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April 21, 2014 Board Meeting
Board Briefs covers the highlights of each month's board meeting. More details can be found online at www.bisd.net. |
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CTE Welding
The welding program is part of the manufacturing cluster and currently serves 48 students. Students in these courses complete various projects and enter them in competitions at local and state fairs and stock shows. At the Bell County Youth Fair held in February, the 24' gooseneck trailer manufactured by Belton ISD students Benito Escamilia, Kent Johnson, Stephen Ratts and Chayton Drake was the grand champion metal group project. The welding classes are taught by Wade Gartman.
The need for trained welders increases with the growth in the manufacturing sector. Business partners, including Artco-Bell, and post-secondary partners, like Texas State Technical College, are helping ensure that the curriculum meets industry standards.
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Superintendent's Report
Fast Growth School Coalition
Belton ISD's enrollment has grown approximately 17% in the last five years and 40% in the last decade making it one of 96 fast-growth districts statewide. Taken together these districts account for 80% of the student enrollment growth in Texas.
As a result of this fast growth, Belton ISD and other districts in the coalition have had to build new schools to house their new students. State funding doesn't address the facilities needs of fast-growth school districts, so these districts have to rely on local revenue to meet their students' needs.
A recent meeting of the coalition took a closer look at construction costs in fast-growth districts. Some of the same factors increasing student enrollment contribute to higher construction costs in these districts: a shortage of skilled workers, high demand for materials and equipment, and a strong construction climate.
Some politicians have tried to compare the costs of new school construction while ignoring these realities and other regional differences. That's a misleading approach. Ultimately local communities are best positioned to assess their students' needs.
When local communities approve bonds to finance new school construction, school districts owe it to their voters to be transparent about their finances. There's already a wealth of information on Belton ISD's website about the budget, tax rates and more. Even more information will be added when a new financial transparency page launches later this spring.
Bond Refunding
In February trustees approved the refinancing of bonds authorized by voters in 2006. At the time, district officials told the board that refunding the bonds would save taxpayers $1.27 million in interest payments by securing a lower rate. The district actually saved a total of $1.37 million when the bond refunding took place earlier this month. This is the fifth time that Belton ISD has refunded bonds since 2010. The previous bond refunding saved taxpayers $5.1 million.
Graduation Tickets
For the past two years, attendance at Belton High School's commencement ceremony has exceeded the capacity of the Expo Center Arena. As a result, tickets will be required for all guests attending this year's ceremony on June 5. Each member of the BHS Class of 2014 will receive nine tickets. This number was determined by dividing the available seats by the number of graduates. All tickets will be "General Admission," and there will be no reserved seating. Other than seniors graduating and children under two, each person entering the arena must have a ticket.
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Head Boys Basketball Coach
Trustees approved hiring David President as the next head boys basketball coach. Most recently he served as the athletic director and head basketball coach in Waelder ISD. Prior to that President was an assistant coach in Marble Falls. While attending the University of Texas at San Antonio, he was a four-year starter and a member of the 2003-2004 Southland Conference championship team, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament that season.
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BMS/BHS Transition
Next fall the current Belton Middle School campus will become part of the high school complex providing additional capacity to meet growing student enrollment. Committees made up of parents, students, staff and administrators have been meeting to plan for the transition, and board members received an update on their work.
The former middle school campus will be used primarily as a ninth-grade center and rebranded to give it a greater sense of connectedness with the rest of the high school campus. Teal and brown accents will be replaced with red. Furniture for older students will replace some of the existing desks and tables.
This month incoming ninth-grade students voted on names for the building and selected Bhs9. Also referred to as "The Nine," students and parents will have a chance to see the school's new look during the annual Freshman Focus event in August.
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As you can see from the pictures in the right-hand column, the school board recognized a long list of student successes Monday night.
Our kids are excelling in the classroom, in athletic competitions and on stage. I 'm proud of them, and I'm thankful for all that you do to support them.
Sincerely,
Susan Kincannon, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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SkillsUSA State Winners
Among other awards won by CTE students, the construction management team qualified for the TeamWorks event at the National SkillsUSA Conference.
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Central Texas Incredible Kids
BHS seniors Brody Grogan and Samantha Stapper and Pirtle Elementary School fifth-grader Michael Eckert were among this year's honorees.
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Academic UIL District Championship
The BHS Academic UIL Team won the district championship placing first in nine out of 13 categories, and individual students took home seven championships and a total of 33 medals at the district meet.
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Duke TIP Talent Search State Recognized Students
Each year seventh-grade students participating in the Duke TIP Talent Search take either the ACT or the SAT. 17 students received scores that qualify them for recognition at a state ceremony.
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KCEN Rotary Challenge Winners
The BHS Challenge Team won the KCEN Rotary Challenge to qualify for the 2014 National Academic Championship.
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Citizen Bee State Qualifier
BHS senior Brody Grogan won the competition for ESC Region 12 qualifying for the state competition.
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American Association of Teachers of German Summer Study Trip
Spencer Diem is one of 39 students nationwide to be awarded a three-week study trip to Germany this summer.
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TXU Energy Light Up Video Contest Finalist
Belton New Tech High School @Waskow sophomore Jonathan Froese was the second place winner in the TXU Energy Light Up the Red Carpet Student Film Contest. His film, "Energy Independence," can be viewed online at http://youtu.be/SWYuBzyjDS8.
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Visual Art Scholastic Event State Qualifier
After receiving a rating of "IV" at the Regional Visual Art Scholastic Event, BHS student Kaylee Moon qualified to exhibit her drawing in the state event.
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UIL Solo-Ensemble Contest State Qualifiers
In the choir contest, Belton ISD will be represented by nine soloists and three ensembles. In the band contest, the district will be represented by nine soloists and 12 ensembles.
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HTEDance National Champions
At the HTEDance National Championship, the Magic Belles were the grand champions and also won five solo awards, two duet awards, two ensemble awards, four first-place team awards and six special judges' awards.
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Belton Rotary Educator of the Quarter
Michelle Stevens is a Title I math teacher at High Point Elementary. She is in her 1st year at BISD and 6th year in education.
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Temple Rotary Educator of the Month
Anne Clemons is a music teacher at Pirtle Elementary. She is in her 13th year at BISD and 16th year in education.
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