March 25, 2024 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  Announcement by the Board President whether a quorum is present and that notice of the meeting has been posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551 as required by law.

Description:  "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Description:   "Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible." 

Description:  Recoginitions:
Dani Hilton - FHS Senior -  Received the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens Award

FFA
San Antonio Livestock Show
Brynlee Cody - 1st Place Medium Wool and Heavyweight Division Medium Wool

Prairie View Livestock Show Contests
Homesite - 2nd Place Team, Logan Maldonado 1st place individual, Katie Bryant 2nd place individual, and Kade Schoepf
Land - 2nd Place Team, Andrea Shannon 2nd place individual, Weston Underwood, Luke Hoysa, and Payton Montandon
Farm Business Management - 2nd Place Team, Addison Burroughs and Lauren Bell

Jacksboro Livestock Show Contest
Wildlife - 1st Place Team, Tanner Herring, Mason Barnes, Luke Nichols, and Aiden Champlin

Houston Livestock Show Contest
Wildlife - 1st Place Team, Tanner Herring, Mason Barnes, Luke Nichols, and Aiden Champlin

Houston Barrow Show
Hunter Butler - Class Champion for Cross Barrow

Austin Livestock Show - Swine Skillathon - Danni Hilton

Teacher of the Month - Taylor St. Tours, Dyslexia Interventionist - Florence Elementary School
Assists the campus with anything that is asked of her.  
Reliable, supports kids with SEL needs, makes connections, builds relationships with tough and hard to reach kids, notices quiet kids who need a cheerleader, is ALWAYS positive, present, and a team player. 
Performs weekly door checks and is a campus leader with school safety.  
Attended 13 days of training during the summer and end of last school year in order to be ready for her new role in serving students with Dyslexia.
 

Description:  The Board encourages comments about the district from members of the public.  Anyone who has signed up to speak in advance of the meeting in accordance with the Board procedures may do so at this time.  The Board asks that each participant's comments pertain to district business and be no longer than 5 minutes.  For any member of the public who is accompanied by a translator, your time will be doubled as required by law.  Remember that the Board may not discuss or act upon any issues that are not posted on our agenda.  In addition, the Board has adopted policies to provide prompt and equitable resolution of complaints and concerns for employees, students or their parents, and the general public.  Copies of our district policies and procedures on public comments and filing complaints are available on the district website. 

Description:  Program overview of the FISD Child Nutrition Department

Description:  This is the first year that Florence ISD has participated in the optional Texas Education Agency provided online assessments that align to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). It helps the district monitor student progress and predict student performance on the STAAR. The principals will provide an overview of the results and their strategies for improvement heading into STAAR/EOC testing.

Description:  Florence ISD underwent a Local Policy update with our TASB Policy Consultant to ensure that our local policies match our local practice and abides by any new laws that may affect the policy. Below are the policies recommended for change:
AE(LOCAL) Educational Philosophy - Replaced the Mission and Vision Statement with the new ones created during Strategic Planning.
AF(LOCAL) Innovation District - added link to website.
BBB(LOCAL) Board Members Elections - Updated the years for place elections.
BDAA(LOCAL) Officers and Officials - Deleted information about Interim Presiding Officer at TASB request.
BE(LOCAL) Board Meetings - Updated the deadline for submitting an item for the agenda to five business days for regular meetings and three business days for special called meetings.
BQA(LOCAL) Planing and Decision-Making Process District - Rewritten policy to comply with TASB recommendations and statute.
BQB(LOCAL) Planning and Decision-Making Process Campus - Rewritten policy to comply with TASB recommendations and statute.
CDA(LOCAL) Other Revenues Investments - Changed Monitoring Market Prices from monthly to quarterly as required by statute.
CDC(LOCAL) Other Revenues Gifts and Solicitations - Changed approval for web-based donation solicitations from the supervisor to the superintendent.
CH(LOCAL) Purchasing and Acquisition - Changes the single budgeted purchase threshold from $25,000 to $50,000. Delegates to the superintendent the authority to self-certify the micro-purchase threshold for federally funded purchases to the extent allowed by law.
CKEC(LOCAL) Security Personnel - New policy. Clarifies our agreement with local law enforcement to provide school resource officers.
CO(LOCAL) Food and Nutrition Management- Deleted Meal Charges section as it no longer applies as all students eat free in FISD.
COB(LOCAL) Food and Nutrition Management - Added that funds from the federal community eligibility provision (CEP) will allow FISD to provide meal service at no cost to students.
CV(LOCAL) Facilities Construction - Changed the contract threshold from $25,000 to $50,000.
DBA(LOCAL) Employment Requirements and Restrictions - Removed references to the DOI Plan as it is incorporated already.
DC(LOCAL) Employment Practices - Delegates to the superintendent hiring authority for contractual personnel in a position below assistant principal. The Board retains hiring authority for contractual positions above assistant principal.
DCE(LOCAL Employment Practices - Changes the verbiage on Non-Chapter 21 Contracts to comply with statute. 
DEC(LOCAL) Compensation and Benefits - Local leave is now earned at the beginning of the school year. Removes the limit on the number of consecutive state personal leave days allowed. Increases number of local leave days to five. Allows local leave to accumulate without limit. Extended sick leave reduced from 30 to 15 days. Removed catastrophic and replaced with personal illness. Added Payment for Accumulated Leave Upon Retirement at a rate to be determined by the board.
DGBA(LOCAL) Personnel - Added language that written response to a Level I grievance shall set forth the basis of the decision. Same change made in FNG(LOCAL) and GF(LOCAL).
DK(LOCAL) Assignment and Schedules - Removed language that conflicts with the DOI Plan.
EB(LOCAL) School Year - Removes language that conflicts with DOI Plan.
EEB(LOCAL) Instructional Arrangements - Deleted as it conflicts with the DOI Plan.
EHAD(LOCAL) Basic Instructional Program - Deleted as the district does not offer hunter education.
EF(LOCAL) - Changed language stating that the district will not issue a certificate of course completion for a student who fails to meet all state and local requirements for graduation.
EIC(LOCAL) Academic Achievement - Added that class rank calculations will not include grades for courses retaken after a passing grade has been earned. Cleans up the exclusions to courses counted in class rank to comply with TASB recommendations. Added the weighted grade point average charts that were previously removed. Allows equivalent courses to be counted in GPA calculations. Revises ties to determine Valedictorian and Salutatorian. If they GPA calculation to the fourth decimal does not break the tie, the district will have shared honors and recognize both students.
EIE(LOCAL) Academic Achievement - Changed standards for mastery in grade 1 to standards-based. Changed grades 2-5 to a grade of 70 or above in reading/languge arts and mathematics. Changed grades 6-8 to an overall average grade of 70 or above for all subject areas and 70 or above for English/language arts/reading and mathematics.
EIF(LOCAL) Academic Achievement - Changed Distinguished Level of Achievement to no additional credits above the state mandate. States that the district will not award credit for fine arts substitutions for community-based programs. States the district will not award credit for private or commercial PE substitutions.
FD(LOCAL) Admissions - Clarified the number of hours of after-school care for admission under the Nonresident Student in Grandparent Care provision.
FDA(LOCAL) Admissions - Requires a student who moves out of the district to immediately apply for a transfer if they desire to stay in attendance. Added language from the DOI Plan about transfer revocations at any point during the school year.
FEC(LOCAL) Attendance - Changes the term for petitions for credit or final grade to no later than the last day of classes.
FEF(LOCAL) Attendance - Deleted as it is a regulation, not a policy and is covered in the Student Handbook.
FFA(LOCAL) Student Welfare - Assigned the wellness plan to the assistant superintendent.
FAC(LOCAL) Wellness and Health Services - Added information allowing licensed athletic trainers to administer nonprescription medication as long as prior parent permission is received and is in accordance with a standing order or procedures approved by a physician licensed in Texas.
FL(LOCAL) Student Records - Custodian of Records for currently enrolled students is given to the principal instead of the superintendent. Title change in the special education program. Under Directory Information, added student email address, date of birth, major field of study, degrees, dates of attendance, and student identification numbers that cannot be used alone to gain access to electronic education records.
FM(LOCAL) Student Activities - Verbiage change to comply with statute.
FMH(LOCAL) Student Activities - Disallows students who have not met all state and local graduation requirements from participating in commencement activities or graduation.
FNAA(LOCAL) Student Expression - Deleted campus in front of principal in all sections.
FNAB(LOCAL) Student Expression - Deleted campus in front of principal in all sections. Changes the person who develops guidelines for the campus to the principal.
GBBA(LOCAL) School Communications Program - All news release will be made by the superintendent.
GKD(LOCAL) Community Relations - Establishes a limited open forum for nonschool use of facilities and allows equal access to youth groups designated in federal law, including Boy Scouts. Disallows the use of district facilities for individuals or groups to use for political advertising. Deleted verbiage related to Repeated Use. Fees will now be charged for the use of district facilities even if it within two hours following the end of the instructional day.
GKDA(LOCAL) Nonschool Use of School Facilities - Removes designee throughout the policy as the superintendent can delegate by statute.  Superintendent will designate times, locations and means for distribution of nonschool literature.



 

Description:  Two draft versions were sent to all staff to vote on the calendar they prefer. Draft A is different from the current year calendar and Draft B is very similar. Out of 96 responses, 80.2% preferred Draft A and 19.8% preferred Draft B. On February 26, 2024, the District Education Improvement Committee (DEIC) met and unanimously voted for Draft A. The primary difference between the two calendars are the additional staff and student holiday in October and February. In addition, Professional Development days are included in most months to ensure we have the ability to provide follow-up training on newly implemented initiatives. In order to accommodate the additional staff holidays in Draft A, the last day of instruction will be May 29.

Description:  This easement grants Pedernales Electric Cooperative access to their lines that serve the new band hall and field house at FHS.

Description:  In order to connect to the City of Florence wastewater system, FISD needs to install sewer lines along Business Highway 195 (Patterson Ave). In addition, we need to install a sidewalk for access to the new elementary school. I have been working with Steven Hamman from the Florence Church of Christ, and he has signed the easement agreeing to the terms. 

Description:  The district partners with the City of Florence each year to hold our elections. The agreement sets forth the requirements from both entities in the election.

Description:  On January 16, 2024, we had a main water line burst at Florence High School due to the extreme cold and school had to be canceled for the day as we had no water at FHS and FMS. The board also approved a closure on April 8, 2024, due the expected influx of visitors on the roads due to the eclipse. This resolution authorizes the district to pay employees for these two days as allowed by policy DEA (LOCAL) which states, "During an emergency closure, all employees shall continue to be paid for their regular duty day schedule unless otherwise provided by board action. Following an emergency closure, the Board shall adopt a resolution or take other Board action establishing the purpose and parameters for such payments."

Description:  The District of Innovation Plan, first adopted in 2017 and renewed in 2022, has recommended revisions and additions to ensure FISD continues to have autonomy from some statutory constraints that govern educational programming. These changes were presented to the DEIC and approved. Recommended changes are in red letters and recommended deletions have a line through them. 
Changes were made to the following sections:
1. Class Size/Notice of Class Size
2. Certification Required
3. Transfer of Student
The following additions were made to the plan:
1. Designation of Campus Behavior Coordinator
2. District Level Planning and Decision-Making

Description:  Amend the budget for insurance proceeds for upcoming costs for storm damage repair to the facilities.  

Description:  The purchase of door repairs district-wide will help the District meet the safety standard requirements for schools.  The services will be purchased with Safety and Facilities Enhancement Grant (SAFE) funds. Procurement requirements will be met through the Buyboard Purchasing Cooperative. The final cost, if available, will be presented to the board on Monday. 

Description:  The spreadsheet will be provided at the board meeting, so it is as up to date as possible.

Description:  The spreadsheet will be provided at the board meeting, so it is as up-to-date as possible. 

Description:  Addresses District Goal 1, 2, 3

Description:  A list of resignations will be provided at the board meeting.