October 19, 2026 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:  Congratulations to Rebecca Lewis for being selected as the FISD Teacher of the Month. From her student nominations:
Mrs. Lewis should be honored as staff member of the month because she helps me grow every day, and makes me work hard for the expectations and standards I have for myself.
I believe that Mrs. Lewis should be honored as the staff member of the month because she shows dedication, representation, and shows what a true Buff represents. 
Mrs. Lewis should be the staff member of the month because she is on top of everything she does. In class, she reminds us of all the events happening around the school. If we have early outs, she tells us what classes are next and what rooms we are assisting with on testing days. She communicates with all students so we are aware of what is happening in Florence. 

Description:  Each year, the month of October is set aside to recognize and celebrate the dedication and hard work of our school principals. Because of their vision, leadership, and commitment, our students are more successful than ever. Thank you to our incredible principals, Dr. Russell Porterfield, Lauren Neil, and Ercilia Paredes for making a difference every day in the lives of their students and staff. Attached is the Proclamation from Governor Greg Abbott declaring the month of October as National Principals Month.

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:  TEC §89.1265  requires all school districts to conduct an annual evaluation of the Bilingual/ESL program. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine program effectiveness to ensure academic success. The annual evaluation report shall be presented to the board of trustees before November 1 of each year.

Description:  As the district prepares to sell surplus property behind the old elementary school, we will look at the lots being considered for sale and discuss how we will determine fair market value. The attachment is only available to board members as it is protected by Attorney Client Privilege.

Description:  On behalf of FISD, the Florence Education Foundation applied for the HEB Tournament of Champions and received $50,000.00 to be used to purchase equipment for the meat lab renovation. The Florence Education Foundation donated the received funds to FISD so we can purchase the needed equipment. 

Description:  The Board’s participation in and knowledge of the District’s Investment Policy and procedures ensures that District funds are properly invested with the judgment and care required. The District’s adopted Investment Policy requires that investment transactions for the District be reported to the Board on at least a quarterly basis. There are also actions to be taken annually.

The first is a Board review of the investment policy and investment strategies. The Board is required to adopt a written instrument stating that it has performed this review. It records any changes made to the policy or investment strategies. The second action is an annual report to the Board on the investment program and investment activity.

The third is a Board compliance audit of management controls on investments and adherence to established policies. This audit is performed in conjunction with the annual financial audit.

No changes are recommended at this time to the District investment policy.

Description:  The Public Funds Investment Act requires new District Investment Officers to attend training from an independent source, containing at least ten hours of instruction relating to the investment officer's responsibilities (CDA Legal). Subsequently, continuing education of eight hours is required every two years.

Training must be from a recommended independent source and approved by the Board of Trustees. Each of the recommended trainers is actively involved in public school professional development and will provide a selection of quality investment training opportunities. 

Description:  The Board annually approves a list of brokers who may engage in investment transactions with the District CDA(LEGAL). 

The adoption of the Broker list allows the District the ability to prudently manage investments as needed, through the purchase of allowable securities, to improve earnings on District funds.  

This list of authorized dealers is provided by Meeder Public Funds. Meeder has provided the investment advisory services for the 2022 Bond proceeds. Those funds or balances are now exclusively in Texas Range or Verabank accounts, as projects wind down.

Description:  None for this month.