Extra Mile Awards
The Board of Trustees awarded an Extra Mile Award to the Brazosport Center for the Arts and Sciences for its many instructional programs, resources, and volunteers that have impacted the District’s students.  In assisting the Board with the presentation, Stuart Dornburg, Director of Public Information/Communications, stated that the District’s third and fifth-grade students annually make a fall and spring trip to the Center, hosted by the Planetarium and the Art League or the Planetarium and the Museum of Natural Science.  Mr. Dornburg specifically recognized Wayne and Patty Humbird, representing the Museum of Natural Science, and Lillie Alcala, representing the Art League, for their respective organizations’ dedication to the students of the District and for “going the extra-mile.”

BISD Holiday Card
The Board of Trustees recognized Morgan Ford, an eighth-grade student from Lake Jackson Intermediate School, as this year’s Holiday Card Contest winner and presented her with a framed copy of the card she designed.  Director of Public Information/Communications, Stuart Dornburg, explained that this year, Brazosport Independent School District sponsored a Holiday Card Contest involving all intermediate and middle school students, with the intent of using the winner’s design as the District’s official holiday card that is mailed to all employees.  Each intermediate and middle school campus submitted 5 entries.  From these 30 entries, Morgan’s card was selected as the overall winner by a committee of judges.

2004-2005 AEIS Report
The Board held a public hearing to review the 2004-2005 Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) report.  Rebecca Rinehart, Director of Curriculum/Accountability, highlighted the 2004-2005 demographics and statistics, information on taxes and expenditures, and student performance data contained in the 2004-2005 report, with particular emphasis on new reports and accountability indicators.  Mrs. Rinehart also reviewed the 2004-2005 accountability rating for each campus and the District, noting that 9 campuses were rated as either Exemplary or Recognized, with the District earning an overall rating of Academically Acceptable.  Mrs. Rinehart also highlighted the Gold Performance Awards that had been presented to campuses earlier in the evening.  Following the public hearing, Board members voted to approve the 2004-2005 AEIS report and thanked Mrs. Rinehart for her presentation. 

Gold Performance Acknowledgments
Campuses were recognized by the Board of Trustees for Gold Performance Awards.  The Gold Performance Award system acknowledges campuses for high performance on indicators other than those used to determine accountability ratings, and are earned by campuses whose students have reached the prestigious Commended Performance level on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).  The following campuses received awards for more than 20% of their tested students and student groups achieving Commended Performance on subject area tests:

TASB Policy Update 76
The Board of Trustees reviewed legal policy changes and voted to add, modify, or delete local policies, as included in Localized Policy Manual Update 76, and as recommended by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).

Brazoria County Appraisal District Board Election
The Board adopted a resolution to cast its 1,220 allowable votes for the following candidates seeking election to the Board of Directors of the Brazoria County Appraisal District:

2006-2007 Program of Studies
Executive Director of Curriculum/Accountability, Rebecca Rinehart, presented Board members with a recommendation to modify the District’s Program of Studies for the 2006-2007 school year, as follows:

Mrs. Rinehart informed Board members that the Program of Studies was developed to ensure that all courses are formally approved by the Board of Trustees and to provide a common direction for curriculum and staff development.  Funding needs for the new courses are expected to be nominal; consisting primarily of supply costs and two “half” teaching positions.  Funds for the new science courses are expected to be provided by grant funding.  Following Mrs. Rinehart’s presentation, Board members voted unanimously to approve the recommended modifications.

TAKS or SDAA?
Executive Director of Curriculum/Accountability, Becky Rinehart, presented Board members with an informational report concerning testing decisions for students with disabilities.  Mrs. Rinehart began her presentation by reviewing the similarities and differences between state and federal accountability measures and the various subject areas tested, types of tests, and student groups identified under each system.  Mrs. Rinehart also described an ARD Committee’s role in selecting an appropriate test for students with disabilities.  Mrs. Rinehart illustrated the annual decision making process by reviewing a hypothetical “TAKS or SDAA?” decision for a group of approximately 50 students.  Mrs. Rinehart emphasized the need to “dig through the data” to assess each student’s strengths and weaknesses and to determine what instructional level the student should be on.  Mrs. Rinehart concluded her presentation by stating that the process takes “a lot of people, a lot of time, and a lot of eyes looking at a lot of data.”

GMP for Lighthouse Learning Center
Board members awarded a contract to Drymalla Construction Company (Drymalla), totaling $2,107,868, for renovations to the Lighthouse Learning Center (Alternative Education Center).  Ron Keller, with PBK Architects, Inc., presented Board members and the audience with an updated design for the project and stated that the project’s original budget of $750,000 would have scarcely covered roof, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing upgrades.  Consequently, additional funds were requested to adequately fund the approximately 34,000 square foot renovation project.  Mr. Keller stated that the renovated facility will serve the Center’s disciplinary and non-disciplinary alternative education programs and provide separate entrances and instructional areas for both.  Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2006, with substantial completion planned for June 2006.

Video: “Preparing Students for Their Future”
Board members viewed a video clip of Dr. Bill Daggett addressing the Model Schools Conference attended by a contingent of District administrators and teachers earlier this year.  Dr. Daggett began the segment by identifying the following major trends that are currently reshaping the world:

Dr. Daggett provided numerous examples of traditional middle-class jobs that have been moved to emerging economies, such as India and China, and expressed his concern that today’s students will continue to face this trend.  Dr. Daggett expressed alarm with the effects of globalization on America and pointed out that no country in recent history has remained a preeminent world power for more than 100 years.  Dr. Daggett continued his presentation by contrasting public education in America with educational systems in other countries and identified America’s willingness to accept all students into the system and its emphasis on equity and excellence as major differences.  Superintendent Okruhlik explained that the video clip was part of a much longer presentation by Dr. Daggett and expressed his hope that other portions of the presentation could be shared at future meetings.

Other Actions
In other actions, the Board approved the official minutes of the November 1, 2005, Board meeting, approved the financial statements for October 2005, awarded contracts for asbestos abatement services for Velasco Elementary and Clute Intermediate Schools, approved a recommendation by the Brazoria County Property Tax Resale Committee to sell delinquent tax property held in trust by Brazoria County, and approved a modified schedule/TAKS testing day waiver for 2006.