April 2, 2002
The Board recognized students
for their academic and extracurricular achievements during the past school
year. A complete listing of these recognitions is included below as a
supplement to this month's Highlights.
Board members recognized the following Title I campuses for being honored by the Texas Education Agency for their outstanding academic performance:
Commended School
Jane Long Elementary
Distinguished Schools
O.A. Fleming Elementary
S.F. Austin Elementary
T.W. Ogg Elementary
Velasco Elementary
Dr. Frank Grady, a Lake Jackson resident, approached the Board with a petition for detachment and annexation of property from the Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District to the Brazosport Independent School District. Dr. Grady explained to Board members and the audience that he is the owner of the property, which he described as approximately 656 acres adjacent to the "Lake Jackson golf course property," within the city limits of Lake Jackson. Dr. Grady stated that there are currently no students or other residents on the property, but that he and his wife hoped to some day build a home on the property and allow other development that would accommodate "between five and a hundred" people. Board members will consider Dr. Grady's petition at a later meeting.
Greg Lookabaugh, with the
Region IV Education Service Center, presented the results of a recently
completed management review of the District's maintenance and operations
departments. The review was a collaborative effort of Region IV and the
Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO), and included an in-depth
study of the maintenance, custodial, grounds, warehouse, and transportation
departments. Mr. Lookabaugh stated that the purpose of the review was to
assist the District with improving the efficiency and effectiveness of its
operations by identifying areas for improvement. The report provided an overview
of the current operating structure of each department, accompanied by
commendations, findings and recommendations, fiscal findings, and
summaries. Mr. Okruhlik and Board members thanked Mr. Lookabaugh and his
team for their report and for their efforts to raise the awareness of
maintenance and operation's role in the instructional process.
Dr. J. B. Berryhill, Director of Special Education, presented the results of the 2001 Graduate Survey to Board members for their review. Dr. Berryhill explained that the survey is administered to Brazosport and Brazoswood High School graduates approximately six months after graduation, and includes questions designed to assess the overall level of satisfaction with the District, in a format that allows the data to be compared with each of the previous five years. The 2001 survey indicates that fewer graduates are working full-time (11.9%) and more are working part-time (28.9%). The largest number of graduates in the survey's history (78.7%) said that school prepared them to deal with technological advances occurring in the real world. Almost 70% of the 2001 graduates gave their school a "good" or "excellent" rating, and approximately the same percentage said that school prepared them for continuing their education. The percentage of graduates pursuing post-secondary degrees remained close to the 66% average of past surveys, with an increasing trend for graduates to attend vocational/technical schools.
Dr. J. B. Berryhill reviewed the highlights of the 2002 Internal Customer Survey with Board members and the audience. Dr. Berryhill stated that the annual survey was offered to all employees this year, via the intranet, the week of February 4, and reflects the individual responses of 692 employees to the 18 standard response categories included in the survey. Dr. Berryhill reported that the average rating of all responses to all categories for 2002 was a "5.9," versus a "6.0" for 2001 and a "5.7" for 2000. Board members thanked Dr. Berryhill for his work in connection with the survey, and encouraged Mr. Okruhlik and his staff to study the results of the survey carefully and to include the data in future planning activities of the District.
The Board approved allowing departments to utilize either a four or a four-and-one-half day summer work week, depending on which schedule best meets their needs, beginning June 3, and extending through August 2. Mr. Okruhlik explained that a summer work schedule has become very common across the State, and will accommodate the District's summer programs, which this year only involve students over a four-day per week academic period. The summer schedules had previously been reviewed and recommended by the District's Management Team.
The Board reviewed final revisions to the Student Code of Conduct, and formally adopted the document for the 2002-2003 school year. Board members expressed their gratitude to Dr. J. B. Berryhill and other members of the Review Committee for their efforts in transforming the Code into a more "customer friendly" format, and encouraged the Committee to continue simplifying and improving future versions of the document.
Board members joined Mr.
Okruhlik in enthusiastically supporting a resolution recognizing May 5-11 as
National Teacher Appreciation Week for 2002. In introducing the
resolution, Mr. Okruhlik explained that the annual event, which is sponsored by
the National PTA, is intended to focus attention on the outstanding work of our
public school teachers. The resolution declares that, "it is
appropriate that teachers be accorded high public esteem, reflecting the value
the community places on public education," and recognizes teachers for
their "dedication and commitment to educating their students."
Board members praised all teachers for their untiring service to the students of
the District.
The Board approved an Order Declaring Election of Unopposed Candidate for James P. Saccomanno, who is unopposed for election as Trustee for District 7. Under Texas election law, a school district may cancel a trustee election for a single-member district if a candidate whose name is to appear on the ballot is unopposed.
Mr. Okruhlik briefed Board members on the "SWAT" maintenance projects that will soon be underway across the District, as well as the $6 million "interim bond program" that will be placed before the voters for consideration on May 4. Mr. Okruhlik also discussed the "primary bond program," which is currently being developed by the Master Facility Planning Committee, and expressed hope that a master facility plan could be presented to voters for approval in September or October 2002. Mr. Okruhlik stated that the next full Committee meeting is scheduled for April 8, at Brazoswood High School. Mr. Okruhlik concluded his report by stating that he believes the Committee and his staff are getting very close to consensus on a final master facility plan for the District.
In other actions, the Board of Trustees approved the official minutes for the March 5, 2002, Board meeting, approved financial statements for February 2002, and approved election officials for the upcoming May 4, 2002, election.
Brazoswood High School
TMEA All State Orchestra
Edward Chang
TMEA All State Choir
Katie Menzel
TMEA All State Choir
Finalist in the State Solo and Ensemble Contest
in Both Voice and Piano
Will Hearn
TMEA All State Band
Susan Croft
Chris May
Jody Dodd
Elizabeth Bayer
Tristan Oswald
John Stroud
James Blackwell
Wes Pierce
Brazoswood High School
San Antonio Livestock Exhibition
2nd Place Steer, 10th in Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Danielle Crisp
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
10th Place Lamb
Kaci Mullins
Champion Cow/Calf Pair in 3 Major Livestock Shows
Chad Shelton
Blue Ribbon
Built and Exhibited an Extended 5x10 Flatbed Trailer
Cole Crisp and Johnny Fleming
Clute Intermediate School
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Reserve Champion Steer
Chad Crisp
Rasco Middle School
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Placed 35th with Turkey and 183rd with Broilers
Kelsey Firkins
Brazoswood High School
Gold Medal Winner
Kim Myers
Special Merit Winner and Guardian Angel Award
from Amigas Para Ninos
Jose Aguilar
Brazosport High School
Best of Show, Auction Piece
Mauricio Vasquez
Auction Piece
Johnnie Greer, Jr.
Clute Intermediate School
Best of Show
Brittanie Garay
Griffith Elementary
Best of Show
Jennifer Bock
BISD Art Teachers
Super Show Award
(This award is based on the overall quality of the show, the adherence to rules
and regulations, the display and set-up of the artwork, and the overall
enthusiasm for the program.)
District Career Development Conference
State Finalist
Jennifer Warren
Toni Bess
Participants
Jason Ulrich
Khamari Bernal
Marcus Keesler
Grant Stanford
Maranda Chavez
Ashley Morrison
Matthew Jones