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News from the SBISD Board
Board Meeting Highlights

April 30 2012

 

https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicAgenda.aspx?ak=101920&mk=50049435

 

The Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees conducted numerous special presentations at its regular monthly meeting in April. Employee and Volunteer of the Month awards were issued to a campus custodian and two dedicated community volunteers.

 

Trustees honored 83 talented district art students, and SBISD's Finance Department won division recognition after winning both state and national awards for its budget presentations and financial transparency, among other staff honors. 

 

After remarks by the Superintendent and district's top financial officer, the first public hearing on the preliminary Fiscal Year 2013 Budget was also held.
 
In separate action, Trustees approved a new class ranking policy after more than a year of work, including reviews, discussions and input by a committee, college representatives and community members.

 

Trustees also approved a resolution calling on the Texas Legislature to reexamine high stakes standardized testing and the state's public school accountability system to develop a system that includes multiple assessments that are valid and cost-efficient to better reflect what our students need to know, understand and do to meet the rigorous standards for their future success.  

Special Presentations  

 

Named as SBISD's April Employee of the Month is Guadalupe "Lupe" Huerta, who is head custodian at Landrum Middle School. Lupe exemplifies the meaning of pride in her work. Her school, although an older building, is noted for its cleanliness, order and visual appeal.

 

View our Employee of the Month Video


April's Volunteers of the Month are Jack and Sharon McMullan, volunteers with Kids Hope at Treasure Forest Elementary School where they have volunteered more than 100 hours. The McMullans do more than mentor a classroom boy and girl. They've showered their classroom with support, praise and gifts ranging from treats to books, games and classroom supplies.


View our Volunteer of the Month Video


SBISD has a long, proud history of achievement in fine arts. Coordinated with the recent Youth Art Month celebration, art students of all ages were recognized for awards this year that ranged from Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo honors to a Scholastic National Visions Award, the top accolade that a student artist can earn in the nation. In all, more than 80 students earned Trustees recognition.

 

Review the list of art student honorees and their awards


Next, SBISD's Purchasing Department staff was honored for best practices in school district purchasing. The staff team recently won the Award of Merit for Purchasing and Operations with Recognized Status. Issued by Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO), purchasing departments that earn this award are considered innovators in their field. Director of Purchasing and Contracts is Barbara Robillard.

 

Read our School Zone news release here


Trustees then congratulated Rummel Creek Elementary School as a Reaching for Excellence Award winner from the Texas Department of State Health Services. The campus was named a winner for its Roadrunners React program, which is designed to bring families, students and community members together to learn about healthy lifestyles and good choices. The school also received $1,200 in seed money for continuation. Karen Harrell is program coordinator and media specialist at the school. Nancy Harn is principal.


For a sixth year, SBISD has earned a sizeable rebate check through CenterPoint Energy's Texas SCORE (Schools Conserving Resources) program for energy efficiency in facility projects. Presenting the rebate check for $80,371.46 for the 2011 calendar year was Steven Gremillion with ClearResults, a program partner, and district Associate Superintendent of Operations Ruben Reyes. He reported that SBISD was ranked sixth best overall among all reviewed school systems. During SBISD's six years with this program, CenterPoint rebates have totaled $286,860.03.


Finally, the district Finance Department was honored for multiple awards. For the third year in a row, this department has earned a Gold Leadership Circle Award from the state Comptroller's Office for financial transparency. The award insignia will be posted for the next year on SBISD's major websites.


Also for a third year, SBISD Finance Department earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association, the leading professional group in North America. High marks were earned for budget documents serving as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device. This association operates the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.


The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has also been awarded once again to the Finance Department by the Government Finance Officers Association. The top award was issued for the district's comprehensive annual report (CAFR). This department is led by Associate Superintendent Karen Wilson.

 

Read more in School Zone News 

Preliminary Budget Hearing
 
Superintendent of Schools Duncan F. Klussmann, Ed.D., reviewed SBISD's two-year fiscal plan and budget for Trustees, including last year's estimated decrease in expenditures of $15.5 million, elimination of 350 positions and no step or salary increase. SBISD took these actions in its first year of a two-year Biennium as the Texas Legislature reduced funding to all public schools.
 
As a result, the Biennium's second year should result in the elimination of no student programs or student services, the Superintendent said. Although Fiscal Year 2013 expenditures will decrease, a 2 percent salary increase has been included for the year ahead. In addition, the Superintendent told Trustees that the following assumptions guided work on the new budget: maintaining current class sizes and student programs; continuance of full-day prekindergarten in SBISD; a staff salary increase; and implementation of the district's new Five-Year Plan with a goal of doubling the number of students who complete a technical certificate, or two-year or four-year degree.

SBISD Associate Superintendent of Finance Karen Wilson then presented an overview of the Fiscal Year 2013 Preliminary Budget and a public hearing was held. The preliminary budget assumes a revenue loss ranging from $14 to $21 million in state funding, depending on whether student enrollment is stable or increases slightly. The preliminary budget is based on the Current Tax Rate of $1.3945 with no change. The $1.3945 Current Tax Rate is comprised of the General Fund Tax Rate of $1.09 and the Debt Service Rate of $0.3045.
 
Class Ranking Policy

 

Trustees adopted a Class Ranking policy unanimously after more than a year of committee study, review and reporting, followed by input from college representatives, parents, staff and interested community members. Under the policy, class rank for seniors will not be officially reported on a student's transcript, with the exception of students in the top 10 percent as required by law, unless the student requests before Oct. 15 of the school year to have his or her class rank reported.

In other action, the Board of Trustees...

 

  • Unanimously approved a resolution of concern about the High Stakes, Standardized Testing of Texas Public School Students Review this resolution here
  • Discussed the 2013 Budget
  • Approved numerous Consent Agenda Action Items 

 

 
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