State Recognition of Migrant Program

The Board recognized the District’s Migrant Program for its outstanding success with migrant students. Rosa Maria Garcia, Director of Special Programs, announced that three B.I.S.D. campuses, as well as the District’s Migrant Team, will be recognized for achieving success with migrant students in the areas of attendance and TAAS performance at the upcoming 1999 Texas Migrant Education Conference in San Antonio. The recognized campuses are:

Freeport Intermediate School – Excelling Award

Clute Intermediate School – Excelling Award

Lanier Middle School – Exceptional Award

Ms. Garcia also informed Board members that the B.I.S.D. Migrant Team had received the All-State Award for Identification and Recruitment for 1998-99. The Migrant Team consists of:

Rodolfo Garza

Erlinda Cardenas

Pedro Cardenas

Dr. J. B. Berryhill, Director of Special Education, presented the Board with the results of the latest External Customer Survey (ECS) for graduates. Dr. Berryhill explained that the ECS began with the graduating class of 1995, and surveys graduates eighteen months, three years, and five years after graduation. Dr. Berryhill stated that the survey indicates a high level of satisfaction with public education offered by the District. Approximately 80% of all students responding agree that the District taught them to think and solve problems effectively

Dr. Berryhill presented the Board with the results of the latest Internal Customer Survey (ICS) for employees. Dr. Berryhill explained that the ICS survey has been administered since the 1992-93 school year, and is an important tool for identifying areas for improvement. For 1999, the survey was modified to allow all employees to provide individual responses in large group settings. Board members commended the District for conducting the latest survey, and emphasized the importance of the data in the District’s decision making process.

Dr. Anderson recommended the District Improvement Plan and the Elementary and Secondary Campus Plans to the Board for their approval. State guidelines require the principal of each campus to establish academic and other performance objectives with the assistance of parents, community residents, and the professional staff of each school. Board members thanked the campuses and their campus teams for developing the plans, and unanimously granted their approval.

The Board of Trustees approved maximum class size waiver requests for S. F. Austin, A. P. Beutel, O.A. Fleming, Madge Griffith, Jane Long, and Velasco Elementary Schools for the spring semester of the 1999-2000 school year. Anna Brodie, Director of Elementary Education, explained that the waiver requests are primarily the result of a state-wide shortage of bilingual teachers.

The Board adopted a resolution to cast its 1,544 votes for the following candidates seeking election to the Board of Directors of the Brazoria County Appraisal District: 308 votes for Dennis Frauenberger; and 309 votes each for Riley A. Godwin, Henry Munson, C.C. (Pete) Reed, and Madalyne Reichenbach.

The Board approved the sale of delinquent tax properties held in trust by Brazoria County, and authorized the Board President to execute the necessary documents to effect the sale.

The Board approved awarding contracts for audio visual equipment, five new school buses, and a new hot & cold water piping system for the Brazoswood High School Athletic Facility.

Trustees accepted the financial statements for September 1999, as presented by the Director of Business Services.