Hitchcock Independent School District

 

Regular Meeting

Tuesday, January 16, 2007


 

The Hitchcock Independent School District Board of Trustees met at a Public Hearing to Discuss the District’s 2005-2006 Annual Performance Report and Regular meeting on Tuesday, January 16, 2007, at the Boardroom/Conference Facility located at 8004 North Railroad, Hitchcock, Texas.  President Pat Turner called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.

 

Present:                      Pat Turner, President; Estelle Holmes, Secretary; Mark Morgan, Member; Jimmy Anderson, Member; Tom Ivey, Member

 

Absent:                       Ted Robinson, Vice President; Monica Cantrell, Member

 

Others:                        James L. Knapp, Interim Superintendent; Bonnie Palmer, Curriculum Director; Gerald Hughes, Technology Director; Randy Dowdy, Crosby Middle School Principal; John Wells, Maintenance Director; John Montelongo, Hitchcock High School Principal; Barbara Trahan, Stewart Elementary School Principal

 

Call to Order              Pat Turner, President, called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM; announced the presence of a quorum and stated that the meeting had been duly called and the notice had been posted in the manner             prescribed by law.

 

Pledge of Allegiance

Pat Turner, President, led the members of the Board of Trustees and patrons in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and the Texas flag.

 

Recognitions

            School Board

            Appreciation

                                    Administration and Campuses presented the following to the Board in appreciation for all they do for the district:

 

1.      Mr. Knapp thanked the Board for their support.

2.      Mr. Knapp presented a Proclamation declaring January 2007 as School Board Appreciation Month

3.      Mr. Knapp presented plaques to each Board member in appreciation for their support.

4.      Stewart Elementary School students presented “Hats Off to our HISD School Board” and presented hats to each Board member.

5.      Crosby Middle School presented a fruit and sweet basket to each Board Member

6.      Hitchcock High School presented a framed collage of Hitchcock High School students and red buckets with gifts inside.

7.      Curriculum, Greater Gulf Coast Cooperative, Chartwells, Nursery/Day Care, presented gifts.

 

Public Hearing to Discuss the District’s 2005-2006

Annual Performance Report

 

Presentation and Discussion of the

District’s 2005-2006 Annual Performance Report

                                    Ms. Palmer, Curriculum Director, presented a PowerPoint presentation on the 2005-2006 AEIS report to the Board and                                                announced that the District and all campuses are rated Academically Acceptable.

 

            Audience with patrons pertaining

            To the District’s 2005-2006 Annual

            Performance Report

                                    No questions were asked.

 

                                    The Public Hearing to discuss the District’s 2005-2006 Annual Performance Report was adjourned.

 

007-001

Consent Agenda

                                    A motion was made by Estelle Holmes and seconded by Mark Morgan to approve the Consent Agenda as presented below and as recommended by the Administration.

 

1.      Minutes

a.      Special Called meeting of December 5, 2006

b.      Regular meeting of December 12, 2006

2.      Monthly Financial Report for period ending December 31, 2006

3.      Monthly Cash & Investment Reconciliation for period ending November 30, 2006

4.      Monthly Tax Collection Report for month ending November 30, 2006

5.      TASB Localized Update 79 to add, revise, and/or delete (LOCAL) policies and according to the Instruction Sheet

6.      Response to the Texas Education Agency  regarding the application by the Abundant Life Christian Center of La Marque, Inc.’s Premier Academy of Learning for an open-enrollment charter school indicating that the proposed open-enrollment charter school is expected to impact the district .

 

Motion carried with all in favor.

 

Public Participation

                                    Mr. Dierringer addressed the Board concerning bus routes, stating that the bus stop for Redfish Road was too long a walk for students living on Redfish. 

 

Report/Information from the

Superintendent

            Bus Route Report

                                    Mr. Knapp reported that he, Ms. Schiro, and Brenda Guy, Durham Transportation, met and discussed the bus route for Redfish Road and for Beiring Road.

 

                                    Redfish Road:  Mr. Knapp reported the following:

·        Have to cross several cattle guards

·        Dirt road with several pot holes

·        It would be a safety hazard as to students and the bus driver to travel down the road.

·        Would cause wear and tear on the bus

·        If bus got stuck, it would be almost impossible to get a tow truck out there because of the road conditions.

 

Beiring Road:  Mr. Knapp reported:

·        There is not a safe place to turn the bus around.

·        The City indicated, at one time, they might be able to put in a turn-a-round at no cost to the district.

 

Ms. Holmes asked that Durham Transportation present a report to the Board and also asked that a workshop be held to address the issue.

 

Ms. Turner stated that she would like for the kids to be picked up.

 

Mr. Morgan asked that the Administration check into doing a Memorandum of Understanding with the City/County, for a fee, to do the turn-a-rounds.

 

            Kids First Head Start Monthly

            Report for month ending

            December 31, 2006  The Kids First Head Start Monthly Report for month ending December 31, 2006, was presented to the Board for their review and information.

 

            2007-2008 Budget Calendar

                                    The 2007-2008 Budget Calendar was presented to the Board for their review and information.  [See attached]

 

            Update on Boilers and Chillers at

            Kids First Head Start (Northside)

                                    Mr. Wells presented an update on the boilers and chillers and explained how they worked.  He stated that he would seek Request  for Proposals from TAC to update the controls at Crosby Middle School and Northside Elementary.

           

            Survey:  Payroll checks for professional employees

                                    The results of the survey on the number of professional employees who would like to receive their payroll check either monthly or twice-a-month were presented to the Board.

 

                                    Monthly:                                  47

                                    Twice-a-month                       43

                                    No response                          26

                                   

                                    Total surveys distributed:     116

 

                                    The Board requested that an Action Item be prepared for the February meeting to recommend that the professional employees  receive their paychecks twice-a-month effective September 1, 2007.

 

            Athletic Program at

            Crosby Middle School

Mr. Knapp reported to the Board that a meeting was held with Mr. Dowdy and Coach Carney to discuss the athletic program at Crosby Middle School.  From this meeting, two plans were brought forth.

 

Plan 1:  Calling for an A day/B day schedule for 7th and 8th (alternating the last period of the day for 7th and 8th grade) which would give each grade an athletic period at the end of the day on alternating days.  This plan would require three additional personnel, two girls’ coaches and an additional boys’ coach.

 

Plan 2:  Calls for a “zero period” from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM for all athletes.  This plan would not require any additional personnel.

 

The athletic director indicated he preferred the zero hour.

 

                                    The Board requested that this item be placed on the February agenda for discuss and possible action.

 

Action

 

            007-002

            Surface Use Agreement with

            American Energy Partners and

            Amendment to the Oil & Gas Lease

A motion was made by Estelle Holmes and seconded by Jimmy Anderson to amend the Oil and G as Lease entered into on April 25, 2005, for the reasons indicated above and to execute a Surface Use Agreement with American Energy Partners covering 10 acres out of the W. J. Jack League A-13, Galveston County, Texas.  The duration of the lease shall not exceed one year from date of agreement.

 

Members in favor:     Pat Turner, Estelle Holmes, Mark Morgan, Tom Ivey

 

Members opposed:  Jimmy Anderson

 

Motion carried with the majority in favor.

 

            007-003

            Resolution of the Board of

            Trustees of HISD regarding

            mandatory joint elections

A motion was made by Mark Morgan and seconded by Jimmy Anderson to approve the Resolution regarding changes in trustee elections, including (1) authorizing joint elections with the City of Hitchcock beginning with the May 12, 2007, election and (2) authorizing the Superintendent to negotiate and execute all necessary agreements and submit changes to the U. S. Department of Justice of pre-clearance.  [See attached]

 

Motion carried with all in favor.

 

           

 

 

            007-004

            Establishment of the 45th calendar day prior to the last day of instruction

A motion was made by Estelle Holmes and seconded by Mark Morgan to reaffirm that the last formal day of instruction is May 31, 2007, and to approve Monday, April 16, as the deadline for giving notice of proposed non-renewal of a teacher’s contract.

 

                                    Motion carried with all in favor.

 

            007-005

            Approval of dates for teachers’ and

            administrators’ contract review

A motion was made by Estelle Holmes and seconded by Jimmy Anderson to approve the following dates for review and approval of contracts:

 

                                    February 20—Administrators and Directors

                                    March 20—Teachers

 

                                    Motion carried with all in favor.

 

Discussion

           

            Local Policy FNCA: 

            Student Dress Code

                                    The Board reviewed and discussed local policy FNCA:  Student  Dress Code. 

 

Closed Session

                                    Pat Turner, Board President, called the members of the Board of Trustees into closed session at 9:17 PM for the purposes permitted    as authorized by the Texas Open Meeting Act, Texas Government  Code, Section 551.074 Personnel:  Discuss and possible action regarding the employment of two (2) new professional employees for the 2006-2007 school year.

 

Reconvene from Closed Session

                                    The members of the Board of Trustees reconvened from Closed Session at 9:30 PM and took the following action:

 

            New Hire        A motion was made by Estelle Holmes and seconded by Mark Morgan to employ two professional employees under a                                                     Probationary One-Year Contract—Teacher for the 2006-2007     school year as presented and as discussed in executive session.

 

Theresa Hollinger-Gorski

Brad Howard

 

Motion carried with all in favor.

 

Future Agenda Items

1.      Change payroll period for professional staff from monthly to twice-a-month

2.      Bus Routes

3.      Offer contract to Elsie Schiro, Business Official

 

Announcements

                                    Upcoming Board meeting, Saturday, February 3, 2007, 8:30 AM, to develop “Portrait of a Graduate”. 

           

Adjourn

A motion was made by Tom Ivey and seconded by Estelle Holmes to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried with all in favor.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Brenda J. Taylor

Superintendent’s Secretary

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                    Pat Turner, President

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                    Estelle Holmes, Secretary