TASB Media Honor Roll
Director of Public Information/Communications, Stuart Dornburg, assisted Board members in recognizing Brazosport Facts reporter, Bridie Isensee, for being named to the 2005 Media Honor Roll, sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).  Mr. Dornburg explained that the Media Honor Roll recognizes media representatives statewide who deserve recognition for fair and balanced news reporting of public schools.  Media representatives from approximately 500 Texas newspapers, radio, and television stations are being honored by their local school districts this year. Ms. Isensee, along with other 2005 Media Honor Roll honorees, was recognized in the August/September issue of TASB’s Texas Lone Star.

BISD on TV
Linda Neasbitt, former Brazosport educator and current member of the Johnson Space Center Human Health and Performance Education and Outreach Team, presented Board members with a “sneak preview” of two upcoming television spots featuring Velasco Elementary School student, Alfredo Tobias, and other students from the Velasco campus.  The first broadcast, entitled “21st Century Explorer: Today’s Knowledge for Tomorrow’s Explorer,” is from a series of Noticiencias NASA and Kids Science News Network (KSNN) programs that will be broadcast as educational public service announcements on television stations across the country, locally in Regal Cinemas, and on Univision Channel 45.  Ms. Neasbitt stated that the programs were produced in English and Spanish to excite and encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering, and math.  In addition to the televised features, the Noticiencias NASA program will also offer Spanish language hands-on activities, computer graded quizzes, book and Web resource listings, and other educational materials.  After-school programs and teacher in-service opportunities will also be offered.  Alfredo will serve as a 21st Century Explorer Ambassador for the series.

The other broadcast, part of the NASA SCI Files, entitled "The Case of the Physical Fitness Challenge," will feature six “tree house detectives” learning about muscles, bones, body systems, nutrition, BMR, the new food pyramid, exercise, and NASA.  Velasco Elementary School students will view the episode, participate in related activities, and receive a challenge to complete.  The one-hour broadcast will provide students with a live communication link from Brazosport College to another classroom in Broughty Ferry, Scotland, with an opportunity to explain and share their challenge answers, confide in researchers at NASA Johnson Space Center, and be able to talk to the show’s music producer at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Board members thanked Ms. Neasbitt for her presentation and for this exciting opportunity for the students of Velasco Elementary School.

Special Education Organization Overview
Director of Special Education, Deena Hill, presented Board members with an organizational overview of the District’s Special Education Department.  Ms. Hill stated that a recently conducted needs assessment had revealed concerns in the following areas:

Ms. Hill described the Special Education Department’s response to each of the identified concerns and discussed new programs and initiatives currently planned or underway in her department.  Ms. Hill concluded her presentation by introducing the District’s new Special Education Coordinator, Karla McGee, and new Special Education Facilitator, James Brodie.  Board members thanked Ms. Hill for her presentation and for the additional explanatory materials distributed prior to the meeting.

2005-2006 Budget Amendment
Board members approved a $357,540 amendment to the 2005-2006 expenditure budget to incorporate 2004-2005 purchase orders remaining unpaid as of the District’s fiscal year-end of August 31, 2005.

Nominations to the Board of Directors of the Brazoria County Appraisal District
The Board nominated the following individuals as candidates for the Board of Directors of the Brazoria County Appraisal District:

Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with the City Of Lake Jackson for a School Resource Officer
The Board of Trustees approved an agreement with the City of Lake Jackson to cooperatively fund a School Resource Officer for the Lake Jackson attendance zones.  The agreement will facilitate services related to attendance/truancy, safety and security, criminal investigation, and support for the District’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools program.  The cooperative funding agreement calls on the City of Lake Jackson to use grant funding to offset the District’s cost for the School Resource Officer during the initial three years of the agreement.

Board Approval of Special Education Advisory Committee
The Board of Trustees approved membership in the Special Education Advisory Committee for the current year.  The Committee provides suggestions, guidance, and recommendations concerning an appropriate education for each student with a disability and assists in reporting and sharing information about the District’s special education programs.  Members are appointed by the Board from nominations received by the Superintendent and consist of representatives from the District’s instruction and support services, at least one parent of a child with a disability, at least one student and patron with a disability, a regular classroom teacher, a special education teacher, and other representatives concerned with the disabled.  Board members, Drew Holt and Ron Damian, will also serve as members of the Special Education Advisory Committee for the upcoming year.

2005-2006 “Robin Hood” Agreement
The Board of Trustees approved a “Robin Hood” agreement with Rosebud-Lott Independent School District and Brazoria County for the 2005-2006 school year.  Under the terms of the agreement, the District will send approximately $3.4 million to Rosebud-Lott during the upcoming school year to partially equalize its wealth per student.  The agreement will provide 846 of the approximately 3,450 “attendance credits” the District is required to purchase for the current year.  The District will benefit from the agreement directly by qualifying for a 5% “efficiency credit” from the State, and indirectly from Rosebud-Lott’s obligation under the agreement to pay $50,000 to the Brazoria County Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program in support of the County’s “Boot Camp” operations.

GMP for Lanier Middle School
The Board tabled consideration of a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for renovations and addictions scheduled for Lanier Middle School.  Superintendent, Rudy Okruhlik, read a letter from the District’s architects, PBK Architects, Inc. (PBK), stating that subcontractor proposals received by the District’s Construction Manager At-Risk, Drymalla Construction Company, on September 20, 2005, totaled $7,236,321; significantly more than the budget for the project of $5,800,000.  Superintendent Okruhlik stated that contractors and subcontractors from the greater Houston area have recently confirmed significant increases in construction prices related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Mr. Okruhlik reported that PBK has requested a two-week extension of time to allow contractors, architects, and administrative staff to explore potential cost reductions for the project.  A complete report and a recommendation from PBK will be presented to the Board of Trustees at a future meeting.

Public Hearing on Schools FIRST
The Board held a public hearing to report the Schools FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) accountability rating for 2005.  Executive Director of Business Services, Michael Abild, explained that the Schools FIRST program was developed by the Texas Education Agency to achieve quality performance in the management of school districts’ financial resources and that 2005 is the third year Texas school districts have been rated under the system.  Mr. Abild reviewed the 21 individual performance indicators included in the Schools FIRST accountability system and announced that the District’s overall rating was “Superior Achievement,” the State’s highest rating.  Board members thanked Mr. Abild for his presentation and commended the District for meeting all of the Schools FIRST indicators.

Other Actions
In other actions, the Board approved the official minutes of the August 30 and September 6, 2005, Board meetings; approved the financial statements for August 2005; and awarded a contract for athletic scoreboards to Olen Williams, Inc. (Fair-Play).