The Brownwood ISD (BISD) Board of Trustees met for a regular session meeting on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. The session was called to order by Board President, Michael Cloy. Keith Platte, Pastor at First Baptist Church Brownwood, gave the invocation. East Elementary Kindergarten students Easton Salazar, Santi Lopez, Abby Lawson, and Jorge Garcia led the Pledge of Allegiance.

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SPECIAL PRESENTATION

The Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) recognizes 20 school leaders each year. Selected by their peers, the Region TEPSAN’s of the Year Award celebrates leaders who go above and beyond. Mrs. Wright’s colleagues in our region wanted to recognize the outstanding achievement gains that East Elementary has made under her leadership. The nominating committee was most impressed with her campus having moved from an F Accountability Rating in 2019 to a BlueRibbon School nominee in 2022.

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STUDENT PERFORMANCE

East Elementary second and third-grade Honor Choir performed the songs “You Will Be Found” and “Friendship Canon” led by music teacher, Jennifer Gwathmey.

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INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS BISD

Deputy Superintendent Liesa Land provided an update regarding House Bill 3 goals for third grade reading and math which recently completed STAAR tests for benchmarking purposes. Student results are reported in three levels: Approaches (passing, but not grade level), Meets (grade level), and Masters (above grade level). BISD sets goals based on the Meets level or above. Land reported that BISD has increased 6% in reading compared to March 2021 and improved 8%-10% in three different subpopulation areas. In math, BISD is below last year at this time, but administrators, teachers, interventionists, and tutors are working with students on individualized areas to close gaps before the STAAR test which will be given on May 10-11.

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RECOGNITIONS

BISD SPOTLIGHT TEACHERS AND STAFF

The Brownwood ISD Spotlight recognizes members of the BISD faculty and staff who go the extra mile to ensure excellence in education for all our students. Spotlight recipients are chosen from peer nominations. April 2022 honorees were Woodland Heights Intervention Specialist, Kelsie Eldred and Brownwood High School Athletics Custodian, Lupita Ramirez. Spotlight honorees are pictured with (top) Woodland Heights Assistant Principal Kassie Russell, BISD Trustee Amary Doremus, and Woodland Heights Principal Jeanette Lancaster (bottom) BHS Athletics students, Trustee Doremus and BHS Powerlifting coach Brett Mouser.

BHS TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF FUTURE TEACHERS (TAFE)

BHS TAFE students Natalie Mares (Gold Medal Project), Lyric Shaw (Gold Medal Project), and Lilly Lee (Selected as State Adjudicator) were recognized for their accomplishments at the TAFE state conference. Honorees are pictured above with BHS Principal Lindsay Smith, BHS TAFE sponsor and teacher, Ren Yantis, and BISD Trustee Codie Smith.

BHS VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL – BI-DISTRICT QUALIFIERS

The following BHS Girls Varsity Basketball players were recognized for their individual awards earned during the 2021-2022 season: Tessa Goodwin, Kynslee Walker, Mady Pyle, Naysa Leach, Jaylen Savage, Dakota Simpson, Brianna Castenada, Lexi Greer, Lilly Brasher, Kassidy Wooten, Jadie Sudderth, Jesslyn Sliger, Emma Ringer, Talia Craff. Honorees are pictured above with BHS Principal Lindsay Smith and BISD Trustee Codie Smith.

CHICK-FIL-A LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

The Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy is a service and leadership development program designed to inspire leaders within the student body. BHS students Naysa Leach, Bryce Lopez, Marisol Rodriquez, Riley Soto, Rylah Morgan, Tessa Goodwin, Bryson Monroe, Averi Cecil, Ashlyn Harris, Annie Klein-Allgood, Lexi Greer, Brandon Still, Watts Jones, Marion Soto, Brooke Minchey, Evin Rowell, and Brianna Castañeda were selected for the 7-month curriculum and worked on service projects to help our community and give back to those that have given to them. This investment at BHS costs Chick-fil-A $4,000 and was fully sponsored by Chick-fil-A owner and operator, Bridget Jones, as well as the Coca Cola Company and Chick-fil-A, Inc. The class was led by BHS teacher Estella Soto and Coach Brett Mouser. Honorees are pictured above with Chick-fil-A owner Bridget Jones, her two children, and BISD Trustee Eric Evans.

BHS SKILLSUSA – STATE QUALIFIERS

The following Welding Trades, Automotive, and Building Trades/Construction students from BHS were recognized for their accomplishments at the State SkillsUSA competition: Caleb Fulton (Welding Team), Aaron Sanchez (Welding Team), Trent Loftin (Welding Team), James Stroope (Welding Team), Brendan Sikes (Automotive), Guillermo Vargas (Automotive), Gavin Burchett (Building Trades/Construction) and Hayden Proffitt (Building Trades/Construction). Honorees are pictured above with BHS Principal Lindsay Smith, BHS Welding teacher Roger Roesler, BHS Automotive teacher Randy Gross, and BISD Trustee Amary Doremus.

BHS POWERLIFTING – REGIONAL & STATE QUALIFIERS

The following BHS Lady Lion and Lion Powerlifting competitors were recognized for their accomplishments: Ashlyn Harris (5th Place – Regional, State Qualifier), Jandrea McVicker (Regional Qualifier), Chance Jones (4th Place – Regional), Zaiden Lopez (5th Place – Regional), Isaac Gray (5th Place – Regional), James Evetts (Regional Qualifier), kaleb Grabast (Regional Qualifier), Easton Judkins (Regional Qualifier), Damian Sanchez (Regional Qualifier). Honorees are pictured above with BHS Powerlifting coach Brett Mouser and BISD Trustee Codie Smith.

BHS LIONS VARSITY BASKETBALL – BI-DISTRICT CHAMPIONS

The BHS Lions Varsity Basketball Team was honored as the 2021-2022 Bi-District Champions. The following players were recognized for their individual awards earned during the 2021-2022 season: Jakob Hataway, Hayden Noe, Weston Burns, Christian Kinzler, Hayden Proffitt, Sam Bruton, Tristan Salinas, Thad Hines, Roman Sandoval, Ike Hall, Bryson Monroe, Luke Moss, Trent Loftin, Ryder Lancaster, and Riley Soto. Honorees are pictured above with BHS Basketball Head Coach Will Parker and BISD Trustee Codie Smith.

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SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

BISD Superintendent Dr. Joe Young provided the following information and updates:

• Ms. Krista Behler has been selected as the successor to Karen Dempsey as the Executive Assistant for the Superintendent’s office. Ms. Dempsey recently announced her retirement and her last day will be June 16. Ms. Behler is currently serving as the principal’s secretary at East Elementary and has been with the district since 2019.

• Budget update: With around 58% of the fiscal year complete, BISD has expended 53% of the funds. Expenditures are on track with the estimated budget for the year.

• Summer Leadership Institute will be held in Ft. Worth from June 29 to July 2.

• BISD Project Neighborhood is moving forward with the district now accepting Priority I transfer requests until April 15. Approximately 380 transfers have been received.

• Attendance impacts: In November 2019, BISD attendance was around 97%. In November of 2021, attendance was 92%. The 5% decrease will cost the district approximately $896,000. The state has recently announced it will give back an estimated $500,000 to help cover the funding deficit left from the affects COVID had on attendance. It was noted that attendance doesn’t only affect the money the district has to cover salaries and the cost of education. If kids aren’t coming to school, they fall behind and suffer academically as well. With the addition of two attendance workers coming from Head Start, there will be a total of five family service employees within the district next year who will work with families to identify and resolve issues impacting attendance.

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DISCUSSION & ACTION ITEMS

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS

Quarterly Investment Report: BISD Assistant Superintendent of Budget and Finance Mitch Moore, provided a Quarterly Financial Report.

Summer Learning Update: BISD Deputy Superintendent Liesa Land provided the Summer Learning Plans for the summer of 2022 including dates and times at Northwest Elementary, Brownwood Middle School, and Brownwood High School. CONSENT AGENDA

The following items were listed for consideration on the Consent Agenda.

Renewal of Interlocal Participation Agreement (IPA) between BISD and TASB Risk Management Fund

Instructional Materials Allotment Annual Certification

March 15, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes

Trustee Evans moved that the Consent Agenda be approved as presented, with Trustee Smith seconding the motion. The motion was unanimously approved

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EXECUTIVE SESSION

The board moved into executive session at 7:24 p.m. to discuss personnel matters. They returned to open session at 8:11 p.m.

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF TEACHER TERM AND PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS FOR 2022-2023

Trustee Doremus made a motion to approve the Term and Probationary Contracts for teachers to be employed during the 2022-2023 school year, as presented. BISD Trustee Roderick Jones seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The following announcements were made for upcoming events:

• Early Release Day – April 14, 2022

• Good Friday Holiday – April 15, 2022

• School Holiday (Bad Weather Day) – April 18, 2022

• Next Board Meeting – May 9, 2022

• Summer Leadership Institute – Ft. Worth – June 29-July 2

The meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.