June 15, 2015 Board Meeting
Board Briefs covers the highlights of each month's board meeting. More details can be found online at www.bisd.net.

Trustees Name Principals for Southwest and Sparta
Stacy Cox was named as the principal of Southwest Elementary, and Julee Manley was selected as the principal of Sparta Elementary.
 
Cox has been the assistant principal at Southwest Elementary since 2011. She has 16 years of experience in education including 10 years in Belton ISD. Before becoming an assistant principal, Cox was a second-grade teacher and a junior high school reading teacher. She earned a master's degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University Central Texas and a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Tyler.
 
Manley has been the assistant principal at Sparta Elementary since 2013. She has 13 years of experience in education including two years in Belton ISD. Before becoming an assistant principal, Manley was a campus instructional specialist and an elementary teacher. She earned a master's degree in educational administration from Tarleton State University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

 

Trustees Adopt 2015-2016 Compensation Plan
Each year, Belton ISD conducts a survey of salary schedules and pay structures in eight area school districts. This information helps maintain a competitive compensation system that allows the district to recruit and retain quality employees.

After reviewing this year's survey, trustees voted to increase pay 3 percent based on the midpoint of each pay range. For teachers, librarians and nurses, that will equal a raise of $1,600 next year.

For auxiliary employees, including custodians and food service workers, the board voted to raise starting pay rates $1 to $9 per hour. Current auxiliary employees will see their hourly rate adjusted based on the new starting rate and will receive a raise equal to 3 percent of the midpoint for their pay range.

The board also voted to increase the district's monthly health care contribution by $75 to $325 per month. TRS has notified school districts that health insurance premiums will be rising again this year, and school board members expressed the hope that increasing the monthly contribution will help offset some of those costs.
  
Superintendent's Report

Construction Update

Work on the agricultural barn is nearing completion as contractors and district staff add the finishing touches. Trees along Second Avenue are being trimmed to improve the line of sight to the road. Flower beds are being completed, and light poles are being installed.

 

At Tiger Field, the process of injecting a soil stabilization solution is 50 percent complete. While the rains have introduced some delays, the contractor brought in additional manpower this week to build forms and haul select fill.

 

At Bhs9, work on repairing/replacing the roof started on June 8 and is on schedule. HVAC units are being raised to accommodate the new roof height, and the roofing contractor has committed to working long hours to meet the project schedule.

 

Tuition Supported Pre-K

In May, the school board approved a tuition-supported program allowing a limited number of children, who wouldn't otherwise qualify, to enroll at the Belton Early Childhood School. Since then, the Texas Education Agency has approved the tuition rate, and 26 students have been registered for the program. More details about the tuition-supported program are available online

 

School may be out for the summer, but our educators are hard at work preparing for next year. Principals have been working on their campus plans this week, and in the next month, our teachers will be taking advantage of some great professional development opportunities.


On June 30 and July 1, our curriculum and instruction department is hosting a Secondary Learning Summit. Then they'll host a second summit for elementary educators from July 14-16. One of the exciting things about both conferences is that many of the sessions will be led by our own staff.

We're fortunate to have talented professionals who are committed to serving our students. They're leading training, and they're leading our schools.

When we set out to find new principals for Southwest and Sparta Elementary Schools, we interviewed candidates from both inside and outside of the district. What we discovered was that the strongest applicants were already on those campuses. 

We also have talented students, who are continuing to hone their skills this summer.

Next week, the Belton High School construction trades team will compete at the 2015 SkillsUSA National Conference in Louisville, KY. In the TeamWorks event, a crew of four students has four days to build, plumb and wire a small structure. Our students won their second consecutive state title this year, and I'm excited to see what they do at nationals.

Sincerely,

Susan Kincannon, Ed.D.
Superintendent
RECOGNITIONS
Softball Regional Semifinalists

With a record of 21-7, the Lady Tigers advanced to the UIL6A Regional Semifinals, softball's "sweet sixteen."

Baseball Bi-District Champions

Tiger Baseball advanced to the area round of the playoffs claiming a bi-district title and racking up a 21-9 record along the way.

TASSP Region 12 Assistant Principals of the Year

Belton High School Assistant Principal Claudia Knox has been selected as the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) Region 12 High School Assistant Principal of the Year, and Lake Belton Middle School Assistant Principal Ben Smith has been selected as the TASSP Region 12 Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year. 

2015 Platinum Leadership Circle Award

The Texas Comptroller's Office recognizes local governments that provide online financial transparency with their annual Leadership Circle Awards. Belton ISD submitted an application in May and received highest award, platinum, for the second year in a row.

TASB Media Honor Roll

Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) recognizes media representatives with inclusion on their Media Honor Roll. This year, three journalists covering Belton ISD have been included on the honor roll for their fair, accurate, and balanced reporting about public schools: Tony Adams, The Belton Journal; Devin Corbitt, The Belton Journal; and Lindsey Hernandez, Temple Daily Telegram.


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