001This May 12th meeting of the board of trustees for the Burlesen Independent School District is now called to order at 5:32. This meeting was duly posted according to legal requirements and a quorum is present. We welcome all of you to our meeting this evening. Ashley, we do have a few cards this evening. Okay. The board encourages public comments during the public during the public comment section of the meeting. Anyone wishing to speak must fill out a card prior to the meeting. Comments are limited to five minutes per person and the public comment section will be limited to no more than 30 minutes. The board may not discuss any issues that are not posted on our agenda. The board also may defer agenda item discussions until the appropriate time during the meeting. The board asks that
002citizens not present complaints or concerns regarding individual employees or students at this time as the district has a complaint policy that must be followed before the concern is addressed with the board. Okay. Um, Isabella Presley. Okay. Sorry about that. Isabella Presley, Jack, you can come right over here. Yes, Isabella, you have five minutes. I'm going to run the timer. I'll try to give you a like a one minute left warning. Okay. All right. Okay. Dear members of the school board, my name is Bella Huckz, a 10th grade student at Centennial High School. I want to thank you all for taking the time to listen. I'm here to express my concerns regarding the recent cheer triyout process, specifically in the matter of tumbling requirements. First, I would like to clarify that we have never questioned the
003fairness of the try out process itself. However, the confusion arose from tumbling qualifications discussed prior to the tryyouts, which led us to prepare differently based on incorrect information. It was communicated in the cheer parent meeting that the minimum tumbling requirement was a roundoff, which turned out not to be the case. We later discovered that a back handspring was needed to earn points were areas a roundoff added no value to our scores. Due to this information, my private tumbling lessons moved focused on improving jumps, dance, and cheer techniques, believing that a roundoff would be enough. With this understanding, I entered the tryyouts confidently only to realize that the actual requirements were different, and I felt misled. Furthermore, I am disappointed with the lack of coaching support throughout this process. as a dedicated cheerleader with two years
004of experience on JV, receiving awards for my abilities such as best jumps, best dancer, and also being selected to compete with varsity at UIL for two consecutive years. I had high hopes for advancing. Unfortunately, our coach did not fight for us or offer guidance to make sure that we were well prepared for the tryyouts. This lack of support was truly heartbreaking. The experience was made more challenging by being evaluated by judges who do not know our dedication, leadership, and cheer capabilities. For the past two years, our coach, who knows us well, did not speak up for us. As an experienced competitive dancer who is passionate about cheerleading, I've gained so many valuable life skills through these activities. Cheer is more than a performance at events. It represents community, friendship, and a personal safe haven where
005I feel free to be myself. Cheer is just not an extracurricular activity. It is a vital part of my life that helped me develop both personally and academically. Being a part of this cheer team has taught me valuable lessons me to contribute positively to our school community. Isn't that what an administration wants for its students? The thought of not being able to continue cheerleading my junior year is devastating as it plays a crucial role in my future dreams to join a collegiate level dance or cheer team. My dedication to cheer remains unwavering and my hope is to have an opportunity to pursue it further. I'm here today in an attempt to advocate for transparency, clarity, and a second chance from our cheer program. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts and my concerns
006with you all. I look forward to discussing this matter further and finding a resolution that supports our cheerleading community. Thank you. Lauren Widick. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Lauren and I stand before you tonight as a dedicated parent and advocate for my child's right to a fair and supportive education. The school year has presented significant challenges for my son. challenges that have not only impacted his ability to thrive academically, but have also raised serious concerns about compliance with essential educational policies. From discrepancies in the implementation of his IEP to concerns regarding FURPA compliance, I have repeatedly sought resolution through proper channels, yet meaningful action has been slow, if not entirely absent. Every child deserves an education that aligns with their individual needs, supported by the policies designed to protect them. However,
007students with ADHD often face additional barriers in receiving the support they need. One in five children in the US have learning and thinking differences like ADHD and twothirds of students classified under other health impairments in special education have ADHD. Yet, many struggle to receive adequate classroom support. Teachers often lack the necessary training and resources to effectively address the unique challenges these students face, leading to inconsistent implementation of accommodations and missed opportunities for academic success. Instead of providing appropriate interventions, too often students with ADHD are pushed out, whether through excessive disciplinary actions, exclusionary practices, or a lack of meaningful accommodations. Research has shown that students with ADHD are significantly more likely to face suspension or expulsion, which increases their risk of dropping out of school entirely. The consequences of this are severe. Students who are removed
008from the educational system are more likely to experience long-term academic struggles, mental health challenges, and even involvement in the juvenile justice system. When schools fail to support these students, they are not just failing individuals. They are failing an entire generation of learners who deserve the opportunity to succeed. At its core, education is about meeting students where they are and giving them the tools they need to reach their full potential. It is the responsibility of educators to provide a learning environment that fosters success for all students, not just those who fit neatly into traditional expectations. Supporting students with ADHD is not about making exceptions. It is about ensuring they receive the individualized support they need to thrive. This board, our schools, and our educators must recognize the importance of fully implementing IEPs, training staff in effective
009intervention strategies, and fostering an environment where all students can succeed. I'm here tonight to urge this board to address these ongoing issues with the seriousness they deserve. I ask that proactive steps be taken to ensure that all students receive the support they are legally entitled to. I am ready to work collaboratively toward a solution, but parents should not have to fight to ensure the basic educational rights are respected. Thank you for your time and consideration. I sincerely hope that tonight marks a turning point point in addressing these critical concerns. Thank you, Aubrey Jones. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of the board. My name is Aubrey Jones and I'm a 10th grader at Centennial High School. I stand before you tonight not out of obligation, but because I am passionate about something that deeply matters to
010me. I stand before you today as a member of the 2024 to 2025 cheerleading team at CHS. Driven by a deep love for the sport and commitment to excellence. Recently, we discovered a significant oversight regarding the minimum tumbling requirements for our triyouts. Our coach informed us that a roundoff had fulfilled those requirements, but we later learned that this was not the case, and we scored zero points for it. Imagine our dedication and hard work only to discover that we had been misled. For the past two months, my mom along with other dedicated parents have been fighting tirelessly for our chance to have a second try out for the cheerleading squad for the 25 to 26 school year. I want to share my story and the stere story of my teammates because we believe that every
011voice deserves to be heard, especially when so much is at stake. Cheerleading has been a dream of mine since I moved to Berles three years ago. I can hardly express how much this passion means to me. It's not just a sport. It's a community and a source of joy and a vital part of my identity. But more than that, it's a pathway to opportunities opportunities that could shape my future. When I think about cheerleading, I don't just see pom poms and routines. I see scholarship opportunities for students like me. Being on the cheerleading squad is not merely the about the thrill of performing. It's a chance to earn recog recognition and financial support for college. This is a crucial for my future and I know I'm not alone in this dream. I stand here because
012I want you to understand how important this second chance is to us. It might be hard to grasp what it feels from the outside, but watching our peers move forward while we like while we feel like our lives are on pause. We are not asking for a special treatment. We are asking for what we believe we rightfully deserve, a fair opportunity to demonstrate our skill and dedication. Moreever, being a cheerleader is a significant part of managing my health as a type 1 diabetic. The physical activity and teamwork helps me maintain controlled blood sugars, and the commodery I share with my teammates is immeasurable. These relationships are not just friendships. Their support systems that uplift us through challenges both in cheer and life. Over the last two years, I earned a varsity placement in UIL for
013two consecutive years. recognized as cheerleader of the week during the battle of the boot rivalry game and honored with the right-hand lady award for outstanding leadership and dedication. We love our coaches. We love our team. We love what cheerleading represents for our school, our class, and community. We're passionate, dedicated, and ready to give it our all to show you what we have what it takes. So, tonight, I humbly ask you to lend us your ears and hearts. And please consider our request for our second try out. allow us to allow us the opportunity to compete on equal footing just as we should have from the beginning. We believe we can shine if only given the chance. This isn't just about me. It's about every student who pours their heart into their passion seeking guidance to
014reach their potential. Let's ensure that all our coaches provide accurate information and foster an environment where we can thrive, learn, and grow. Thank you for your time and consideration. We hope you'll support us in making our dreams a reality. Thank you. Thank you. Gabriella Dila. My name is Gabriella Davila and I'm here tonight speaking about something that's weighed heavily on my heart. The fairness and integrity in the try out process for our varsity cheer team as a Centennial High School. I'm not just here for myself, but I'm here for any student who has ever felt misled, dismissed, or unheard in a system that should support their growth, talent, and hard work. I've been a cheerleader for the past two years, served as a JV cheer captain, earned an all-American cheerleader status, and repres represented our
015school on the UIL mat for two consecutive years. I put in the hours, the effort, worked incredibly hard, showed up day after day, given everything I had to help my team succeed, and our school proud. So when triyouts came around for the varsity squad, I was confident. I thought I had what it took, but I was told that tumbling would not be required to make varsity. That was the information I was given by the coach. And based on that, I went to the triyouts without tumbling in my routine. But when the results were posted, I found out that tumbling, despite what I was told, it was deciding factor in whether you not you make varsity. I felt completely blindsided. It felt like I had been lied to. And it was devastating to realize that one
016thing I have been told wouldn't matter. In fact, mattered the most. Also, I was pulled out of class right in the middle of the school day by the administration. They sat me down and told me to my face that I basically wasn't good enough to make varsity. While they sat sat there calculating my scores, trying to figure out how to justify it. Do you know how it feels to be told that you're not good enough? Not in a private conversation with the coach, not after school, but in the middle of your day, surrounding by people in power, trying to explain why you didn't make it. That moment broke me. It was just unfair and humiliating. I'm here today asking for two things, a fair chance and transparency. I would like the opportunity for a second
017try out when I can fully demonstration my skills, including tumbling. I don't want to be judged on one single moment, one snapshot, or a set of standards that weren't clearly communicated to me. I want to be judged on my years of hard work, leadership, and dedication to this program. I want my trial to reflect the full scope of what I've been contri contributing this team. Not just a few minutes in front of a panel of judges who don't know, don't know me or my story. I'm also asking for the future cheer triyouts for the centennial cheer program to be fair more transparent. How is it fair for three complete st strangers to judge me based on three minutes of my performance when I have dedicated years to this team? I've been a part of this
018program. I've been a leader. I've represented this school. And yet all of that was reduced in one single performance. That even take into account of everything I was bringing to the table. And I have to ask why is Centennial different from from other high schools? Burlington High School where the coaches are allowed to make those decisions. Why we are not trusted for our coaches to make well enough decisions evoking our strengths? Why are being judged by people who don't understand what we've given to this team? I'm asking for a spe I'm not asking for special treatment. I'm asking for fairness, for transparency, and for a system that truly affects what it means to be a varsity cheerleader. If we're not going to ask students to dedicate years, If we're going to ask students to dedicate
019years of their lives to the sport, then we need to have a process that knowledge their full commitment and talent. Please, I ask this board to take a hard look at how we conduct triyouts to reconsider the way we evaluate our cheerleaders and to give a fair chance to succeed in pro progress that truly reflects my hard work and dedication. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you. Okay. At this time, uh, the board of trustees of the Berles Independent School District will adjourn into close session at 547, uh, PM for the purpose of matters for which closed sessions are authorized by Title 5, Chapter 551, Texas Government Code. 071-084 whereupon the superintendent at the request of the board of trustees will present for the board's consideration or discussion the following matters. Consider teacher
020administrator employment or other appropriate personnel matters. Deliberate a negotiated contract for prospective gift or donation. Deliberate the use of security personnel devices and/or audits including the intruder detection audit. Deliberate a matter regarding a student or student discipline, deliberation regarding real property or consultation with an attorney. We're now going to close session. Thank you. Okay. Now It's okay. See, she still can't quit talking. No. Board of trustees of the Berles Independent School District will reconvene to open session at 6:48 p.m. We have one item to take care of from the closed session. I recommend that the board of trustees grant the board president the authority to approve new hires between now and the next regular meeting in June. The board will consider ratifying those hires the next meeting. I need a motion. Dallas, need a second.
021Ryan, all in favor? I see none oppose. Motion passes. Now, if you'll all stand, we'll say the pledge of allegiance. I aliance 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 flag. I aliance to thee. One state one and indivisible. What's next? Okay. Agenda, not check. Now, I recommend that the board of trustees adopt the order of items for the May 12th, 2025 agenda as presented. Sean, I have a second. Mike, thank you. All in favor, raise your right hand. I see none opposed. The motion passes. Now, it's time for special recognitions with Dr. Hill. Good evening, everyone. Tonight we have five items on our special recognition agenda. And I'm going to start uh
022by bringing up our world champion um students in band with Brent Smith. I think let's see one door will open soon. Are the Here we go. Good evening and thank you for having us today. Uh the people you see before you, this is uh a small collection of the Spartan Regiment uh indoor drum line that had the privilege of putting together an amazing amazing season again this year and getting to compete in Dayton, Ohio at the um World Championships. And so I want to turn it over to Mr. Richard Karns and Mr. Andrew Klene who helped run this amazing organization. And before I do, I just want to thank them and the teachers, the the tech staff, the the the wonderful adults who has poured in hundreds of hours uh for these students to create
023this wonderful um activity and uh make sure that these kids have such a well-rounded musical education. All right, we are so grateful uh for uh the opportunity to be here tonight. The Centennial Indoor Drum Mine competed again at the WGI World Championships. Uh this was our fifth time in Scholastic World Class Finals. That is the most of any Texas school ever. Um so the uh and then on top of that, this was their eighth consecutive NTCA North Texas indoor drum line uh championship as well. So eight times the Centennial Drum line has been NTCA champions. Five times WGI Scholastic worldclass finalists. And uh I just want to say that the the the hours that these students put in are unreal. Absolutely incredible. On top of all these responsibilities that they're doing with indoor drum line,
024uh every morning after rehearsal, they're getting up for their next rehearsal with concert bands, with now solo and ensemble, with so many different responsibilities. And they handle it um so well because they're so invested. A number of their parents are here as well. And the investment from just our entire community uh in this group is fantastic. you know, it would not happen without the parents. This is just a small group of our of our uh ensemble here tonight and the buyin from every one of these students is absolutely incredible. So, so proud of these [Applause] students. This was on top of being their fifth time in Scholastic World finalists, we placed fifth, which is our highest ever. Um we have now been in the top 10 four um no yeah all five of those times
025in school. Yeah. And uh yeah top 10 every single every single time. But we've never been fifth place. So uh just very very proud. Please [Applause] [Laughter] front row step this way a little bit more on the window. There we go. Thank you. Thank you. Right there. We can see Ruby. All right, everybody. One, two, three. Did you say what' you say? [Applause] Dr. Congratulations. Well done. So, I appreciate you being here tonight. Fantastic. The you the teachers you you were bragging on them. I want to thank you for the hours that you put in. um all of the I you know I'm uh I'm getting informed as a grandma and I'm telling you you're awesome. I mean I love it. I got to go to hear hear the um the band playing in the
026Yes. Yes. Awesome. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Tell me all about it. Well, thank you for supporting us. [Applause] We got to see you parents. Stand up. Parents of these kids. [Applause] I believe the next uh group being recognized is powerlifting from Centennial High School uh and and BHS. This is uh Mr. Hendris and Mr. Staer. just how they were. All right. I'm Garrison Hendricks, uh, head boys and girls powerlifting coach at BHS. Um, I'm very proud of not just these three here tonight, but the whole team. Um, you know, from early mornings, early cold mornings in November, uh, early morning practices to late nights in March, you know, these three just really stuck it out and stood above, um, stood above everybody else. But, you know, we don't want to knock them down,
027but anyway. Okay. Um, they're these these three, their determination never wavered. Um, the boys and girls teams each competed in three invitational meets throughout the year um, against teams in the area. Centennial, Joshua, Cleburn, um, Alvaredo, followed by regionals where we had 12 girls compete. Um, 12 of the 13 on the team, 12 girls compete, eight girls placed in the top five. Uh, Madison, Delaney here, they were top one and two in their weight class and they ended up making it to state. Um, we sent six boys to compete at Joshua. We had two place in the top five. Luis placed first in his weight class and he ended up making it to state. Um, senior Madison Wood in the middle. She got second at regionals, got seventh at state. Um, junior Delaney, uh, what's
028your last name? Bar got first at regionals. Sorry. And third at state. And then Luis Burmea Jr. got first at regionals, third at state. Uh, BISD is very proud of you and the hard work and determination that you guys showed throughout the year. [Applause] That's awesome. So, how much? [Laughter] All right. Look here. One, two, three. [Laughter] Did you get it? Well done. [Applause] I'mma turn it over to Nick Staer. Good evening. I want to just thank everybody for help celebrating these kids and the hard work. Um they put a lot of hours in and have done a great job this year. Um Centennial Spartans powerlifting uh had a very successful year this year with the girls uh winning all three meets they competed at. This year we had uh 15 girls go to regionals.
029Um out of with those 15 girls we took third overall in regionals which was is the highest we've ever done as so I'm proud of them there. Um boys wise we won two out of three meets we went to we took six six boys to regionals and we took uh two to state. Um some other accomplishments with some other kids that are not here tonight though. I feel it's important to recognize is um Mattie Cardwell uh is first team academic all state and then uh Addison Kane or sorry Addison Kelly uh was second team academic all state. So um we got some strong lifters and we got some smart ones. So that I'm proud of them there. They're able to balance the work um life of school and competing and lifting in the morning and
030they do a great job with it. Uh just some quick stats about each one. I'll start with my senior girls. Um Danica Lancowski. Thanks D. She's a three-year powerlifter. Um two-time region regional qualifier. She finished second in region this year. uh two-time state qualifier with finishing fourth this year in the uh 132s. Um she will be leaving Centennial holding records for both uh total in the 123s that she competed in last year and then in the 132 she'll be holding the uh squat and deadlift record. Um Isabelle Cardo, uh another senior. She's another three-year powerlifter, uh two-year regional qualifier, qualifying for state this year and uh finishing ninth this year. Did a great job. And she will be joining serving our country in the Marine Corps next year. So, [Applause] um she will be leaving
031holding records too in the one uh 83s with bench and squat and uh total overall. Uh Julia Wallace, another senior, she um was a one-year powerlter for us, but she did she came over from BHS, so I put her stats in here, too. but she was a uh four-year regional qualifier uh with two years going to state uh and has done a great job coming over here and competing and still representing BISD. Um Alexis uh Conaway, three-year starter, I mean, sorry, three-year powerlifter. She has one more year. She's a junior. Um she does a great job balancing academics. She's top 10 in her class. She does soccer and powerlifting, so she she's a busy girl. Um she has qualified regionals two years in a row. She finished fifth this year. Um and then qualified for
032state in the 132 class and finished 10th, which is a big accomplishment there. Um Matt, uh Maline Low, junior, she's uh competed all three years. She's been a Centennial. Um she's a three-year regional qualifier. She's So she's qualified all three years. Two uh two time state qualifier, finishing fifth in state this year and they won 132s. Um she will at regional she has broken and tied the bench record two years in a row. Last year she holds the 123 bench record at 195 and then she moved up a weight class into the 132s and is holding the bench record at 240 which is really awesome. She went from what to what working over there. That's amazing. So our girls uh side is really strong and they've done a really good job and I'm proud of
033them. Uh on the boy side, we have Jonathan Gloria, junior, three-year powerlifter, uh one year regional qualifier, one year state qualifier. Um on the boy side is really tough. So when he went to state, there was 46 48, sorry, 48 lifters in his weight class and he finished eighth, which I think is a huge accomplishment. Um with the 1500 total, which was awesome, too. Um, and then Robert French. Um, another three-year powerlifter. He's a three sport athlete and has done wonderful in all of them. He's a football starter. He's won our nose tackles. Uh, he qualified for regionals and track and then qualified for powerlifting. And so powerlifting and track go on at the same time. And uh, he was able to balance that out. and also he's a good academic kid and is doing
034a great job with that. And uh he's qualified two years uh for regionals. Um this year he was our regional champion in the 220 class. Um breaking the record of bench has been set since 1997 at 475. So that was really that you got um a two two state year or twoyear state qualifier uh with finishing ninth out of 46 for his weight class this year and uh did a great job there. So, um again, thank you guys for everybody for um help celebrating these uh student athletes and their accomplishments and thank you for tonight. [Applause] [Music] All right, everybody. One, two, three. The first time I score I'd like to recognize these parents. Parents, if you have one of these kids out here, stand up or wave at us. Thank you. Thank you. Okay,
035I'll be turning it over to uh Skills USA, Rosa uh Rivers. [Applause] Okay. Yeah, I'm not hanging out with you all. Um, good afternoon. Thank you for having us here today. My name is Rosares and I am a teacher at Burleson High School. For the past four years, I have been the Skills USA audiovisisual advisor and some of these students have had the opportunity to compete in multiple competitions throughout the year. Some of them competed in career pathway AV and TV production and of course quiz bowl. We have had the privilege of advancing to the state competition every year and have traveled to Corpus Christi with the support of our CTA director Randy Woolseie. The aving quizb competition is a knowledge contest where students are asked questions about audiovisisual and current events. This year we
036had a group of students that spend countless hours studying as they prepare for the competition at district and at state level. At state, they competed in two different rounds and faced 16 teams from all throughout the state of Texas. I am happy to announce that our audiovisisual quiz bowl team won second place at the state competition. This team included the captain, senior Delaney Boyette, senior Euchen Wang, senior Hayden Caspersonson, sophomore Angelina Rios, sophomore Maria Rogers, and freshman Blake Monroe. We're so proud of these students. [Applause] You got it. Good. You need me to hold you up? Are we good? Don't ask Mr. Scooch. We got I'm not going to ask you to scooch. All right. Ready? One, two, three. Oh, no. We're not. We're still going. Are you making a movie? [Applause] I know who
037the parents are cuz you were all jockey for position. Stand up. Say hello. Stand up. [Applause] And now it's going to be Kobe Morrison. Mr. Morris. I love Mike. Is this it? Okay. Yeah. All right. Good evening. Uh my name is Kobe Morrison. This is Paul Grossker. Uh I we we coach archery here in Berles. Uh I teach at Kerr. He's PE coach at Nola Dunn. Uh we have two uh second team all state recipients here. Um Helen uh sorry I'm blanking on the spot. Uh Helen Christensen and Mason Ivy. Um I have never been involved with a allstate uh selection process before. I don't know how any of that worked, but um apparently this is kind of normal. We nominate uh athletes, archers, whatever you call it, wherever whatever sport we're in, and then
038all the coaches vote, which I had no clue how that was. That was kind of cool. Um uh I I did vote for them. Yeah, it it was a tough one, but um no. Um so uh we got the email to nominate the archers, and I thought immediately who I was going to nominate is these two. Um Mason Ivy, uh GDDS's top archer. Uh he finished in the top 15% at state. So, pretty good. Uh he's he's got the he's got the skills there. Uh but the real reason I nominated him wasn't because of that. It was because uh he's there every every day at practice helping us set up. It's a big process to turn the gym into an archery range. It took us about an hour the first time we did it and
039we emailed all the all the kids, families asking for help. Uh he showed up about him and his mom too, Stephanie. She was a huge help. um every practice about 45 minutes early helps help turn the gym at Kerr into the archery range um to save us some time. So that that was an easy choice to nominate Mason. And then Helen at the end of practice stayed late to help clean up every single uh practice. And that was again about an hour process for us till we got the help. And uh you know a lot of kids stayed and helped for 5 minutes and then by and Helen stayed every single practice until we were locking the doors and and you know walked to the parking lot with us. So they they made it easy
040for us and they were uh you know one of the top archers. Helen was one of the top three archers at CHS uh Centennial finished top 18% in state. So very good and a lot of help for the team. So that's awesome. Well done. Come on. Let's get All right. All right. Look here. One, two, three. You get it? Got it. Got it. And [Applause] parents. Awesome. Congratulations. I didn't know it was top 18. I don't have a problem. I didn't forget your name. I just on the spot. And then up next, we have the best BISD teacher of the year winners. I said, "I don't think you think All right. Well, good evening, Dr. Jimmerson and the board of trustees. She go Okay, there she is. Um, I am honored to present to you
041um our wonderful third grade team lead and Norwood campus teacher of the year who has been named Berles's District Elementary Teacher of the Year, Miss Ashley [Applause] Arnold. So, at Norwood, our teacher of the year is selected through a two-part process. First, staff members nominate their colleagues by writing a brief summary as to why they believe um the teacher deserves the honor. Then we share these nominations uh along with the names of the nominees with our entire staff to determine who is the recipient. So, here are a few things that her colleagues wrote in about her. One person said, "I'm nominating Miss Arnold for teacher of the year. She stepped into a leadership role guiding her third grade team and using data to drive instruction and enhance student learning. She has taken initiative in our
042PLC process. She's leading data meetings and helping her teammates plan with a focus on student outcomes. She supports new teachers by observing their instruction and helping them grow as educators. She goes above and beyond to uplift her teammates, creating a culture of support and collaboration. Another colleague wrote that Miss Arnold consistently demonstrates patience, empathy, and effective strategies to support students with behavioral challenges. She engages students through creative methods like her Alice in Wonderland tea party where she made her entire room look like Alice in Wonderland to celebrate the end of a unit. She engages uh she always teaches with student success in mind. Her instruction is scaffolded and differentiated meeting the needs of the students where they are while maintaining high expectations. So today I was in the hall and I saw one of your
043students in the hall and I stopped them and I said I am going to introduce Miss Arnold. So, could you tell me what should I tell the board? Like, what makes her such a fantastic teacher? And the student was like, "Duh, she loves us." And she's always smiling. Um, she always comes to school and make sure that we're safe and loved. Um, so one last story. Um, one day Miss Arnold called and asked for some support with the student. And, uh, the student was ironically refusing to go to the cafeteria, which normally that's not the case. Everybody doesn't mind going to the cafeteria. Um, so when I arrived, I found the student who had made their way into our lost and found cabinet. And what would normally make a teacher very flustered or frustrated, I
044walked up and there she was with a big smile on her face. And um, I was like, "Okay, what's going on?" And she looked at me and uh, very loudly so the student could hear behind the door. She said, "I told her I wouldn't go in there because that's definitely not Narnia and that's not where you want to go." And so I laughed, the student laughed, it just diffused the situation. Um, and then come to find out because we made her laugh and you do such a good job with all of those kiddos. She just didn't. She had a headache that day and it was too loud in the cafeteria. And so we had lunch with her and had got her headphones and moved on. Um, but that's just kind of the teacher that she
045is. She's always willing to go above and beyond for her students. Um she leads with heart, humor, and an unwavering commitment to her students and her colleagues. So on behalf of everyone at Norwood, we are so glad you're here and congratulations. [Applause] All right. Ready? One, two, three. You want to take this way? We have to. There we go. There we go. Right in the middle. And I tell you, the best part was is when we got to surprise her, she really didn't know when we showed up to to let her know she was our district teacher of the year. And so surprised. And she had prepared. She thought she was doing an interview. She had reviewed questions and she actually believed it. That was the best part. And so she did. So then I
046even got to say, "Well, tell me what your your responses were." Oh my god, she's so proud of you. Thank you. [Applause] There's a There's a very excited kitten cat right back there. I can't stop watching. Is that daughter? Yes. Are you proud of your mom? I can tell you are. She totally does not want to be here today. No, no, no. Come here. Oh, no. We go way back, too. So, come on. I s with you. Go ahead and sing. Perfect. Good evening, board of trustees. Dr. J. Just breathe hard. She'll be fine. Distinguished guests, colleagues, and friends, it is with great pride and admiration that I stand before you tonight to recognize this extraordinary educator, someone whose journey is as remarkable as the impact she makes each day in the classroom. Please join
047me in celebrating Berles ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Christina Shaki. [Applause] Miss Shaki's path to classroom has been anything but conventional. And that's what makes this so powerful. At just the age of 17, she opened her own martial arts dojo, channeling discipline, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to excellence into the thousands of students she's trained over the years, 22 years to be specific, promoting over 100 students to black belt status. Christina did more than teach technique. She cultivated character. If I may add, she's also an eighth degree black belt. So don't mess with her. That's a That's a bad lady. That is a very bad lady. In 2012, she made the decision to trade her mats for motherhood. Pausing her business to raise her children. And then at the age of 40, with
048courage and conviction, she returned to college to pursue a lifelong dream to become a teacher. Her journey through education began in the trenches. First as a substitute teacher, then as a special education paraprofessional at Frasier Elementary, and it didn't take long for others to notice her gift. In 2017, she was named par profofessional of the year. The following year, she earned her teaching degree from Western Governor's University. And then Dr. Schilling saw her potential and brought her as on board as a fourth grade teacher. When Dr. After Shim moved to Hughes Middle School, she said, "Christina needs to be here." And she asked her to come along. One more page. That instinct proved right. In 2021, Christina was named teacher of the year at Hughes Middle School. Then in 2024, Miss Cynthia Ally, if as
049you remember her, echoed that same sentiment, saying, "Christina needs to be at BCHS." And once again, that proves right to why she's standing right here today. As an 11th and 12th grade pathway teacher at BCHS, Christina continues to do what she has always done. Challenge, uplift, and inspire. Her classroom is a space where confidence is built, effort is celebrated, and growth is expected. She believes in praising twice as much as he critiques, and holding students to high expectations and allowing mistakes to become stepping stones to success. It's no surprise that tonight we honor her not just as BCHS Teacher of the Year, but as Berles Independent School District 2025 Secondary Teacher of the Year. Christina, your journey from black belt to blackboard is nothing short of inspiring. That was good, right? I like that. You
050remind us that it is never too late to follow your passions, that excellence comes from service, and that great teaching is rooted in authentic relationships. Thank you, Mrs. Shocki. We congratulate you today. [Applause] All right. One, two, three. Awesome. Congratulations. Well, I'd like for the I almost said parent if the parents are here. The families of these two ladies, they're stand up. We want to see who you are and help you [Applause] celebrate. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Wow. What a large group of very distinguished people in our school district from students to teachers. This is great. Okay, now's the time for board members if you'd have any comments that you'd like to make. Okay. Write it down. That's okay. [Laughter] Okay. In that case, at this time, we have the oath of office
051for our trustees. I would like to invite Judge Monk to uh up to give the oath of office for our trustees. Place one and place two. Mike and Sean, not you. I'm not worried about you, Judge. I can see this for 23 years. swear that I will faithfully trustee of the Burlesson Independent School District. Trustee of Independent School District. Burles Johnson County of the State of Texas. Johnson County of the State of Texas. And will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. And will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and the law and laws of the United States. States and of this state. End of this state. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations. [Applause] You'll take it to me. Oh, I
052have to sign it, too. Okay. And a a special thank you to you, Judge Monk, for being here for us for so many years. We appreciate you very much. And I would mention that I think they both have family support here this evening. I saw two two young ladies here. I said I saw two young ladies here. There's one and then I saw the other in the back in the back. There you go. Get away. Roxy, get away. This is exactly why she didn't wait. And that's why we do it. Bye y'all. Thank you. But Michelle, you're going to miss the financials. [Laughter] [Music] Okay. The next item uh this evening is a safety, security, and intruder detection audit update with Mr. Steve Logan. Good evening everybody. Uh we got a few safety security updates
053to share with you all tonight. I was waiting for that. Thank you. Was waiting for it. I could wait. I'm waiting all Did you notice where I sat? I know. I totally forgot that. I waited all my time. That's good. That's why I sat front and center so I couldn't happen again. All right. Um, so our first update is on our emergency operations plan review. At a board meeting earlier this year, I reported that we had submitted our EOP for its annual review by the Texas School Safety Center. I'm happy to report that the review process is complete and our EOP passed the review and it was approved. Um, the next update is on our TEA random intruder detection audits. Okay, wait a minute. The EOP was approved and as I recall the number of
054EOPS that are approved or it's it's been going up. It's been going up. But we were we were the first from the first year from the first time we were approved and we were one of how many that got approved? I want to say like 59 out of in the state of Texas over a thousand school districts and we were one of about 60 something like that that was approved and we've been approved each time since. So that's a testament to the jump you do. I didn't want you to gloss over that because that's a big deal that we've been approved every time even from year one when it was new to everyone and we nailed it. So I appreciate it. Thank you sir. Um and our next update is on our TEA random intruder
055detection audits. Since our last board meeting, um the three remaining campuses, Norwood, Stribbling, and Crossroads, have all been audited and they all passed with no findings. And that means at this point, all 18 of our campuses have been audited. They've all passed and they've all had no findings. All [Applause] 18 and give credit. Uh it's a team effort. Steve Shah, where's Shah? Is he here? I thought he was here. Scott in the team. And of course the principles, the the administrators and the teachers, man, that's that you know, it's one thing to have a good plan, but it's another thing to to faithfully execute that plan to execute it with fidelity. So team effort. Thank you administrators. Thank you, Steve. Thank you, Scott. Team effort keeping our kids safe, keeping all of our folks safe,
056and we appreciate that. Thank you all. We took my next two paragraphs here. So I got to go ahead randomly. Sorry. One other I also want to mention our maintenance department for um making sure that they always prioritize any of those door work orders. That's always our top priority to get those fixed um as quickly as possible. So thank you to those guys as well. Um and then the last thing I want to mention is that we've got a lot of camera upgrades and um vape sensor installs happening this summer. Uh some of those are in process right now. Our guys are going to be very busy. Um, it's a large undertaking and I will throughout the summer provide updates on on the progress of that. All right, that's all I got tonight. Anybody have
057any questions? All right, thank you. Thank you, Steve. Okay, next we have a teacher incentive aotment TIA update with Miss Anarie Shelton. Hello. Um, good evening Dr. Gmerson and board members. I'm here uh to give an update regarding the teacher incentive aotment. I was here this past fall with just a quick update about the data submission and the associated fees. I'm happy tonight to um inform you guys that our local um designation system for phase 2 has passed. Um what this means is that we have 234 teachers that um will now receive the TIA designation stipen from TEA. And so what that means is that they're going to get a onetime stipen payment from TEA and the amount of $3,000 to $16,000. Um the total that this um amount is is1,866,211 in additional compensation for
058our teachers. And so it's really exciting. The second thing I'd like to give you guys an update on is that we are um have submitted our final TIA um expansion application. What that means is that with this final um expansion application, it's going to include the remaining teacher groups. And so with that being said, um I'm also happy to announce that Berles has been selected as a TEA and region one. Let me get this right. It's the TIA Texas SLO model school district. And SLO is student learning objectives. And so what that means is that TEA and region one will be providing support to us to implement our final expansion for the remaining teacher groups. And so it is awesome and this designation actually means that Berles is being recognized um as a leader with
059the um SLO group that's going to be going out. It's very new. There's going to be two districts that implement it uh in the state of Texas. Berles being one and then another district in the south. Um and then they are um prioritizing this and uh calling us actually leaders in the TIA implementation uh due to our commitment for TIA and teacher growth with the teacher incentive aotment. Awesome. Thank you. We are excited. Yes. Yes. Any questions? Yes. Thank you. Great. [Applause] Board members should have received the consent agenda in their packets. I need a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda as presented. At second, Ryan. Okay, I'm going with Alice. All in favor, raise your right hand. I see none opposed. Motion passes. Now it's time for the monthly financials with Miss Print Demise.
060I have been. Okay. Good evening board members and Dr. Jimmerson. Um I am here to present the March financials. Here we go. So I'm going to get started. No skit. I got to take a break. Well, we're just glad because after what Mr. Dyer did to the whole situation last time. We're kind of kind of ready for a little more mundane. So, thank you. This isn't mundane. It's still exciting. It's just [Laughter] okay. So, uh these are the March financials. Uh so, third quarter. So, uh revenues are at 91.6 million. um up about four million from last year. We're at 70% of our uh revenues being earned and then our expenditures are at 81.9 million. Moving on to food service, uh revenues at 5.6 million. Um and that's about 295 up from last year. We
061know that's from local and uh federal programs. And then expenditures holding at 5.2 million for debt service. Um okay, so revenue is at 38.6 million. And then we have our total expenditures at 21.7. Those are our two payments that we make during the year. Um I think Michael you asked me about we're doing the refunding that you guys or it's the bond defeasement I'm sorry that you guys approved last month that will take place on May 15th. So in this week and I am proud to say that um we had predicted that the interest earnings would be about 13.2 2 million and they're actually going to come back at 15.5 million. So that interest earning that's on our the one that was the unescro yield and so it is better than we even had anticipated
062which they're always conservative when they give the amount but um that savings will happen and we'll make that payment this week. So that's good news. Um special revenue funds we're at 62.7%. Um we spent 621,000 this month and we are on track to finish through September. Child care uh revenues are at 667,000 up slightly from last year and then our expenditures are at 678 capital projects which is our oil and gas. Uh you'll see on here that we have added some of the expenditures. the uh function 81 the capital outlay is the beginning of the mound gym and so uh that expense through March is 124,000 glad to get that started and so uh 14.6 6 is our beginning balance. Um when you add in the um revenues the 720 which actually is very similar
063to where we were last year at this time and then the expenditures our balance is 15.1 million and then payments over 10. So in your packet there is the detailed list. Uh up here we just have it in summary. Um most of them out of fund 199 food service and then some of our special revenue accounts and then our capital accounts. And then the tax report uh March collections uh 1.1 million um 694 out of M and then 440 for our debt service. And so year to date we're at 85.3 million. And then our construction update, just kind of a getting started on the chamber and mound. Um that over there, the uh Texas Health Resource Building will be complete. Uh they're really making great progress. I know um we're trying to get it complete
064through June. Um and then Mound, they're just plugging away. And then the quarterly investment report. So I always I know we have to show this because we have to show the market value and the yields and all that type of stuff, but just in general hitting some of the top trends. Um, so the interest rate has tapered down but not too much. So it was the highest. I believe we're at about 5.5% um last year in October, November, that time frame. And then we're still holding at 4.4. So I think I shared with you last month that the short term is still better than the long term. And so uh this is our pools and that's what we've been sticking with. Um and we're still hanging in at about 4.4 4.5%. And that is it
065for the financials. Okay. Thank you, Brenda. You're welcome. Now, I need a motion from the board of trustees uh that we award RFP 242504 depository services to Wells Fargo for the 2025 2027 bienium. Did you want me to speak to it at all or you say to Yeah, I can speak to it real quick if you want to. Uh Jerry, I just wanted to let you all know that we did go out for an RFP. So, TEA requires that we do that for our depository. Uh it used to be six years, now they've extended to eight years because it's a pretty intense process. Um and so they send us the parameters. We went out for bid. We had four banks that replied. Um and they were great financial institutions. They all did well. We ranked
066them. Um we had a team that did that. We did it over the sweeps, the securities, um the ECR rates, all those fees, anything that um their account structures that they had. Um and as the ranking came, we came back to our incumbent bank, which is Wells Fargo. So we're asking the board to approve that. So we can send that into TA and then continue continue banking and and paying our bills. Okay. So now do I hear a motion to approve um the depository services to Wells Fargo 2025 2027 Mike? Second. Thank you. All right. All in favor seeing none opposed. Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you very much. This brings us to consider innovative course approval with Dr. Staca Pierce. Good evening board. Dr. Gmerson. Um, every year we bring um innovative courses to
067you um to consider offering for the next school year for the 2526 school year. Um, these courses teach knowledge and skills and competencies that are not necessarily covered in our state TESS. Um, you have 19 state approved innovative courses that we'd like to recommend for your approval um to offer for the 2526 school year. Um, and just I want to add in in doing a little digging, we have currently 409 students enrolled in these courses. So I ask for your approval so that they can continue. Okay. So now I'll need a motion that the board of trustees approve the proposed innovative courses for the 2526 school year Dallas. Second pass. All in favor? Seeing none opposed. Motion passes. Thank you guys. Thank you. Well, that brings us to the end for this evening. This meeting
068is now adjourned at 7:38