Board Highlights

Extra Mile Award

Director of Public Information/Communications, Stuart Dornburg, assisted the Board in awarding Extra Mile Awards to the following officers for their dedicated service to the District’s D.A.R.E. Program (Drug Awareness and Resistance Education):

Mr. Dornburg explained that the D.A.R.E. Program is an anti-drug program offered to all fifth-grade students in the District, taught by trained volunteer law enforcement officers from our local cities and county.  The program is designed to give students the tools they need to resist drugs and make right choices.

The Board also presented Extra Mile Awards to the following Clute Intermediate School volunteers who assisted with the transition of the Clute library to its temporary location.

In assisting the Board with the presentations, Mr. Dornburg stated that Mary Monroe, Denise West, and Willie Poe toiled at least one day a week for three and one-half months installing security strips in over 15,000 volumes of library and reference books, in addition to boxing up thousands of volumes in preparation for the move.  Chuck Betts, Jimmy Don Poe, and Ray Kilsby volunteered their carpentry skills and hundreds of man-hours disassembling and reconstructing shelving for the library’s temporary location.  During this time, the Clute library continued to be a full-service library, meeting the educational needs of students and teachers.
A special “thanks” was also extended to the following Clute Intermediate School personnel who contributed to a successful library transition:

Special Campus Recognition
Dr. Dennis Spuck, Dean of the School of Education at the University of Houston – Clear Lake (UH-CL), recognized the following campuses for their participation in UH-CL’s teacher internship program:

Dr. Spuck also extended a special “thank you” to Dr. Gerald Lovedahl, District Site Supervisor for the program.  Dr. Spuck noted that the program was originated three years ago to explore the concept of teaching classes on campuses.  Dr. Spuck expressed appreciation to the partnering campuses and stated that, with their help, UH-CL is producing “the best teachers in Texas".

Wellness Policy/Healthy Children Video
Director of Child Nutrition, Christy Koury, presented Board members with a proposed “wellness policy” for their review and consideration.  Mrs. Koury explained that the policy had been developed in cooperation with the District’s Health Services and Athletic Departments and thanked Becky Gore-LaRoche and Fred Bolton for their assistance in its development.  Mrs. Koury explained that recent legislation requires every school district in the state to approve a wellness policy no later than the first day of school for 2006-07, and reviewed the various goals, standards, and other provisions of the proposed policy.  Board members thanked Mrs. Koury and other participants for their development of the policy and voted unanimously to approve the policy later in the meeting.

Mrs. Koury also introduced a short video entitled, “Healthy Children, Healthy Schools,” featuring Texas Commissioner of Education, Shirley Neeley, and Department of Health Services Commissioner, Eduardo Sanchez.  The video discussed the alarming increase in childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes, and described steps being taken at the state level to combat the growing problem.  Mrs. Koury explained that the mandated wellness policy is just one of the state’s initiatives designed to address childhood obesity through improved nutrition and regular exercise.

Waiver of Tuition Fee for Nonresident Students
Board members approved waiving tuition fees for non-resident transfer students for the 2006-2007 school year.  The action serves to increase the District’s enrollment and weighted average daily attendance (WADA); thereby reducing the District’s calculated wealth per student and associated wealth equalization payments.  Current law only allows the District to include non-resident students who are not charged tuition in its calculation of WADA and associated “Robin Hood” payments.

2006 Extended Year Program
The Board of Trustees approved extended year (summer school) programs for summer 2006.  Under the approved plan, the District will again provide extended year opportunities at both the elementary and secondary school levels, as well as community sponsored programs, such as Safety Town and the Boys and Girls Club “Connections” program.  For 2006, the extended year program has been consolidated at six (6) campuses and the Lighthouse Learning Center (Alternative Placement Center) and the Special Progams/Even Start offices.  A schedule of the approved programs and the sponsoring campuses may be viewed on-line at: http://www.brazosportisd.net/extended.htm.  

Interlocal Agreement with Brazoria County
The Board of Trustees approved interlocal agreements with Brazoria County to resurface a walking/running track at Madge Griffith Elementary School and to overlay driveway and concession areas at T. W. Ogg Elementary School (Clute Little League ball park).  The agreements provide that the District will furnish all materials for the projects and that the County will supply the necessary equipment and operators.

Change Order for Brazoswood High School
The Board of Trustees voted to approve a change order, totaling $104,562.00, resulting from scope modifications associated with renovations and additions to Brazoswood High School.  In presenting the recommended change order, Ron Bailey, with the District’s architects, PBK Architects, Inc., reported that approval of the change order will facilitate the project’s completion and close-out.

First Day of School Waiver
Director of Public Information/Communications, Stuart Dornburg, presented a report to the Board of Trustees evaluating the effects of the “early waiver” for the 2005-2006 school year.  Mr. Dornburg explained that the annual report is required by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as a condition for granting a waiver and highlighted the advantages the District has enjoyed as a result of the early start date.  Mr. Dornburg also reported that the District was recently notified that its application for an early start of school for the 2006-2007 school year (August 10, 2006) has been approved by the Texas Education Agency.

Employee Attendance Awards
Mark Broaddus, Executive Director of Human Resources, informed Board members that monetary attendance awards for the fall 2005 semester had been distributed to eligible employees on their February 15, 2006, pay checks.  Mr. Broaddus stated that the awards were in connection with the District’s Employee Attendance Award Program that provides employees having perfect attendance during a semester a $100 award.  Employees having only one absence during a semester are similarly awarded $80, and employees having no more that two absences are eligible for a $60 award.  Mr. Broaddus announced that a total of $71,710 was awarded to 892 employees for the past semester, as follows:

2006-2007 Budget Workshop
The Board of Trustees held a workshop to review preliminary information associated with the 2006-2007 budget.  Michael Abild, Executive Director of Business Support Services, reviewed the many budget variables that must be considered in developing a budget, and presented the results of a Board survey taken to identify major budget parameters for 2006-2007.  Mr. Abild reported that Board members identified granting a pay increase and offering salaries competitive with Region IV districts, maintaining the existing tax rate, and developing a balanced budget as important budget parameters for 2006-2007.  Mr. Abild also reviewed two budget scenarios for the upcoming year and discussed the resulting budget shortfalls associated with each scenario.  Mr. Abild reminded Board members that the Legislature has been ordered by the Texas Supreme Court to overhaul the State’s school finance system by June 1, 2006, and stated that the upcoming special-called session represents a major “unknown” in the budget process.  Mr. Okruhlik closed the workshop by inviting Board members to contact his office with any additional input they might have concerning the 2006-2007 budget and reminded the Board that additional budget workshops will be held in June and July, with final approval of the budget scheduled for August.