Thorndale ISD discusses cost of paving Gibson Street
On Monday, Feb. 14, Thorndale ISD held its regularly scheduled meeting.
The first item on the agenda was a discussion and presentation of a no capital outlay project to retrofit lighting and HVAC systems.
Superintendent Adam Ivy informed the board that the presentation would be postponed until the Feb. 28 board training to allow the district to collect more information.
Administrative reports were up next.
The Elementary and Middle School principals reported that they continue to see slow and steady growth in enrollment. High School Principal Jennifer Parnham talked briefly about the recent prom and interim assessments that are being conducted. She also answered questions about the possibility of partnering with Rockdale ISD to offer a few new career and technology certification programs.
Lindsay Franklin talked to the board about the district’s community involvement program and how they have already spent a day on the Elementary and Middle School campus as well as at the Administration building learning about school facilities and finance.
Technology director Deby Leschber showed the board the new laptop computers that will be issued to all teaching staff. Leschber wrote a grant to help pay for these devices along with 140 Chromebooks. The consent agenda was reviewed by the board and was approved without any comment.
Up next, the board voted 7-0 to order the trustee election for May 7 and to authorize an interlocal agreement between Milam County and Thorndale ISD to conduct the May 7, 2022, election.
Ivy informed the board that the new City Manager Ray Miller had proposed that the city and school district split the cost of paving Gibson Street, which sits between the TISD administration building and the elementary playground.
Ivy explained that the district’s cost would be around $8,000 and that this improvement would be very welcome for Elementary students, staff and parents. The board voted to approve this partnership and expense by a vote of 7-0.
The next item on the agenda was a proposal for the district to begin funding Dual Credit and On Ramps courses during the 2022-23 school year.
Ivy and Business Manager Rebecca Peel informed the board that they had been surveying surrounding districts and it appeared that most other districts are already providing this for their students.
Ivy added that the completion of dual credit courses has been added to the district’s state accountability rating system. The board discussed several options and decided to provide the payment for these classes up front with the understanding that students that do not pass or those that drop the course would have to reimburse the district before they would be allowed to take any more classes or participate in graduation ceremonies. The board voted 7-0 to approve this proposal.
Ivy then presented the board with preliminary plans for the Elementary renovations. He explained that the plans should be ready for the bid process by the middle of March.
The 2022-23 school calendar was up next. Ivy showed the board two versions of the calendar along with the results of a staff survey to determine which was the most popular among staff members. The survey showed that option “B” had garnered around 58 percent of the votes. The board approved option “B” with a 7-0 vote.
Ivy also talked to the board about increasing enrollment numbers and asked the board to approve hiring a demographer to provide accurate predictions about the future. This information will include projected housing, student, business and industry numbers to allow the district to plan for the future. The board voted 7-0 to hire Zonda Education to conduct the demography study.
Ivy and Peel then asked the board to allow the district to notify the Commissioner of Education of Thorndale ISD’s intent to vote on the adoption of a newly proposed and amended District of Innovation plan.
Ivy reviewed the entire plan, which included all of the elements of the expiring plan along with several new items. The board voted 7-0 to notify the commissioner of the intent to vote on the plan at a future meeting.
Peel presented three budget amendments to cover the cost of the demographer, the cost of paving Gibson St and the cost to purchase a new truck using both career and technology and local funds. The board voted 7-0 to approve these amendments and also voted 7-0 to approve the purchase of the truck.