Hinton has been in contact with a group interested in renaming Tiger Stadium to Grant Teaff Tiger Stadium.

Mrs. Cowley has been employed by the district since August 29, 2023 as a counselor. Prior to obtaining this position, she was a Bilingual Teacher at Snyder Intermediate. She enrolled in a certification program and obtained her School Counselor Grades EC-12 Intern certification on January 8, 2024. I am recommending her for hire as a School Counselor on an Employment Agreement for the remainder of the 2023-2024 School Year.

I recommend these applicants for a 1 Year Probationary Contract.

The Superintendent has sole authority to make recommendations to the Board regarding the selection of contractual personnel. Delegation of the Board’s hiring authority allows the Superintendent to hire contractual employees during the hiring season and busy summer months. The board has granted this authority the previous seven years.
 

This resolution is required to support the grant application for continuation of funds for the CJD grant, "Road to Success", which funds the positive behavior incentives for each campus.  

This resolution is required to support the grant application for continuation of funds for the CJD grant, "Attend Today....Achieve Tomorrow".  This grant pays for the truancy manager for the district.  

Under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950, the U.S. Department of Labor is responsible for determining prevailing wages, issuing regulations and standards to be observed by federal agencies that award or fund projects subject to Davis-Bacon labor standards, and overseeing consistent enforcement of the Davis-Bacon labor standards.

The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply to contractors and subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works. Davis-Bacon Act and Related Act contractors and subcontractors must pay their laborers and mechanics employed under the contract no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area.

The Davis-Bacon Act directs the Department of Labor to determine such locally prevailing wage rates. The Davis-Bacon Act applies to contractors and subcontractors performing work on federal or District of Columbia contracts. The Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage provisions apply to the "Related Acts," under which federal agencies assist construction projects through grants, loans, loan guarantees, and insurance.

For prime contracts in excess of $100,000, contractors and subcontractors must also, under the provisions of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, as amended, pay laborers and mechanics, including guards and watchmen, at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act may also apply to DBA-covered contracts.

Board Policy DEC(LOCAL) governs employee leaves and absences.

Administration is requesting a change pertaining to "Payment for Accumulated Leave Upon Separation".

The current policy requires a 30 day notice for Contract employees. There are times when it is in the District's best interest and in the employee's best interest to be released with less than 30 day's notice. 

The proposed policy removes this provision, and adds "The employee's resignation is accepted by the Superintendent".

Consider and Approve out of state travel for four students from the TAFE program that made it to the National Competition in Washington DC on June 27- July 2, 2024. Mrs. Hunter would like approval to be able to travel out of state for the National Competition.

This will increase our overall payroll budget. However, it will provide necessary help for principals during summer planning, preparation, and implementation of summer school in an effort to improve academic outcomes.

Team Building Training dates available are April 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 16th, 17th, 18th. We need to pick a date that works for us.

Our current phone system was installed in 2008.  After 16 years, it is time to consider replacing the system.  Today there are hosted and on-premise solutions, to meet the needs of Snyder ISD.  We are considering replacing it with another on-premise solution, rather than generating monthly hosted costs.  The on-premise quotes range from $80,000 to $180,000 vs. hosted solutions from $4500 to $6000 monthly.  We are considering a couple of options to take action in April.