La Porte ISD Board Meeting 6/10/2025

001Good evening everyone. Welcome to the port IT and thank you for being here. It is now 7:03 p.m. Tuesday, June 10th, 2025 and I hereby call this meeting to order. Notice of this meeting was posted in a manner required by law at 2 p.m. Friday, June 6th and the subjects to be discussed and or considered or upon which formal action may be taken have been listed. The board of trustees of Leaport Independent School District is now convened. Let the record show that all trustees are in attendance and a quorum is present. As Leaport ISTD board of trustees, every student's success is our number one priority. We are here to set goals, adopt policy, approve budgets, contracts, personnel appointments, and communicate the district's vision and success to the community. It is not the role of the

002board to make day-to-day operational decisions. The management and day-to-day operations of this district are the responsibility of the superintendent. This is a public meeting of the board of trustees, not a meeting of the public. Schoolboard meetings are open to all who wish to attend and hear the matters discussed. However, audience participation is limited to the stakeholder presentation portion of the meeting. The board members may not respond to those comments made in the public comment section. These proceedings may be recorded and I respectfully ask that you please refrain from talking while others are speaking. At this time, will you please stand for the presentations of colors presented by the port ROC? And tonight we have Cadet Major Dylan Thatcher, Cadet Command Sergeant Major Danica Hines, Cadet Captain Haley Bailey, and Cadet First Sergeant Eden Gloria. Oh,

003[Music] left face. Follow me in 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. Now the Texas flag. Honor the Texas flag. I aliance to the Texas one state and indivisible. house ready present arms butter arms. March center base turn march. If you now bow your head for tonight's invitation given by trustee Miss Karen Wheeler Hall. Heavenly FA Father, we come to you today asking for your guidance, wisdom, and support as we begin this meeting. Be with us in our deliberations and help us to be wise in the decisions we make for the good of all of those who have placed their trust and confidence in our leadership. Give us

004insight to lead with integrity that our decisions may reflect what is right and good. Dear Lord, grant us the humility to always seek your will in all that we do and say. Amen. Amen. Be seated. We will now move on to item five, our board recognitions. Tonight's recognitions will be presented by director of communications, Mr. Adam Holland. Good evening everyone. Uh we are going to begin our recognitions tonight with the Leaport Youth Advisory Council. And for those of you who are unfamiliar with the uh Youth Advisory Council, it's a group of nine Leaport High School students working to promote teen engagement and advocacy in the community. Excuse me. Serving as a bridge between youth and city leaders, the council shares teen perspectives to help shape city policies. They recently completed their first year with a

005mural project at the Jenny Riley Community Center. It's a true highlight. If you haven't seen it, you you you really should. We congratulate and thank these students for their service. And representing the group tonight is Lucas Halver. He's the inaugural vice president. Where's Lucas? Come on. We would also like to recognize Leaport assistant city manager Matt Dmer, Mayor Rick Helton, and the city's department coordinator Sher Rodriguez, who facilitated this uh council on the city's end. and from Leaport ISD, Jansancy Alfaro, our district's and wellness coordinator, and counselor Brenda New uh both organized and oversaw the district's participation. Again, many thanks to all of you. I'm your official. Next up is our JOTC program from Leaport High School. The JOTC is always there when we need them. Whether it's posting the colors here at the board

006meetings and special events, helping with parking, or guiding guests with professionalism and poise. Oh, there you are. Okay. Their their consistent support and willingness to serve in so many ways do not go unnoticed. We're deeply grateful for their dedication and service to our community. And we welcome Captain Hector Echevaria to introduce the Leaport High School cadetses who have joined us this evening. Thank you. Uh we have over 70 cadets. Unfortunately, it is summertime and uh we do have the four color guard. Uh first we have our second command uh is Major Thatcher. And then we have command sergeant majors. We have Captain Bailey and First Sergeant Gloria. [Music] back up just a lot of things. Thank you. Thank you. Also, it needs to be mentioned before you guys leave the room, our JOTC program on

007Father's Day, the 15th of June, which is a week from Sunday. Uh, no, it's this Sunday. Oh, wow. So, they're headed to Washington DC where they are among 40 groups from around the world to compete in a leadership contest there. and the team. They started with 1,700 schools uh and we're down to 40 in the nation and he's we would now like to recognize the departments and individuals in support services whose service to this district is nothing less than outstanding. when I call uh your department, if leaders, if you would please bring anybody that you brought with you, your team up here. Um we're going to gather up here and get a picture with the board. First, transportation. Alyssa Rice, where are you? Without our dedicated bus drivers who travel thousands of miles each year

008to safely transport our students, there would be no school. They are the first friendly faces students see each morning and the last in the afternoon, setting the tone for a positive school day. Their reliability, care, and commitment to safety make them essential to our school community success. You want to tell us who you brought this evening? So, uh, thank you, Adam. And, uh, while it does take about over 120 employees to run our department every day, um, but tonight we have with us Miss Samantha Pew, Miss Lisa T, Miss Elena Ranaga, and Miss Belinda Chapa. Next up, nutrition. I know I saw Ralph. [Music] nutrition. Our incredible nutrition team fuels student success by providing healthy, delicious meals with care and consistency every day. Their dedication to student well-being creates a warm, welcoming environment where every

009child is nourished and ready to learn. Thank you, nutrition. Good evening, everyone. We have about 80 uh team members on uh excuse me in the team. But uh tonight we have Miss Sarai Jones, our high school manager um representing them. Thank you, Sarai. She's also our department manager of the year. Fantastic. [Music] Maintenance and custodial. Our maintenance and custodial teams are the unsung heroes who keep our schools running safely, smoothly, and beautifully every single day. Their hard work, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment ensure that students and staff enjoy clean, well-maintained environments where learning can thrive. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and pride in their work. So, thank you. Thank you. So, with me today, we have Miss Misty Meline. This is our manager of planning and facilities and our project foreman and

010just an outright Leaport legend here in the community. This is Mr. Jeffrey Wade. 77. Finally, instructional technology. Our instructional technology team consistently empowers educators with innovative tools and expert support to enhance teaching and learning. Their dedication and creativity drive meaningful digital transformation across our schools. Brad, would you like to introduce your team? Thank you. I have with me today uh Mr. Michael Norris. He's our most senior system administrator and leads that group. Uh Amanda Majid, he's the program manager for our instructional technology specialist and our help desk coordinator in charge of our technicians, Mark Escobar. I got it. We want to try to do that. Finally, our school resource officers. Leaport ISD's board of trustees was among the first boards in Texas to ensure that a school resource officer was on each of our campuses

011all day, every day. Our SRO's are true pillars of our community, blending professionalism, compassion, and dedication to create safe and supportive environments for all. Their daily presence offers not only protection but mentorship, guidance, and a sense of trust that enriches our school culture. We're grateful to our SRO's for helping to ensure our safety and security every day of the year. I now introduce you to SRO Sergeant Brian Larky, who will help us recognize the SRO's in attendance this evening. I want to thank the board for recognizing us tonight. Uh tonight I have with me Officer Shane Neil, Officer Chris Paige, Officer Barry Groing, Officer Justin Dean, and our Lieutenant Matthew Novas. this way. Hopefully you're here. Okay. All right. That is the board will now hear those who wish to make comments and who have

012completed and returned the public comment participation request. The section will be conducted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act and board policy. As such, this is a reminder that board members may not respond to those comments made in the public comment section. Complaints and/or concerns for which other resolution channels are provided shall be directed through those channels. Vice President Martin, do we have any registered speakers? Mr. President, we do have two speakers this evening. Uh the first, Mr. Chris Reigns, 1617 Valley View Drive. Mr. brains. Can I pass this? Sure. Yes, sir. So, I'm not I'm not much of a public speaker, so it's probably easier to read this. Uh first off, we like to thank y'all for volunteering your job for looking out for our youth in this community. Uh my main uh

013my son is going into 10th grade. So he signed up for the golf team in this last past year. It was a great program, but I think there's some gaps that can be filled and it's all written on that paper. Main thing is there's a couple things. transportation for them to get to the golf course and back cuz they don't have a facility to practice here. The other thing is to have a place to practice here when it's raining outside or the golf course is closed. When we go to these tournaments, fortunately, I've been able to make every one of them. It's very reflective that they're behind some of the other schools because some of these small things. Uh there's rumors they were supposed to get a room, they were supposed to have this, they

014were supposed to have that. It just hasn't happened. I don't know if those are rumors or not. Um, I emailed the athletic director. We never did get back together. I have to talk personally. Um, so I haven't gone that far with it. If they have a training room, they need 12T ceilings. So it' have to be a special room so they don't hit the ceiling with the golf club and things like that. Um, there's not much recognition. There's a bunch of kids that don't even know golf exists in the pool and it shows. If they have 50 or 100 kids to choose from, then I think this program will be stronger. Um, I never see anything in the paper or anything like that. I don't know who's responsible for that, if it's coaches, who it

015is. So, I think that would help get the word out cuz I do see smaller kids at the golf course that are in junior high that might really like the program and help the program grow. As far as I know, like I said, it's rumors. There's only $2,400 that is given to the program between the girls and the boys, which is about 30 altogether. Most of it supported by the booster club. Thankfully, there's parents that chip in, hit up businesses. They go through about $10,000 a year in tournaments. So, that's mainly supported by the booster club. So, with them having a training room and a place to store their stuff, right now they share share an office with the swim team coach. Those two share an office. It's the only reason I bought this, y'all

016can see, but they carry every day for 6 miles on their back whenever they're playing the course. Well, they have to bring that every day to school if they're not fortunate enough to have big or not old enough. So, they're dragging that into school every day and they don't have no place to put it. And some of y'all might play golf. Y'all know how much money is in that bag. And you know, my kids are they're going to horse around. You don't want that floating around the school down the hallway. So, that's my main concerns. Transportation, place to train, and just a little bit more support. Not necessarily financially because the parents have been great raising money, but that would be nice too, but really just a facility, more recognition and better transportation. Luckily, Chad

017Forbus is a great guy. Blue is a great person. Both them are really good with the kids. Forbus is a CDL class A driver, so he fortunes to have him, but sometimes they're not able to go to practice cuz he's driving the polo team or he's driving the weightlifting team. So, it takes away from the other ones. I know y'all are short on drivers. I mean, there's signs everywhere's all the time hiring drivers. And I understand it sometimes, but you can notice when you go to these tournaments that they're not getting a enough time to practice. Also, when they didn't start practicing until about 3 weeks before the first tournament. So, you have a kid that's never played golf before a golf course. He doesn't have the etiquette or anything cuz he hasn't had that

018time. And the excuse I heard was is cuz they don't have their physical yet. Well, Johnny doesn't have his physical. Johnny goes home. The rest of them go to the golf course is the way I see it. So I know football and baseball and other boy sports that I know other kids you don't have yourself put together then you don't get to practice you don't get to play. So I don't know what the gap is there. Like I said there's a lot of rumors that all I'm hearing I've never heard directly a discussion about finances about some of this other stuff. So I'm going to take it as a rumor but I just wanted to come to y'all and express there is a gap void to fill there and I think it's a great program

019and I think it could grow and be a great representation. Thank you so much. As I mentioned in the policy, we we can't comment on the comments, but I I just always want to acknowledge anybody that takes the time to come up here and speak and address the board. We respect that immensely and we thank you for being an advocate for your kid and just continue to do so. Just be patient with the process. Likewise. Thank y'all for volunteering. Thank you. Mr. President, our second speaker is I apologize I mispronounced uh Jana Camron uh 114 Summer Breeze Drive uh speaking on in district transfers. I apologize. I'll be reading from my phone. Good evening. I'm here tonight to discuss in district transfers for the upcoming school year. I've been trying to complete one to keep

020my son at the junior high closest to our house geographically and his sibling who will be at Baker. Earlier this year, the district website said that applications will be available February 17th through March 17th via a link on the website. That link was never posted and I tried for over a week to get in touch with someone to see when it would become available. When I finally received a call back at that time, I was informed that district was moving to a new process via a QR code and would be posted on April 23rd. again. I gave it a week after that date, but it was never posted. I began my calling after that and was told to call the junior high we are zone to and then they sent me back to Baker that

021they would have the link since we are currently enrolled there. It was immediately sent over and I submitted it within 30 minutes. I received a denial letter. I inquired as to the reason and if it also had to do with the new system that keeps getting pushed back. I was informed I would be told more information when they knew more. I have also been told the district isn't going to do transfers for junior high and has never done them at that level, which is false. I am here tonight as a parent who is tired of chasing down answers when it's clear not one school has clear answers on what the correct process is. If this previous process worked and the new system isn't ready, why are we not utilizing the old one for now? All

022the while, we are also actively allowing out of district kids to enroll. In previous years, this process is done and resolved before the school school year lets out for spring break. As of today, the website still remains outdated after I have brought to their attention many times. Thank you for your time. Thank you. All right board, we will move on to item seven, the election of board officers and reorganization of the board for the 2025 2026 school year. Superintendent Dr. Walter Jackson will act as the president prom for the election of board officers. Dr. Jackson. Yes, sir, Mr. President. Thank you. At this time, the board will now reorganize by electing a president, vice president, secretary in order to conduct the election. I will serve as the president prom. And at this time board members

023as president pro Tim it is my responsibility to oversee this reorganization. And at this time I ask the board for consent to use the roll call election method. In the in in the method the board will be called upon one at a time to announce a nominee of their choice. If there is more than one nominee for an office and a majority of voters votes are not cast for any one candidate. Voting will continue until one nominee receives a majority. If there's only one nominee for a position, that person is declared elected and I will not call for a vote. We will begin with election for the board president. Board members, nominations are now in order for the office of board president. And I will begin with Miss Hall if you have a recommendation or

024a nomination for board president. Jeff Martin. Miss Thompson. Jeff Martin. Mr. Paris. Jeff Martin. Jeff. Jeff Martin. Do I have to say his name? He's mean to me. Jeff Jeff Martin dress code up first. Members of the board, Jeff Martin uh is nominated for the office of president. Are there other or further nominations for president? If not, nominations are now closed. Congratulations, Jeff Martin. You have been declared elected for the office of president. We will now continue with the position of board vice president. Board members nominations are now in order for the office of vice president. I'll begin with Mr. Shopppee this time. Oh, really? Nomination Perez. Perez Paris. Whatever your last name is, Miss Clutcher. Sorry, but thanks. Not Okay. So, Mr. Perez has been nominated for the office of vice president. Are there

025further nominations for vice president? If not, nominations are now closed. Congratulations, Mason. You are now the vice president. And now we will move to the office of board secretary. Board members and nominations are now in order for the office of board secretary. We'll start with Miss Karen will hall. Okay. Melissa Melissa. Melissa. Melissa. You can nominate yourself. Unless you're nominating unless you're nominating me. Who was that? Melissa. You could just say Melissa Crutcher has been nominated for the office of board secretary. Are there further nominations for the board secretary position? If not, nominations are now closed. Congratulations, Miss Cruncher. At this time, we'll just take a few moments to reorganize uh because chairs chairs will need to move. Okay. Okay. What about the vote? If if I can take a uh I'll ask for a

026special privilege. Very first chair first thing. Um, if it's okay with Danny and the rest of the board, can we keep it? Let him go through the rest of the meeting because I will I will butcher up the meeting. You can direct that. So, if you're okay with Danny, if we please leave that finish out this meeting and then we'll get it all together and be ready to go. And if that's okay with Absolutely. Absolutely. All right. I can I can say one more time, let's give everybody a round of applause for Good job. All right. And we will move on to item eight, public hearing to discuss the budget and tax rate for fiscal year 2025 2026 school year. A presentation of the budget. our CFO states. Good evening. Good evening. [Music] presentation. I

027mean, I know I have a presentation, but it's a PDF, and I apologize. I I know there's a way to make PDF to show. Um, Brad, let's get some help, please. Full screen. There we go. All right. Okay. All right. Good evening, board of trustees and Dr. Jackson. The following presentation is for the fiscal year 2026 proposed budget for the general fund, our debt service fund, and our food service fund. House bill 2 is signed by the governor on the evening, Wednesday, and June 4th. Our financial consultants are working to clarify the wording of the bill and building a template for districts to calculate the financial impact uh of that bill. So due to the lack of knowing exactly how this will finance impact us and our funding uh we will ask the boards not

028to adopt the budget based on school finance law that is prior to June 4th prior to the signing of House Bill 2. Every district with a July 1st fiscal year start must determine how to prepare the next year budget when there is a legislative session. Do they base it on what they know which is current law or do they do a guesstimate based on what the future law might hold? Uh these districts have been encouraged by finance school finance experts to build their fiscal year budget on current law and to amend the budget when they know the actual financial uh impact. Once the financial impact for Leaport ISD is calculated, we will receive our and we receive our certified property valuations, we will amend the fiscal year 2026 budget to reflect the changes for for

029our district. Uh the amendment will be given to the board to approve at the September 2025 meeting. After the public hearing tonight, you will be asked to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget and compensation plan that's presented to you. So we have as we discussed our discussion topics are going to be our general fund uh budget, our debt service fund budget and our child nutrition. And then of course as always if there's any questions please let me know. So to begin with our general fund we uh the tax rate that we are recommending is M tax rate of 8023 a debt service rate of 6219 and our total tax rate would be 1.06423 and that is per $100 of a homeowner's uh tax valuation. Our enrollment estimates our projected enrollment is around 7100 a little

030bit. We always kind of go up like maybe 1% to hope. Our projected uh average daily attendance is around 6,400. Again, that is a guesstimate. We will obviously hope for much higher than that. Um and our projected weighted average daily attendance is 8,998. A projected weighted average daily attendance is, you know, it takes all the all of the different um types of our students and their attendance. every every student's weighted differently. Our Hitchcad uh valuations are right around 15 million and along with Chambers County, we have a tiny little piece that's in Chambers County. And uh when you subtract out our chapter 13 abatement, which is our uh valuation reduction for Chapter 13 uh contracts, we estimate that our adjusted taxable value for maintenance operation would be right at 14.7 uh billion dollars. And as

031you can see on the other side of of your graph there, it gives you our 2023 value, our 2024 value. Those are actuals and then the estimated 2025 broken up by our different um all the different types of properties that we have. So I just want to point out that our our residential uh is just around 2 billion and everything else is industry and commercial and that is 13 billion to make up our 15 billion. So, our general fund revenue, uh, I highlighted the blue. That is the proposed budget. That's what we're going to discuss tonight. But you do see the actuals of 2024 fiscal year, what our amended budget and our estimated actuals are for 2025. And then our proposed budget and then we have a delta to actual. Again, that actual is estimated

032because our fiscal year is not over yet. We are continuing to pay out. We are continuing to pay people. Um, and we haven't uh completed our year-end close out, which is when we do our all of our journal entries to uh they're required by our uh auditors. So, our local revenue is going to be 125 million. So, it's an increase of $18 million. Our state revenue is 7.5. Our federal revenue is just $300,000. Uh so, it gives us a total revenue for 2526 of $133 million. As we go on to our journal fund expense, you see it's broken out by our functions. Um, again, it's laid out the same way. 23 actual, I'm sorry, 24 actual because we are 24 actual, our 25 amended budget, and our what our estimate valuations we think are going

033to um end up at the end of the year, June 30th. And then our 2526 proposed budget, and um then our delta to actuals. So as you go down you can see the highest uh functional budgeted amount that we have is our almost 51 million which is in instruction which is our our salaries for our um campus teachers and um and every everything that's needed for uh our classrooms. The next highest uh expense is our recapture which is going to be right at 44.5 million uh budgeted. And then our next our third highest is our maintenance and operations which is our 12.5 million. That is our property insurance, our utilities and just the actual maintenance of uh of our our buildings. So in total the proposed budget is going to be $141 million. So as

034we put that together on the next slide, looking just at our our proposed budget, we have uh revenues of 132 million and our expenses are going to be 141 million. So that is a deficit of 8.2 million. Again, the the fund balance beginning is a is an estimate of 50 million because we don't know where we're going to end this year. So that will change. Um, but that would leave us at 42 million with a fund balance if the proposed budget happens as it is. But we already know it's not because House Bill 2 is going to come in and and change that. So, uh, offset Yes, ma'am. It's going to offset um, we know we are getting different a lotments that we've never had before. We're going to get hopefully a million dollars for

035towards our insurance um, because we are one of those districts that's on the coast. We are going to get more funding for our safety and security. We're going to get more funding for our special education students. There are a lot of different pieces of aotments that we are going to get. Um, but TEA is still determining what exactly that is and how does that calculation work into the report that they have is called the summary of finance. That's what they you can go on their website and you see it and it tells you all the allotments. Um, and we provide information throughout the year to the EA for them to build that summary of finance. But right now, they don't even have a summary of finance built that that pulls in what house bill 2

036is going to be for all the public school districts. It's basically just kind of safely [Music] right right now it well we try to keep 150 days. So this 42 million is not going to match that. We don't make it with the but it it gives us 109 days. Um but again like I our recapture piece is going to drop um because what they're going to do is offset um so the a lotments that we get are going to be offset by the the recapture. So we know that that's going to drop. Um we also know that some of our revenue is going to go up because how they're going to calculate out uh how much a district is going to get. So they how and their available school fund and foundation payments. So all

037of that is up in the air. So um but right now at this proposed budget on current law as of you know June 4th at 5:00 p.m. um $42 million is 109 days. Yes, it does. the surface. Are they doing the insurance rebate? The aotment. The aotment. Are they doing it the same for each district on the coast or is it per district? It's not. The TA hasn't told us that yet. They have they have calculated out some way in um in the Senate and legislation, you know, and during the session, the people who came up with that part of the bill, they have the calculation and TEA is has not released that to districts. like what is that made of? Um but once I know, you'll know. Um just because I don't know when

038else to say it. But I I I do want to point out again to the people at home that are watching that the number two expense on the Ford ISD's entire budget is recapture or Robin Hood. the money that they're going to carve out that we send back to the state of Texas and the state I mean Leaport ISD with the estimated that it's non-final yet for 2025 under the TEA website shows that Leaport ISD is the 11th most heaviest contributor. We've out of every school district in this entire state of Texas out of,200 or whatever districts or 1180 or whatever it is, the port ISD is paid back to the state in tax local tax revenue a total of $759 million back to all the way back to 1994. And here we are, even

039with trying to be conservative and look at our budgets, we're still running a deficit budget. When we've got that a tax base, a revenue stream here within it just it baffles me. It it it blows my mind that we're still in this situation. And while I acknowledge the legislature made strides to address some of the the funding shortfalls, Robin Hood has to be addressed in the totality of of legislation. It's got to be addressed. It is out of date. It's out of touch. It's it's placing a burden on districts that don't need to shoulder that burden. And it's it's unfortunate. And again, it's it's an old system. And I know it's been typed in litigation for three decades. But the fact remains is I want people to know at home that this district, the number

040two expense in the entire budget is the money that we take out of Leaport and send to Austin. And we're number two in the area behind HISD. Yes. Number two in the entire Houston area behind HISD only. And that is it just and for all the the the heavy commerce, the truck traffic, the port, and all of the the the things that people complain about on a daily basis to not reap any of the benefits of that tax base. It just it's infuriating. And yet here it is. Every year we're repeating the same message over and over again. But to be the 11th in the entire state just it's unbelievable to me. And uh so people look at look at your websites. Go to tea.gov and look up the the recapture. Um it's got a

041total in there and it it will just $44 billion has been recaptured or reappropriated in this state since 1994. $44 billion. So and we're going to add 35 million to it next week. cut our check for this year. So anyway, I just again, you know, people want to talk about cutting here and cutting there and and the biggest expense is glaring in our face. It's right there. And you know, there's another one later when we talk about our average daily attendance and we're missing, you know, we're getting paid 93 cents on the dollar. You know, we build a budget, we support a school, we build a district and infrastructure to support 7,200 students, and yet we only get money for 6,300 students. And I again I don't understand the rhyme or the reason for it

042but that's those are the two challenges for uh public schools and report ID is not immune at all. Sorry rant over. Hold on. I want to add something to your rant. Um I would go a step further. the amounts that our district and every other district who pays into recapture goes into the general fund for the state of Texas of which we have no accountability to be able to see that that is really helping another district throughout our state. I think um that is absurd considering the amount of transparency and capability that is expected of every school district in the state for them to be able to just take that money and put it in the general fund. No wonder we have such a surplus in the rainy day. I mean, it's not a surprise

043to any of us who serve on the school board why the state of Texas has a surplus. It is absolutely no surprise. Okay, now my rant's over. Can I ask you like the previous slide? Okay, of course. On the previous slide, um I bring it up because one of our I guess first budget meetings we talked about like staff development, the idea of maybe putting a marginal amount on each campus. I know that I see that it went up about $30,000. And I I'm putting you on the spot, so if you don't have the answer, I apologize for asking right now. But do you know is that that extra $30,000 what that's going to it's that staff development is is broken up I can get you the information but um it's this is you know

044high level and so it's broken up by each campus has a certain budget they get to a lot how they want towards staff development um and then also uh in the administrative building we we have our own budgets that we put into that function so it is going up that's good I I will I will get that for you and and then while while you're on if you could I know it saved us money, right? So kind of look as a good thing, but staff development to me like we budget this money but they didn't spend what is it hundred and something thousand that we even budgeted. So I'm just curious like I know every year things don't get spent but like to me the staff development I was curious like we had an answer

045as to why they're is it on a campus level? Is that the administrator level? Once I know once I dive down and to see what they spent last year versus what they spent this year the budget wise I'll be able to show you what they budgeted for and we'll we'll have that for you tomorrow. Perfect. Okay. Um before I that wraps up general fund, before I move on, is there any other questions before we move to debt service? Okay. So again, our debt service fund, it's it's set up the same way um with our our this year 2024 actuals, our amended budget for 25, and our estimated actuals. And then our proposed is in the blue. Um and so we for 2020 fiscal year 2026 our INS budget is going to be 2619 our valuation

046of of 15 billion we expect to uh receive revenues on that of 42 million and our total expenditures are going to be 37 and these expenditures at this point um do not include we just had a bond sale um on June 4th. Yes, on June 4th. So June 4th was a big day for for the district. Um and and that was the $43 million that we sold on our third bond sale. So we will have payments coming up. Um and they're going to be about 3 million. So that's going to also be added into that total expenditure there. Um so we're going to be right at 40 million uh for total expenditures which would give us about add about 2 million back into our fund balance. Uh, as you see in our fisc 25, we

047we're actually drawing down about 3 million from our fund balance of 15 million. So, we would end at right at 12.9 million and then um add back another two. So, we'll we'll be right back close to 15 million again. For our food service, uh, same situation. We'll look at this year 26 in the blue. So, we believe our total revenues are going to be 5.2 million. And we're going to have a balanced budget, y'all. We're going to have $5.2 million of expenses. So, um y So, you know, we we have the district has been uh blessed to be a part of the uh free breakfast and lunch period, but we still get paid the district. I mean, the the TA still pays uh the district back for every meal. uh we get reimbured for every

048meal uh per meal basis and but it's not on a student eligibility basis anymore. And so that's why if you can see the actuals it's for 25 we're going to end right at 5.2. And so this year was a really great learning uh experience for us to see okay what do we expect for next year? Um, and it was a a an overwhelming success as as Ralph has explained y'all in a previous uh board meeting that I don't know I think it's like 80% of our students eat or I don't want to put you on the spot but it's um are there days when when 88 to 90% of the kids go to pretty weird [Music] Um, I have done everything in my power to uh let the state know that we still qualify. We're

049still interested in um that there are powers of be that can make decisions that could uh easily shift us uh out of the running for it. And as far as we know right now, we are good to go. At this time, we're good to go. And it it'd be very surprising for a decision this late because budgets are now created, you know. Um so I be kind of baffling but troublesome if something changed at this point. So and and also for just one other thing for our food service budget, we are required to uh we can't have an overabundance of fund balance. I mean it's against the law to have so much. So, um, Ralph and his team worked really hard to make sure that we fall in, uh, the aotment that's allowed for a

050district our size. And so, with that 1.4 million, we're good. So, what is the I know the federal and the local revenues are. What does the state like that 20,000 we get from the state? What is that? Sorry. Yes. 20,000. Every year the state um looks at our previous lunches served for the second second preceding school year and gives us 10 15 cents and usually comes out to about 20,000 maybe 19 18. Um I expect a little more next year cuz we're still less because they're counting the co meals. It's it's a funky calculation years behind. Yeah. Um, so yes, sir. It's it's a small percentage that the state gives us to help cover costs. Thank you. Yes, sir. Thank you. So, just to kind of go over our next steps here. So, June 10th

051where is today we are having our public hearing uh to discuss our budget and we will ask the board to adopt our fiscal year 26 budget and compensation plan. July 1st is when the fiscal year begins and we will start using the budget to pay our employees and uh start uh providing every expense needed for the district to continue to run. July 28th we will receive our certified taxable values on August 5th. We'll get our maximum compressed rate and what having all of those plus we'll know hopefully what House Bill 2 is going to do for us. So we plan to bring in the September meeting to have you adopt the tax rate and then also we will give you an amended budget so that we can now start having conversations of really where we

052are. Any other question? That's it. We have a dumb question. Yes sir. Well I'm sorry I full question tonight. Um so this is obviously the general fund debt service fund and nutrition. Are there any other uh funds I I know like campus funds. Are there any other funds that we don't have budgetary authority to like oversee or to to vote on? Uh these are the only three bylaw that you have to uh to adopt. Okay. So, but what are the other like again I know about like the campus. Is there any other things that like So, we have Yes. All of our grants. Okay. Um we have our ECC our print shop. I'm just kind of naming off different funds that we budgeted for. Um our bonds. So everything that is and in in the

053back of the of the budget book um we give you what the capital project budget what we estimate to be and we also give you uh what we are estimating for our uh grants that are coming from the federal grant. Of course we received the $250,000 grant. We just got it. So that's not in this budget though. Yes. Another big thank you so much for that. We we are very appreciative of that. But by law these are the only three that you have to adopt. But we we are we provide the information on all the other funds in the in our um in our financial statements and then also in the back of the the budget workbook. I appreciate the clarity and part of the reason I'm bringing it up. I know again I don't

054we don't have oversight really over like the campus budgets and I know it got brought to light at one of our meetings last last time that the campuses uh the state you know it's state not us we're doing the state funding is kind of cutting back on our ability to uh fund some tutors. And so if you guys could give us a number, I know we we're going to vote on this budget tonight, but in addition just at a subsequent meeting, if we could just if it if that gap is not too far away, if we can look at maybe kicking, I don't speak the whole board, but the possibility of kicking additional dollars from our general fund or from whatever fund and to help offset some of that cost uh of those tutors because

055again, I I think unanimously the campuses will tell you that they're they're having an impact, a positive impact on test scores and the overall morale, I believe, of the schools. Uh and again hopefully it's not a huge delta to bridge that gap but if I know you don't have the number tonight but if there's pos tomorrow and then the other sorry number the last thing I want to say we it got brought to our attention you know we you know teachers here about you know the potential of that $5,000. So we made a point we've already said it tonight that the house bill two stuff is not included in this. So, if anybody's watching tonight, we want to tell them like again, we our goal is to get everybody uh, you know, as legally possible

056funded, you know, get that $5,000 bonus. And, uh, we did we are going to vote obviously a 4% raise for everybody else. But, uh, that is not part of this plan, right? So, to clarify to anybody that's watching, that will become a little bit later on, right? And that will be built in in the September. PA right now is trying to determine they they haven't even they haven't let it out to the to the public yet of of exactly who qualifies for that a lot. They haven't defined each other. They have not defined it yet and but once every I promise you right now every district is on pins and needles. I've already been at three meetings just in the past few days and that is the number one question. Yeah, it it is I

057we brought this point up amongst ourselves but who's it's beneficial to us. We want to put as many teachers under that category as possible because that that bonus is paid by the state, right? So, it helps our budget. So, we're not going to try to exclude anybody from that. We do our absolute best to uh I'm going to say agree area. He's looking at me. We want we operate legally obviously, but like we want to do what we can to uh to get those everybody covered in. Absolutely. Thank you. That is absolutely true. The only thing I was going to just add uh uh Trusty Martin is that a a great deal and not all of it by the way, but a great portion of tutorial funds and and you know, help me with this

058Stacy and Jennifer, but a great portion of that comes through title funding as well, right? So, there is some local dollars that go into tutorials, but a great portion of it because many of our kids fall into those title. every one of our districts. I mean, every one of our campuses is a title, but we can we can certainly provide the board with some of that information. I have I have written down I will get you uh what our tuning budget was for each campus and what fund for the last year and then what we have planned for this year. Um and then also uh our staff development for the past two years. And also I say this because I'm always I'm always wanting money. You guys again the the um the development was an

059example of that. There's several other items where you guys have really listened to the board and helped put some additional dollars into these things. So, we appreciate that. Absolutely. Absolutely very much. And uh so tonight it just to make sure that we're again everybody listening at home, we know we have a broader audience is that this bud this budget by law we have to take action on and approve a budget by June 30th because our fiscal year starts July 1. So, but we understand that we will be making amendments. Yes. When we return from summer and we will have clarity on House Bill 2. Absolutely. Okay. Any other questions right now board? No, sir. All right. So, we will now have a public hearing that is hereby open at 7:57. We will now hear public

060comments for those who wish to discuss the proposed 2025 2026 fiscal budget. Is there anyone in attendance who would like to make comment on the budget? Not all at once. Is there anybody on this panel that would like to make comment? Okay. Once twice. This is that's over. Um I hereby close that at 75749. Um, and if there's no objection, board, I would like to move item 11A to seek a motion to adopt the fiscal year 2025 2026 annual budget for general fund debt service and food service. Seek a motion. Second second by Mr. Sharpie. I'll call for the vote that you're dealing with. So that is unanimous 70. Thank you board. [Music] Motion is carried. All right. So we'll move on to item nine, our administrative board. Dr. Jackson, I know you wanted to

061start off with some announcements and Yes, sir. Mr. President, I'd like to uh we're certainly uh proud to uh introduce to you uh a new administrator and we asked him to come tonight and so um we would like to uh introduce and I have his Mr. Matthew Bhan Bloomberg. Would you please stand? Let's let's give him a round. Matthew Bhutan Bloomberg joins Leaport ISD as the new assistant principal at Lommax Junior High. Mr. Bloomberg comes to us from Dickinson ISD with eight years of experience as a high school social studies teacher and team lead. Mr. Bloomberg was also part of his district's aspiring assistant principal academy during the 2425 school year and had opportunities to serve as a leader on his campus. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Houston and

062a master's degree in administration from Lamar University. Please join me one more time in welcoming Mr. Matthew Bloomberg. Did you did you bring any guests, Matthew, you'd like to uh introduce? Yeah, I brought my wife That's awesome. He was I've never seen him grin so much. There you go. Welcome, sir. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome all of you. Mr. President, we are proud to report that Leaport IC has experienced another successful year. you have my superintendent report and I shall not read that but in fulfilling uh we had a wonderful and fulfilling year. Our achievements would not be possible without the unwavering support of both the board of trustees and the Leaport community. Thanks to your commitment to strong governance and sound policies, our students and families continue to thrive as we deliver a highquality

063education to the more than 7,100 students in our district. As we celebrate this progress, we also want to take a moment to honor and extend a heartfelt appreciation to Miss Jennifer Green. This is her last board uh meeting. So, let's give it up for Jennifer Green who's retiring. We also would like to honor and maybe her absence, Miss Marilyn Newman, who's also retiring. Let's give it up for Marilyn. And we'd also like to honor and recognize who has just given us her letter of retirement, Miss Jansancy Al Farrell. Jansy, these ladies contributions to Leaport ISD have been truly impactful and we wish them all the best and their well-earned retirements. They will always be a part of the Leaport family. We certainly hope that you'll stop by to see us sometimes. To highlight some of

064the wonderful moments and milestones from this school year, we'd like to share a brief video uh that captures the spirit and success of Leaport IC and it's very brief board. And thank you again for your continued support and dedication as I conclude with my superintendent's remarks. Uh at the conclusion of this uh video, we will have Dr. Barbie Martinez to come and share some information with the board about You can start it over Adam. It's moving fast. Yeah. All right. That's all these days. All the kids are doing. Yeah. Can y'all slow it down for us oldtimes? All right. All right. Ready? Ready. Sorry about that. [Music] There you go. Start it over one more time, Brad. I got other people in the back. I had one job. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat.

065[Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Brad. Here we go. All right. So, uh, good evening everyone. uh trustees, Dr. Jackson, our newly elected officers. Um so the last time that I was here before you guys, we were uh just approving the GMP number one, which was uh for to begin our high school renovations and additions over there. Uh so right after that meeting, that next day, we had a notice to proceed and so we started that uh permitting process. And so just a reminder the schedule, this slide was shared with you all last time. Uh but just a reminder, uh the construction start May of 2025. That's where a lot of the permitting, a lot of the um just uh surveying and and things of that nature. Um and so we're now in this middle

066portion right here in the bottom uh where you've seen the temporary fencing go up. You've seen uh the demolition starting to happen already at the high school. And so um it's moving very quickly. Um and so um you know, we're on schedule at where we should be right now. uh we're looking at uh completion of July 2026 and so again uh moving very fast and so just wanted to remind you all of that. Um so the picture right there on the right that's actually earlier today. So went out there and um so this is looking out into the commons area to the cafeteria and so we already have construction and demolition and so it's moving very quickly and so u just just again this is right where we need to be right now because uh

067we've we're demoing the front. Um we're going to move uh for these next uh couple of weeks. So, uh, in our construction meetings, there's typically a three 3W week look ahead. And so, uh, this was from last week, but we're, uh, again, moving right along. Um, so we ought to start seeing the portable buildings coming in next week. Um, I I did hear just today the permitting. We're we're good there. So, portable buildings will be here, uh, next week. Um, and so, um, again, our our front office folks have already relocated to the, uh, CTE area. And then we've got some mobile uh mobile modulars up top for some additional staff. So, um you know, again, just lots happening in a short amount of time on that high school campus. And it's just uh exciting

068to to kind of see all that start to come come together. Um and again, moving very quickly. So, another thing was kind of on the sadder side was seeing the the doghouse come down. And so, if you drove by that today, there's not much left. And so this picture was uh from um earlier in the week, but um we've got, you know, that that space is pretty much um you know, demoed at this point. And um the exciting piece is that just you see a clear view of the stadium from Fairmont. And then you also see the marquee, the the board that's that's uh on the exterior there and just the additional parking that that creates uh for the stadium uh in that junior lot. So, it's it's really um it's it's going to be

069nice when all that comes together. It's going to be a very open uh look, but we know that that parking lot's going to be packed um as it has been at all of our milestone events that we we've held out there so far. Um and then right when you get to the um top two pictures right there, so that's kind of the the newer phase that that that's uh pictures of the new fieldhouse. And so, we've got our projectors that are going in there already. We've got our white marker boards that are going up. And so again, those spaces are are ready um and they're getting closer to be occupied here very soon. And in the bottom uh left, we've got the weight room. So the equipment starting to come in. Uh we have a

070lot of that that's already uh set up and ready to go. Um it just looks great in there. And then up top in the legacy complex, that's some the partition doors already installed. And so we are looking at um move in date of July 18th. 18th should be our completion date. And so you know we're we're crossing fingers there. But uh that that's a date that's been communicated with me and that we've been you know oh we're moving in. They just have have been going with that. We're moving in. But um wonderful facility uh it looks great. Um you know and so we're just we'll get to that punch list and completing all those items. Um so exciting. Bobby Bobby, let me say to the board one more time if if and whenever you'd like

071to see this as it's coming together like this at the legacy complex as well. Just just give me a holler and shoot us a text or something and we'll be happy to kind of let you see. I mean what's what's happening right now like the fieldhouse is already coming together a board discussion and naming process for that if that's what the board's decision is absolutely we we we've stayed away from center you know because we didn't want two different furs all right so we just called it legacy complex because that's at least it has it has something that we can identify with and it's not e r or r e no not at But we need to get on that if we're going to move in it. Well, if if you'd like to do that,

072I kind of like Legacy Complex, but I mean, if you know, it's it's the board's decision. Yeah, it's the board's decision. It's a board decision, not not the superintendent's decision. I have two questions before we move on to max. Um, so um since the temporary closing, is that where the bus routes going to be for the parking lot? I mean yeah bus drivethroughs or anything for the high school campus or for so um you still have access to the uh to the back right and then we will still have some access in the front. Okay. And I think all the buses now come behind you. Yes. They don't have to be right now. Yeah, they all stack up behind that. They stack up right there. Mostly if you're not by the next hour, but they

073had some in some. So I just missed some of the other buses that come in the front of the building. Well, academy drops off at the front and things like that, but most of your after school routes and early drop off that all still in the back of the building. My other question is did y'all leave any of that um common area up for us to be able to come over there with sledgehammers and because it's been a bane of our existence for a while. And even those of us who went to school there during the time that it's the only thing left from when I was a student at that high school by myself. Was it raining in the school on you then too? Was it was water coming in? Cuz that water didn't

074even start really coming in until right after I don't know that was they drained everything into that square. I'm just grateful we're fixing that problem. So, I just like to end it. Well, I will say that Dr. Griffin and I and we had the pleasure of going back there today to retrieve some radios that were left and I would not recommend folks uh going in that area right now. So, but uh we can we can set up something for you. Could you refresh our memory as to how many parking spots we're going to gain on the junior lot? And do you know how many of those are handicapped and how many of those are normal parking spots? I have that uh in my office and I know I've gotten the number uh at one point.

075Uh we are going to gain a significant amount of parking than what we had previously. So they commit to many of them being Yeah. So, so what's designated as handicap, we're going to come back in and add some additional on the main that's for those parking lots. No, you have as far as access to the senior lot. Yeah. Right. And it's open now. Yeah. So just until that phase is complete, but it it will be up. We will probably start the school year with with that up. But so we're we're going to gain some additional parking as the work continues. So, right now, you know, there's not a lot of access, but as they feel comfortable releasing portions to us, they're going to move the fences back. And so, that's a conversation we had with

076them. Um, you know, pretty soon after we saw that come up, cuz we had that same concern, right? Um, and then Lowax Junior High. So, this is, you know, again, some of the fun stuff. You've got the graphics on the on the floor where u you know determining the lines for volleyball and and just how you have the goals set up and and the center graphics. Um and then we've got the competition gym. You're starting to see some of the CMU that's concrete masonry unit coming up along the sides. Uh the um which is you know again a lot happening in that area. And then now that school's over, they're able to get into the old competition gym and start transforming that space. And so you've got some new flooring that will start going in

077there. And then just to the bottom right, that's just that temporary ventilation so that they can get in there and do the work. So uh there's nothing that uh has been communicated a major concern uh related to termites. So at any time if the board any member of the board would like to explore any of these places, we'd be more than happy to have you because the low gym is kind of like building the Titanic and nobody knows that you're building, right? Because it's behind the building, right? And so I'd love for you to like come take a look at any hard. Yeah, it really is an exciting project out there at Lax Junior High. And um it is, you know, kind of like you you pull around the back and all of a sudden

078you see this humongous structure and and so um and then along with that, you know, maintenance uh just hard at work summer projects and you know, that's that's a busy time of year for um our maintenance folks. And so just from painting to uh restriping of parking lots to uh just kind of getting all those uh work orders completed that they weren't able to get to in the in the um during the school year. I'm just really thankful for those guys. You guys saw that on display at um graduation, right? Just just all the hands that went into that. So really thankful for all the men and women in in our auxiliary departments and u just it's an honor to serve them. So uh thank you guys. Uh any other questions? All right, you got

079it. We'll get on it. All right. Thank you. and she has three presentations and I don't know where she could go anymore. If that's if that's okay with everybody. I would like to start with and I promise to be brief. When you say it like I've got three presentations, it sounds like we're going to be here all night. I promise that's not the case. I do want to start with just updating the board on um academics real quick and share some great news about what we're seeing and um talk a little bit about that. There's a microphone. I apologize. Okay, so just a real up quick update on academics at this time. Um we do have much to celebrate. I do want to preface this by saying that we do not have all of our

080official scores in just yet. So, in front of you, you will see the preliminary um scores for 3 through 8 um tested subjects. And that um June 16th is when we will have those public um scores. You know, they're still shaking some things out of the tree. So, when we um when we have those scores on the 16th, they'll be made available to families and they'll be um we'll have more access to public data. So, so for now, we're going to have it confidential in front of you for that. But I do have EOCC scores to share with you and we'll be able to talk about some celebrations with that. So this is our uh testing data for start EOCC's in the high school. Um you can see that we are continuing to do well

081in terms of our comparison to the state. Um and you'll see in bold some areas where we are exceeding the state and doing really well. Um and this I want you to know includes all of our testers for these um high school subjects. So that includes all of our retesters. Um so the second slide and you'll see that we are we are doing very well. We are we're gaining ground and we're making some some great strides and and seeing some comparison there. Algebra 1 is really doing well. We're seeing 33% masters in algebra 1 and that includes our retesters. So um you'll see um that's a huge improvement. It's a huge improvement. Congratulations to those teachers and kids. But man that's they have worked very very hard. Yes they have. Um and even biology has

082has has seen a nice increase this year as well. So really some great things happening um with our EOCC scores. The next slide I wanted you to just see this is our first time testers. So this is this is evidence of um that tier one instruction for those first-time testers and takes out those retesters which um can sometimes you know give us a a unique view on those scores. Um and again kids are doing very very well. Um this is evidence of great tier one instruction happening. Certainly there are some areas that we we are going to pay attention to and continue to pay attention to, but um just really seeing some gains that we're really excited about there. Um some other celebrations that I wanted to highlight with some of our special populations and

083their performance on ERC's we always talk about closing the gaps and who are historically lower performing groups. And so there's some great things that I want to celebrate with algebra 1. Um our emergent bilingual students, you'll see that they have increased um their their performance from 24 to 25. We're at 10% mates gains and 6% gain on their M's performance for the ED students. And then those ED students continue to outperform the state by over 20%. So you can see those scores there. Special education. Um lots of things to celebrate. And I don't want to get too ahead of ourselves, but I'm I'm thinking early data is suggesting that this is a trend, but we'll see. Um but for our EOCC's we are seeing that our special education students in algebra um increase their performance

084um by 5% at the meets level which is really great for special education students and we continue to outperform the state um by 26%. Um so that's really great news for our algebra um performance there. biology um more celebrations for our ED students um outperforming the state by 4% um seeing that we are um by three 13% of approaches and then for special education students in biology again 20 21% gain in approaches from 24 to 25 so some really great things happening um in tier one instruction for our special education students big gains um as I mentioned the star 38 scores are preliminary you have those in front of you um for for your for your review. And when we have those data points in after the 16th, we'll send some updates to you and

085let you know how we're doing there. Um one of the things that's new this year for us, we've been really intentional about looking at rescore. There's been a lot of conversation about the writing and how it's been scored with AI. Um we we had the opportunity to rescore our assessment and so we got real strategic with that this year. um taking a look at essays and had some very strict strict criteria about who we were going to maybe select for rescoring. Um we looked at score points, were they odd? Um were there, you know, a discrepancy in in how many points they were from approaches? Who could gain the most from from having a rescore opportunity? Um was there a big gap maybe from their last year's essay performance to this year's performance? And so

086we did all of that data criteria. We we we called the studio audience, if you will, and we came up with a number of students that we felt could be having could could potentially have a rescore. Then we did some internal review, read those essays internally. Um we had 11 students that we submitted for rescore. Um so we'll see how how that fares for us, but we felt that that was pretty good. Again, we want to make sure that anybody we submit for rescore that there's going to be a potential benefit of merit for those students. So it costs us $50 per student if we do not see a score change. So, we want to be very strategic about who we do. So, we're hopeful that we'll see some we'll see some changes there for

087some students and that could make a difference for some kids at the EOC level. We'll do the same thing for 3 through 8 when we get those um that rescore window is um between the 12th and the 18th and we're looking at those um essays now. I wonder last year for the first time he could possibly do this kind of look that they really took this whole and system that artificial intelligence did not give their fair to it is especially when we think about the odd scores um you know that means that two scores didn't agree, right? So like one set of three, one set of two, one set of five, one set of four. So when you have an odd score that says the two scores didn't agree, there may be more likelihood of

088of a rescore bringing that student up. So but special thanks to Angie um and her team for for their work and efforts on this. They and Jennifer Green too providing guidance on how we can do this. I'm I'm hopeful that this is going to yield some fruit for our students. Absolutely. Um so based on this data, you know, the things that we're working on for the fall, um they they really don't change much. We we really continue to work on the great things of tier one instruction. Some new things for us as we move into the fall, really looking at our common learning framework and really getting um very very clear on on what a great classroom looks like with a portrait of a classroom, if you will. Um working on Arby's and instructional strategies

089from the state with TEA. um and honing in our PLC data conversations and planning. Um we are doing a lot of professional development with um instructional coaching. We're continuing that work and um broadening that to our assistant principles and interventionists on the campuses and providing them that coaching training. So we're going to be working on that this next year. Um really getting um systematic and strategic with our intervention systems, making sure that any interventions that we have are are really yielding fruit for us. um looking at our math um instructional materials next year as an adoption cycle for us for math. So, I think that will be good. There's a lot of conversation about I'm sure you've heard about blue bonnet materials and different things. And so, um there's there's a new way of looking

090at instructional materials and we're going to dive into that with math this next year. Um and then really our campuses have done a great job, our principles have done a great job of really looking at their master schedules and how can we maximize how we schedule students, how we schedule teachers, how we organize um the day um to maximize instruction and maximize intervention support, how we how we set up a class of students, how can we really make sure that there's a good combination of students. So they've been working really really hard to make some great decisions with those master schedules. As you know, critical mass needs to be at the top, not you know, not anywhere else. And then and then of course the the work that we are going to be doing in

091our early literacy with moving to structured literacy as part of the grant with TXRL is going to be the focus for next year. So lots of great work in place already. We're just continuing that great work and some good new things coming um in the fall. So some things to think about June 10th that would be today. Um parents have access to the STAR EOCC scores through our online portal. June 17th, our 38 students will have access, parents will have access to their scores. Um June 23rd through the 26th, we have our start EOCC retesting. Students are in school, summer school right now. Summer school is being held at the high school and junior high at Baker um due to all the the construction and things going on. Um so they're they're working hard now

092for to prepare for those retests. And then um you know at throughout the summer we'll continue to get updated information from TEA on not only the final scores and how that looks but then also our accountability rating. So more to come questions. So, it's it's it's going to be important for us to if if you recall last year when we were looking at our scores and and I I showed you how everywhere in the state of Texas had significant decreases. And so, helping us to see contextually how that looks for us is going to be an important piece of information as we determine what we need to look at. But obviously, anytime that we see a score decrease of any kind, it causes us some concern. We want to make sure that our students are

093performing well. So, I look forward to receiving more information about our data and how the state has performed, how our neighbors are performing so that we can really start digging in and figuring out what what's going on. Um, last year, if you recall, there was was a pretty significant decrease in in a particular subject and it was across the it shocked me when I saw it, but then across the state, it was even worse. So, that that tells me a different story about how the kids are being tested versus maybe what's being learned in the classroom and something for us to consider. So, more information to come. Okay. All right. Quickly, I want to also talk a little bit about um the next fun topic, which is behavior management in our schools. I want to

094I want to talk I'm excited to talk to you a little bit about some great plans that we have as we move into the fall. Um, we talk a lot about the price of behavior um and and the concerns that we have about good behavior and and how that impacts things in our campuses, but you know that lost instructional or administrative time is a big deal when we think about referrals and and so forth and how much time is lost um for administrators. We also talk about um the loss of instructional time when we have behavioral issues when we're being pulled and and how that can impact not only the entire class um but also the students who are being pulled. And so there's a there's a real price um that that students and administrators

095on campuses pay when there are troubles with behavior. So we want to do everything that we can to make sure that that great behavior happens every day um and control the things that we can control. We talk a lot about and doc and Mr. Wickliffe and um Mr. Bramley, Dr. Brownley have done a great job of really improving and and unifying our systems and processes for response um when we are thinking about discipline and thinking about consequences. But one of the things that we didn't talk about as much as I would have liked is just the work that we're doing to to prevent what are the things that we're doing to cultivate those positive and productive classrooms. This work was started with Katherine Landry um under the guidance and supervision of JNC Al Faroh who

096is leaving us unfortunately. Um but I do want to say that this work has been great work um and we're going to continue this work in some in in in the fall. So we all know that there's lots of experts out there about classroom behavior and positive behavior and there are a lot of buzzwords that go along with it. Um but what we want to do in Leaport ISD is take the best of everything that we have to offer and make it our own. um you you you hear about all these different experts about behavior and and they all have really great great stuff to offer, but there's no one-sizefits-all sometimes. So, what we have created um in partnership with Katherine Landry and with Mr. Wikliffe and Miss Alfro um is the positive classroom playbook.

097This playbook um centers around six principles of positive behavior that that come from the experts that we know are going to really ensure that classrooms are set up for success for behavior. Um these six principles um principle number one maximizing those classroom structures. So how do we organize routines schedules and and just the classroom organization itself? Um to ensure great behavior um expectations and rules. How do teachers um what strategies do teachers use to ensure that there are great norms um in the classroom classroom contracts? Um how do we ensure that there's consistent language and how do we teach what we expect students to be able to do? Um principle three is just student engagement with instruction. And so how do we leverage that common learning framework? How do we leverage student agency? How do

098we le leverage the active learning strategy that we all know and love? Um to ensure that students are engaged with the learning. How do we acknowledge appropriate behavior? Um so it's not just about punishing the students and calling them out for when they're not doing it right. Making sure that we're recognizing and acknowledging when they are. So what do those strategies look like for providing praise, celebrating great work, providing parent communication that's positive? Um and then principle five, how do we respond to that inappropriate behavior? I think we spend a lot of time talking about this um and not as much time maybe talking about those positive pieces of prevention um but also ensuring that teachers have good strategies to respond appropriately to that inappropriate behavior. And then the last principle which I believe is

099the most important principle. It's the idea of building those positive trusting relationship which is what weaves through all of the all of the principles of positive behavior. So providing teachers with those strategies on how to do those daily check-ins and those greetings and being very intentional about it that that building those relationships happens every day um in the recognition that you provide the way that you provide students voice um how you restore conversations when behavior has been poor and just the positive interactions that you have with families. This playbook that we are putting together centers around these six principles and it provides teachers with strategies to help them cultivate these six principles in their classrooms. Um the the wonderful thing about this playbook is we are going to be providing um um some opportunities for

100our administrative team to begin working with this and talking about how this might um start looking um how it already is looking on their class in their on their campuses and and what else we need to do to continue to further this work. So, we're excited about really um ensuring that these positive um principles are put in place on every campus um throughout the district. Um the other thing that we're doing new this next year with with with the blessing of the board is providing classroom support aids on every campus to help provide on elementary campuses to help provide that work. um another person on the campus to help um support, assisting with classroom supervision, reinforcing those expectations, helping with transitions, building relationships, all those great things that will help um provide behavior support. We

101know that prevention is is where we really need to focus our efforts this next year to ensure that we're all speaking the same language. Um, and again, as I mentioned at the beginning, you know, the response piece is something that we worked really hard on the last few years, and we've really gotten really good at at what that looks like. Um, we've really unified our understandings about these continuums of supports or responses and what is a less intensive response, most intensive response. So, this is something that our assistant principles and our teachers are working on already. um we've worked on this quick disciplinary reference sheet for both the secondary and elementary to unify discipline and behavior. So this work is of of Mr. Wickliff and Dr. Bramley before Mr. Martinez, Dr. Martinez um is in

102place already and and we're going to continue to build on that. Um so the next steps with the behavior work that we have um we're hoping that we can um with your approval start beginning to staff those new positions and get those positions trained. We're going to continue this over the summer, the professional learning to ensure that we all have as leaders the common understandings of what we expect to be happening in our classrooms. Um continue some work with portrait of a classroom so that we can understand what that looks like and unifying those understandings and um implementation um coaching and monitoring as we go. One more thing that we are doing, we're implementing Skyward this year and there are some modules and some features within Skyward that are going to help us be able

103to track some behaviors in a different way and help us have some real-time information shared across across the campuses in the district to help us understand what students are doing and monitor. So, I we're excited about some of those some of those pieces. So, some good stuff that we're working on. We've got a lot of work to do to continue this work this summer and we look forward to to really seeing it move into action in the fall in the classrooms. You know, we don't spend a lot of we don't spend as much time on campuses as I'm speaking for the board as we all wish we could, but there has been a drastic change and just when we do come on campus of student behavior and watching the teachers engage with the students and

104the perfect example was with Miss Greenwood the other day at the Baker um talent show. There were plenty plenty of opportunities, little lols in the show where students could have gotten loud and chatty amongst theel. They remained focused. Now, she did threaten them a little bit at the beginning, but they but it wasn't anything too major, but you could see the students respected the people who were on stage. They respected their peers. They respected the program. And it was really enlightening. I left with some of the people that I was walking out with and they said, "Can you believe how great sixth graders are during this talent show?" I said, "No, I can't." Cuz I was at the high school 2 years ago for a Veterans Day program and almost lost my mind with kids

105talking and screaming and so it's just really refreshing, but you can see it on multiple campuses. And so kudos to the administration team, but also kudos to the teachers in their classrooms for, you know, taking that extra step with the students. And I can say that we appreciate it. And I know the students appreciate it, too. I completely agree. I said it was it was in your face noticeable uh at the graduation ceremonies both both campuses and it was you can tell when it's genuine and it's heartfelt and it's just that's who they are. It's not a show when just a handshake and eye contact there was genuine and I know it sounds so trivial but seriously just a couple years ago that was not the case and there was anxiety and there was a

106sense of okay but you could feel it you can feel it when you go on these campuses um you can see a change in behavior so whatever you know um that we're putting into place whatever it it's it's paying dividends so we appreciate it we're excited about this playbook I think that you know having some very specific strategies that if you if you're in doubt that you can go to to to even reinforce your your practices in the classroom I think would be really great practice. So Julie just quickly I think this is wonderful. Um I know that one of the things that I think is super important for teachers is to understand like you know with the capturing kids hearts and Ruby Payne and then the trauma training that Upshaw used to do. A

107lot of our teachers have not been exposed to that and it really does sometimes tell you why that kid is acting like that kid is acting and I know when I did Ruby Pain I was my eyes were really open to some of the things that you don't even think about as an educator and trauma the um workshop that Upshaw gave on trauma is really eye opening when you consider that we I think sometimes stereotype a kid that what a kid's going to look like that has trauma and we know that's absolutely Absolutely not true. And I would say this, if you're going to have six steps, I really think the one about developing relationships would be in the front because until you develop those relationships that trying to get your classroom under control, trying

108to get them to buy into your schedule, especially the older kids, and to write those rules, they're not going to do that until they know they can trust you to to do that with them. And so, but I think this is wonderful. And there will be like an intensive um training on this for the teachers. Yes. Because some teachers will be really good at this and some you're gonna have to drag across the finish line cuz it's outside their comfort zone some of it. You know, they just have to learn how to not everybody's like coach M. It's funny you said that cuz I was going to acknowledge him. He's sitting over there and um that is probably been the biggest swing obviously on on campus behavior. Um, and it not knocking anybody, but there's

109somebody that prioritizes relationships and and seeing the students and it is it's just evident and it it fixes so many things. We always look to try to remedy a symptom instead of going to the cause and if you will invest in relationships, it you know it it transcends your campus and that is what you see. So kudos to you and I I appreciate your efforts and I know the kids do, the parents do. Um, but you are seeing it everywhere and it's it's awesome. I'm glad y'all are are And I just want I want to say the high school is, you know, I go on there I go there to sell tickets for homecoming and prom and all of that. And I have to give kudos to Dr. Griffin cuz I walked in there this

110year, I was like, are your kids here? I mean, it was like everybody was just it was very I mean, even if something happened, they got it under control very quickly and all the other kids just kind of scattered. It was nothing like it has been. So that it that was exciting to see as well. So I also want to point out everything a lot of these things are [Music] at school. up for them. Some of them are not so [Music] but even if there is an opportunity to work with the classroom it could be a great special thanks to to your support and to Mr. Wliffe for and Miss Alfro for all their hard work in getting the getting this um lifted and started in our classrooms. It's an easy baton to continue to

111carry. Thank you very much. Thank you. And I am now going to turn it over to Angie Vtor and Meredith Paladier to talk about our grant and the exciting work that we're doing with Texas Tech. Thank you. Yes. All right. Good evening, the board of trustees and Dr. Jackson. We're very excited to be sharing an update with you about the Texas Reads, Texas Leads or the TXRL um initiative that we have going. I just want to introduce formerly and I know you know her. Um joining me tonight is Meredith Halvadier and she serves as an exceptional reading um language arts specialist to our elementary campuses and to our teachers. She wears many hats and one of them is coaching, mentoring. um she's a wonderful colleague too and she's just this fearless leader that has been

112leading us through this work and just want to honor her um as a part of this and just we're just really excited to share tonight. So I'm going to turn it over to her at this time. Thank you. Well, good evening. Thank you for having me to this evening. I'm here to talk to you about the Texas Reads Texas Le grant initiative. And so today I'd like to give you a little bit of history of why we are shifting our reading practices here in Texas and how Leaport ISD is following that suit with the expectations. I'm going to give you some information about the Texas Reads Texas leads grant supporting how we're going to support our accelerated transition and then what's next and how you can support us as a team as well. So, back

113in 2019, the Texas Senate passed the um House Bill 3 during the 86 Texas legislative session. And this mandated that we need to have a renewed focus on early literacy and our reading outcomes because we were not meeting the reading outcomes as a state that are we would expect to be having for our students. So this required all kindergarten through third grade teachers and principles to come to the readingmies that were grounded in the science of teaching reading practices or you'll hear it referred to as STR practices as well. So in the year 2020 we launched the Texas readingmies which was based on decades of reading research including um the national reading panel findings and it was designed to build educator knowledge and phmic awareness phonics fluent vocabulary and comprehension and it's connected teacher practice

114to evidence-based strategies for improving reading achievement. So why did we need to do this? The data showed that too few students were reading on grade level by the end of third grade. We were sending about in the state of Texas, we were sending about 40% of our students not reading on grade level. And if they are not reading on grade level by the end of third grade, they will never be able to catch back up. And those the gaps just continue to compound. So balanced literacy practices were what was really prevalent um in the state of Texas in our K3 classrooms. In balanced literacy practices lack explicit systematic instruction and foundational skills. And the science of teaching reading ensures instruction is aligned with how the brain learns to read. So here in Leaport ISD, we

115were using our balanced literacy practices. And the problem with balanced literacy practices is that it's an overemphasis on strategies like guessing from pictures or um from lack of the context. and it lacked systematic explicit phonics and decoding instruction. And it was very heavily dependent upon teacher created materials that did not align to what the research says is best for how our students learn to read. Much of that instruction, as you all know, when we talk about guided reading books and leveled books, it was not on grade level. And I know you're going to talk some on that, but we just think about we want to be exposing children as much as possible to on grade level materials while scaffolding students who are not reading at that level, but that was that's a big main piece.

116And when she talked about students not being on grade level, sometimes we go, we do really well here in Leaport. But when we think about that meets level versus the approaches, we really when you hone in on that for this district as well as all districts in Texas and that's kind of what we're seeing as that gap. And that's this really why we looked at this shift as something that we needed to to make. So what the science of teaching reading tells us is that reading requires mastery in both word recognition and the language comprehension. It also aligns with decades of cognitive science on how children learn to read and about our how our pathways are interconnected in our brains. STR practices are now the state expectation for teaching students to read in kindergarten through

117third grade. And this is very urgent because the Gatsson foundational skills are appearing early and they will compound over time. And this is a big reason why we're having several stu lots of our students um qualify for sped and dyslexia at very high rates that truly may not have that dyslexic tendencies. they just didn't have the foundational skills and phonics and phmic awareness instruction that is needed. So our state assessments and screeners such as MAP Texas KIA that is done in kindergarten or our STAR assessments are showing inconsistent progress across the state of how our students are meeting grade level standards. I want to tell you just reiterating every time we we take this to heart in Leaport ISD and it's something we really are are truly invested in. We are ahead of a lot

118of districts in this area when we go to conferences and we talk with our colleagues. This is something that we really and Meredith with her lead just have really looked at for this for our students and just making sure that we're on top of this and and and also you'll see about training teachers and things. I just want to make sure we knew that part. So the Texas reads Texas Leads grant came across our desk and it's supported at by the Moody Foundation and the Charles Vet Foundation. Their purpose provides funding and training and planning resources to help districts move away from outdated instructional practices such as balanced literacy and helps move us towards structured literacy practices that aligns with that science of teaching reading science uh resources and it also supports with TXL. It

119supports districts in using and utilizing their high-quality instructional materials or their HQIM to the best ability to align with what research tells us is best practice in teaching our students to read. And in October, we were selected as one of the 16 districts in the state to participate in different learning sessions and planning sessions with um to help build and support our commitment to early literacy because our students deserve instruction rooted in how the brain learns to read. So over the past um eight months, we've been working on building systems to implement our STR practices with fidelity across all kinder through third grade classrooms starting in the 2526 school year. So what that looked like was aligning the use of the HQIM that we've already adopted and have been using by the district. We're going

120to streamline that use and make sure that we have a very tight approach to how those materials are working. We've created district and campus early literacy committees. We're reworking the literacy block. We're providing professional development sessions to support our educator training. We've also been provided feedback from TXRL along our journey to help us grow and learn and they're helping us stay student centered while aligning with the research. Question. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. On number four, professional development sessions. Will those be required for all our kindergarten to be third grade teachers or will that be an option like when they go to report? Um right now during the summer it is optional. Um they are it does fall into their 12 hours of exchange time that they can use. Um and I'm actually doing a session

121tomorrow morning for them um and next week. Uh, so they are not required to attend it during the summer, but I'll also be video recording the sessions that I'm doing this summer for to send out to the masses that aren't able to make it because they're teaching summer school or out of town. Um, and then there will be shorter sessions that are much more condensed uh during our back to school curriculum day. And I we've got lots of professional development plans that I'd be happy to share with you for the fall as well. So, Leaport Elementary in the spring of 2025 piloted these practices. They were very excited to jump on board. And the teachers were able to transition their reading group practices to skills and strategy- based groupings. The teachers that did make this

122shift reported a decrease in their planning loads, which made them much happier. And they found it simpler to implement than the traditional guided reading groups that we had used in um practice. And that was in contribution with using our highquality instructional materials which was Ice Station and HMH. And um Ice Stationation will be changing to Amira in the fall. They were bought out and so we will still have access to those very important easy to use resources that are connected directly to what the gaps are that the students need. And the teachers also saw an increase in their overall decoding and reading skill abilities across kindergarten through 2 grade in those classrooms that piloted it. In May, we were very excited after lots and lots of learning. Um, Leort was chosen as one of the

123top eight districts in the state of Texas to receive that subject. Yes, it's very nice. So, what does this mean for Leaport ISD? We've been awarded a $250,000 grant that will be divided up across the 2526 school year and the 2627 school year. So, the district early literacy committee had to build a grant proposal around the following items. Um, how to support instructional materials to support our new systems for each classroom that will be equitable across all 75 U K2 classrooms. And it'll 20 to 25. Yes, ma'am. It is. And then there's uh 20 to 25 third grade classrooms as well that we are going to be providing um easel boards, whiteboards, magnetic letters, materials that each teacher in every classroom should have equitable access to. We're also going to be providing them with professional

124learning opportunities for educators and the administrators because we have to educate the administrators just like we would um our educators to make sure that we can build their understanding as well. That will be um to help support our Amira learning platform as well as our ice station platform for our bilingual teachers as well as how to use and implement our HM high quality instructional materials. and it will also be helping support our leadership team as we are making our decisions and building our um systems in place. So looking ahead what does this mean for us? We have full implementation of our HQIM HMH into reading and using ARBA with fidelity. Um, we have an expansion of coaching, data reflection, and research aligned literacy practices in all kindergarten through third grade classrooms. We will get the

125honor of being able to have a showcase visit in the spring of 2026. I think our date is in January that um we will host other districts that are part of the TXRL cohort as well as members of the board of trustees to walk classrooms and see these transitions of the science of teaching reading practices as well. We are very excited to be able to be a showcase district for this and we invite you to come join us anytime. Yes. So how you can help? We need you to celebrate this incredible progress of our teachers. We are changing a lot of philosophies that are deeprooted very embedded on how we teach reading. Guilty is charged. Um and uh and these should this is going to take a lot. So, we're going to need to hug

126our teachers and and buy them some tissues and support them. Uh because change is hard, but it's we've got we every child deserves to learn to read. Um and we promote the STR aligned vision in our community with our families and our stakeholders because they are our partners in our work. So, if you'd like getting more information, please reach out to one of the district early literacy committee members, myself and Julie Abram, Dr. Alicia Upurch, Linda Hyde, Andy Vitor, Karen Loi, and then my partner Haley Miller, and interventionist, uh, Julie Spears over at Leaport Elementary. So, thank you for this opportunity. What questions may I answer for you? My comment first is I I love when there's some when you get to speak and your passion gets to come out and and you see it

127and it's infectious and it's awesome and it's it it's because of that that we're even else for grants like that. So, thank you. And second, I I just want this grant to buy us some time. You know, if we've got two years of funding, we need to start putting things into place so we can fund it afterwards. So, what what do we need to do? what you what do you need from this board to continue that these programs so they don't die at the expiration of the of the grant. So, you know, while we've got two years, let's let's really kind of collaborate and it's not too early and paper and find some things. And um you know, I think it's it's not a coincidence that you're a showcase district. Again, just it's infectious. And

128um I know Dr. Jackson, it's been a a pillar of his with kids reading about in third grade. We have to get them. We have to and that's got to be, you know, the line in the sand. We cannot compromise when it comes to that. And we've got to throw everything at that issue to see that these kids are reading by third grade. And if these are the means and the resources to do it, then we need to invest heavily in it and just continue to pour into this. So, this board will support you. I have no doubt. And I just want to challenge all of you to to look so we can continue this when the expiration of that grant goes. So, kudos to you. Thank you. Thank you very much. I just want

129to comment that um change is hard for people. You're correct about that. But um I think we have the right leader in place to lead that change and um so I'm very happy to see you in this charge with your passion on literacy and when I look at the names that are on this list for that committee um I have no doubt that it's going to be wildly successful. So thank you very much. Appreciate that. you guys all the time about how how you know even tonight like how this we we don't get a lot of favors from the state or you know our funding and it's always just a head against the wall and so nothing makes me more happy like to hear about when when our when our staff goes above and beyond

130outside of the box to get these grants cuz man that is it's a game changer uh for everybody concerned. So again I know it's a I don't write grants cuz I'm not smart enough but I know the education foundation different things we were part of how difficult it is to go out and get uh these kind of grants. So, thank you. So, I can only imagine the amount of hours and the work that actually went into that. So, thank y'all sincerely for putting that effort in and making it happen. It's awesome. And I'm I'm really encouraged to hear that we're looking at these interventions so that we really can take these kids forward in reading without having to provide without providing services for them. because you know once a kiddo qualifies for special ed, it

131is really hard for them to not qualify anymore. And um so and I think that sometimes in an effort to serve our students, we almost do a disservice to them. And so I like that this is really focusing on some of the things I saw as a diagnostician. They didn't have the phonetic background and they don't have the vocabulary and the language. And so this will this I think will be a real game changer. Thank you. He's being supportive. Yes. Thank you so much. We appreciate it. Thanks, Meredith. I was wondering why you got stoked here. I was like, "Uh-huh." Oh. That is awesome. All right, board. We're going to move on to item 10, our consent agenda. The board will now uh proceed with our consent agenda. Unless removed from the consent agenda, items

132identified within the consent agenda will be acted on at one time. You've got it. Okay. All right. Consent agenda A. Determine and approve any consent agenda items. B. Approve board meeting minutes. One, regular board meeting minutes 13, 2025. Two, board meet board workshop meeting minutes 20 May 27th, 2025. See, receive principal reports. One, early childhood center. Two, Behore Elementary. Three, College Park Elementary. Four, Heritage Elementary. Five, Jenny Reed Elementary. Six, Leaport Elementary. Seven, Rudo Elementary. 8, Lomax Elementary. Nine, Baker Sixth Grade Campus. 10, Leaport Junior High. 11, Lomax Junior High. 12, Leaport High School. 13, Dewalt High School. D. Receive financial reports April 2025. E. Receive human resources report. F. Notice of employment of professional staff. G. Approve 2025 2026 compensation plan. Can we pull that please? Really? Yes. H. Approve 2025 2026 interlocal agreement

133with Harris County for community youth and community youth services. I to approve 2025 2026 purchase and/or incumbences over $50,000. J approve budget amendment. K. Approve beginning a new three-year plan one year the year one for workers compensation coverage. L approve uh designate other than the superintendent to accept resignations for contract employees at any time. M approve memorandum of understanding for juvenile justice alternative education program. JJ Ae, approved partnership agreement of for communities and school model traditional programs. O approved purchase of replacement chillers at Resudo Elementary. B approved purchase of servers and related components. Q. Approve purchase of student laptops and de desktops. R approve proposal of supplemental food and catering services. S approve regular board meeting scheduled for first semester of 2025 2026 school year. T approve resale of tax forclosure property described as undivided

13425% interest in lots 14 and 15 block 29 of beach park and subdivision in Harris County, Texas as shown on map or plat thereof recorded in volume 67 page 148 of deed records of Harris County, Texas. Account number 007- 001- 00-0030. Pull. Yes. Yes, he did. You have to read them off. We're going to pull them. It's okay. It's okay. You approve resale of tax foreclosure property described as an uninvited 7.5% interest in lots 14 and 15 block 29 of beach park and subdivision Harris County, Texas as shown on map or plat thereof recorded in uh volume 67 page 148 of the deed records of Harris County, Texas, account number 007-001-0000-0035. Pull that. I'm glad you're in your office. Yeah. The approved resale of tax forclosure property described as an undivided 2.5% interest in lots

13514 and 15 block 29 of beach park and subdivision of Harris County, Texas as shown in map or plat thereof recorded in volume 67, page 148 of the deed records of Harris County, Texas. Account number 007-001-0000-0036. Cool. Of course. W received and first recording of TASBY local policy update 125 affecting local policies BD AAA, BDB, BDF, EI, FDE, FEC, and FFAC. X receive public notice of intent to apply for federal funds allocated to the port for school year 2025-22 of 2026. Why adopt a resolution number 2025-06 for annual review of investment policy investment strategies resolution number 2025-07 for investment officer and list of authorized broker dealers. Z adopt a resolution number 202508 for annual review and approval of district's investment training provider. Yep. All right. So, uh, Vice President Harris, will you please read back

136our consent agenda? Yes. A B C D E F H I J K L M N O P Q R S W X Y Z. All right. I see a motion to approve our consent agenda. Move. Second by Miss Crutcher. Call for a vote. All right. It is unanimous. Thank you, board. Now we'll go to our first full item. Jean. Okay. I just wanted um to say that I think the board is excited about the minimum salary increase for the future um and knowing that that will be um rolled up as anyone else or two under their belt. I wanted to make sure that on our list, does this already reflect the 5%? Yes, that was the staple that that's this front packet of your of your book because we made that change after the

137the timing of the the signing of House Bill 2 and so we wanted to provide you with that. Okay. So, this is the Okay, that's all I needed. I just want to clarify. Thank you. And as the other point of order was addressed earlier, you feel comfortable comment. Okay, good deal. All right, I I seek a motion to approve G. So moved. Second by Jeff. Let's call for a vote. And it is unanimous. Thank you, board. We'll now go on to item T. Mason, I don't have anything on it. I just want to vote separately. Okay, I seek a motion. Wait a minute. I would like we still make the motion and if we don't want it to do, we just vote. No. Correct. Okay. Clarify that again. Say it again. I think we make

138a motion. Do we make a mo I don't want to tell you what he wants. He wants to take a vote on the item separate. Oh, okay. He just wants a separate vote. So, we still just make the normal motion. You can move and vote no if that's what you want to do. But uh but is it all three or is it just one at a time? Can you do all three? Can we do all three at the same time? No, not to do that anyway. Should we make a motion and then vote no? Okay. I make Okay, Mason. So moved. Second. Second. Call for the vote. Oh my goodness. How much for a team of eight, huh? Whatever. Wow. Okay, I fixed it. You as in. Item two. You you I have nothing. I

139just want to vote on it separately. So many. Second. Second. Mason. Call for the vote. Unanimous. And the last item V. I have nothing. I just want to vote on it separately. So move. Sec. off for the vote. All right, board. Thank you. So, as my predecessor did to me, I would like to get out his chair and have our new president finish our agenda out. So, we'll switch real quick. Woo. All right. So, we have one more thing on here. A couple more things. Excuse me. Uh, item 11. We've already addressed uh item A. We will go to B. uh delegate contractual authority to obligate the school district under Texas Education Code TEC11.1511C4 to the superintendent solely for the purpose of obligating the district under TEC 48.257 and TEC chapter 49 subchapters A and

140D and the rules adopted by the commissioner of education as authorized under TEC 49.006. This includes approval of the agreement for the purchase of attendance credit or the agreement for the purchase of attendance credit betting chapter 48 funding. I seek a motion. So move. Second. All those in favor, please vote. All right. Motion carries. Thank you. Uh item C. I need some some help on this one. uh consider endorsing a nominee for TASB board of directors region 4 positions C and F. We have a do do we have to recommend somebody? We don't have to. You don't have to. I don't know anything about these candidates. So I mean I don't know anything about them either. Um the three that were on our sheet, are they running for the different post? Does anyone know? Or

141are they all three running for one post? Yeah, I I if they're all three running for one, I would recommend that we um support Parland just because of proximity to us. Yeah, I don't I don't have any further information has such a large Yeah. You know, I think we're more relatable to Okay. Okay. Then we don't need to do that. So, we don't have to take any action. So, we can lower them. Yes. Okay. So no action is needed on item 11 B or excuse me item 11 C. I'll move to item 12 action on close session items. We do not have uh any post session items discussed. Item 13 closing comments of the board of trustees and superintendent. Uh attendance uh speak on a attendance at recent district and community events b announcement of

142upcoming district and community events or c outstanding performance by district staff and students. Go to Karen. Well, congratulations on a great school year. It's clear that we've made some real growth in our academics and um and in discipline and and obviously the great stadium and all of the wonderful things. I think Leaport had a really really good year and I want to congratulate everybody for that. It takes a real team to get all that done. And I just want to say I'm going to get choked up. We're going to miss you, Miss Green. Thank you so much for mentoring me and it was a pleasure working with you. I don't want to follow that. Um I want to say uh you know everything that all of us do is always for the goal of graduating

143students and making good contributions to the society through our students as good citizens and what a great um celebration we had for both of our graduations. Both were well attended. Um the students were engaged and um it it was just both of them were very meaningful and special and um kudos to the behind the scenes people who make those things happen, who move the chairs, who fix the sound, who who do all those things that make it all look so smooth um to everyone else in attendance. And um to all the people that um at the service awards, we had a lot of retirees and I think about those people and the amount of service that they've given to our students and our district over the years. And I just wish them, you know, health,

144joy, and blessings in their retirements. And um I hope everyone has a peaceful and restorative summer. And um I guess that's it. Thank you. Uh, I would like to thank Mr. uh, Whitcliffe for all your leadership at DeWalt this year. Are you going on a cruise soon or something? I like you and Russell look like you're about to go on a Hawaiian vacation. Uh, and I'm a little jealous, but thank you. But thank you for your leadership uh, at at DeWalt and talking with staff there. It was you did you did a really good job. I want to thank Danny for his leadership as president over the past two years. Yes. Um, yeah, I didn't get to experience any other presidents, so I don't know what it's like, but I think Danny did a really

145good job and, uh, we're wishing Jeff a lot of luck. Um, to echo some of Deian's comments, congratulations to all the retirements. When you think about these indivi, you get one life and these individuals have dedicated 20, 30, you know, years of service, 40 years of service to the district. And, um, that's pretty remarkable. And a lot of them to the same district. Um, I'm not even 30. So, you've been working here before I was born and that's just remarkable to me. Uh, and I I just did that to mess with Dean, but the congratulations and we certainly appreciate it and hopefully you have a great rest of your summer and get to enjoy a little bit of it. Done. Um, so that he he wanted me to tell Danny, "Thank you so much for

146all that you've done." and said, "Say something really good." So, Webster's dictionary defines a leader at Webster. He um he just wanted to give his, you know, gratitude for for your leadership. And um you know, Russell is a Russell really is a cheerleader for this board. He loves he he loves how uh how we all work together. And so, um you know, I really do appreciate that about him saying nice things while he's not here. Maybe Jeff will see. Um, but to everybody else on this board also, it's just it's going through another year with all y'all. This has been such a blessing. Um, and um, I just I enjoy serving with you all. Um, and and serving our our campuses, our district, our our teachers and principles and students and our community. Um, thank

147you for allowing us the opportunity to do this and for trusting us to do this. um everything that we experienced in May with all the graduations and opening statements and it's just it's such a blessing. It's such a great time to be on the court um and with all the retirees leaving there's there's a sadness to it um for and great people as well and excitement. So, um I just I really appreciate everything that everybody does put again for allowing us to be a part of it um in this role. Um and for the parents who came and spoke tonight um just thank you for again advocating for your for your your students um and their peers and uh for the teachers and parents who who reach out to us on a regular basis or

148even if it's been your first time. Thank you um for for advocating for feeling comfortable talking to us because we do want to continue to make report um if that's what it can be. Um and just stay stay um that's the best way. Um we have a lot of things going on this summer. So just take a look on social media just for that. Um, just look at the district page and and see, you know, when you're not sure, you know, man, I just wish I wasn't, you know, able to do one more thing for somebody. Just look at that and see what you've done for our students and for our educators. There's a lot happening um over the summer. Um, so they don't stop. They don't stop. So, thank you for that, too. Uh,

149uh, yeah, I I what a wonderful wonderful way to end the year. It has been remarkable. I think we've made tremendous strides. Um, you know, education is a uh infinite game. So, you know, you don't get to rest on yesterday's success. We got to plow on and continue to move forward. Um, we've got exceptional leadership across the board. So many dedicated people that just pour out their hearts in our our young people and that's what has to continue. Um, again, I I don't care homer or not. It is truly remarkable and gets me in all my feels, you know, walking around Leaport ISD and seeing what it is and and what it's become and what it is becoming. Uh and it it is awesome. Uh truly truly awesome to watch and and be a part

150of in a small way. Um I do want to say that if you ever ever anybody has the opportunity um to give their child their diploma, take it. Um, I did not take that opportunity with Madison and I regret it now 110%. Um, that was one of the most satisfying, amazing experiences of my life and I appreciate everybody that had a hand in it. It was absolutely perfect. Um, and there's a lot of work that goes on to make that happen. So, I appreciate all that. Um, the other thing is I butchered this last time, so give me a second to to explain this. At work, we talk a lot about people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. You know, we we sell tacos and rice and beans, but we

151what we do with the money that we generate is the real work. And we may get caught up in task and uh maintenance orders or star test scores or a policy or procedure, but don't ever lose sight of what why you're doing it in the first place. Um that's what is creating the synergy and the energy that's around this this district. It's the It's the people that genuinely and wholeheartedly care and pour their heart and soul into these people and uh it is just paying dividends and you can see it in in so many intangible ways. And I know we just kind of glanced over talking about the graduation, but what a remarkable moment to have those kids be that engaged in that moment and to you don't know that you have it until you

152have seen not having it. And just a few years ago, there wasn't that engagement. There wasn't it it just wasn't there. So, it was remarkable and that is kudos to the great work of all of you, all of the campuses, everybody's listening. Um, great things are going here. Jeff is going to do a remarkable job. This this board has been fantastic to work with, and I look forward to continuing to moving it forward. So, thank you all for a great year. Thank you, board. Thank you to all of our administrators, our teachers, and our staff. We've had a great year. It sounds like it's May, but it's June already and August 1st is coming. So, we know that's that's what's on my mind. August 1st is coming. But thank you all for your support. And

153I know that these people uh appreciate your support as well. Thanks. I had a couple things. Uh I want to I'd be remiss if I first acknowledge you my job at the chamber more than anything. I'm an event planner. I know that you can have the best plan in place. You can plan out an event 12 months in advance, but when it's an outdoor event like graduation, like the orange and white game, you're relying on the man above and what it reminded me when we saw that video tonight how perfect the weather was. And you might not remember that it rained till like 2:30, 3:00 that day. So, uh again, thank you to Amanda Buff for that for letting us have that uh that thing. It's such an important uh aspect for our parents and

154those kids that hadn't had a home in 2 years. So, very thankful all the hard work and effort went into that. Um, Jennifer, uh, Miss Green, Marilyn Newman, Jans Al Faro. Again, thank you guys for your service. Uh, I echo the sentiments of everybody. You will be deeply missed. And, and certainly all the all the other retirees and people that have, uh, spent their career here at Leaport ISD. Uh, some of them I grew up, I'm I'm old, I had teachers. And so, uh, we are so appreciative. Again, you are the heart and soul of everything that goes on here in the district. So, we can't thank you enough, uh, for your service. And certainly, we wish you the absolute very best in any and every endeavor. uh going forward. Um, also I'd be remiss

155to say so I I this happens every year but I get amazed that you know at the end of the year the last month month and a half there's retirement parties every campus has a party. There's there's multiple graduation we talk about the high school but there's multiple graduations. Um there's other service organizations that have gay I mean there's just so we go we go to some of them and you know we try to go as many as we can but when you when we're there we notice that there the administrative team and all these teachers they y'all go to so many things and so I just want to say thank you like that is um such an important thing I had you know I know teachers go back to uh like elementary teachers that

156go and uh to high school graduations cuz they had that kid in first grade and that's such a special thing that I I don't know that's unique to Leaport. Only thing I know is Leaport and I know that's something that we do in this town and it's such a cool amazing thing. So, I appreciate all those that continue. I know that's y'all have families as well and and it's a big tax on your time, but y'all y'all continue to pour in. So, we really appreciate it. And lastly, I wanted to say, you know, thank you to Danny. So, y'all y'all may not remember we threw Danny into this role as president. Uh he' been on the board for less than a year and uh and so he he's a he's testament that it's not the

157experience. Certainly, he's experienced. He comes from a wealth of knowledge, but it's it's the heart that he exhibited and his willingness to get in and learn. Again, when I say that he he didn't know about school, he just there's so many things he had to learn on the fly. And I am not honest to God looking forward to have to fill your shoes, man. And I know that individually it's not going to be possible, but I have full faith that collectively this board uh will work together. I love uh I I give everybody hell. We joke around a lot, including Russell, but I I do love them all because we're so unique in our our our backgrounds, but we are common in that we all have a true heart to help better or be a

158part of making things better here in Leaportd. And so, I do love these people on this board. I appreciate you guys continuing to uh uh to serve and and to be active members in our community. So, thank you guys sincerely. Um and thank you, Dr. Jackson, your team for all the all the work you guys are doing. If there's nothing else, uh I will say we will adjourn