001Good evening and welcome to the Belton ISD board of trustees meeting. Tonight's student showcase features the Beltton New Techch at Wasco students Casey and Isabelle who will pre present an appellet argument opposing sides at a state level case. Both students are multi-year state qualifiers in moot court and mock trial and are currently competing as student appellet justices at the YMCA youth and government state moot court competition in Roundrock. They're supported by their legal studies teacher, Dr. Mark Dery. Please join me in welcoming the Belton Newchasco appeals court team as they begin tonight's showcase. All right. Thank you all for being here here this evening. I'm looking forward to this presentation. Uh this presentation is is going to be put on by two of the students in that program. Pro program is headed by Dr. Dery
002that's over here at the the podium. And the case that the case is going to be argued is Randolph Randy po appellant versus the state of Texas apolley. The board has been provided with materials relevant to the case. Um, this is a case involving a I'm sure that that they're going to tell you, but in case involving a an accident and someone was an incident took place involving alcohol. Uh there was a trial and uh the state the state appealed uh well actually the the person that was convicted appealed and they're arguing about whether there was a violation of the sixth amendment uh to the constitution and whether there was some juror misconduct because a juror spoke to uh the media during jury deliberations by by um text message. So it's going to be it's
003going to be a fun thing. Um the materials that I read very impressive what these kids have done. Unfortunately, one of the one of the one of the lawyers can't be here this evening. So, she uh is it she? >> Yes. >> She's going to be presenting her case via video. And the appellant who is represented by this young lady over here. >> She's going to be uh I'm assuming she's going to come to the podium. Yes. And present her case and then we'll have an opportunity to ask ask questions of the students about their presentation. So, Dr. Dery, you uh take it from here. >> Yes, sir. Um good evening, President Alquazer, Dr. Golden. Members of the board, um, as mentioned, my name is Dr. Mark Dery. I serve as a legal strugg studies
004instructor and competitive law advisor at Belton New Techch High School at Wasco. Our legal studies program is part of the district's career technical education pathway, providing students with hands-on experience with constitutional analysis, legal writing, and trial advocacy. A key component of our program is participation in Texas YMCA youth and government where students compete at the district and state levels in mock trial and moot court. Tonight I'm proud to introduce two outstanding students in our program. As mentioned earlier, uh Casey PC scores who was unable to be with us but will be with us in video. Thirdyear legal studies student. She has advanced to uh the state competition. This is the third year in a row and she placed third overall and she will be competing as a student justice uh in RoundRock on February 26
005through March 1st. And Isabelle Allen is a fourth year uh legal studies student and senior leader in our program. She placed fourth at the district competition and is in her fourth year uh competing at the state level. Second year as a justice. She has been an attorney two years prior to that. So this evening, Isabelle and Casey, Isabelle will presenting to you live, tell you a little bit about her experience in the program, as well as moving from attorney to student justice and how they had to be familiar with the case and write a brief on it. and they'll briefly, no pun intended, they'll briefly explain that to you and uh both discuss their experience in understanding the case. It's my honor to introduce KCP scores and Isabelle Allen. Thank you. Hello, my name is
006Casey Pores and I have had the privilege of competing with the new tech law program for the past three years. My first two competitive years were spent as a student attorney in the appellet court section and this year was my first year competing as a student justice in the appellet court section. At the beginning of every competitive cycle, we are assigned an appellet packet by the YMCA. This packet contains three main things. First, the issues at hands. These are any constitutional errors that the appellant believes may have occurred during their trial or any previous appeals. Second, we get a statement of facts. Think of this as a broad overview of everything leading up to this appeal. Finally, we are given precedent cases that we must incorporate into our briefs and oral arguments. These are most
007often Supreme Court opinions or Texas Supreme Court opinions. This year's case centers around two issues. The first being whether or not the testimony of an analyst who did not perform the testing themselves violates the Sixth Amendment confrontation clause. And second, whether or not the communication between a juror and a news reporter violates Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 36.44. As a student justice, I don't present an oral argument or have a certain side assigned to me in the courtroom. It is my job to question attorneys on both sides about their arguments from an unbiased perspective. However, as a justice, I still am required to submit a bench brief. A bench brief is a brief that looks at the case from a specific side. I chose the state side, which required me to poke holes in
008the belief that there were constitutional errors that occurred during the trial. I do this by using precedent cases that I mentioned earlier and aligning certain cases that have similar facts to the case before us today. After writing my brief, I get together with my teammate, Isabelle Allen, and we practice asking each other questions based off of the information in our briefs. From there, we are competition ready. I hope this has given you a broad overview of the new tech law program. Good afternoon. My name is Isabelle Allen and Casey just said I am a fourth year sorry Casey and Dr. Dery just said that I'm a fourth year of the legal program uh for the YMCA youth and government program. Uh first year I was an attorney and witness for uh trial court. For the
009next three years, I was an attorney and then the following two years I became a justice and I found a deep passion for appellent court. Um the YMCA youth and government they u require us to have a um case material and within those case material we have two issues. One did the trial court abuse the discretion of Randy Paulo and um excuse me and um if he I'm so sorry. did a uh abuse of discretion for Randy Paulo with not giving him a um second second um oh my gosh I'm so sorry a second sentencing for um oh sorry second sentencing of uh the um the juror Kate Riley sent uh sent a message to the news media um while the trial court was still going on. And for the second issue, um the blood
010test results went to an out ofstate um corporate sorry out ofate blood testing uh analyst and she did not personally analyze nor test the materials um for YMCA. I personally cannot have a personal bias um because I am a justice but for uh YA they do require us to have a uh brief to write. So, I did write for the petitioner side saying that the state was out of line and had an error um not giving Randy Paulo a second sentencing nor um following the Texas Piano Code 36-04. Um while Casey and I do um practice with each other, it is difficult because we only have each other. There's no attorneys to practice and it's just absolutely a mess. But we are an amazing team and I am entirely grateful to have her and I
011am entirely grateful to have Dr. Dery as well as our helper. Thank you so much. You guys have any questions? >> So, you're representing the the person that was convicted at the trial court level, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, one of the arguments you made was that the uh the court should have not have allowed the expert to testify, >> right? Yes. in violation of the of your client's sixth amendment right. >> Is that correct? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. And the other argument you're making is that this juror committed misconduct by contacting a member of the media um during jury deliberations, right? >> Yes. >> Thereby depriving your client of a fair trial. Is that correct? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. So can you tell me uh what the best argument is for
012the violation of the sixth amendment first of all and then your best argument that uh juror misconduct occurred. Um so the best argument for violating the sixth amendment is that um a um blood analyst needs to physically be there to test the blood and um the person needs to analyze it and needs to um make sure no it was also um raw material. It was entirely raw. So it wasn't finalized. So, we don't know whether or not if it's liable proof that there was alcohol in his system for um saying that there was bias towards Randy Paulo is that there was out of out of line, out of context of why she did contact the news media because she wanted to make sure that the public knew that it was unsafe to drink and drive.
013That means that she wanted to change the opinions of the other jurors within the court. >> Good answer. Um, what what did what did you learn from this whole process and writing this brief? I mean, what this what this juror did is just crazy, isn't it? >> Yes. >> You would agree with that, wouldn't you? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Um, I know that that the opposing council is not here to argue with you, but what do you think their best argument was? uh for allowing the juror to to stay to stay and to uphold the conviction. What do you think their best argument was? >> I feel like their best argument was um I say the best argument for the juror was not out of line is that >> the news Oh, sorry. Can
014>> Okay. No, go ahead. Go ahead. I'm sorry. um the news didn't get out >> and there was no bias that was affected to the court. It was just Kate Riley that affected her. >> Right. And and the court talked to all the jurors and all the jurors said, "Well, she never told us about it." >> Right. And then she didn't talk to anyone else about it. Right. So, how could it have been damaging? Is is that what is that the way you looked at it? >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Um, unfortunately with with with not having another person here to argue with you. Okay. Um, it kind of makes it pretty easy. Um, and if if you were to ask me how to rule, I think I think I would have ruled in
015the favor of the appellant. >> Uh, because, you know, and I don't know how the rest of the board feels, but I think there was a violation of a sixth amendment um, right in the constitution. uh because you had an expert testify from some from from something someone else looked at, right? So, they should have brought in the the right person and you objected at the trial court level. >> So, you preserved your error, right? So, I I think just on that one issue alone, I think that the appellant should prevail. The other thing is a is a no-brainer to me because you can't have jurors talking to the media during jury deliberations. I mean, that's just that's nuts, right? Yeah. >> Okay. So, so if you were to ask me to rule and I
016think the instructions we have here was to make a decision. So, I would be going with the appellant in this case. Um, other side made a great argument, but I think we have to follow the law. >> So, I does anyone else have any comments or questions? >> No. >> Your honor, I think you've got it covered. >> Okay. you know, the the >> unfair >> the the the the materials that you guys provided are I mean it well written. Okay. It was impressive. Um and the program here gosh I I you've been to state how many times? >> Four years, sir. >> Okay. All right. And I asked you before we we started this this uh presentation today if you were going to be a lawyer, but you're not going to be a lawyer.
017You're going to be a >> a neuroscience researcher. >> Okay. I think you're going to do good. You're going to do well whatever you do, young lady. Um, anyone else have any comments about the program or anything? >> I do real quickly. So, I had the opportunity Saturday to be at the state capital. Um, and I was watching youth and government events and watching our students have the opportunity to actually be in um on the Senate side, the House side. Um, the debates I watched were around cell phone usage and whether they should be allowed to have it at lunch and in the hallways. Um, I watched a debate and hear lots of amendments on whether snacks and vending machines at school should be healthy. And then the third, which was a really interesting debate,
018was around AI and the use of AI for students. And so it was incredible listening to students debate. To stand up and do what you're doing is incredible. I will tell you, I'm many years your senior and it's intimidating to be talking in front of a lot of people. So, one, the communication skills that our students gain through programs like this, the critical thinking, she had to think on her feet. What y'all don't know is we were given 130 plus pages to read to get ready to even have a conversation with her today and they more than consume that and utilize that in their brief. So, I just want to say I think this is a beautiful program. You did a great job and to me this is our journey of a graduate competencies in
019action. So, thanks for being willing to do this in front of all of these people tonight. >> No, I appreciate you guys. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Y'all have a good night. Just want to extend another thank you to her. She's a senior in high school and she just went toe-to-toe with very well-known lawyer Manuel Alzer. So, we're very proud of you. Um, please another round of applause for tonight's student showcase >> and thank you Dr. Dery for what you do. >> Great job with these kids. >> Thank you. >> So Dr. Dery is an amazing teacher and Dr. Dery is also working, you know, I mean a PhD, a doctorate wasn't enough. So he's working on being an attorney as well right now. So, good job, Dr. Derpy.
020Good evening everyone once again. Thank you for joining us this evening and for your interest in Belton ISD. I hope you enjoy the appeals court showcase from Belton New Techch at Wascow. One more round of applause if you will. The time is 6:23 p.m. and the Belton Independent School District Board of Trustees are now convened in a regular board meeting on Monday, February the 2nd, 2026 at the Pittinger Fine Arts Center located at 400 North Wall Street in Belton, Texas. A quorum of board members is present. This meeting has been duly called and notice of the meeting has been posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Meetings Act, chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. I want to welcome the members of our audience and our live stream viewers to this meeting. As a
021Belton ISD board of trustees, we are here to set goals, listen to reports from the superintendent, approve budgets, contracts, personal appointments, and make policy for the district. This meeting of the board of trustees held in public, although held in public, is not a public meeting. Prior to this meeting, board members received information related to items on tonight's agenda. Agenda items may not necessarily be handled in the order listed on the notice. This meeting is open to all who wish to attend and hear the matters discussed today. These proceedings are being livereamed on the district's YouTube channel and will be available for review in the days following tonight's meeting. For the video to adequately reflect the proceedings, I respect the request that you please refrain from talking while others are speaking and that cell phones are
022on the silent mode. Please rise uh for a moment of silent prayer andor meditation. And please remain standing as our students from Chism Trail Elementary School lead us in the pledge of allegiance in honors of the Texas flag. So you guys go up there. So let's uh let's assign us for just a few seconds. Okay, Christine. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee. One state under God, one and indivisible. >> Please be seated. First item on the agenda this evening is recognitions. And we're going to turn it over to is Christine. You gonna do it to Christine uh to lead us.
023Good evening and welcome. We are thrilled to start off our recognitions with our two students who joined us to do lead the pledges today from Chisum Trail. We have fourth graders Josiah and Thea. Josiah is uh quite an athlete and currently involved in football, basketball, and track. His friends describe him as a strong leader who is always helpful. And Thea, her favorite subject is art, and her friends describe her as kind, fun, and caring with a big heart and a willingness to help others. And we thank you both for being here to start off our meeting tonight. Thank you guys. And next we would like to recognize once again our students who participated in our showcase tonight. The Belton New Techch at Wascow Appeals Court. uh Casey who was with us via video and Isabelle
024who was here in in person as long as they're uh along with their leader Dr. Mark Dery. We appreciate you guys so much for all that you do and thank you for being here to showcase your pro your program this evening. Thanks, Isabelle. We appreciate you. And now we'd like to recognize 11 Lake Belton High School students who qualified for FFA leadership development events at the state level. We had these students competed in two different events. One um both demonstrating strong leadership, research and communication skills. One of the groups analyzed current agricultural issues through in-depth research and presentations while the other delivered programs designed to educate targeted audiences about the mission and the impact of Texas FFA. We congratulate these students along with their instructor Allison Hall. Uh, thank you guys for all that you
025do and congratulations for this amazing accomplishment. And now we would like to recognize four Belton ISD elementary students. We have uh two students from Burell and two from Lakewood Elementary who were selected for the prestigious Pathways uh Pathfinders program which is in its very first year of existence. And these kiddos were recognized for their exemplary math ability. And uh this is an extension of the math stars program that we uh were uh that we had students qualify for last year. But these students qualified for this Pathfinder portion of that program and we are so excited for you guys and all that you will get to experience as a result. Congratulations Dylan helps everyone with anything that they need in a moment's notice. So, it makes it easier that we know we have somebody we can
026rely on and that we don't have to wonder whether or not he is going to um do the wrong thing when nobody's looking. He's got great integrity. Dylan is one of the quieter students on our campus and he always does the right thing and I feel like sometimes those students don't always get recognized in classes because attention naturally goes to kids who need a little bit more help and so I hope Dylan um realizes that we do see him and that he is an asset on our campus and I hope he experiences um that the recognition helps him know that he can be really successful. I know he wants to own his own business in the future and so I hope he realizes that he can do big things. >> I don't like to sit
027still a lot. I like to be moving around. I don't like sitting there. But down there it's moving around. You go and do you might get a little sneak attack where they're like, "Can you go do this for us?" And it's like something bigger than you're used to. Or so little things like that that you can go and do that kind of just make it more fun to do it. It feels good to be a helper of other people and do things for them that they don't necessarily want to do. But I like being helpful. I can't not be helpful next time. But I like being nice to other people. Always be wanting to take control, charge of things that you might necessarily not want to be able to do, but you know, you could
028get through someone through a situation. Like if there's a class problem or something, you have to be able to go out there and let's say you already know it, but you want to help someone else get to it. Like just knowing how to talk to other people make thing make things like more understandable to some people. We are so pleased to recognize Dylan this evening um from South Belton Middle School who was nominated for his outstanding character, exceptional maturity, and consistent demonstration of the journey of the graduate competencies. Dylan, we truly uh see the qualities that you've exemplified and that's what we hope for all of our students in Belton ISD. So, thank you for showing us initiative, collaboration, perseverance, and service to others. We are proud for you to be uh recipient of our
029journey of the graduate milestone award. Congratulations. >> He does. Uh, our next recognition this evening is a presentation of child safety fees from the city of Belton. We have Mayor Lee with us this evening. Thank you, Mayor Lee. I will step aside for you to have the mic. >> Most exciting thing you'll do all all evening. So, here we go. Um, the Transportation Code of Texas section 502 allows for county commissioners to collect $1.50 50 cents for each registered vehicle. Um we saw an increase of roughly 25,000 vehicles countywide. And so we've seen an increase in that. And so they uh then write a check to the city of Belton for uh safety. And so this is meant for um safety programs, lifeguards, uh lifeguards, crossing guards, and and um other things around uh school
030children. And so what we do is we just uh pass we pay it forward. And so they cut us a check and we cut you a check. So this year's check is $28,12.39 uh which is up uh from $25,800 last year. So a few thousand more. Uh thank you guys for doing everything that you guys do in the community. And here's the check. I don't know who needs the >> Give it to him. You go get a picture. Go get a picture with us. Sorry. Sorry about that. And we truly appreciate the city of Belton's partnership and um again uh these monies will help ensure safe school crossings for our students across the district. So thank you city of Belton and again grateful for the partnership. Thank you. And our community partner recognition this evening
031we have Carlson Law Firm. If you want to come on up. Yes, y'all come on up. Uh we have several representatives here who uh Carlson Law Firm is a partner with our criminal justice program and in particular with our pro with our students who participate in our program from the showcase this evening. Carlson Law Firm offers mentorship, internship opportunities, and hands-on learning experiences for our students um as well as meaningful exposure to the uh legal profession. Uh we are so grateful for your continued commitment to preparing our students for future careers in um this area as well as others. So, thank you so much, Carlson Law Firm. We appreciate you. Thank you. Um, and last but certainly not least this evening it last month technically was schoolboard appreciation month but uh this uh ice prevented
032us from celebrating you but we are going to celebrate you this evening. What what am I doing? What am Yes. Come on up, kids. Come on up, kids. Um, our students uh from Bronco Media and Tiger Media uh work together to create and collaborate on this project and they are um providing each of you, if you will click to the next screen for us. if you'll click to the next screen for us. They created uh these graphics for each of you um as well as for the board as a whole uh just to demonstrate our appreciation to you guys. Um you are um truly dedicated volunteers, some of the most dedicated people I've I've ever worked with. And we are so grateful for the hours and hours of volunteer time that you give and uh
033to serve the students, families, and staff of this amazing community. So, thank you to our school board. Dr. Golden, do you have anything you want to add now? Come on over, add now before they go back. >> Okay. One, just thank you. to usually we'll give the board something in January for board appreciation but the fact that it was designed by our students. So that was students from uh both Tiger Media and Bronco Media who designed that for y'all this year and they did an incredible job. So what you're seeing is student creation of their incredible talents in recognition of y'all's hard work. So one, can we give another round of applause for our students? They are so talented. And then just a thank you to our board. So while they are elected officials, they
034volunteer countless hours at all of our events. I see them so much that I feel like I owe all of their spouses an apology. They attend performances, they practices, they go to just to see our students compete. They are the champions of our students and our staff behind the scenes. And I'm so thankful and the communities that make up Belton ISD really should be thankful for these very fine men and women. And so will y'all please join me in thanking them for all that they do for us. And right just as we're concluding, please know that there was no direction or really input. We just asked the kids to celebrate you guys and this is what they came up with. So please know, thank you to their teachers. We are so grateful. And again to
035the students um you guys for doing this, we're so grateful and uh we're so so proud to be able uh to have this gift for you tonight. Um and that concludes our recognitions at this time. a great job. Let's send I want to be in your favor. Looks like most of the folks have made a exit. Uh we're about to start the meeting. So if you if you want to stay, you're welcome to stay. If you would like to exit, you can do that as well. Okay. Um, next on the agenda, public comments. In accordance with policy beed local, we'll take public comments regarding items on the agenda at the beginning of the meeting and comments regarding non-aggenda items will be heard at the end of the meeting to allow the board to conduct business
036of the district. We do uh have some folks that are signed up for public comment. We have a parent and then two children. and I'll be calling uh those three here in just a moment. But we also have two folks signed up for comments on non-aggenda items by um our our procedures. We have to take up the non-aggenda uh comments at the end of the meeting. Uh but we'll take the others here now. So there are three folks. Uh the first one will be Amy Longfield, followed by Katherine Longfield, and then Evan Longfield. So if you guys are make your way up here to the front, you can you can probably sit on this front this front row here and then I'll just call you guys one at a time. But before we do that,
037let me let me read some of this into the record. So hold on just a moment. You are you are Amy. Is that right? >> That's correct. >> Okay. Hold on just a second. Amy, let me um let me pull out a sheet here. Let me read this into the record. I'm not going to cut into your time. I just need to read this into the record. >> In accordance with district policy beed local, any person wishing to address the board of trustees during public comments shall sign up before the meeting. In order to comply with the Texas Open Meetings Act, the board may not respond to comments or otherwise discuss or act upon any issues that are not posted on the meeting agenda. Participants will be allowed three minutes for public comments regarding items
038on the agenda. We have a timer on the screen that shows you a lot of time and a sound will occur at the conclusion. The board will not tolerate disruption of the meeting by members of the public. When I call your name, please join us and state your name. City of residence for the record. And the first person is Amy Longfield. You may proceed, ma'am. >> Thank you. Um yes, I'm Amy Longfield. I live in Belton, Texas. My children are at Lakewood and um Lake Belton Middle School. Um and they've been there since kindergarten um in the school system. I remember when we were getting ready to move to Belton and I was really excited to meet with the past superintendent and to tour the schools. I remember touring Chisman Trail. Um that was the
039school I was brought to. Um and just seeing all the amenities. I remember seeing, oh, this is the cafeteria where my kids are going to eat and if they go to the school, this this is the principal. This is the counselor. This is the librarian. These are the important people that are kind of the touch points for my kids. Um, I spoke to y'all last month and I won't rehash everything I said then. I'm sure you have it in your notes. Um, I'm back because, um, I keep bugging the librarians about what's going on. They don't talk about things. They're not, um, they're not, uh, you know, trying to say bad things about the district. They love the district. They love the kids, but I keep bugging them. And so, um, they have shared with
040me that, um, they're really troubled right now and it's a really hard time for them. And so therefore, as our district family members, it's a really hard time for us too and our kids. Um, I just want to read uh we all know the quote that a poet and humanitarian Maya Angelou said. I've learned that people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. And they they feel very small right now. They feel very undervalued. And I understand that um the board and the administration I've some of you have reached out to me um because I keep talking and um have said, you know, don't worry, we have things in place. We're going to, you know, shift responsibilities. You know, I've been
041in areas where we had a travel nurse and I've been in areas where we had a school nurse. I've been in areas where we had a travel music teacher and I've been in areas where we had a resident music teacher. We actually have two music teachers at our our elementary school and it's phenomenal. We have many many different plates that are going right now. We have a big school district. I do not envy y'all's position. I do really appreciate all that you do. But um my family works in medicine and we have something that we call the continuity of care. It's a medical coner term and it means that when someone is cared for as a patient, we don't want to just throw that on to another provider. We want to make sure that they
042have a trusted medical professional. A librarian provides continuity of care for our kids. If we're constantly saying, "Oh, let's grab this aid or let's grab this teacher. Let's let's throw them in there. Oh, they could teach special ed. They can do the library. Oh, this is great." These are not valued professionals. Librarians went to school to do library science. They have master's degrees. They have doctorates. They're not just anybody. We're not just pulling them in and being like, "Oh, you have an interest in this. Let's do that." Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, ma'am. Okay. The next person is uh Katherine Longfield. Hi, Katherine. Yeah. Pull that mic up close to you so we can hear you. Okay. >> Hi, my name is Katherine Longfield. I am 10 years old and I go
043to Lakewood Elementary. I really have to talk about our librarians. I mean, let's get down into this serious stuff. Times are hard and our experienced librarians don't deserve to be fired. Our librarian, Dr. Mclofflin is always going out of her way to help kids find fun in reading. I mean, we do I mean, our school does so much stuff for reading. There is book fair, lot um author visits, like blue bonnet books, all of this stuff just to help kids read. and our librarians. You guys, it just feels like I could go on and on. Our librarians are very experienced. They have like doctors in this stuff. And you just fire them like they haven't worked so hard, like they haven't went through so much. We love our librarians and we don't want them to
044get fired. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. The next person is Evan Longfield. >> My name is Yun Longfield. I am 12 years old and I go to Lake Belton Middle School and my teachers um my librarians have been amazing to me. Uh I feel very loved by them and they support me and I'm sad to have them not be supported by the district. Um my librarians handle not just um the library but they also handle other things like at Lake Belton there's a 3D printer and they maintain it. So when we have a science class and we do tinkercads to make 3D printed models that we engineer. So that's like four different models of the earth, the moon and the planet. Uh the earth, the sun, and the moons. Um we go
045to the library so that we can see the 3D printer and we learn how to use Tinkercad. And they also do demonstrations there. We went to like a uh STEM night there, I think, with like Legos. That was fun and I appreciate that. And at my elementary school, um my librarian introduced me to a series called Red Wall. It's an old book series if you've ever heard of it. and I've read almost all of them except one book and I've loved them and I'm really thankful for my uh for my librarians and I want them to be supported too as they have supported us. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. All right, that brings us to item four, action items. 4 A, discuss, consider, discuss, and take appropriate action regarding the 2024 2025
046school year annual comprehensive financial report. Dr. Golden. >> Yes. And just want to say thank you to our students, certainly their mom as well, but for students to come to a podium and be able to speak in front of a board is an important competency. and so was proud of you. All right, Melissa is coming to the podium. Melissa is our chief financial officer and this is the time of year where our annual comprehensive financial report is here. She is also bringing one of our representatives from the auditing team that prepared this report for you. And Melissa, I'm going to turn it over to you. >> All right. Good evening. Um, we always look forward, I know Carol and I look forward to this time because we've closed a year end, uh, starting another one.
047And so tonight we are bringing you the 202425 annual comprehensive financial report. This is basically our audited financial statements. Um in this process, the audit process generally begins around June and July uh is when we start uh the audit and then it carries through uh November and December. This year's been a little challenging uh with government shutdowns uh which kind of postponed um the normal approval of of this report. And so I would like to thank um Carol and the business office team for their tow their tireless hours in reconciling balances working with the audit the auditors and making sure that uh our financial data is of the highest quality. And I also want to thank uh the audit team from Patella Brown and Hill for being patient with us you know because it they've
048got a they're waiting on us most of the time. um and they've been very good and supportive throughout some of these little hiccups with government shutdowns and those kind of things where where things just aren't going as normal. Um so tonight I want to introduce you to Kent Willis. Um he's an audit partner at Pilah Hill and Brow and he is going to kind of walk you through the highlights um of this report. Kent. >> Hey, good evening. Thanks for having me here tonight. Uh, as Melissa said, I'm Kent Willis. I'm a partner at Pillo Brown and Hill just up the road in Waco. Uh, happy to report to you guys the results of the 20 2025 fiscal year uh, audited financial statements. You've got in front of you a copy of that document, uh,
049the spiralbound document. There is also a separate letter. I'm going to set that aside. I don't go through the letter unless I have bad news. So, uh, we'll set that aside and we'll focus on the spiralbound document. I'll point out a couple of page numbers as I go. I'm going to keep it to the highlights. We could talk for several hours if we really wanted to. This stuff's really exciting, I know. Uh, but going to stick to the highlights, the results of the audit. We'll look at fund balance in the general fund for a couple minutes and then I'll point out just a couple of maybe um oddities about governmental financial reporting that you may not be used to. You look at this document once per year, I imagine. Uh government financial statements are weird.
050I'll just say that they're hard uh to follow sometimes and a little complex. So, let's start with the results of the audit. I want to say thank you to the finance team. It's not just the finance team at a school district that makes an audit successful. It's everybody who follows the policy every day, employees who do the right thing every day. Results in a great audit. Uh but the finance team, I I don't know if you guys have ever been through an audit yourself. Hopefully not. They are not a lot of fun. Uh we start the engagement with probably a hundred items, a list of 100 items we need from your team. Those take hours to prepare and get ready for us. So the list gets longer before it gets shorter. We keep asking more
051questions. We request all kinds of documents, right? We really get unfettered access. We should get unfettered access to any record or document that the district has that will allow us to decide whether this document is correct. That's our job. Our job is to come in and be skeptical, which is helpful. I'm a skeptical person. I'm really good at being skeptical. So, our job is to come in. We look at the financial data that your finance team gives us. Basically, all the numbers you see in this document, and how do I know this is right? I'm not a member of management. I'm not a member of the finance team. I'm I'm independent. I got to figure out whether uh for example, your general fund reports $39 million of cash at year end. How do I know?
052I don't know. How do I know you had that much cash at your end? So, our job as the auditor is to be skeptical. We apply all kinds of procedures. We spend collectively 450ish hours probably on our side alone. That's not including your team's side to get to this point where we can say that this document is materially correct. So, that's that's the goal of the audit. That's a quick run through of how an audit looks. I'd be happy to answer any questions about that if you want to get into more details, but that's the gist of it. How do I know this is right? That's our job. So, you want to follow along. Uh the results of the audit are on page start on page one. This is page one, two, and three is
053the independent auditor's report or the opinion letter as we more commonly call it. Um we spent some time talking about law this evening. This is a kind of written in legal ease. This document is very dense, very uh not a very exciting read, but it's a very dense read about how an audit went and what the results were. They did change this letter a few years ago. They put the opinion right at the top. I think that's what everybody's looking for. It used to be buried on the third page. Right at the top, first two paragraphs, you'll find our opinions on the financials. So, after all the procedures we performed, the blood, the sweat, and the tears of the audit process, we did actually issue what's called an unmodified opinion on these financials. That's the
054fancy term for a clean opinion. Highest level of assurance we can give on an audit of a local government or school district. So what that means was is after all the procedures we performed, we were able to say that this document is materially correct, not perfect. No auditor would be able to tell you perfect auditing standards aren't designed for perfect. So there may be errors in this document. if there were errors we identified during the audit that they would be so small that they wouldn't affect the decision- making of the board of tea and other people using this entity. So it's a high level of assurance but it's not perfection that's uh human beings aren't perfect in general. So clean opinion on the financials highest level of assurance we can provide. Any questions could I
055answer on audit process audit opinion before I move on to the next step? Okay, good, good news there. All right, we're going to go all the way to the back. So, follow me back to Oh, pages 102 and 103. 102 and 103. This is what we call the schedule of expenditures of federal awards or SEIFA. We love our acronyms in accounting. The SIFA is a listing of federal dollars spent by the district during fiscal year 2025. So, um this is nothing new. You guys have this every year, but the existence of this these two pages require us as your auditor to do some extra procedures. We just talked about the opinion letter on the financial statements. When you think about that audit, we have sort of two audits here. We have the financial statement audit,
056balance sheets, income statements, revenue, expenses, things like that. This is a separate audit. This is looking at compliance. Did you follow the rules of some of your federal programs? So, we all know there's strings attached when you get federal dollars. You have to report to TEA every so often. Spend the money on certain things, right? You can't spend child nutrition dollars on IDAB, stuff like that. So, what the feds ask us to do is select one or more of these programs and we drill into the details. Did you follow the rules that the that TEA set forth and that the feds set forth for those programs? So we don't test them all every year. We pick and choose based on size and risk. This year we selected the idea B cluster special education funding. Uh
057clean opinion a second ago. All of our clients, 99.999% of our clients get a clean opinion. To not get a clean opinion is pretty devastating. It would be bad. This arena is where our clients tend to get tripped up. If we have a finding in an audit, it's usually in this area. The federal rules are complicated. they change a lot and it's easy to make a small mistake um that doesn't result in a big dollar amount but it means that a control failed. Internal controls are important to the feds. And so this is where our clients get tripped up. If we have a small internal control problem, it can lead to a finding um or non-compliance if you didn't follow the rules appropriately. So not all of our clients get a finding here, but it
058happens. And so I have to build some suspense here. You guys have no findings, right? there's a clean clean audit here and no findings in this area, but wanted to explain that to to not have any findings here is a good thing. That's that's very good to hear. Uh and it doesn't happen on every audit. We definitely have some issues in this arena and some of our audits throughout the year. So, congrats on the clean opinion here. No findings in the federal awards section as well. Happy to report that to you tonight. Any questions on the federal award section or can I continue on? All right. So, I'm going to finish up with kind of moving out of audit land and moving into like accounting and financial reporting. I know you guys only see this
059document once per year really. So, follow me to page 12. Let's start there. I kind of want to point out a few weird things about government governmental financial reporting and then we'll close by looking at general fund fund balance. So page 12 is where we'll start and then we'll move a few pages past that as we finish up. All righty. So I mentioned earlier as I started governmental accounting and financial reporting is kind of weird. It's complex. If you pull up Amazon's financial statements, the numbers are way bigger, but they have one balance sheet, one income statement, and one cash flow statement or the whole of Amazon the company. You guys, if you go through this documented look, you'll have about 20 balance sheets and 20 income statements. Local government financial reporting is weird. So,
060we break things up into small buckets because we want to see how all the funding is spent, how we're accountable for federal dollars, how we're accountable for tax dollars. So, we put them in different columns in the report, right? Some of those columns we look at are schedule or exhibit A1 and exhibit B1. Uh A1 is your balance sheet for the entire district closed up into one column. And full acrual accounting, that sounds exciting. It really is. Full acrrual accounting is just all of your funds closed up into one place. And then we also add on your long-term debt, capital assets. So it's kind of how a company would be reported. Not exactly, but kind of how a company would report their balance sheet. Easy enough, right? We see assets, liabilities, equity, things like that.
061Turn the page to B1. This is an income statement for the entire district. It's weirder than any other income statement you'll see in any company's financials. It reads from left to right and then down. It's like a an L L turned sideways. Really confusing. U I'm not going to get into why it's reported this way. But I wanted to point these two out because these two financial statements are generated once per year when the audit happens and never again until the next audit. They're useful to get an idea of the financial health of a district, but this isn't your day-to-day. This is full acrual accounting once a year reporting. Uh it's required for GAP. I mean, it has to be here, but it's not uh the most useful way to look at a local government
062or a school district's financial statements. Useful information definitely. But let's turn the page and get to C1 and C3. And really C3, if you'll follow me to C3, that's pages 18 and 19. This is your everyday uh your finance team's looking not necessarily at it in this way like in a the financial statement format we're looking at here, but this is the day-to-day operations of the school district and the format that you budget for it and the format that your team monitors the budget and monitors your spending and revenues and such like that. So, um hope that's helpful. You could talk about governmental financial reporting for hours. It's uh it's very complex in a lot of ways, but I talked about the different buckets of money. Let's look at the general fund real quick and
063I'll I'll close out. So general fund column uh is far left on page 18. This is your income statement for 2025. It's a few months ago. I know you guys have been looking at fund balance a lot in the last year. I understand that. So wanted to take a look back and see where you ended up for fiscal year 25. I'm going to hit a couple of subtotals. talk about change in fund balance, talk about fund balance, and then I'll let you guys get on to the next part of your your meeting. So, taking a step back, looking at general fund income statement, we had $144.6 million of revenue. About halfway down the page, 149.2 million of expenditures. A little further down row 7080 uh you have 2.1 million of other stuff kind of miscellaneous
064stuff sale of property insurance or issuance of leases and subscriptions. You had a net change in fund balance or a net loss of $2.5 million. So not a surprise to you. I know y'all yall have beaten this to death over the last several months, but um that fund balance number decrease left you with about 2.7 months of fund balance as of 831 2025, which is a little shy of kind of the bare minimum recommendation, which is three that we typically look for. Um so 2.7 months in the general fund, slightly less than what's the normal minimum average or min minimum recommendation. I believe you budgeted for an $8 million, if I remember, $8 million decrease for this fiscal year, and you only recognized a $2.5 million decrease. So, I can tell you guys have uh
065put in quite a bit of effort to to control that. So, uh 2.7 months in the general fund. Any comments or questions on fund balance that I could answer or discuss? >> I do. Um, we've been hearing kind of that two and a half month mark, but sounds like the standard practice is about three months of balance. Do you see people go much more than that that ever or I mean can you give us an idea what it is outside of here because I don't >> certainly certainly so I presented a very very small school district um two weeks ago about 200 kids. They have a year of fund balance in their general fund. >> Uh that's really rare for school districts. Um, I've got a school district with about 20,000 students. Uh, they have
066a month right now, a little over a month they're hurting. So, huge range there. I would say right now this fiscal year, given all the weirdness unfortunate stuff going on with the state funding model, I would say most of mine are in the two to four month and that's pretty normal for schools really. The the little the smaller schools tend to pack it away a little more than the bigger schools do for whatever reason. Um, they they tend to have more fun balance than the bigger schools. And when I say small, I'm talking in the hundreds of students, several thousand. When you start getting in the larger ADA, you tend to see them, at least in my experience, about three months, four months. So, good question. Anything else I can answer on that? >> Yeah.
067So, for the schools that you were just talking about, what like how many of those schools are actually fast growth school districts and what do you typically see for fast growth schools? the 20,000 ADA student 20,000 ADA district I just mentioned is extremely fast growth like Austin area southern Austin the other one was tiny school district it's been around for 100 years and it hasn't changed a whole lot so um I would say does seem like the fast growth districts tend to struggle with that more um right >> certainly any other questions I can answer some debits and credits if you really want to love Go ahead. >> No, I was just gonna say thank you. He's t talk debits and credits. I could do this like let's go. Uh, so I implement and maintain
068federal financial system. So I I get what you're talking about. So we can just do some tea accounts. We we'll get it done. >> Um, no, I just thank you for your team. At one point in time, I wanted to be a forensic accountant. So like, you know, this is fun. >> Um, >> but thank you for for you and your team and everything that you do. Um, you know, I know it's not easy. um and u you know the 400 some odd hours that that you talked about that your team is on right you guys are in and your job is to find something right that's the job of an auditor is to find something and I know you don't like to find nothing right and so I really want to say say thank
069you to our business team um right to um Melissa and the whole business office um and the work that they do around this right I mean you're you all are the reason uh that we are here right and and having this conversation and so uh I want to say thank you to the team for not only sort sort of doing the ins and outs of all the accounting, right? Um from, you know, budgeting to getting payments out the door. Um but also making sure that we're sticking to the processes that we have, right? It it's you got to have the process, you got to follow the process, and all the numbers have to add up, right? So, thank you for for doing that. I mean, you're the a lot of in a lot of ways
070the wizards behind the curtain that allow us to continue to do what we do, you know, out in the field. So, um so thanks for for what you're what you all are doing. So >> one of the things that I'd like to emphasize, you know, you started out your talk by saying that you don't know, but you know now uh you didn't find anything, right? So this this reflects um u transparency on the part of the district, does it not? Right? Because sometimes you hear folks talk about whether school districts are transparent with with their financials, but you see nothing but transparency with this report, do you not? >> Certainly. >> Okay. >> Unfettered access. We we ask for anything we need to get to this point and they provide it happily. >> So you
071you request unfettered access and you are given that unfettered access by Melissa and her team. >> Certainly. >> Would you agree with that? >> Certainly. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time, guys. Oh, I'm sorry. Did you >> Anyone else? >> Okay. >> I was just going to say thank you as well. So, um thanks to the ice storm. Um, but this this actually began before the ice storm. But the minute this document hit, um, bless Melissa, I have read it more times. I have called her, gone to her her office. We have poured through every page of this report. And so, one, apologies to Melissa, but thank you. Um, thank you so much to your team. Carol is here. Carol Wave does so much behind the scenes um to support the
072audit process. And so we're just thankful for you coming in and you know there are documents in here that speak to the financial health of the district. There are awards that this business office has applied for and received. They're also in this report and this report um in its entirety will live on our financial transparency page as the past ones have as well. So they'll be there for our community to be able to see as well. So I just want to say thank you. >> Thank you sir. >> Thank you guys for your time. appreciate it very much. >> Okay. Uh do we have a motion to approve the annual comprehensive financial report for the 2024 2025 fiscal year as presented? >> So moved. >> Rucker, I have a second. Mr. Bozon, all those in
073favor, please raise your hand. It passes seven to zero. All right, moving on to item 4B. Consider discussion and take appropriate action regarding approval of a strategic plan charter. Dr. Golden. >> Yes, thank you board. I will take this one. So, approximately 5 years ago, Belton ISD um went through a process of developing a strategic plan. Um I'm here this evening asking for you to approve a charter that will allow us to engage in this work. Again, there has been a lot that's changed in five years. There's been a lot in education that's changed, educational policy. Um, there is tremendous choice in the world beyond even what was choice prior to this last session. This is really an opportunity for us to be able to think about the next five years for Belton ISD and
074engage in a process where we are bringing together stakeholders to really talk about similar to what we did last time in terms of what are our hopes and dreams for our students um in Belton ISD. And so it's always been our practice to bring a charter to the board. Um it is in this charter you will find the purpose again is to we want to reaffirm our vision make any tweaks if we need to. We don't currently have a mission statement that could emerge from this work. We have multiple vision statements. Um we want to be able to relook at all of those vision statements. look at data for our district and really again identify as we think about the next five years for Belton ISD. What are those three to five high priority goals
075that ultimately would come to the board of trustees for approval? We would also as um a district team work on the specific measurable we we've been calling them key progress measures but smart goals um if you will to support those big priority areas for the district. Um we want to make sure that the work we do is aligned to the values of our community. If you um look at section three, section three is a list of um the groups we want to identify for coming together to be a part of a strategic planning team. Um you the board would be a part not necessarily all on this team. Um we would ask for um two members of the board if you're interested in volunteering for this, but there would also be other engagements with the
076board in this work. But you see the list. We want to make sure that um on this committee that we have and we I'm going to work from the bottom up actually, our higher education partners. Um so reaching out to our um our college presidents and members of those organizations to participate. Um tapping into some of our city and government leaders, faith-based leaders, students, community representatives, parents. Um, I've got also on here parents of non-public school. So, we'll be asking for someone to be on the committee who maybe they their children don't attend Belton ISD, but they're in our community. As well as, you know, making sure we have representation for a variety of our extracurricular areas, teachers, principles, and admin staff. Um, we're looking for the committee to be approximately 35 members. It can
077be larger than that. That's where we're starting. We would be asking and ask if approved would be for the each board member to identify a parent and a community member. If you could identify two individuals for this committee representing your areas and the work in terms of timelines and deliverables. Um, if you approve this tonight, we want to get the work moving quickly, starting to identify our committee and begin to engage our stakeholders in this conversation. Um, I really wanted to put May of 26 as the deadline. Um, gave ourselves a little bit of a break. We lost a week because of the ice storm. Um, so, um, hope that by June of 26, we would be prepared to bring to the board board goals. and you see notice of a scorec card. Um I
078don't know if that's the right terminology, but we want to be really clear where do we as a district want to be in five years and then what are those targets working backwards to um beginning the 26 27th school year. And so with that just we'll um see what questions you have for me this evening. >> You know Dr. Golden the the when I looked at your numbers there uh it looks like to me and I'll see if anyone else wants to comment on that that it represents a fairly good cross-section of our community. That's the only thing that I would have asked be done right. Um and you didn't give us a I don't remember reading 35 members. That's >> um we had that on our uh charter. >> Charter. Okay. I think that
079would be at at a minimum because if everybody identifies two and then we can balance participation in all of these other areas, right? >> Um but wanted to make sure I mean we could have up to a hundred. Um I think that's a reasonable number, but really just wanted to start looking for representation so that we're hitting all of your areas as well as these specified here. any idea uh when we have to speak with parents and community members that we're going to nominate we give you two names right >> if you'll give me two names now the next question which is a fair question is okay when would be the first meeting that's what so depending on how you act today on this particular item that's action for tomorrow to go ahead and start
080identifying those dates for the meetings um we would hold these meetings after hours so that our own staff and our community can participate in them. So, we will um get our meeting schedules set and I'll get that to y'all so that that could be communicated to those that you are encouraging to be a part of this process. I would say most likely they would come this this particular group would come together two to three times. So, but I know people will want to know uh like give me the specific dates and times to commit. So, I'll get those to you quickly. So you said parent and community member of course. Does that mean you want a parent and a community member with no children in the district? Is that what you want from us? >>
081It that is your decision. You know ideally um would love I mean it would be great if it were two parents but we are a school system that serves our entire community. So if you if you can't find a community member and you give me two parents that's great or if can't find a parent two community members is great. >> Okay. Anyone else have any questions? I just just a a comment. Um I I think this is a great list of a variety of perspectives and opinions. Um I think it would be wise and important to have parents of kids that are that are served definitely in our general ed education population, but also parents that have students that are served in our special education uh population. I think it would be great to just
082even I know that's not stated in there, but I think it would be wise to just make sure we've got voices across the board respective. >> Erin, if that does not happen through your nominations of members on that, then we will make sure that we do that. We do a lot with our parents as partners program um and through our special education services. So, we'll make sure that we have representation. >> Very good point. I agree with uh what you just said, Manuel, about having a good cross-section and obviously what you just shared, Erin. Um I really like all the different uh different components here, especially the faith-based leaders. I know faith is really important to our community, so I'm glad to see that's going to be a part of the makeup of the membership
083of this committee. Um I thought I thought u during the advisory I was on the advisory the budget advisory committee and students some students were invited to that and I thought that was an excellent thing. Um they were they gave feedback about librarians and I think they said some things that held. Um, so I I would recommend also if we could get I know it's it's heavy a heavy topic and things like that, but so is the budget advisory committee and if we could invite a few students to that I think that would be good too. >> Absolutely. Um, so students absolutely will be a part of the membership of this committee. So good point. I I agree with you Riley. They gave um incredible perspective in the budget advisory committee process. So thank you
084>> Chris. >> So the how will we uh make the work of the committee available like will we have a strategic planning website uh after each meeting post things out there. What what are your thoughts? >> We'll put it on the website so it's clear just like we did on the budget advisory committee work. We put that on our website and then I'll continue to just update um you and our team. we can do an update through big red letters. I'm looking at Christine um of our community u as we make progress through this work. >> Yeah, I mean I think this is a really important effort, right? I mean these this effort should inform, you know, the larger plan for how we're going forward and it and it's not us coming up with the
085plan, it's the community coming up with the plan, right? I mean that that's the importance of this. Um, and so, you know, anything that you need from my perspective, you know, from this, just say the word that there's there's almost nothing more important than this, right, to set the direction for the next several years. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? All right. Um, do I have a motion to approve the strategic plan charter as presented? Miss Bass, do I have a second, Mr. Norwood? All those in favor, please raise your hand. That passes seven to zero. That takes us to item 4 C. Consider, discuss, and take appropriate action to set at large trustee election for Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, and approve the order of election. >> We don't have a presentation on this one.
086>> We don't. >> No, sir. So, u we come to you with the order of a trustee election. every time we are heading into a trustee election. And so um this is a standard part of our process. Um it's in accordance with the education code and then our board policy BBB local. And so tonight we are asking for um you to approve the order of an election as presented. >> Any discussion needed on this issue? Okay. Do I have a motion to set the Belton ISD trustee election for Saturday, May 2nd, and approve the order as of election as presented? Do I have a motion? Mr. Norwood, do I have a second? Chris. Okay. All those in favor, please raise your hand. Passes seven to zero. >> Can we take an item out of order
087and have Jennifer Rivers item first? She has to be another. Okay, we're gonna go here with uh Oh, that's it's here. It's here. >> Oh, is it? >> Yes, it is. >> Okay. Uh takes us to item five reports. >> Yeah. Take this one first. >> We're going to take this one first. Crypto. >> We're gonna take >> A first. Why? We've gone back to the agenda for this week. >> I apologize. >> I forgot about the storm. >> I apologize. Yeah. >> Okay. We were just looking at the order. We had it different whenever the storm took place. So I think we have it figured out now. So that takes us to item 5A. Uh midyear update goes and key progress measures report. Dr. Goolan. >> Yes. And I apologize for that board. Um
088this is going to be going in order. So um Dr. Morgan is here and he will have members I'm sure of our cabinet team who are going to help with different aspects of this. This is just our middle of the year um update to you. We we've done workshops and updates on goals um throughout the semester. We'll continue through continue to do so throughout the rest of this year. Um but this gives us an opportunity just to do a quick look at where we are mid year on goals and key progress measures. Dr. Morgan. >> Thank you Dr. Golden. Thank you board for allowing us here tonight. We we want to reflect on our journey towards work towards achieving the district key progress measures. These key progress measures were adopted in June for the 2526
089school year. While our goals have remained uh relatively constant for the last few years and were adopted on February 24th uh 2025, we do have a firm belief in our values and beliefs in continuous improvement and that led to a teamwide approach to developing these key progress measures. This is the most important work that we're measuring at the district level and it includes efforts from our entire organization. We're excited to share the results of our efforts so far in this midyear report. We'll highlight the work that's been done and you'll hear from us on the work that's going to continue to be done throughout the spring. So, at this time, I would bring uh Christine is going to come up and talk through our goal 1 KPM update. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Um,
090I had the opportunity to present an update to you just several weeks ago about our uh KPM1 uh which is that every campus and department would establish at least one new strategic partnership uh this year with a community group um uh or someone outside the general school uh uh uh building. And um weather delays have have caused a little issue and I can't say we're at 100% but we're at like 90%. So at the end of next week I will have a complete list of every partnership agreement and um uh the goal of of each of those partnerships. So um the goal was to have those in place in January again with weather. We're slightly delayed. Uh but um we have so far we've gotten a really diverse uh group of community partnerships. Um there's
09121 unique partnerships uh with various organizations and um uh businesses across our community. Um we have churches uh Vista Church, Belton Church of Christ, First Temple Church, um service organizations, education connection. Um our dads of great schools which is the watchd dogs program. Um we have two um really uh new uh pretty robust uh PTSOs, parent student teacher organizations that have come online and uh our schools that have been um working to establish those on two of our campuses along with education uh partners um Temple College and um just to name a few of the others uh Farm Bureau. I think we shared that last time. Um we have a a new partnership with Federal Aviation Administration, the local airport, you saw Carl Carlson Law Firm this evening. Uh so really a diver a diverse
092group of uh community partnerships that are happening across um uh the district. Um our actually the students who uh did your um uh created your gifts for you this evening, that was a partnership between our department and um our uh different student groups. And that's one of the projects that we'll be working on um uh throughout the year. So, uh partnerships are in place. Um there are two milestones that we will do some check-ins with. So, by March 1st and May 1st, we'll have check-ins um uh from campuses and departments on uh how these uh uh partnerships um are are going and um to be able to reflect on um the impact that they're having across the system. Any questions? As Gabby's walking up, just wanted to draw your attention to the picture on this
093actual slide. So, I had mentioned it in the superintendent report. Um, this was an incredible experience that our students received this day where they're learning their masonry skills. Um, you see a couple of images of people in the background. There were so many community partners who volunteered. They provided materials. um they provide uh just skills support and helping really grow the confidence of our young men and young women in these programs. And so um even the picture I just wanted to highlight is thanks to the incredible support of community partners who make events like that and that's some of our skills USA students getting ready for upcoming competitions. So all right, Gabby's taking goal two. >> All right. So um for goal two, we want to ensure exceptional learning experiences for each and every student.
094And we have two KPMs under this goal. My academic progress report will really cover the second one on our House Bill 3 goals. So I want to focus on our um KPM of increasing the percentage of students demonstrating critical thinking in the classroom with an emphasis on asking questions and evaluating arguments. I was so disappointed with myself this evening that I had not handed you all our critical thinking guide because what I saw in the interaction between uh Mr. Alcosar and our student was the epitome of what critical thinking is in our system. We've defined that as um a asking questions, analyzing information, evaluating arguments, drawing conclusions, and communicating ideas. And we saw every single element in y'all's interactions. I also saw a partner getting thrilled and engaged in a learning experience with a student
095and that is what our partnerships are all about. So you just saw a demonstration of what we are seeking for our students in critical thinking. We use a process using our observation guide with our instructional leadership team including principles, assistant principles, um instructional coaches and our central office um teaching and learning team um to visit classrooms during waves windows of time in the school year to observe what's happening as it relates to critical thinking. Our goal being to increase from 47% to 55 I 55% in those um emphasized areas. We have already seen this fall um and now we're into the spring an increase of 20% um at a minimum in both of those areas. In the area of of asking questions um we've seen an increase from 45% to 69%. And in the area
096of evaluating arguments, we've seen an increase from 32% to 53% of observable evidence of students engaging um in those elements of critical thinking. Absolutely. We want to cons continue to see growth. This process is really helping our instructional leadership team align and what we mean by critical thinking. What is the evidence that would tell us that that's happening that will ultimately really impact student experiences. So we are well on our way to meeting our target and have exceeded it. It's about maintaining and continuing growth. >> Okay. What I will say as Gabby's stepping aside and Todd's coming up um goal two particularly that key progress measure is a great example of a lead measure. So ultimately that growth of critical thinking is so that when we look at our academic data that we see our
097students moving in bands on their accountability that we are moving more towards a meets and masters. And so that's just a really good leading measure that we are tracking that hopefully we believe um will have an outcome on the other House Bill three goals that Gabby will talk about later. All right, Todd, goal three. >> Good evening again. So, goal three, I presented on this last month, and as you recall, the the KPM surrounding this is is staff participation. 80% staff participation in pursuing in a professional creating and pursuing a professional learning goal that's tied to our Belton ISD leadership definitions. And so, happy to report we're still on path um for achievement of this goal and meeting that right now. Um there are if you recall our leadership definition has nine competencies. There's three
098competencies um that really stand out in ter terms of um the competencies that are aligned with the goals that are being submitted. Those competencies are communicating for impact, promoting growth, and focusing on what matters most. Um as a reminder, this process won't go away. It's embedded within our evaluation process. Um so our next steps with it this year is our supervisors will meet with their staff members. um at the end of the year to review their progress on their goal and to say whether it's been completed or not. Um and again, this will be an ongoing process that we'll be doing annually. Thank you. >> Thank you, Todd. >> Well, I am absolutely thrilled to be here this evening to talk to you about our progress on goal four. As you know, goal four is
099about ensuring that our students and staff feel supported, have opportunities to grow, and they feel valued. Sorry, I lost all of that. I have it right here on a piece of paper. Um, our key progress measure this year was very ambitious. It was to establish a hope squad on each one of our campuses, elementary all the way through our high schools. At the elementary level, our hope squads focus on kindness. They have kindness campaigns. At the middle school level, they continue the kindness campaigns and they add on anti-bullying. And then at the high school level, we focus on belonging and connectivity, connectedness on the campuses. Um, I am here to report that we are absolutely on track. We have 100% of our campuses with a an an active hope squad on their campuses. Now that
100we have the hope squads established, we've gone through training for our adviserss, we have training for our students, we've had parent meetings for the students who are a part of hope squad, we are seeing evidence that it is working um through multiple ways that we monitor to determine whether or not it's having the impact and influence that we'd like to see on our campuses. Our next steps include getting a little bit deeper into the process, learning from other districts who are leading the way that already have hope squads and the ways that they have utilized those hope squads to improve the culture on their campuses. Um, the other thing that I want to highlight is that we even have prek, our beex program, and our delta programs connected to the hope squad at Belton New
101High School. So, we've been we've been completely inclusive of all of our students in this initiative. We also have a partnership with UMHB, their research department. Anything that we do, we want to be sure that we can measure the the impact or effectiveness of the program. And so, the research department at um UMHB is partnering with us to help us to collect data to determine whether or not our efforts are helping us to reach the goal that we set forward. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Spearman. Um, I'll just point out on this slide. So, fourth row up center student. Wait, no. Somebody moved me. Um, is the young woman that was on our superintendent student advisory council, part of the group that um really was instrumental in helping bring hope squad to the district.
102she helped um design an all district event last year um to launch Hope Squad. And so I just I love that this is a great example of student voice and students wanting to be a part of solutions in making their campuses better. >> Absolutely. And and I'm here to speak on behalf of the entire group that works as our TIA implementation team and it's a very large group across multiple departments. But um this key progress measure was really important because because since this is our implementation year, it was very important that we had strong systems of support in place on the designated campuses that are that that we are in our phase one of Tia eligibility. So we started with a comprehensive year one scope um that worked across all of our TIA TIA elementary
103through English 2 and algebra 1 pipeline. Uh it was a strict year- round calendar. The leadership and TIA planning team meets monthly and more often to synchronize the the different elements of a TIA implementation. Uh if you remember, we brought a TIA spending plan uh back to you in November. That is one of the required elements of your implementation year is to have the board of trustees approve the TI spending plan. Uh really the two focuses to make sure that our teachers and our administrators are able to do their parts is the focus on calibration. So our appraisers in a test system, they meet frequently to discuss teacher observations and ensure that we're consistent and that we are calibrated across our entire district. And then the second part of that is data readiness that we're
104using internal our internal data systems. And the good thing around TI is a lot of the internal data tracking systems were already in place with star renaissance and our star align protocols so that we ensure that our benchmarks are structured and ready for our data submission at the end of the year. Uh we've also tried in our systems of support to be uh strategically transparent or transparency is is was very strategic in this process to try to establish a no surprises environment through district guide book websites. We've embedded professional learning for administrators and teachers and really want everyone to understand how the how the system works. And then the final thing is setting ourselves up for success and to be able to expand this program in the future uh if if and when our our
105uh data is validated and we're we're officially in the TIA program to include more teachers in this process. So that's kind of the high level of TIA. We will have our our team available uh for discussion on any of these KPM items and to uh answer any questions that you may have or or take any uh requests for additional information or reports in the future. one question. >> Yeah, I have a question on that. Um, so on the on the TIA, it it's focused mainly on core the core teachers, the core instruction right now and we are we and we're waiting for data before we can move to the next group. Is there any way we can speed that up like you know put I just wonder do we really need to wait for that
106data or can we be working towards that? I mean I'm sure we are working towards that but >> I I'll speak >> yes we can. So we need to make sure that we have extremely solid systems in place so that our data validates regardless of who's within the framework of designated uh content areas. But we are in a um constant cycle with this team of learning um alongside campus leaders. I'll give an example. Early childhood learning what is required in order to bring early childhood on board. And so we've been working with the campus leadership team and our TIA consultant to determine um would that be something that we could bring on earlier because we're building the systems. Once you get your systems in place, they should be transferable to other areas as well. unless
107there's not an assessment measure in place. So, um currently there's not a strong growth oriented assessment measure um for specific areas and so there's a big lift on those in designing assessments that will be verified. Um and so to answer your question quickly, yes, we can bring on other areas and we are working to do that strategically. um that will be a manageable lift for our team that it ensures that it's validated while also being mindful of the changes that are happening at the state level with assessments. If we move too quickly in certain areas, um for example, we know that the state accountability system will be changing in the assessment structure that might be naturally embedded to the system or even required of us. And so if we introduce a new assessment and then
108the next semester have to change again, that's a a a large burden on our system. And so we want to minimize change while maximizing possibilities. So So yes, we can, but we've got to be very strategic and we are working alongside our um consultant and our TIA team to determine the most appropriate areas. >> Anyone else? Chris, >> just have a a quick Hope Squad followup. So, great story to tell with Hope Squad. Um, I wondered just at a future weekly update whenever that is appropriate and you've got the information if you could help us if you could provide us with some of the anticipated goals, right, that you're looking to see and then what are some of those what's some of the evidence that you're seeing so far that you mentioned just so that
109we're armed with the information to help tell the story. >> Absolutely. And so in all of our studies on connectedness, we know that we can avert a lot of atrisisk behaviors if we if students are connected to the campus. So, if you remember a couple I want to say it's been two years now, we did a lot of studying on whether or not students are connected to our campus, whether it be through an activity, a club, or um an adult who they felt they could um go to if they needed to for help. And so, our ultimate goal is to improve the culture on our campuses. If our students are engaging in kindness versus unkind behavior, we have less bullying. we have less discipline. Thus, kids can learn better. So, they're thriving versus, you know,
110having adverse um so ultimately will impact the experiences that they have in the classroom. And then we have a tracking document where every campus each month the activities that they do around Hope Squad, whether it be um New Belton High School and I think New Techch did bracelets, the little um woven bracelets and and they asked everyone to wear their bracelets as a reminder to be kind and to say hello to people. Leave no one alone. And so I didn't wear mine. and I meant to wear it today and I didn't wear mine, but they passed them out to everyone and when I visit campuses I see them with the bracelets and so um every campus is at a different place but we do have a spreadsheet that allows us to see all the things
111that each campus has done thus far. Um we expect to see bigger events later in the spring once the adviserss has had the have had the opportunity to work towards that with their student bodies. Thank you. >> I want to make a comment and you stole it from me, but it was a perfect segue. So, thank you. No, it was great. Great because I want to talk about goal four and two together. Uh, the hope squad getting to see it in action where I work at Family Promise and the Hope Squad from Sparta. I think they went to helping hands as well, but they brought brand new books and brand new board games for uh the people we serve. And not only they come and extremely kind and showed empathy, but they also had some
112of the best questions I'd ever heard anyone ask us as adults for the work that we do. And so you could hear the the critical thinking that was going on. And uh it just you could see the hope squad in action and really the cohesiveness among those students was was amazing. So it was it was wonderful to see it work. >> Absolutely. >> Dr. Spearman, how many how many kids I mean is there a minimum before they become a hope squad on a campus? Does there have to be? >> Yes, sir. So, the process is where the student body receives a survey and they nominate students who they believe would make good candidates for Hope Squad. And so, they are nominated by their peers. And then from those nominations, students are contacted on whether or
113not they would like to be a part of Hope Squad. And then we go through a permission process with parents. And so at the high school level, it's a course. And so naturally, courses are limited by seat spaces. However, um each campus has different numbers of students and it's based on interest and how many were recommended and then how many said yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Chris, you have a question. >> Just an add-on here, right? We just continue to >> toot the host squad horn. Uh so I've got a senior who's going through the scholarship application process for colleges and universities, right? And so I've had the opportunity to see lots of prompts uh that he's had to respond to. He's written tens of thousands of words easily. Um and I got to
114tell you like the parallel between what I'm seeing in a lot of these schools and scholarships that he's um you know replying to and what Hope Squad is actually doing. like there's so much that's coming out of Hope Squad that is like just absolute gold uh for for seeking some of these activities, right? So, so not only is it just great from a human aspect what's going on from our at our schools, but um it really is I I think going to be helpful to these kids in particular, you know, from a a later aspect. When I presented this past week at TASA, we talked about student engagement, student empowerment, and how we're living out our journey of a graduate and empathy for sure um as a part of the process. And that's exactly what
115you are connecting and how we're helping others. Yep. >> Anyone else? >> Thank you, Dr. Pearman. >> Thank you. >> Okay, that would take us to 5B. academic progress report. Dr. Golden. >> Yes. So, Gabby Nino has come to the podium and she's here to provide we try to do mo in almost every single board meeting some academic update for you. And Gabby's here with the midyear. So, today um I'll provide you a midyear in both um literacy and math. And I'm going to use two different data sources primarily to frame this conversation. um one being our star renaissance data which we've talked about um many times but we're gonna we're going to triangulate some data a little bit differently today based on the purpose of the assessments and the activities we're engaged in. So
116just as a reminder, our renaissance we administer it three times a year and it's u meant to measure student performance. Yes, based on standards, but it's not necessarily our TEICSS. There's TEICSS embedded in it, our state standards, but it's at a national level. This assessment um helps us monitor student growth over time and identify needs for intervention. Um it does give us a predictor for how students um will perform on our state assessments. We began a system this year um as a replacement of the star interim that we were administering. Star interim was intended to help us give that measure on our state standards. But we had a very challenging time getting access down to the student level data to help us measure the resources, the tools, the experiences based on Belton ISD um within
117that assessment. And so we shifted to a district benchmark this year that we'll give two times a year. Um, and it's a snapshot based on our scope and sequence to help us um, provide information at the classroom level, but also allow us to make system changes in a different way um, than we have before. And so um, we're going to talk about our data through the lens of those assessments. There's a ton here um, but I'm going to work through it. Elementary, middle, and high school. So what you see framed right now um on the left visualization of data is just our performance. It's the achievement performance of our students um compared from the end of I mean from the beginning of year to middle of year like think passing scores. It is not following
118a cohort of students. It is just a snapshot of how they are performing right now. The visualization on the right allows us to watch students over time, those cohorts. Um, so what you'll see with the elementary level in the area of math is that we see um the master's um performance increasing in math across all of our grade levels. And so that is yearover-year we see a higher um percentage of students who are scoring in the M's range. in particular at fifth grade, we see a greater degree of gains. Um, which is is great for us because that's when you start to see the growth. This would be a group of students that we're really starting to see the impact of our adjustments and instruction with. So then let's um scoot to our middle school
119students. Um we in the middle school we do also see an increase in number or a reduction of students in did not meet. Um we see an increase of students in meets and masters but we see a little bit more stable like there's less change in middle school than there is in high school. Um when and elementary if you look at high school you'll see that we see significant gains in the area of algebra 1 um significant improvements in the number of students who are performing at a did not meet level. So we're seeing that shrink and that's exactly what we want to see. I zoomed really quickly through that for a very intentional reason. Um we have some areas of focus that are highlighted um in this data. One in particular being our fourth
120grade cohort of students. Um there we see an increase in students in that fourth grade group who are performing at did not meet. That is a concern for us. Um but when I show you the trends that have emerged um we have some really high quality action on that. um the did not meets um rates stayed kind of stagnant as um I mentioned at our middle schools um and the movement from approaches to meets is inconsistent for us. We want to see students who are currently in the approaches range moving to meets and masters. Our goal is to get as many of our students into the meats and masters range as well as reduce who's who's not meeting our standards. Um, so let's talk just a bit about what we can pull like high level
121from that. We have 49% of our students currently based on that data who are projected to perform at meets and above in third grade. Third grade is where we have our house bill 3 goals established. We are projecting um that we will exceed our target. And you can see our our House Bill three goal is set at 40 and we're at 49% projection right now. So I will tell you that in my time in this role, this is the first time that I'm able to tell you all that we are projected to exceed our House Bill 3 goal in the area of math. Again, it's a projection and it's dependent on us having the right strategies in place to support continued growth. Um we are not satisfied um just at that target. We want to
122far exceed it. 49% of our students in grades three through algebra are at a minimum of 50% growth. This is why that um the growth 50% is important. We know that students as a through a growth measure must be at at least 50% projection in order to be making a year's worth of progress. So I always go back to your growth charts for your children when you take them to the pediatrician. you want them to be at the 50th growth percentile to be progressing at a year's rate of speed. We um are following the same growth trajectory um in our data setting a 50% target um and we are on track to meet that goal with our students. What we're also proud of is that a 100% of our student cohorts and three grades three
123through five demonstrate growth in M's level performance. So for us to be increasing the percentage of students at M's level um and three through five is um a celebration for us that we also have not been able to say historically. Now here's where I get really excited instructionally. The percentages, the numbers are one thing, but what we want to be able to date do is say what is that telling us instructionally? I've talked to you for the last couple years about priority standards. On the far right, you will see a single high priority learning standard that has been identified at each grade level as the highest yield. If we can really make growth there, it'll significantly impact um our student performance. These are also areas where we're having greater challenges. By looking at these um
124priority learning standards at every grade level vertically, we were able to pull out a common thread that tells us we have a similar challenge across our system that we are able to address. And the common thread is that our students have experienced some challenge moving from concrete into abstract problemolving. We see strengths in the concrete. We see some challenges in the abstract. And so we know we can put strategies in place to address that. This summer when our our teachers went through the math academy, it came from their voices. We need a shared problem solving model in our district that will help with that. That will help us move our students from the concrete representation into abstract. And you can go into classrooms across our system now that have a shared problem solving model directly
125from the mouths of our teachers, directly pulled from our data. and it is supported in the the data that we're looking at now. So what you see just visualized here is that priority standard progressing throughout our system and the thread that connects all of those is a need to focus on moving from representing numbers in a concrete way into applying those in a problem-solving abstract um thinking. Okay. So that's in the area of math and reading. I'm going to move a little bit. Um I'm going to follow the same train of thinking here and we're going to start with elementary. Again, we see our masters in elementary school in each cohort growing. So at all levels in literacy, we see um masters growing across cohorts. We see the reading performance um shows positive outcomes across
126all grade levels. We just see a a little bit less change. So the the scores across all of our grade levels are stagnant. They're not bad. They're positive, but we're not seeing a reduction um to the extent that we are in math in the did not meet range, but we're performing well in other areas. So reading continues to be our strength. We just want to see more movement um in particular from our students who are at the approaches level into the meets and masters. Fourth grade is a area again at elementary just like in math we see fourth grade as a target area um for necessary attention in our elementary schools. Let's move into middle school. The trend is very similar at middle school um where we are um staying fairly consistent with performance. We're
127not seeing a significant amount of change. We do see reduction in the students who are at did not meet at all levels but we just want to see a greater an increase in that reduction. And at high school I could um really give you extremely similar talking points. We are we are maintaining consistent performance. You can see the percentage of students that did not meet is very low. It's at the lowest level in our high schools um from any other grade level. And we are going to continue emphasizing that wanting to see increase in the percentage of students that meets and masters but we have absolutely seen gains in those um areas at the high school level. So an overall like pulling out the big trends with numbers in reading 60% of our students in
128third grade which is our house bill 3 goal are projected to be at meets um or above. that already exceeds our House Bill 3 goal that was set at 52%. And so at midy year, our projections are reflecting that we will exceed our house bill 3 goals. 51% of our students in third through um English one are at a minimum of 50% growth. Same mindset in literacy that we discussed in math. Um and so in that area, we are exceeding our goal. And again, a 100% of our student cohorts in um grades three through five have increased the number of students who are performing at M's level. And so there's some positive insights in this data for us to celebrate. We took the same approach in reading that we did in math to identify vertically
129what are the priority standards that are emerging that tell us some trends in our system. And what we see um in this trend similar but um I'll tell you where the similarity is and the distinction. The similarity um is that there's a there's this idea of moving from concrete to abstract. What that looks like in literacy is very straightforward thinking in third grade where I just need to write aboutformational text. And this is the first time we're really assessed in that way. As you see progressing through the grade levels, the complexity of thinking increases dramatically in fourth grade where our students have to read two passages, analyze that text to understand what's at the core ideas of that text, but then respond to questions in writing that compare the core purpose of each of those
130texts. That's a really complex layered thinking that students have to apply and it just progressively advances through different genres of text in our system. Short answer here on what we need to focus on is critical thinking. We can't just read the text and respond to level one what we would call them questions. Our students have to be able to think think critically, analyze text, analyze information. evaluate the text, develop arguments about the text and then engage in a questioning process around them. So the data while we um see growth, we are proud of the projections, the data also reinforces that we need to main focus maintain focus on critical thinking and really dig into those areas that we have highlighted um need for us. So strategic responses for us by being able to look um
131as a result of having a comparison of the um Star Renaissance screener and our internal assessments um we're able to celebrate um practices a little bit more and zero in on the practices that we need to replicate. So we see some um systems and some of our practices resulting in a closing of the gap through the did not meet lens. We're moving more students out of did not meet than we have before. Um, and so we want to celebrate that and ask ourselves what's happening that's resulting in that reduction. Um, and we would argue that it's a consistent problem solving model that has been named as a need by our teachers and affirmed by the data. And so we want to make sure that we're replicating the use of that model across our system. We
132also want to capture specific campus practices that we know are yielding the highest growth. In our data, we see um some specific places and locations that are really yielding a a higher degree of consistent growth. And when studying those practices on those campuses, we can see that it's very strong PLC cycles, meaning how their teams are coming together to look at the data and plan and response of it in professional learning communities. We see that the way campuses are scheduling their intervention services using their entire grade level teams and teaching staffs um is really yielding more consistent growth. And so we want to replicate those practices and make sure that they're in place and the consistent use of pro progress monitoring is what's yielding growth um in very specific places. So we're digging in to
133celebrate practices as well as replicate them. We really need to prioritize as a system for the spring some very specific action specifically um in rigor checks. I mentioned to you across both math and reading that movement from students who are currently in an approaches scoring band into meets and masters is extremely important to us as well as keeping students who are performing at higher levels where they are and beyond. That's going to come through rigor checks. When we go into the classroom, oftentimes we can focus on students who are experiencing difficulty. We have to be focusing on students who are also already demonstrating demonstrating academic success and the experiences that they are having in the classroom. Um we want to see again um a reduction in did not meet rates in literacy um accelerated in
134the same way that we're seeing in math. And so, um, we're really zeroing in on what are those intervention strategies, consistent practices, um, and then ensuring a focus on specific student movement. Holly and, um, and and her work has really worked closely with our teams to make sure that they have down to the individual student, how students are performing, and where their focus areas need to be um, in order to move them. So every single campus is has these zeroed group of students um for them to focus on in their actions. And then the final area for emphasis is on targeted supports. What we see is um very isolated grade levels um that might be having challenges whether in math or reading on campus and we are targeting to put very prescriptive plans in place
135for targeted and more focused areas of support. So, I can say on any given campus, fourth grade is having a difficult time in math on these standards and we have prescriptive targeted plans um and lesson supports that have been put in place for every campus that they can go to to plan um with their teams to a greater degree than we ever have. Um and then an emphasis with our campuses on the highest yield strategies for specific populations. For example, students who are emerging bilingual students. We have really been studying the practices that need to be in place to support those students and those are look uh look twos and look fours in classrooms with students in targeted areas. So that's a lot. Um let me ask or respond to any specific questions that you
136all have. >> Any questions? I I want to first thank you for so much that you and your team, Ben and Denise, all of our principles, everyone all the way down to every single classroom do. Uh it's an immense amount of work. It's so great to see. I mean, it's huge gra huge gains. You know, third grade, you've got a plus n plus 8% compared to house bill three in reading and math, which is phenomenal. Um my question you had mentioned in fourth grade both in math and in reading we're probably the most focused grade level we need to look at right now. You said there's more more complex layered thinking. Is that the main reason? Like can you give us a little bit more insight to what's going on in fourth grade? >> Yeah.
137So the the theory based on our data um is third grade is much more straightforward in both math and in literacy and in fourth grade you have a significant shift in what I would call the cognitive lift um in the complexity of thinking that that is required of students. Um so if you don't have the the foundational thinking in place there is a giant shift in fourth grade. And so what I can't tell you is that we have the exact prescriptive response um yet that we can say this is the exact thing in fourth. But what I can tell you is that at every campus we know exactly who the students are now who are experiencing the greatest degree of difficulty. And at every campus, specifically in fourth grade, um our team has gone to
138the standard level and been able to make prescriptive suggestions for how you might respond. And quite honestly, most of our campuses were already on it, but we've got um data to support their planning purposes now. And then if it's isolated um let's say it's isolated classrooms, um our coordinator teams are walking with both instructional coaches and campus leaders into classrooms to be able to make instructional suggestions and support the improvements in the classrooms. >> That's great. Thank you, Chris. >> I'm super excited. Um, you know, we've been talking about the ship needs to move, what we're going to do to get the ship to move. >> What we're seeing is the ship is moving, right? Uh, and the ship is moving in the direction that we wanted to wanted it to go. Um, and we're
139we're seeing we're seeing progress, right, in the areas that we said we needed to and in some cases, well, in a lot of cases, ahead of schedule, right? Um, so super excited about that, right? >> We still have work to do, right? >> Oh, yes. So, but super excited about the fact that the ship is moving in the direction that we need to go and it looks like it might be picking up speed in that direction, right? So, awesome, awesome, awesome. Um, I'm also hearing a lot about specific student information, right? And so, I'm hearing and maybe correct me if I'm wrong, right? So, so a lot of what's kind of helping us move this ship and a lot of things we've been talking about is is the the data that and the tracking of
140individual student sort of performance and mastery around the TEICSS and all this kind of stuff, right? So, so we're able to get to the data, we're tracking that, we're able to, you know, get the pinpoint, you know, uh, support where it needs to go. Um, and that in a lot of ways is kind of helping us move this. Is that am I understanding that right? Yes. >> Okay. Um, I do think I'm so I'm getting a little bit of feedback and I've shared this with Dr. Golden, right? I'm getting a little bit of feedback that there there are some pockets of teams that don't quite understand why we're doing some of that data collection. Uh, right. And so, um, but this is why, right? this is why we're doing it, right? And and so we
141got to make sure everybody understands sort of that why. Um and it's not just something we're trying to impose on everybody, right? But there's a real reason and intentionality around it. And this is what it allows us to do. >> Yes. >> I know you want to say something. Go ahead. >> I just do. And can I say it it is more than just because we have to perform a certain way on a state accountability test that's taken one time in the year. It's because the ultimate why is because every single student deserves to grow in our system. And so to have a a mechanism for being able to look down to the every single individual student level was just essential um for us to really if you think about our vision >> uh you
142know each and every so you know a lot of times accountability system doesn't motivate it is our system it is what we have in our state but when you get it down to doesn't every child deserve to grow in our system that's the real purpose of it. Yeah. Yeah. And I I want to recognize for our staff, right? I mean, this has been a this has been a tough move, right? I mean, what we're doing is both an art and a science, right? And this is the science piece of it. And implementing the science piece of it, um, you know, complements the art piece of it. And we got to have them both in order to move the ship in the direction we want to go and the speed we want to go. Um, and
143so I recognize that that that's hard. And I just thank you so much to everybody who's working on it from a curriculum level, everybody who's working on it from an implementation level in the classrooms. It's hard. We get it. if you see some, you know, if there's a way for us to do it, you know, better, differently, more effectively, right? I mean, feed it back into the system, right? Like, let's feed more fuel into into the engine. Um, so just thank you so much. Um, really appreciate it. And again, I'm I'm seeing it, so it's cool. >> Riley, >> um, my question if we if we can go back, I want to compare the two graph slides. So, the math to the the reading. So, read. Yeah, that's great. Start. Can we start with the
144reading? So, if we were just It's a lot to take in with all of those, but if you if you just maybe say focused on on the red on the did not meet, if you look of when a student comes in with us for, you know, or not comes in, but starting at third grade all the way, I I mean, that's great. You know, that shows that the more time a student has with us, 19% all the way down, only 7% do not meet once they're once they're in English, too. So, we're doing great there. What I'm confused about is that this this visual compared with the math, if we could go there. Um, and then just again just looking at a a snapshot of it of the red. So this doesn't really show that
145you know a person with you know a student with us from third grade into you know algebra is the green is smaller again not focusing on that but just focusing on one snippet it it's I guess confusing to me why I I mean we I see that we've identified but with the same administration with the same standards with that of how these could be so different. That's >> so it is very confusing and I'll use an analogy that someone once used with me. So in reading you can lean on some skills that you've developed a little bit longer. They work for you over time and if in math if you miss one skill and that piece of the tower is missing like in a jingga tower you are already more wobbly. So reading you you
146never let it always builds on each other always and math does build on each other as well but a single skill can cause the tower to tip differently. We also know that in the way that we measure um application of math skills now is not just in a straightforward compensate uh >> computation. Thank you. Like I c I don't just put the math problem out there. Students have to read. they have to um read a story about math to make sense of it and then apply the skills as well. So there's a different layer of integration of skills in math than there is in literacy. So you're right, it is inconsistent and that's been if I just name it as something frustrating for our team. We're working really hard and they will say Gabby you
147want to see the the areas we need to improve. look for the very first time we can say we've got some screeners of how they're progressing and now we can get down to the standard level and find a trend in our system. So that is progress for us. But if one element, one skill in math is completely out of whack, you're continuing to try to teach the new skills while also bringing in those from behind. >> That makes so much sense. Thank you. Can I add two? Oh, I'm sorry. No, go ahead. >> I was just gonna add two things. One, also in math. Um, I think there was a recognition statewide that there were challenges in math. We certainly in listening sessions heard quality of resources to support math instruction. Our district um was
148challenging. And so, two things have happened. One, this is the first year um where there are mathmies. um we took a 100% of our elementary teachers through math academy. So just building on that really good solid um professional learning um the expectation is we would see growth over time and math performance but also Gabby can we the board you adopted um blue bonnet math curriculum last year that curriculum won't fully be implemented until 2627 so anything you want to hit there? Yeah, just the the idea that even when we adopted um explained some things in our conversations around wanted teachers to have the foundational learning in math um in order to have a really high quality resource that you'll use with fidelity. If you don't have the thinking developed then it really doesn't matter what's
149in front of you um on quality implementation. So what we've done is they've had the professional learning in the mathmies and now both our our instructional coach our um campus leaders and our curriculum team are going into professional learning communities and are doing what we call lesson internalization with blue bonnet modules all throughout the year. So we will implement a I'll just throw out a second grade module this year even though full implementation is not until but our coordinator and coaches go in with a team on a one second grade module during the school year really get the teachers prepared for it and then we implement it. And so this year to Melinda's point, yes, we've had foundational training and we think we're seeing some positive impact. Still need to see quite a bit more.
150Um, but we are seeing positive. We're doing intensive support throughout the year on implementation. So that when we have full rollout next year, we expect to see even a greater degree of um impact because the rigor is so much higher in that resource. I don't know if that directly answered your question, but we have a heavy support plan in place. We have pulled some um I'd call them daily fluency um and numeracy practices that are already embedded into our curriculum documents that come directly from um Blue Bonnet. So, we're practicing throughout the year so that we're more prepared for a full implementation. >> Yeah, I have an I guess an added question or another question. So I think back to an elementary school that we visited that had wind time and I thought it was
151just incredible how they had to differentiate in learning learning during that win time and so they had people who are you know exceeding expectations or masters um kind of learning together for an hour and and that sort of thing. Uh, I wonder if if our students that are do not meet if they're getting those opportunities or if these or if these teachers or if our teachers are just having to try to go back and help these kids that missed some of them that missed a certain, you know, a certain lesson. I mean, I can only imagine I I can just I mean, I can't imagine how that happens when when a student misses that, how it affects them throughout. And so can they even, you know, during that win time, I wonder if they would
152have opportunities to maybe even go in the in the students in the other grade or or, you know, I I just wonder what kind of opportunities our students are getting for that differentiated learning and how difficult this must be for our teachers to try to to to try to meet all of those needs when they may have been missed in a grade before throughout. >> For sure. So, Mr. Becky, you're actually highlighting the celebrate and replicate right now. So when you talk, you just said what are the opportunities in that block of time. So the way we schedule our intervention matters and we also have to have the precision and diagnostic for teachers to be able to do that. And so the the reality that we've moved one to the this benchmarking system in tandem
153with our screener should give us more precise information about where every single student's gaps are in their learning so we know which piece of that tower is leaning and can address there. So you just spoke to um what our um replicating practices is all about and it is hard but our teachers have to have the right information in order to be able to do that and I feel more confident than ever that they have the information. Now we have to support them in using the information and that happens in those PLC cycles. Um, Gabby, I think I understood your response to Riley's question. And Riley, I want to make sure I understand your question. Uh, when you're looking at those slides with the reading compared to the math, >> your concern was the was the
154red's not going down, >> right? >> Yes. It it's the trajectory. Okay. the overall trajectory of in in reading a it a student it shows clear growth um in math it it really doesn't >> but I think I understood your response to that uh in terms of of why the red looks like it's going up but there are some positive results in that slide anyway >> yes >> nevertheless right >> yes so the positive is that our number of students who are not meeting standards is getting smaller, but the inconsistency inconsistency still exists. Um, and it's it's going to take us um time to change that and even beyond the state um having those same challenges. This is a national conversation um that's going on that is persistent across the nation. >> But I think
155Chris's analogy about the ship taking off, right, I think is accurate. Um, I've listened to you talk about this, you know, several times and and correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know if I have a question or a comment, right? But it seems to me like now more than ever we're staying ahead of the curveball. You know what I mean by that >> in our practices? >> Yes. So, I mean, that's what's thrilling to me about those visuals. I don't like it. Like we still have significant growth to make in math, but I feel like we have an information in a different way now that will help us stay ahead to your point. >> I have the information to respond in our scope and sequence and our resources most importantly at the student level
156to their needs. >> Yeah. We we're getting right down to where the problem is. >> Yes. >> Right. >> We now have the individual scouting report on the hitter. >> Yeah. We're right we're right in the midst of things. We don't we don't have to wonder. Well, where's where are we falling? Where are we falling down? We know where it is and we're addressing it right away. >> Yes. >> Yeah. I mean, that's what I'm seeing. I mean, is that is that accurate? Is my assessment correct? >> Yes, it is accurate that we have the information we need to be doing that now. Our job is to hold ourselves accountable and to support the teachers in being able to do that, >> right? And I don't think over the years I don't think I remember
157drawing that conclusion more more than I am now, which is a very positive uh uh response. At least it is for me. >> Okay, Chris. >> Sorry, two last things. Um so first, attendance matters. There's my plug of the day. Uh the more you know, attendance matters, right? >> Don't want to miss math, guys. Attendance matters. Um second thing right so to our prior conversation in the workshop right so as we looked at in uh instructional coaching model as we look at intervention model right I mean this is what everything that we've been talking about right here right and everything that we're talking about there fits in together and we we got to make sure that we keep everything aligned and moving in the direction so that ship doesn't go back the other direction so
158all right >> anyone else thank you Kevin >> thank y'all >> all right moving on 5C unlimited tax school B uh building and refunding bond series 2026. Dr. Golden. >> Yes. Um Jennifer Ritter is our financial advisor. She's going to come to the podium. Um we're here to talk about bond refunding. So she we have a couple of bonds that are callable and she's going to talk through that process with us. So thank you for your patience this evening. >> Of course. It was it was lovely to hear all the awards and the legal stuff that I didn't understand at all. So, uh that that was nice. So, this is um not an action item. It's just a briefing for the board about an upcoming potential to do a refinancing for savings while at the
159same time selling the bonds that were approved by the voters for technology. So, obviously in November you had six million approved for the technology devices. Um the voters were told that that would be paid out over five years. So that works kind of well with the refunding that we're going to talk about here in a minute. Um preliminarily we're looking at an annual payment of about 1.3 million per year from 2027 to 2031. And then by doing this over the five-year period, I know you still potentially have plans down the road at some future date for potentially another bond election. By paying this off within a short period of time, that doesn't really impact future capacity should you decide that you want to ask the voters again for for additional projects. But what we can
160do with any authorized voter um bond, we can sell that in conjunction with a refunding. This board has been very good about asking when there's an opportunity to save on interest rates through through a refinancing. Um, and we haven't been able to tell you that there's an opportunity to do it for the last couple of years, but you are coming up on some call dates. In fact, you have one that became callable, what was relatively small uh last year. That's your 2015 bonds. Uh, you also have some 2016 bonds that become callable here in just a few days. And then you have another bond series, the 2017 that becomes callable in August. So, two of them are what we would consider to be currently callable under IRS rules. The IRS says that to do what
161we call a taxexempt refinancing, it has to be within 90 days of the call date. So, that would apply to the 2015 series and the 2016 series. Those are relatively small. Uh, between the two of them, it's not much more than I think it's 5 to 10 million, somewhere in that range. The 17 series, you've got about 65 million uh outstanding on that one. That's actually a pretty big one, but it's not currently eligible. So, what we were thinking instead of um you could do those al together as one bond issuance, but again, we couldn't do it until August of this year. Or if you're ready to move on the technology projects, let's go ahead do the technology projects, get the funding in place, and at the same time, take these two smaller refundings as
162one bond issuance to save cost of issuance together with the technology and these two smaller pieces, the 15s and the 16s. Um, currently there's good savings on those. Um, the Fed obviously met not that long. What was it? Last week, uh, the Fed, uh, came out last Wednesday, didn't make any changes in terms of interest rates. The president has talked about appointing a new Fed chair. So, there's lots of movement happening in terms of of global financial markets, the bond market in general. Uh, the response to that from the bond market, at least on our side of the bond market the last few days, was that short-term rates came down. So, not long borrowing, short borrowing, and the long-term rates went up. So, that actually plays quite well into this because again, it's five years
163for the technology, and the refundings themselves are only six years together. So, this is a six-year issuance. So, it really is at the sweet spot of that yield curve if you can go ahead and take advantage of those. Um, the idea would be that these two would share cost of issuance between the refunding and the new money. Um, so essentially, you're basically getting to do the the technology bonds for free on the cost of issuance. Again, all that six million will go directly to tech technology because the refund will be absorbing most of those cost of issuance. And then we can come back in the summer when those 17 bonds become eligible. At that point, we'll know what your certified values are. We'll know potentially if you want to go back to the voters at
164some point for a new bond. We can structure all of that around it with that larger 17 bond series in the summer without waiting to see what happens in the market and potentially losing losing savings on these two smaller bonds that we know currently are generating savings. So, this allows you to move forward. Your alternative again would be to wait and do everything next summer. Um, the problem a little bit with waiting is that every other school district essentially wants to sell in the summer because you're receiving certified values on July 31st of each year. So, people will kind of rush out, especially with some new state laws. They'll rush out and sort of sell around that end of July, early August period uh to be able to sort of maximize what they can do
165going forward. So by not being in that glut of issuance in the summer, going ahead and getting this bond issue out of the way, I think it does benefit you, gets more eyes on the belt and ISD bond issue. More attention means potentially more competition and lower interest rates. So that would be our recommendation is to go ahead and move forward and then come back, see where the market is. You don't have to take advantage of the 17 this year if you didn't want to. If it moved away from you, you could wait until next year or some point in the future to do it. But go ahead, let's take the savings that we have and lock in um low interest rates as well for the technology bonds. So that would be our recommendation. I
166also wanted to point out because this question has come up from this board on multiple occasions um you know how are we doing in terms of refinancings essentially when there's a refinancing out there we don't for example this 2015 bond has been callable uh for a year now but we haven't exercised it because the savings have been so low. So we we want to wait and group these together when there's a good opportunity. is that we're not going to do it just because it's there, but when there's an opportunity to actually have meaningful savings for the district, that's when this board has taken advantage. And as you can see here, over the last 10 years, y'all have saved the taxpayers in that bottom line there, $15 million in direct issuance um uh excuse me, direct
167interest savings to the taxpayers of Belton. So that's over a period of a multiple of multiple years. It's not 14 or $15 million a year, but it is a $15 million savings directly to the taxpayers. Um, so here's just a little outline. It's too small for me to see on my screen, but I've got it here as well of what the refunding looks like. You can see the savings are somewhat minimal on this one. Uh, about 50 to $60,000 a year. That's with conservative rates. We hopefully will be larger than that when it when all is said and done. And then the timeline here, uh, just to briefly kind of wrap this up, is we, it's a little bit off because we were we were meeting last week, but nonetheless, this briefing is taking place
168tonight. We had the rating call with standard and pores to get your bond rating uh looked at. You have to do that every time we sell bonds uh last week with the superintendent and your and your chief financial officer here. Um and then once we receive those ratings in early February, we have already received the permanent school fund guarantee from the state of Texas. So we have that AAA uh that we'll be able to attach to this. We plan to come back at your February 25th meeting and that's when we'll have the bids from the underwriters in hand and that's when the board will need to make a decision if you want to move forward or not. So nothing binding tonight. If the interest rates look good, if you if you want to move forward,
169we'll bring it back to you on your 25th meeting. That's when you would basically sign on the dotted line and move forward. Assuming that we receive a good deal and you do want to move forward. March 24th would be the closing date. That's when the $6 million would be in the district's bank account and you can start spending that money. So, happy to answer any questions. Again, this is just a briefing to to kind of get you all up to speed as to what the next steps are. >> Questions? >> Yeah. Ro? >> Yeah, I have questions. So, if if those say those three are tied in together, the one is has to be advertised over five years, the technology bond if I Yes, sir. >> remember. >> Um and then the other two, can
170they rem? I don't know if there's still seven years or nine years or whatever. Do do they will they do you see where I'm going? >> Yeah, that's correct. Yes. So, we don't stretch out the term of the bond. So, if it was going to pay off in five years or 10 years, it will still pay off in five years or 10 years. The um those two combined I think it's five years on one of them and then six years on the other. And so, sorry, I moved the wrong way. Too far. It's on here somewhere. I'm just gonna stop. I'm let someone who knows what they're doing handle it. Uh there we go. Yeah. So it's this is on the far right hand side here. That's the original amortization. It won't exceed when it
171would have paid off otherwise. So basically all we're doing is applying the lower interest rate to each maturity that would have paid otherwise. So it's exactly the same on the payoff date. You could choose to pay it off early through this process if you wanted to, but I don't see a benefit to you all to do so. But no, we're not we're not changing the final maturity date. >> And if I understand right, so the cost of issuance basically doesn't change by tying the three of them together. >> Correct. It's so small, it's minimal. I mean, there's minimum anytime we do a bond issuance, there's minimum fees. There's the attorney general's fee uh that his office charges to review these. There's the rating fee. There's underwriting. Uh some of those costs are our fee, bond
172council fee. Those are based upon minimums and because this is a relatively small issue size, we're hitting most of the minimums. So there's really not any extra cost to to lump those two together, which is why it makes sense to do it this way. >> Sorry, one more. And then I I as far as I can tell, the only downside was be is some if someone is trying to project the market, you know, the new Fed, the different >> Absolutely. The only downside in this situation is that if we had waited, it could have been better. 100%. That's correct. >> Which is always >> always out there. But it when the bonds aren't currently callable, um, one downside of waiting, yes, it could be better, but the longer we wait, when there are savings, we're,
173you know, every additional six-month payment is higher than it would have been otherwise. So, excuse me. Given that it's it's relatively small, I don't see a huge risk on this one to waiting. The bigger one being that 17 series, that'll be much more market sensitive because that one's generating anywhere between five million to seven or eight million in savings. So, that one will be entirely very sensitive to to where market movements are. >> No, excellent question. Thank you. >> Oh, just one more slide back. Right. So, in the last 10 years, the district successfully executed five refunding, saving the district taxpayers almost $15 million. Right. So, I just needed to hear that again. Um, so >> yeah, I mean, >> yeah. No, can can you can you talk to real quick like how does the
174average taxpayer see that? >> So, two ways. One, either their INS rate is lowered >> or in your case, what it has meant is that you're able to go out and do new bond projects, new facilities, new buildings without a tax increase because you're managing the existing debt and paying it off when there's an opportunity for savings. So, you could do it either way. In in districts that aren't fast growth, they may see a little bit of a savings on their tax bill. Of course, you lowered yours anyway. Um, but in your case, it allows you to manage what you need going forward without having any impact or increase on the taxpayers. And I I will point out that that's not, you know, that last bullet there. Obviously, the market moves, you know, savings are
175sometimes just what they are. Um, but also part of it is that you've structured your debt to in a lot of cases that the typical market call option is 10 years. We've structured some of the belt and ISD bonds to have a nine-year call, an eight-year call, have these opportunities. We've waited on some bonds because they didn't make a lot of sense even though the refundings were there and, you know, Melissa's getting all these proposals from underwriters. They're like, "Hey, take advantage of this refunding." It's like, "No, we're going to wait and see what happens and you know, combine it with our our larger plan." So, a lot of that is is look, but a lot of it is also good planning from the district and making sure that you um you know managing as
176best you can to to do it when it's meaningful to the taxpayers and not just take any savings because they're there. But yeah, that's a lot of money. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Thank you, Jennifer. >> All right. Thank you'all. >> Thank you, Jennifer. All right, moving on to item 5D, 2022 bond report. Dr. Golden. >> Yes, Dr. Morgan's come to the podium. Uh, here to give you an update as we're working towards closing out the 2022 bond. So, he's going to give you an update on where we are so far. >> Thanks, Dr. Golden. Board, I I don't think that we are at our final report, but we're much closer than we were at the first report in the summer of 22. So, um, just, uh, a few things on the
177bond, and I really want to give the updates on the things that have changed since the last update we gave. So, if you look at the construction projects update, really where where we're at tonight is a is a is a big night for two projects, Southwest Elementary and Lake Belton Middle School, we do have in consent agenda deductive change orders for both of those, meaning that money coming back to the bond program from the GMP. Um and then we also have final close out and final pay applications for both of those projects as well. So something definitely to celebrate. And then we we anticipate next month that we'll be able to bring back uh Belton High School final uh pay application and close out and also a final deductive change order from the Belton High
178School additions and renovations project as well as a close out on the access control uh project that was part of the safety and security project. So, we are rapidly coming to the end of our final closeouts from our construction projects and then also to our final uh MEP roofing and interior finishes and I'll speak more a little more closely to those in a second. Um we um just to review these very quickly, we did have our final bus purchase this year. We added 38 new new student buses to our fleet over the course of this bond. We did it in three purchases so we could spread those out so that they did not all age out at the same time uh 15 years down the road. Uh and we did have the four strategic land
179purchases, two elementary school sites and an additional purchase to our 61 acres um at Charter Oak. Now we have over 80 acres at Charter Oak. Um the the in the technology infrastructure that was part primarily part of the construction projects. This is the one that we've had some moving parts on since our last uh bond presentation. I still have the Purle Elementary project in black. If you remember in November, we came back with a construction delivery method uh of uh competitive sealed proposal for uh Purle. That is going to be summer work because it is intrusive and it does revol involve some construction as well as HVAC equipment and I think we've talked about that as well. It's not where the others uh mo the majority of those were able to be done over holiday
180breaks and and weekends. That one cannot be done in that way. So, we will come back with a final a final uh estimate for labor and and installation on that project and we anticipate doing that over the summer. We also had very busy crews over Thanksgiving and over the Christmas holiday. our New Techch, Becks, Sparta, and BMS had dozens of new air conditioning units put into those campuses over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays as well. So, we were very very appreciative of of of that work that was done and uh really we're down to the closeout of of two construction projects and the Purle Elementary and then the uh replacement of some traditional uh fluorescent lights at Lake Bel uh excuse me, Lakewood Elementary and BMS with fluorescent fixtures in our classrooms. That's really what
181we're down to on the prescribed uh 22 bond program. Uh I did put this in. It's it's it's it's often noted. We we've been studying this and and I'm sure um that construction managers, architects, school districts, uh municipalities all over have been looking at what what really kind of happened during this this bond cycle from when our bond passed in 22 until now here we are at the end of 25, beginning of 26. and and and I won't won't go into this in a great a lot of great detail, but historically there was only a slight difference uh between typically in construction inflation and between just general consumer inflation. And what we saw during the the the the aftermath of the pandemic is is uh even still today, we're still seeing about a 2.2% gap
182between those whereas it used to was about a half percentage to 1%. But when we were doing the majority of our design and pricing, we saw anywhere between a 9 and a half to a four a 4% gap uh in those types of inflation. So uh you know where we really felt it was in labor costs and we really felt it in a lot of the uh equipment items especially those that had long lead times and then in some of the materials costs as well. So we we we definitely felt it. I'm really proud of our team, not just our team, our Belton ISD team, but also the team of partners that we assembled throughout this bond to mitigate inflation to the greatest extent possible, but it was definitely a a factor in carrying out
183and executing this bond program. Um I I wanted to go back and just kind of recap uh and and on this slide and I'm not going to individually go through each project, but just to kind of an overall picture of what all our proposition A uh about $18 million that was included in the bond and that that we are at a point where when we finish the Ple HVAC and we finish the last couple of campuses with LED lights that we will have fulfilled the the projects that were originally presented to our community. Uh, and a lot of hard work went into this. We worked with five different architecture firms. We worked with five different contractors and construction managers, dozens of design consultants, dozens of stakeholders, internal stakeholders, including teachers, uh, hundreds of subcontractors, and
184really four departments uh, were instrumental in this. our our construction management uh under the direction of Steve Barry and then our business office purchasing and technology. They I think if you go up and down the list those four departments have been involved in each and every one of these throughout the bond program. Um I do want to hit some highlights some bond by the by the numbers. Uh we are here you know to celebrate that with the exceptions that I just mentioned we will be able to fulfill 100%. We did not uh we managed the inflation we worked through the inflation. We did not cut projects from our bond program and I think that's something to be celebrated as we as we get closer to the end right now and we won't know for sure
185until a few things happen. We have to get the final closeouts for Belton High. Um we have to see what the final uh project costs are for Purle because it is one of the more extensive HVAC uh replacements in in the in in the in the bond program. And then we have to get settled up and and find out what final interest earnings and arbitrage will be. But right now, we're anticipating 400 or $4 million plus in bond savings. And I'll talk a little bit more about what what goes into bond savings and what they can be used for in a second. Um, this bond program added over 300,000 uh gross square feet of instructional space districtwide. We were able to fulfill a a large portion of one of our our bond promises to our
186community to take portables offline. So we took 18 portables offline and also 50% of our campuses have received new HVAC equipment and that that if you look at that and not counting new facilities so not counting Hubard Branch Burell uh Delta uh over 345 new HVAC units were installed. So we've replaced 345 HVAC units uh in this. So let's talk about closeouts and and and uh and about anticipated savings. And we've talked early on when we were when we were approving GMPPS, we talked about, you know, what happens at the end of that guaranteed maximum price process. And so in closeout savings, it basically it's the money that comes back to Belton ISD that was unspent in the projects is one way, and that's through owner contingencies, allowances, uh some of the safety nets that
187were built into some of the construction contracts, and then if the money wasn't spent, the money comes back to us. Uh also liquidated damages. We did have a co uh a couple of projects that we were able to because of contractual obligations were able to get some liquidated damages back at the end of the project. Um we did partner all of our partners we we challenged them constantly throughout the design and construction process that if there was an area where we could get quality but we could value engineer and save money on the back end that that we were constantly looking to value engineer throughout the process. uh from from a various whether it was a change in design, change in equipment, change in sequencing, whatever that meant. If there were ways to save money
188in the projects, we were looking for that. And then also our our purchasing department conservative estimates in our FFN furnishers, fixtures, and equipment planning, but I believe every one of our projects that had an FFN budget, our FFN expenditures came in less than what we budgeted for by far. So those are some of the ways that we've seen money come back. And then and then additionally interest earnings. Whenever you do a bond of this length and this proportion uh some interest is generated on the funds prior to them being spent. You're just capped by the by the federal government on how much interest you can get back off those funds which is an arbitrage is a whole separate conversation. So it in a general rule for and Brandon Brandon might could help us with it
189or Jeff, but I'm not a I'm not an expert in arbitrage, but I do know that it is uh going to impact the the total amount of interest earnings that come back to our bond program. I do know um so what will you look at in bond savings? What can you spend those on? And and there's kind of a a general rule. It's the same purpose rule under Texas law and how bonds are set up and how propositions are set up. And that means basically the you're explicitly authorized or you can spend that money on projects that fit within the broad purpose of the proposition. So for us that would be any type of additional renovations, any type of additional MEP, HVAC equipment, those sorts of things. Uh safety items were a prominent portion of
190this bond. We we could we could we could uh use portions of this to to expand on some of our safety needs and also in planning and and design can be used on those types of funds. What you can't use it for is uh cross it over the M wall and use it for things like salaries, benefits, uh programmatic costs, uh supplies, materials, those sorts of things. Nor could you use it on any of those propositions that have to be listed out separately uh in under Texas law around athletics, performing arts centers, natitoriums, or technology equipment. So in in a nutshell, we we can reinvest bond savings back into light programs from our Proposition A, but cannot reach out to things that would require a separate proposition or things that would be considered salary, payroll
191or or those types of expenses. And I know I hit that very quick and very excited about those those those things. and we will have uh a couple more updates before we're completely finished. But uh uh really excited about getting these last few programs. And I and I will say one of the people we're thankful for too on all of our all of our big construction projects and all of our GMP projects, we also had a an independent auditor that worked with us and our construction manager to make sure that uh that um that we would be happy with the outcomes and we would we would get what's due to us and that our contractors would get what's due to them in the end as well. Any questions for Dr. Morgan? Comments? Okay. Look, we
192should not have been able to complete 100% of the projects from this two 20202 bond project in the environment that we were in. Like we should not have been able to do that, right? >> Um and yeah, right. I mean, most school districts that went out around the same time could not finish those projects. And so, hats off to you and the team. Um, right. I mean just always looking for a way to make it happen and to audit it and keep it you know to keep it on the straight and narrow. Um I mean it's amazing that we are able to to complete all these projects and hit that almost anticipated you know form and change potentially uh around bond savings. So um absolutely amazing. So thank thank you. >> Thank you. I was
193I was going to say very similar. I mean, this is a wonderful example of our district doing the very best we can to maximize every single dollar and to steward we have from this community. So, just like Chris said, thank you so much for all the hard work that you've done. I'll echo I mean we sequenced some of the projects to to see you know I mean it was uh it was um it was challenging especially on some of the bigger projects and like I say we had great partners and uh some of our bigger projects we were really able to see some some returns and some money back into the bond program on those. >> Thank you. I feel like I should just say something because I I was on the bond command and
194I was ragging on I I sometimes in my personality I can get super focused on on one thing and so there was one one of our smaller projects that I really honed in on. Um but to see that $4 million um you know big picture overall phenomenal. I'm just I mean and now some of the breathing room and and the the additional work that can be done in our in our buildings. I'm just super excited about that. So I think everyone I I need to talk to Steve and say good job because I'm sure he So thanks. >> We're seeing a lot of that horrific inflationary environment. >> And I I do have to say thank you to Mike Morgan and to Steve Barry. Absolutely. Our partners too. Um, but we have sat in a
195meeting pretty much every single week on bond 2022 and just really closely monitoring it. And so I'm super thankful for Mike and Steve and your leadership through this. >> All right, that takes us to item 5e, board committee reports, uh, policy. >> Yeah, that's me. I feel like we should have a brain break and get up and do some like jumping jacks or something because I'm about to go over eight policies with y'all. You ready? >> I'm going to hit the highlights. Um because most of these changes were um a result of just the new legislation that has come out. So, they're still filtering through. So, a lot of it are just edits and and additions. So, I'll just really hit the highlight for all of them. And then again, if I if I'm inaccurate
196or anything, please please correct me. Um, so, uh, FFB local, which is on student welfare crisis intervention, they added a section about promptly notifying the appropriate teaching staff after a threat has been made. Um, and we've already been doing that. So, um, that one was a real quick one. Um, next one we did was CJ local, which is on contracted services. Um, again, this is a new section that was added specifically and it outlines that any contracted services with the district are prohibited from engaging in the the DEI or the diversity, equity, and inclusion duties um and and can result in termination. Um, CJA local um also with contracted services and background checks, the only thing that was added is that they added and required reporting to the policy name. That was it. So, that
197was a really quick one. uh DBD local um employment requirements. They added some sections in there that prohibit school administrators from receiving financial compensation for personal services from entities that do business with the district. So if I'm a school administrator and I am also maybe a self-contracted person that does um um presentations, I can't do it for my own district and get paid for it. Um is that would you say that was correct, Dr. Dr. Golden and how I explain that. >> Yes. Or or the another school district um or a partner that we are already doing business with can't pay us to then go into that organization and do services for that organization. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Um DEC local which is on compensation and benefits. They added some specificity about how
198to compute the daily rate for um teachers, counselors, and u librarians. Um as well as some additions to the use of the FMLA and the notifications from employees. Again, I'm giving brief highlights, but there are the eight policies that that are in your consent agenda. Um DFBB local, which is on term contracts. Um this is a new section that was added under reasons for um to propose for non-renewal is for those who engage in instruction that's prohibited by law as well as those who engage in those DEI duties um that I mentioned before as prohibited by law. Um and then DH local on employee standards of context. It's it's all very similar language. They're just making sure that it's consistent across the board. But the similar language that they added in um DH local was
199um that there's an additional section on prohibiting employees from assisting any student in social transitioning as as the term that's it defined by law. Um so there's just a lot of new language language that's added to several policies across so that there's no contradiction. So that's why we a lot of them were um repetitive um sections that were added in those. And then the last one we did was GF local which is what on public complaints and it really pertained to a lot of the processes specifically um in regard to deadlines and notably we talked about um and again correct me if if if I'm wrong in this. So a public uh so if someone has a public complaint they have 15 days to submit the complaint then they have there's 10 days to hear
200it and then they have we have 20 days to respond. Is that correct? Okay. >> Those business days. >> Okay. Those calendar days >> Calendar days. Yes. That was it. >> I have one question. I thought I read in the packet that GF local that the board is not going to hear uh level two grievances. Put it on the street. >> Yeah. I think there was just some process um changes to it. >> Yeah. So instead of a level three that someone could request at level two that we did I did I not read that correctly? I guess >> I I don't think that's correct. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Mike. I don't remember us talking about that part. >> Okay. >> But yeah, we'll follow up on that. >> Rather, you
201anything to add? Okay. >> Right. >> Thank you guys. Um, budget committee. >> All right. Here you go. If you attended the board workshop earlier, you got what we got. All right. If you attended uh and and listened to Jennifer talk about the bond series, you got what we got. Um if you uh paid attention during the uh financial statement audit, you got what we got, right? Uh so there's only one new thing. Um we talked about CV local and CH local. Those are not on the agenda for today. Um it's really about purchasing authority and making the policy language in line with u the legal language, right? Uh and so instead of having a value that we have to change every time like the the law changes, we put a more generic value in
202there pointing to the legislative language. So um it's not on your agenda. It It's not on this time. It may come next time, but >> it'll go to policy. >> Yeah. So, coming your way, guys. That's it. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, gentlemen. >> Facilities. >> All right. Facilities. Uh, go to on the list real quick. Uh, student, staff, technology refresh cycle. Technology came up. They gave us a timeline of how they're going to do it. Um, very good. They worked on it very hard. They did a good job of because you can't replace it all at once. When it's too expensive, too, then that means everything's timing out at the same time. So they have it on a a cycle that they've built. Also going to make some transitions it looks like in the
203next couple of years to some different platforms that will save the district money, give us some more uh uniformity across the district and just kind of went through that. They they've got a good plan starting with the elementary schools rolling through the high school through uh the u employee technology doing away with some of the older technology. So, they've they've got that. Um, next one was turf recommendation and timeline. That's one that we've been kicking around for a while. I'll address it real quick. So, you know, we did I think I we've already talked about doing the revenue bond in order to replace the turf out there on the field. Here's where we're at on the turf. Um, a few years ago, I don't remember when they changed the law, but a few years ago,
204we could have used the bond savings to do the turf. That's against the law now. We can't do that. So, you know, we went out for a bond. It didn't pass. Here's the deal on the turf, though. We've gotten complaints from other schools. Um, it has lived its life cycle. It's it's been taken care of, but it does have a life cycle like everything else, and it's become a safety issue. So, it's going to have to be replaced. We don't have a choice anymore. So, we can do a revenue bond on that, which we've discussed, which is the revenue taken from that facility pays for that. This will be the third that I know of revenue bond that's done belt and field. Um, two others that I know of. Could have been some in the
205past before I was around, but two others. And it is exactly what it says. It's a revenue bond. So, we just paid one off. We typically pay them off early, but it's the revenue that we take in from that facility goes to that facility. So, we can't also take a revenue bond and then say, "Okay, but can we do something over at this?" No. No. That facility only. It's very tied to it. Like again, few years ago, we could have used the money from bond savings um and replace the turf. Can't do that anymore. Um it's safety issue. Safety's first on our concern. Um we have had complaints from other coaches. If we were to try to extend it another year to see what happens, if somebody makes a complaint and if UIL was to
206come out and investigate it, they could shut that system down right there and say, "You will not play on this field again." Then we're really into a trouble. We don't know what we would do at that point. So, we discussed that the timeline, how to do the revenue bond. They have a timeline basically could start I don't I wish I had in front of me, but I want to say when they finish up like the the last season or whatever they do, um get it through basically by the 3 months into the summer or during the summer months, they can have it completely replaced, pulled out, put back in. Um they've already got it. They they there's only two vendors out there who now do it. Um, good thing is we know exactly how to
207do it now and we can honestly we'll be able to replace some of the logo issues and problems that we've had, you know, when we made it into two fields. We're going to be able to fix some of that stuff. Uh, the next one, uh, the 22 financial bond update. Do y'all want me to go through everything Coach Morgan just went through? I mean, we we've been here a while, but I can make it longer. We sat through that. Um, and again, thank y'all. the the bond savings without inflation, that number probably would have been closer to $10 million because we've done a great job of managing. We have great construction partners. Um, again, the $4 million like he discussed, you know, our hands are very tight with what we do that money and I
208think we need to be very clear with that with the community as we are consolidating jobs and we're we're doing these hard things in budget that none of us want to do. And this started years ago at a meeting at um Hubard branch at Burell actually when we had the meeting there it started and I said then these are these this is going to get worse guys because it is going to start impacting and it has we can't use that bond savings for anything but projects related to those buildings such as HVAC. What we can do with that though and and working on long range facility planning is figure out how to smart use that money in the most efficient way possible to spread it over some time, take care of the things that we
209need to take care of uh into our capital inlay projects and all of that. We just have to be very careful of what we do with it. And again, also going to be careful on this because we are we're talking about people's jobs and we're talking about spending money and I don't like that anymore with anybody else. is not like my company where I can just take money from one account and put it over here. The revenue bond that we're talking about there. We can't take that money and and use it for jobs either. Two different buckets of money and we need to make sure that the public understands that that you know we it's not our money. We're tasked with managing this money as best that we can. We have two buckets and there
210is no crossing over with it for obvious reasons but it does sometimes it hurts because we have money that we would love to be able to put back into some other things. We just can't do it. And really that's pretty much it. Um long range facility planning next steps. We didn't really get to do much of that because um the bond update and some of the other things that we talked about, but we are, you know, going ahead and moving forward with some long range. Here's some things that we know because of the work that's been done over the next 5 10 years. These are some systems that are going to have to be changed out. Chillers, units, different panels, stuff like that. go ahead and set those up on a long range plan that
211says just like at your own house. Hey, next year we're going to do this, next year we're going to do this and that's what we're doing. At the same time, realizing that tomorrow we could get a phone call that says, "Hey, we just had a major AC go out and now we have to replace it now." So, Rucker, did I miss anything? Anybody have questions? >> Very comp. Thank you. >> Chris has a question. >> Yeah. Oh, Chris, >> can can I just make a request like when we look at when we talk about turf, can we talk to the soccer coaches about the line pattern on the turf >> and do something that's not just an absolute mess on the sidelines? >> So, my level's here. You're you're here. I don't Yeah, sure. >>
212But yeah, go ahead. >> All right. All right. That takes us to uh the superintendence report item 5F. Dr. Golden. >> Okay. Thank you, board. So, just a couple highlights since the last time we met. This was a fabulous day with Temple College. That's Dr. Christy Pon, president of Temple College. Um supporting um one of our elementary schools on esteem night. So, lots of fun. I this young woman is this little girl in the picture is actually the daughter of one of our teachers, but um she hung out with me a whole lot that night and everybody thinks that's my granddaughter. And so I was like, "Sure, I'll take it." Um but you can just see some of the equipment, some of the materials that the students were getting to engage with. Um she and
213I with the use of that incredible tool were actually on a space space station and a simulation of that and it was incredible. Um so jumping in when we talked about our vision and Aaron earlier talked about representation with strategic planning deeply embedded in our vision is around each and every learner and so this is just a snapshot from our night of champions um basketball night. It was incredible. We have the best basketball basketball basketball coaches across our system. Um, and we had incredible students there helping our students have an awesome experience that night. And so just really proud of our athletic program and the importance they put on supporting each and every learner in our system. Community engagement is absolutely one of our priorities. It's a goal. It's one of our values. This is
214just a couple of quick examples. We've highlighted Temple College many times. We were there to celebrate um their 100th anniversary and got to be a part of their ribbon cutting. They're incredible partner for Belton ISD and it was just an honor to get to speak at that and celebrate alongside them. The picture on the right that you see that is from our military youth ambassador program. If you have never been to that day, you have got to we have got to get that on your calendar early enough. This is an incredible experience spearheaded by Dr. Spearman. We are working really hard. We want all of our campuses to be purple star designated campuses. I just spoke that into the universe Cassandra. Um we are well on our way and these are um some of our
215military partners, but in the background there were students at tables from lots of campuses with military partners sitting at the table. And this program is all about how do we ensure our military connected students needs are met in our system. So super proud of that work. Dr. Spearman also talking about exceptional learning experiences. We have people like meteorologists that come to Charter Oak and just get kids excited. They learn, but they also get excited about potential future jobs. That's just one example of our community that pushes in and make sure our kids are excited and have great experiences. And our own Rucker Rucker, did you judge the purle spelling bee? >> I was a part of it and it was a highlight I'm going to share in a little bit. It was amazing. >> Awesome.
216I'll let you share that. Um, I will tell you I've been a a struggling student in spelling my entire life, so that intimidates me and I'm super proud that you did that. Um, we also had eighth grade tours of our CTE programs at all of our high schools and just really appreciate the collaboration of our high schools and our middle schools. Really thinking about that transition from middle school to high school is so important. We've been working on improving that transition conversation and we're just super excited our students had that day to explore. And then finally, um, as y'all know, we had a couple of days we missed of school because of ice. Um, three days is a long time. That is never going to be my preference. But you can see these are the
217efforts that were still taking place Wednesday. And so, while roads were drivable, our bus loops, our sidewalks, our parking lots were not. So, we had an incredible crew out working to clear those. a great partnership from the city of Belton and the city of Temple. They were incredible partners. They were like, "What do you need?" I'd text a need and I would get done like quickly. And so, they were incredible partners. And so, I'm really proud of our own team, but also proud of our partners in coming in and helping us get going. Um, what I will note, a lot of questions that you may be receiving is, okay, we were out three days. Does that mean we have to make up three those three days? So, thanks to Gabby's work and the work of
218our Dwick committee, we actually had enough minutes built into this calendar that we will not be making up those three days. And so, appreciate the extra minutes that were built into this calendar, but I do have the bad news of saying if we have any more bad weather and we are delayed start or we miss a day, we at that point will be making up those days. So, I am including beautiful good weather in my prayers moving forward. And so, with that, just want to say thank you to this incredible board. Um, I when the comment was made that were last month it was board appreciation, I was like, wait, that's because we had to move the board meeting because of the weather. So, I greatly appreciate that y'all um allow me to do this
219job and to serve along with you. >> Thank you, ma'am. >> You're welcome. >> All right. taking uh moving forward to 5G board highlights. I know there's been a lot of stuff going on. Um anyone want to start us off? Rucker. Um it has been a busy time. I think was it just yesterday we were at the Abor right? Uh so I got to go with Jeff and uh Dr. Golden to see some of the students preparing their animals for next week when they go show them at Cadence Bank Center. um some real specific chickens for some students and then their their pigs and um pretty cool just to see how hard all those students work uh taking care of the animals every single day uh even if there's ice or not. Uh so they've
220got to be out there and take care of them. Um really great responsibility. A lot of basketball, soccer, tennis matches get to go to. um went to the parent teacher organization leadership for all of our parents a part of our PTO's across the district and it just I mean a lot of credit goes to those parents who run and lead those organizations on every single one of our campuses. Um it really fills the heart of each campus. So thanks to every one of them. Um I got to go to the I35 meeting at the Cadence Bank Center. I think Brandon was there and Dr. Morgan were both there to give her input. I know that's something we all hope that Tech Scott will um correct for our city, but also it affects our our district
221as well for our buses and everything too. Um, Night of Champions, that was my first Night of Champions, and that was it's amazing just to see the inclusion and our student athletes that are there helping our uh our students get to be a part of it. It's just a beautiful thing and it just it just makes you proud to be a part of this district. So that was really really cool. Love that. Um got to go to the GT event at Chism Trail Elementary. Got to see some human chess. I was really hoping to play some human chess uh but couldn't stick around but it was really cool to see our GT program and the students across the district bring their board games they'd put together. Um, New Tech got to see Miss Leah get
222presented with state teacher of the year by the VFW and potentially for the national level. Um, Big Red Heart Awards was last Friday, I think, and another first for me and getting to see our teachers receive Big Red Heart Awards and I was with Jennifer earlier and I said, "Man, that was a lot. That was a lot of the day." And she said, "That was not even half of the day." And we do this what, every other week? Is that right? You do that. So, um, and it's really a special time not just for our teachers, but for our, uh, staff that work in our technology department who got some awards. It's, it's really meaningful to see that other co-workers and staff have recommended them to get a big red heart award. Um, and shows
223that we are all looking out for each other and to see those people who who lead by example. Um, and then the Pearl Spelling Bee. I got to go last year and I loved it so much. And Becky asked me to come back this year and I got to be a judge. Uh, I was I was like a third or fourth judge, so I was like helping other people do it. Um, but when I went last year, I think I may may have told a story. There was a student and when he got on stage, he was really really nervous and he couldn't even quite catch his breath. and another student came on stage and she just she just put her arm around him and just calmed him down and he he got through it
224and he did a good job. He didn't win the spelling be last year. I don't know what grade he was in probably second. Um he was there again this year and he had improved so much. He didn't win this year. Um I'm going to go next year. So um but all the students did so great and what you said Dr. Golden earlier about our our student this this at the beginning uh in front of a big crowd. It's nerve-wracking when you're six years old and you're in a cafeteria with four or 500 kids and parents all looking around. Um so definitely got to see perseverance there and just great um great campus quality um culture there at Purle. So >> what what was the final word? The final word. You know what? I don't remember.
225>> Maybe it was perseverance. >> Can you use it in a sentence? >> I can. >> Anyone else care to share? >> Chris. >> Yeah. Um, listen, if you haven't seen, you know, any of the fine arts productions, you're missing out, right? So, I I want to plug a couple things that are coming up. Um, so New Tech has got their show, uh, The Bowl of the Young and the Murdered, uh, coming up here, five, six, and seven. And BHS has got Susicle going on six, seventh, and eighth. Um, so you can still catch those two. But man, if you missed out on uh, Wizard of Oz at Lake Don High School, you missed out. Um, I mean, you full on, they actually use the pit, full-on orchestra, band, uh, uh, choir down in the
226pit. uh complete fine arts event, right? Uh it was absolutely amazing. So, >> elementary school kids. >> Oh, yeah. Elementary schools is top to bottom feeder feeder pattern was in, right? Munchkin Land. We had a bunch of our elementary school kids in there. So, um yeah, I mean, you seriously missed out. Um so, make sure you catch those. Uh another event to to highlight, there's a real old school college and higher education fair getting ready to go on uh hosted at Lake Belton High School um on February 9th. There's a lot of folks coming out to that, like a lot of entities coming out to represent. It's going to be it's gonna be something for sure. Put that on. >> Yeah. Yeah. That PTSA put that on. Um and so that's going to be a
227great opportunity. >> Um so last thing going to take me a minute. I I just want to focus on you guys for a second, right? So this is board appreciation uh month. Sort of delayed belated. Um, and so, you know, Riley, I I really appreciate the way that you um are jumping in with both feet, right? And really trying to figure out, you know, what is this monster, right? And and try to get in here and and and uh and really be a productive member of this team. Um, you know, Rucker, I I really appreciate sort of the community connections um and the community aspect that you bring to what we're doing. Um, it's absolutely incredible to see that work in what we're trying to do from a district standpoint, right? So, so s so
228super complimentary. Erin, so appreciative of your teaching background, the special education background, and the way that you bring that heart and exposure to what we're doing up here, I think makes all the difference in the world and continues to kind of keep that on the forefront. Um, you know, Emanuel, I so appreciate your uh legal mindset. We saw we saw it on display earlier, right? I mean, there's just something about it. I mean, I just love watching him work. So, but just the mindset that you bring to to what we do and the thought and viewpoint and the thoroughess, the way that you kind of attack that stuff, right? It's inspiring for me. Uh, so I really appreciate that. Um, this guy, right, I I really appreciate the partner on the budget committee and, you
229know, while while he's the new guy or one of the two new guys, right? Um, I can't that used to be my name for a long time. So, um, and you know, I really appreciate what, uh, Brandon's been able to bring to the table from a, you know, public finance point of view and from a, you know, other, you know, sort of board, uh, public board experience standpoint. It's really been beneficial to the group. Um, and Jeff, I really appreciate sort of what you bring from an experience standpoint as the uh, the elder of the board. I didn't say old guy, I said elder. Uh, the elder of the board. I really appreciate what you bring to the table from an insurance knowledge standpoint, right? Right. I mean, that's kind of helped us on on
230many occasions and sort of your connections in other school boards around around the place. So, so I think this is the best place to be. Like, I I really value um all of you and what you bring to the table. I wouldn't want to work uh with another team uh and the folks that we've worked with, you know, on prior boards here. Like I I really wouldn't want to work with a different group of people. And so, thank you so much. That's my little bit of appreciation for you all during uh belated appreciation month. With that, I yield. Thank you, Chris. >> Anything else? Jeeoff. Jeeoff, I got to hear about the A stuff. >> Uh, there's so much stuff going on. Um, I'll reiterate what Chris said. Uh, one of the things that I've
231enjoyed in my time on the board um is the fine arts stuff. I I I think I've I've been lucky. I'm not a band person, but I've been lucky. I think I've made almost every fine art event that we've ever put on um because they do such a great job. everything from the film stuff that New Tech will do here at the end of the year. If you've never seen that, it's amazing. Just go to them. Um, just let Becca know. They'll do a will call thing for you there at the uh box office. You can just pick up your tickets. Um, they're wonderful to see. They are the the the hard work that goes into them. Just like everything else, it's behind the scenes. We don't see what goes on. It's wonderful. So, you've
232got this little kind of this this time of year is when we hit a lot of these events and you can go you can go catch them. Uh, Wizard of Oz was unbelievable. Um, got to see Chris's kid running around in his boxer shorts. Um, because all the little, like I said, the little kids, it was great. I think they all came from, was it Chisum? I think it was Chisum because that's is that the closest school? Um, High Point, I'm sorry, it's High Point. And I was like, why? How did they choose that? Um, because I was actually looking for my nieces in there and they're like, well, because it's right here and they could come. They did such a great job. So, I recommend doing that. got to see a couple weeks ago
233we had a big wrestling tournament at uh Lake Belton High School which was wonderful. You know, that program hasn't been here that long, but it has been incredibly successful. Um I was I have I was a wrestler. I have a heart for it. It is now the fastest growing female sport in the state of Texas. Um and it is amazing. Um and they're mean. I mean they're you have to be mean to be a wrestler and they are mean. Um I I really enjoyed watching that. I watched our kids. Um it was a great event. It was full. I mean it was full. It went on for three days and it was packed. So if you ever get a chance um he had mentioned so next week is the livestock show and it's just not
234a livestock show. So you know you can go on to the Bell County Youth Fair and you can see the schedule of events and if you go there um couple quick things. Um dress appropriately. Um don't wear open toed shoes. this. You're walking around inside of a barn, y'all. Um, you'll know which one kids are ours because they'll have plaques on their pins that say Belton ISD. Um, don't you don't need to talk to the kids from the other schools. We're rooting for our kids. Um, but go there, see the kids. Um, and if you're not into the lives now, if you go there and see the kids, remember this, these are not pets. Don't touch the kids animals. I know that sounds weird, but they they're not going to tell you no. I'm telling
235you no, don't touch their animals. Um, they can touch them. They don't want you touching them. But there's also so much more that goes on there than that. Uh Dr. Golden and I last year went I mean she went and saw the animals but then we went back another time and saw what's called the A projects which are the mechanical projects. They build welders. They build trailers. They build things that cost $50 to $70,000 and they work on these all year long. And it is a it used to just be they built barbecue pits. When I was in school that was about as far as we could get, right? Not now. Now, they build stuff that local construction companies will actually buy and put into their fleets, such as hydraulic trailers and stuff like that.
236So, um, look at the list, find what you want to know, and when you go where, especially with the kids that have the projects, talk to them. They'll tell you all about it. You'll get to meet the people who work with them at the schools and they have their list. It's really amazing to see the work that they put into it. So, if animals aren't your thing, I get that. but get a chance to go up there and just see the kids and what they do because it is amazing. I I've always the um I I like the livestock part of it, but I I also love the part where it's just the hard work they put in. And these projects go from here, they go to Houston. So, these kids are about to start,
237just as y'all understand, just like everything else, these kids are about to start a one-mon trek of no sleep. They're never at home, and they're not in school because once this it's called the it's called the season. Once they start showing at Bell County, they leave from here, they go to San Antonio. They're in San Antonio for three to five days. They leave San Antonio, they go to San Angelo. From San Angelo, they go back to Austin. It is three weeks to a month where these a teachers are hauling these kids and these animals and these projects. They're not sleeping. Um, you get to come home for maybe a day, they change their clothes, they grab clothes, and then they're back out the door. and they're doing this while keeping up their grades, keeping up
238with all their schoolwork, turning in projects, you know, they they have to do it. It's not like they get an excuse for this. So, this is the beginning for them. And um they're also pleasant when it's all done, by the way, when kids haven't slept for about 3 weeks. They're real fun when they get back home and so are the A teachers. But, um go up there, meet them, tell them thank you. Uh the last thing um I missed Rucker but I saw there the unified uh not sorry I didn't want to say that one but the um night of champions we'll have another one of those coming up shortly. I highly recommend y'all do that one. And then I want to my hats off to Lake Belton High School but also to the Temple
239Daily Telegram. I don't know if y'all saw the um unified robotics team that we put in. So, you know, we we've had unified track, we've had unified bowling, uh unified, we've had all the different unified sports is where, you know, we combine our special needs with um gened class, but the unified robotics team is competing now and that has been unbelievable. And Temple Deli Telegram did a wonderful article on it and um advanced state first. >> Yes, advanced the state for the very first time. So, again, hope that's something else that we grow in this district. I think it says a lot about who we are and what our values are here. Thank you, Jeeoff. Anyone else? >> Yeah, I have just a few. Um I know Dr. Golden mentioned in her highlight um report
240about um the middle schoolers got to go to the high schools and and and learn about all the different trades and just the career paths. Well, then many of them that same night, the parents got to go as well. And so, as since I have an incoming freshman over at Builton High School, that that's the one I went to. And so while I was there as a parent, you know, still have kind of the board hat on and and I got to talk to some parents that um that were just they have they're they're new to the their kids going into high school, so this is all new to them and just their their minds were just blown that this is all offered at our schools. Um, and so that was really it was really
241just impactful um to see I mean because we know that because we hear about it you know so much but but a lot of our parents that they're new to this um they're excited um and so but I will say what was really notable um I'm not sure if Lake did it but but Belton had there there were students were the ones that were talking to the parents so they there were a lot of teachers and staff there to help support but when they would go up to a certain like to the construction trades they were talking to students um or some of the lots of the other ones they had students and so I thought that was really uh impressive. I mean these kids talking I mean we we had an example tonight we
242have so many kids that their public speaking skills I I don't I don't know that I would have been able to to do what a lot of these kids were doing especially that night at at Belton High School. Um so that that was really cool to see. Um, I know we bring up um our special ed programs, the night of champions, but I think I I want to just add something to that cuz again, we get to go to those because we have a child that participates, but which he doesn't participate, let's be real. We sit on the side and we watch everybody. But this time, um, I was just I people watched cuz he's a he's my son is a people watcher. He would rather just really just sit and watch. And I would
243just I would kind of scan the room and what really struck me was I would look up in the stands and see the parents and the parents are connecting with one another. And while it may be an hour of a respit time, it's an hour of respit time and they're connecting with other parents and they're building and I think I I think it would be safe to say we've we've probably have parents that have built friendships and relationships because of these nights. Um and I and that is incredibly important. So I I think that that is a an a just you can't even put a price on that value. Um for our parents that that participate in that. So and then on and I'll just even end again with our special ed program our special
244programs um the parents as partners. They had a uh put on a class a couple of weeks ago on guardianship which I know to some parents is it's a little it's a little scary. It's it's not a it's it's not a fun topic um to to think about to talk about. Um, but I I participated in that because again, we we have our son. We're we're actually going to have to start navigating that. But they brought in a local partner. They brought in a local attorney and just did a phenomenal job of really and it was, you know, it again it was it wasn't as attended as well as they had hoped and because it's not it's not a fun topic. Uh, but it's a needed topic. It's critical for a lot of our our
245parents to understand that that may be a path that's um that they may need to go down. But this attorney just the way she spoke to us um put us at ease. She walked us through. I mean step by step if this is the way you're going to go, here's step one, here's step two. I mean uh she just did a really phenomenal job. Um and I'll just end with just a big shout out to our special programs department. They they really have a heart for kids that have unique challenges and they want to come alongside parents and and not just serve the kid but the family um because you know as as our kids leave our school district as our our system those needs still exist. And so our transitional um staff that helps
246with that that I mean just the passion that they want to make sure that when our our kids leave that those the family is well supported. they know what resources are available and and how to get plugged in. And I'm just I'm really I'm really proud of the work they're doing. Um I I I really hope that more parents will kind of come along and understand that. Um I don't know what we need to do. I I know that they do um we need to I guess communicate more and more. Um but um they're doing a really great job and I'm really really proud of the work that that our special programs uh department is doing for our kids and our our families. Thank you, Erin. Uh, I had the opportunity to go to, uh,
247Big Red Heart Awards, and that is that is fun. Jennifer has a just a great job and to get to do that every week, that's amazing. Um, there was there was one that just stood out. We went to a crossing guard. Um, sounds like you probably already know who I'm talking about. It's Is it Karen? I think her name's Miss Karen, but maybe I'm not supposed to call her call out her name. But for Melinda said, "Hey, we're here and and we've we've got this this award. Have you do you know are you familiar with the Big Red Heart?" She had two of them already and she had them pinned on on both sides of her lapel and I just thought how fitting. And then she was getting two awards that day. >> So, um
248she she basically said, "I feel like I'm where God wants me to be." and she just she just loves this job and she shows it the kid the kids she knows she gets to know the kids' names as they walk and she's I thought man she's in the perfect place because she's by three schools our high school Belton High School um Sparta Elementary and by Belton Middle School I'm like that's awesome because the more kids that cross her path that's that's a good thing. Um, and then she has she has a chalkboard out front that she'll she'll put, you know, themes and things on and sounds like even educational materials. And um, and I thought I I've heard that there's three levels to a person's well, there's some people who see a the work that
249they do as a job. There's some people that see it as a career, and then some that see it as a calling. and she is one that just literally magnifies that job as a calling. So that was just phenomenal to see employees like that and I know there's many many more that that like Jeff was talking about FFA and construction. I mean we we have some but such a blessing to be able to go and see you know as as board members sometimes we see the negative a lot or hear that but the big red hearts was definitely a fun day. >> Thank you Riley. Anybody else? >> Brandon? >> Yeah. Um, I guess I will at least say that Chris, we also appreciate you. Um, the uh leadership and the enthusiasm you bring to
250the board is is remarkable and and it's uh it's fun to serve on budget with you and fun to sit next to up here. Uh this is great. Um appreciate your mentorship as I've transitioned in the role. So uh I also got to do Big Red Hearts. It's a lot of fun. Um, Riley did a much better story than I had, but I still uh the experience was awesome. Um, and yes, it's it's it's very um it it just gets you excited to to see how many uh staff and teachers and Paris and everybody in the district that work so hard to make it a special place for our kids. So, it's it's an it's a awesome experience. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, I don't want to go over some of the same things, but
251I I could I could say things about each and every one of you. Uh, I just want you to know that I'm proud to serve on this board with all of you. Uh, each one of you brings something special to the table. Um, I I enjoyed listening, especially when we have this session here. Uh it just provides the public, anyone who's watching, just a small glimpse into the special things that that go and happen in this district. Um and I and I always amazed at the enthusiasm that you guys bring uh when you when you talk about that. Um it it it makes me know that you guys are are care about the district, care about these kids. You know, we talk about all this budget stuff, right? But look at the thing. Look at
252look at what this budget does and and and what it what it does for kids. Um I wish we could do more. I wish we could do more for teachers. You know, our hands are tied. Um but but we're doing the very best that we can and I really I really really believe that. Um and you know, I I guess I could get emotional if I start talking about each each and every one of you and the things that you bring to this board, but just know that that I am proud to be here. Um, I I will always always support this district no matter what. Um, it's a very special place to me. It's my home. Um, we're going to celebrate your school this week, 70 years, right? I was telling someone earlier today
253when we had our our um meeting at 4:00 with some of the administrators that I have very dear friends that went to Leyon Heights uh that are my age, you know. So kids that went there, you know, first through fifth grade, you know, there's there's uh so this this this school goes way back. Uh one comment, Jeeoff, I want to make about about agg and I've said this before when you've talked about it. I had some very close friends that um you know, we had some criticism about the a barn, but but look what it does. And and and I want to make a statement about what it does for kids. I can tell you that I had some very close friends in middle in junior high back then is what we called it in
254high school that were very deeply involved in a that are very very su successful businessmen these days. They did very well in everything they did. Um and it was because of because of the a program. I I truly believe that. So it does so much more for a kid than just you know showing an animal. it teaches them so many things that that unless you're involved in that, you don't know you don't know what it does. And we've got those kinds of things happening all across the district. Um, so I'm not I'm not going to uh apologize for for supporting public education because I see and all of us here up here see firsthand what it does and what it what it means to the community. and and I'll say it and I've said it
255again and I'll say it over and over again that if your public school system starts to deteriorate, your whole community deteriorates. So, we've got to keep doing the work um because it's important. So, thank you all for for what you do. All right. So, um that takes us to the consent agenda. Would anyone like to pull uh anything from the consent agenda for discussion? All right. So, do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented? Mr. Norwood, I have a second. Mr. Preston, all those in favor, please raise your hand. That passes seven to zero. Okay, that takes us to item seven, public comments regarding non-aggenda items. Before we started our meeting, I was handed to Where's Becca? >> Okay. So, I was handed two. I don't think there's any more than
256this. Um I'm going to read something into the record here in just a moment, but I want to see if uh uh Robin Peoples. Okay. Ma'am, if you'll just come up here and then um Jose Martinez. Okay. All right. Let me let me let me read something into the record, ma'am. I won't cut into your time. Okay. In order to comply with the Texas Open Meetings Act, the board may not respond to comments or otherwise discuss or act upon any issues that are not posted on the meeting agenda. Participants will be allotted three minutes for public comments regarding non-aggenda items. We have a timer on the screen that allows your aotted time and a sound will occur at the conclusion. Uh ma'am, if you'll just state your state your name and your city of residence
257and you may begin. >> My name is Robin and I live in Temple. Um thank you for the opportunity to speak. Um I'm going to read so that I stay on time. Um I'm an alum of Belton ISD. I went to Leon Heights, the intermediate school, Belton Junior High, and Belton High School. Um, I'm here because of how deeply I value public education and because I know you all do, too. Um, I believe public education is the cornerstone of our society and that it's critical to ensuring that each kid grows up with the tools to build a meaningful life. So, when I recently learned that BISD was considering cutting the librarian position, I was shocked. And when I learned that it was actually already a done deal, I was confused and dismayed. Cutting professional librarians
258is an alarming injury to the learning environment, to the quality of the education kids will receive, and to their ability to um learn, to find, and discern truth for the for themselves. Um that these changes were presented in the workshop today as if they are positive rather than acknowledged as a devastating loss baffles me. Um if Belton needs the budget cuts this seriously, then why hasn't a very public alarm been raised? If the situation is so dire that Belton can't have librarians, we all need to be examining as a community why together. Texas is not an impoverished state. We were told last year what a wonderful surplus Texas had. Growing up as a BISD student, we knew our schools had amazing reputations. How can that be possibly be true anymore without librarians? The main conclusion
259I can reach is that the underfunding from the state and federal government is a much bigger problem than most people realize and one that is almost certain to get worse without a massive shift. What will get cut next? We cannot safeguard public education if we aren't having frank conversations about what threatens it. Thank you. >> Thank you, ma'am. Mr. Martinez, you can go ahead and come up. Sir, as you approach the podium, uh once you get up there, just if you would identify yourself and your uh city of residence. >> Uh yes. Uh I spoke earlier and mentioned that I'm excuse me Jose Martinez from Temple and uh to kind of reiterate uh just repeat for a second here. Uh the reason I'm concerned about what some of what's going on over here is that
260uh it is similar to some of what is going on elsewhere as far as libraries are concerned, censoring and so forth. Here's an example of that. Plays of black Americans This is a a Belton school book. It says withdrawn in the inside. This is a type of thing that is going on and uh I'm not sure what else or whatever other books have been withdrawn, censored, whichever way you want to put it, but basically uh as far as the which is what has me been mentioned before, by the way, and I'll put it briefly. Uh some folks a while ago mentioned more clearly than what the board has that you're cutting librarians basically as they put it and that they appreciate them so forth and so on. Some students and an individual pointed that out.
261You have not you basically pointed out instead in an ingenuous way that it is some other individuals that are coming over and doing some of what librarians are doing and that is if you're not cutting back on uh positions that you might be there for in a word maybe putting them elsewhere to work. But as far as librarians are concerned, they are doing a fantastic job under pressure from here by the way because there are a number of things that have happened here in Belton libraries uh the last few years uh basically criticizing them and number of other things also you all are aware of that most of the people here are aware of that also. So anyway that's what I wanted to point out. There's a whole lot more that I could say about
262that. But uh when I came across this I uh and then I saw it's Dton Schools uh and it says in here uh withdrawn uh then I got concerned about that uh because uh and by the way I would add just like the individual just added as far as public schools are concerned even though I'm mentioning this about the situation here as far as public schools are concerned they're great fantastic I graduated from a public high school And I don't want to get into too many details about that kept on going and going and going because of and some of you have alluded to this uh the encouragement that people get sometimes from people around you from teachers for example students and so forth. So uh there's like I said a whole lot more that
263I could add but as far as public schools are concerned again that's what should be not the private not the vouchers not that type of thing which is really getting individuals away and even more censoring in fact I don't want to take up more time but just to point out one other quick thing as far as courses on black studies for example Mexican-American studies and so forth and those kind of studies they do better they go on to college at higher rates those in those courses. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mr. Martinez. >> Okay. >> All right. That takes us down to item 10 on your agenda. All action items, reports, and consent items for this meeting have been addressed. There being no further business, this meeting is adjourned at 9:42 p.m.