The Brownwood ISD (BISD) Board of Trustees met for a regular session meeting on Monday, December 11, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. The session was called to order by Board President Michael Cloy. Austin Avenue Church of Christ Pastor Tom Washburn gave the invocation. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Brownwood High School (BHS) A Capella Choir Officers.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE

BHS A Capella Choir performed Carol of the Bells under the direction of Choir teacher Jennifer Reeves.

INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS

BISD Deputy Superintendent, Liesa Land, provided a brief update regarding Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), a federal and state mandated program for young children with disabilities specifically to children between the ages of 3 and 5 (prior to kindergarten). In an effort to expand BISD’s continuum of Special Education services, this year BISD implemented two ECSE transition classrooms designed to support students who have deficits in specific areas of speech. Currently, BISD has 20 students enrolled in ECSE Transition classrooms and teachers, Amy Younce and Susan Mora lead instruction. In addition, BISD has two self-contained classrooms focusing on students with high needs. Currently 14 students are enrolled in self-contained ECSE classrooms with teachers Robin Thompson and Amy Tatum. BISD is proud of the work that Northwest Elementary School and the ECSE teachers are doing as they work to support students with disabilities transition into the school environment.

RECOGNITIONS

The following groups and individuals were recognized by BISD and were presented with certificates highlighting their achievements.

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. December 2023 honorees were Northwest Elementary Early Childhood Special Education teacher Susan Mora and Brownwood Middle School (BMS) Administrative Assistant Misti Gillard. Spotlight honorees are pictured with (top) BISD Trustee Amary Doremus, Northwest Elementary Principal Dee Dee Wright, and Northwest Assistant Principal Amy Morris, and (bottom) Trustee Doremus and BMS Principal Mykia Anderson.

BISD HOLIDAY CARD DESIGN WINNERS

BHS sophomore LynnLee Crosby (top), and Woodland Heights Elementary fifth-grade student Genesis Deechaleune (not pictured) were recognized as the 2023 BISD Holiday Card Design Contest winners. BHS students Adyson Duke, Avilene Kuhn, and Kylee Land (bottom) were recognized for their digital media entries. Students are pictured with BHS Principal Lindsay Smith and BISD Trustee Justin Posey.

ECSE TEACHERS

Northwest Elementary Early Childhood Special Education teachers were recognized for their work to support students with disabilities and their transition into the school environment. ECSE teachers Amy Younce, Susan Mora, and Amy Tatum are pictured below with BISD Trustee Diane Thompson, BISD Director of Special Populations Rebecca Faulkner, Northwest Elementary Principal Dee Dee Wright, and Northwest Elementary Assistant Principal Amy Morris.

VARSITY FOOTBALL – DISTRICT 2-4A DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS

The Brownwood Lions Varsity Football team was recognized as the District 2-4A Division 1 Champions. BISD Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Sammy Burnett was also recognized as the 2023 District 2-4A Division 1 Coach of the Year. Burnett led the Lions to a 12- 2 record – their most wins since 2010 – and their first appearance in the regional finals since 2015. Individual achievements and all-district accolades (28 selections) were announced and honored for each player. All-district honorees and varsity team players are pictured below with BISD Trustee Diane Thompson and Coach Burnett.

2023 BHS CHOIR – ALL REGION & AREA

BHS Choir members were recognized for making the All Region Choir, All Region Treble Choir, and Pre-Area and Area Choir qualifications. BHS Choir members are pictured below with BHS Choir Teacher Jennifer Reeves.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

The following Bond Execution Updates were provided:

• Safety & Security: Additional cameras have been ordered for Coggin, East, and Woodland. Installation of new speakers continues with newly approved exterior locations. Panic buttons, evacuations maps, and new portable radios are in the works.

• Coggin Auditorium Seating: Drawings have been finalized for the layout of 769 new seats and required ADA improvements. Chairs and fabric have been approved and demolition will start on December 18.

• Gym Floors: Demolition to begin December 21 after early release. Painting to be complete by January 5 and final walkthrough scheduled for January 8.

• BHS Tennis Courts: Court construction and fencing is complete. Work on surface coating, awnings, lighting, and bleachers is ongoing.

• Student Activities Center: The indoor facility at BHS is 95% complete in terms of design with construction scheduled to begin shortly after the new year.

• Gordon Wood Stadium: Design work is continuing with an early release package requested to allow for phase 1 construction of turf and track to begin in April 2024.

• Baseball/Softball Fields: Designs for bleachers, walkways, and parking lot are in progress. Quotes and cost-estimates for lighting, fencing, and dugout improvements are being gathered. Demo is scheduled to begin after the 2024 season ends.

• BHS/BMS Locker Rooms & Gym Renovations: Discussions have begun for locker room layouts at the high school and additional collaborations are scheduled for the new year. Asbestos was detected in both BMS and BHS locker rooms, and due to the extended timeline of the indoor construction, the project is expected to be completed in two phases.

DISCUSSION & ACTION ITEMS

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Report: Information regarding CTE goals, benefits, and details regarding CTE offerings was provided. CTE affords students the opportunity to train for high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand careers. These programs also prepare students to be successful in a rapidly changing workforce and equip them to make informed decisions about future college and career pathways. BISD offers five endorsements: Business & Industry, Public Service, Arts & Humanities, Multi-Disciplinary, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). BISD continues to foster the relationships that have been developed with local institutions and industries such as TSTC, Ranger College, Kohler, and 3M. Additional updates included information on the Brownwood Industry Trade Show (scheduled for Monday, February

26th, 2024), the FAA Drone Pilot Certification program, Photography/Graphic Design, Automotive Technology, Education, Welding, Culinary Arts, HOSA (Future Health Professionals), FFA, and the 2023-2024 BHS Endorsement Course Levels.

Maintenance & Operations Report: A detailed report was provided listing the facility projects and upgrades initiated and completed by the BISD Maintenance Department. The list detailed a wide range of work at all campuses, including the building of a new car port at the bus barn, HVAC work, storage building and fencing construction, and many other improvement projects throughout the district.

PUBLIC HEARING OF FIRST REPORT

The state’s school financial accountability rating system, known as the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST), ensures that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices. A motion was made by Trustee Evans to enter into the Public Hearing on the FIRST Financial Report. The motion was seconded by Trustee Doremus, and the motion passed unanimously. The Board entered into the Public Hearing of the FIRST

Report at 7:07 p.m. BISD received a Meets Standard Achievement rating. The rating is based on school year 2022- 2023 data. The district score was 94 out of a possible 100. With no additional public comments or discussion, the public hearing adjourned at 7:10 p.m. and the meeting returned to regular session.

CONSENT AGENDA

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

1. Final Reading: TASB Initiated Policy Update 122

2. November 13, 2023 Board Meeting Minutes

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

EXECUTIVE SESSION

The board moved into executive session at 7:12 p.m. to discuss security and personnel matters, and the Superintendent Evaluation review. They returned to open session at 8:58 p.m. Trustee Codie Smith made a motion to approve the Campus Guardians, per Policy CKED and the Campus Guardian plan as presented. Trustee Evans seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The following announcements were made for upcoming events:

• Early Release: 12/21/23

• Christmas Holidays: 12/22/23 – 01/05/24

• Staff Development: 01/08/24

• Martin Luther King/No School: 01/15/24

• Next Board Meeting – 01/22/24

The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.