Enrollment up, Turf down, Teachers meet Highly Qualified Standards

November 21, the KISD Board Trustees met in regular session. (Connection to video is posted at end of article).

Under the ?Consent Agenda? the following items were approved without discussion and unpublished – the minutes for October 15, the monthly financial statement, bills payable report and the report of the Tax Assessor Collector.

Under ?New Business? the Board took the following actions.

• Upon the recommendation of Board President Joe Taylor, the Board cast their vote for Michael McDonald {{more}}for the a position on the Board of Directors for Tarrant Appraisal District. Michael McDonald was a former board member of the Arlington ISD.

• After a brief presentation by Associated Superintendent Rick Edwards, in which no figures were discussed, the Board approved the district?s fund balances as required by law.

• The Board conducted the first reading of school district policies as updated by the Texas Association of School Board (TASB). TASB contracts with the KISD to assist in keeping district policies in line with state and federal guidelines as well as any local changes that may have occurred. School district polices are online and can be seen at Board Policy on Line. The Board is required to have 3 ?readings? of proposed changes before adoption. This is the first reading. These changes are both routine and/or made necessary as a result of the changes made by the last legislative session.

No explanation was given about the proposed changes during the meeting but the changes involve the following areas: BBE(LOCAL): BOARD MEMBERS ? AUTHORITY; DBA(LOCAL): EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS – CREDENTIALS AND RECORDS; DFFA(LOCAL): REDUCTION IN FORCE – FINANCIAL EXIGENCY; DFFB(LOCAL): REDUCTION IN FORCE – PROGRAM CHANGE; DGBA(LOCAL): PERSONNEL-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS – EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS/GRIEVANCES; DH(LOCAL): EMPLOYEE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT; DNA(LOCAL): PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL – EVALUATION OF TEACHERS; EC(LOCAL): SCHOOL DAY; EIA(LOCAL): ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT – GRADING/PROGRESS REPORTS TO PARENTS; EIC(LOCAL): ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT – CLASS RANKING; FEA(LOCAL): ATTENDANCE – COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE; and, FEC(LOCAL): ATTENDANCE – ATTENDANCE FOR CREDIT.

• The Board were notified of the resignation of two teachers at Patterson Elementary and approved the hiring of two teachers ? one at Patterson and one at Kennedale High School. Both teachers were replacement teachers and not for new positions.

Under the Superintendent?s Report the following items were presented.

• Superintendent Gary Dugger presented an updated enrollment report. He reported that student enrollment was up by 16 students from the same time last year. This continued the trend established at the beginning semester. This time around, both elementary schools showed an increase. KJHS had no change in enrollment. James Arthur Intermediate and Kennedale High School had decreases.

• Cari Blackstone, the principal for R. F. Patterson Elementary, reported that enough money has been raised to cover the cost of purchasing and installing a new marque in front of the building. The new marque will replace the existing one with a larger and easier to read sign. The school has been fund raising for the past two years. The Board approved the design and request.

• Associate Superintendent Rick Edwards gave to the Board a copy of the required state Highly Qualified Teachers Report. The report certified that the school district is 100% in all areas required. This means that the district has hired only highly qualified teachers, that all classrooms are taught by highly qualified teachers and that all are currently involved in on-going professional development. Highly qualified teachers must hold at least a bachelor?s degree; be fully certified to teach in Texas; and, demonstrate competency in their core academic subject area.

• Rick Edwards also presented a report to the school board an updated PEIMS Student Data. No discussion or explanation was given as to what the report contained.

• Superintendent Dugger gave the Board a status update on the improvements to the athletic fields at the high school which were approved last year. These improvements included replacing existing turf at Wildcat Stadium, installing turf at the baseball and softball fields and replacing the scoreboard at the baseball field. He reported that just about everything was completed except the bullpens at both fields and the scoreboard on the baseball field. He said there was an overall savings of approximately $500,000 for this budgeted item.

• In a last item, Dugger reported that a company would be conducting an audit of the technology program and systems used by the district. Once completed, a report will be presented to the Board on findings and possible recommendations for improvement.

See the actual video at Board Video

The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 19 beginning at 7 p.m. in the KISD Media Center.