Board Brief - 01.22.24

A quorum of the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Board of Trustees met for a Regular Board Meeting on January 22, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the PBTISD Board Room. The following items were presented, discussed, acted upon or approved.

Strategy III, Result 1: Showcase students and staff throughout the District.

The month of January is School Board Recognition Month! Thank you to our Board of Trustees for their dedication to the students and staff of PBTISD.

Individuals who wish to participate during the portion of the meeting designated for public comment shall sign up with the presiding officer or designee before the meeting begins as specified in the Board's procedures on public comment. BED(LOCAL)

• Drew Matthews - Community Comment

Presenter: Tim Gilbert, Director of Bond and Capital Projects and Brent Jaco, Superintendent of Schools

Strategy IV: We will be responsible stewards of our resources.

PBTISD is building! You can view the report here.

Items approved 7-0

View Minutes here.

View Minutes here.

The monthly financial update consisted of a Schedule of Appropriations and expenditures.

• SparkCognition

The board shall have its district fiscal accounts audited annually at district expense by a certified or

public accountant holding a permit from the State Board of Public Accountancy. The audit must be

completed following the close of each fiscal year. This year’s audit DOES NOT have any audit findings. This is the third consecutive year that the district has received a finding-free audit.

Reeves County has taken over the operations of conducting elections. The Reeves County Election Administrator’s Office (RCEAO) coordinates, supervises, and handles all aspects of administering the election. The RCEAO will provide equipment, supplies, services, and administration for the election.The RCEAO will pay all expenses, and the District will reimburse Reeves County for the District’s portion of the expenses incurred within our district boundaries.

Reeves County has switched to using digital equipment for elections. This item is to approve the use of this equipment for this election season.

The board shall order an election. An election to be held on a uniform date shall be ordered no later than the 78th day before election day. The uniform election date is May 4, 2024.

As we plan for the 2024-2025 school year, knowing the number and type of vacancies is essential in proactively planning for staffing our schools and departments for the next school year. Providing an incentive for staff to make an early decision will allow hiring managers to search for and fill vacancies. Early resignation incentives do not encourage individuals to resign, but instead, they encourage those who are going to resign to do so early so hiring managers can search for top talent as soon as possible.

Staff can expect more information to be distributed by Human Resources in the coming weeks.

To encourage employees to return to PBTISD and perform at a high level in supporting students by providing a one-time retention payment for all employees in the amount of four percent (4%) based on the average teacher salary outlined in the 2024-2025 Teacher Salary Schedule for teachers and four percent (4%) at the 2024-2025 Compensation Plan midpoint job classification for all other employees; with a minimum floor of $1,750.00. This stipend is for staff returning for the 2024-2025 school year and will paid out at the beginning of the school year.

A need for a lead counselor has arisen during the school year, and as such, we are asking for equitable compensation to be considered commensurate with the additional work and responsibility of a lead counselor.

As the district continues to plan for the construction of a new Pecos High School and related facilities, portable buildings are needed to help minimize the impact of inconveniences to academics and other high school activities. Aries has collaborated closely over the last several weeks with the district and VLK architectural team to finalize the performance design and specifications project to provide a versatile product that fulfills our needs.

Bessie Haynes Elementary Campus was recently demoed, with only the newer gym and a couple of classrooms being left in place.The Town of Pecos City has expressed interest in utilizing the land and remaining facilities as a recreation area. The lease agreement presented was done in consultation with our attorneys and has been approved by them.

The PBTISD Board of Trustees was recently selected to participate in the Raise Your Hand Texas Trustee Advocacy Program, Cohort 2. Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD distinguished itself during the competitive selection process, including 25 school district applicants from across Texas competing for eight (8) program slots. The breadth and depth of experience and interest among this applicant pool affirmed a strong interest and a demand for capacity building in public education.

Pulled by Trustee Anchondo. Approved 7-0

The administration reviews our lease agreement yearly and works closely with legal counsel to ensure the lease agreement is up-to-date with legislative changes and other associated requirements. We also review the lease agreement to ensure that district property is protected and taken care of. We recently had some challenges with current employees/tenants and wanted to add language to the lease agreement to protect the district’s assets better.

According to Board Policy - The Board may name a District facility or a portion of a facility, such as a library or an auditorium, for:

• A deceased, distinguished educator (local, state, or national);
• A deceased, distinguished, historical person (local, state, or national);
• A deceased, prominent local citizen;
• A local, state, or national historical event or place; or
• The street on which the facility is located or the subdivision surrounding it.

The Board approved (7-0) the naming of the Zavala Elementary Gymnasium to the Filimon "Tally" Talamantez Gymnasium.

Approved 7-0

Student Outcome Goal 4: The percentage of students who graduate within four years will increase from 90.3% to 95% by August 2027. (Class of 2024 = 93.1%)

• Goal Progress Measure 4.1: The percentage of freshmen who earn 6.5 credits or more by the end of their freshman cohort school year will increase from 79% to 94% by June 2027. (Goal for 2024 = 85%)
• Goal Progress Measure 4.2: The percentage of students who score at the “Approaches” level or above on at least three End of Course Exams by the beginning of their junior cohort school year will increase from 79% to 94% by August 2027. (Goal for 2024 = 85%)

Approved 7-0

As part of Lone Star Governance, the Board of Trustees approved Superintendent Constraint Progress Measures in June 2023.

• Superintendent Constraint #3 - The Superintendent shall not allow irresponsible financial practices.
• Constraint Progress Measure #3A - Material findings in the yearly financial audits will remain zero (0) from January 2023 to January 2025.
• There are NO material findings for the FY2023 Financial Audit

This agenda item allows the Board to discuss one of the four Board Constraints and determine if there has been any violation of the Constraint. If a trustee feels another has violated the contract, the board should move to an executive session and discuss the concern. Ultimately, the Board will need to acknowledge the Board Constraint and take ACTION to continue to implement the ideals of the Constraint.

The Board entered into an Executive Session to discuss possible concerns. In Open Session, the board approved Constraint 7-0.

Approved 7-0

The Board adopted a resolution in Spring 2022 to implement the TEA Lone Star Governance (LSG) model. The intention of LSG is to provide a continuous improvement model for governing teams - school boards in collaboration with the superintendent - focusing on one primary objective: improving student outcomes. The LSG Quarterly Progress Tracker is a tool used by school boards to self-evaluate their level of implementation and commitment to the principles of the LSG model.

7:49 p.m.

EXECUTIVE SESSION may be called for the purposes permitted by the Texas Open Meeting Act, Texas Government Code Section 551.001 through 551.146, Section 551.071 Consultation with Attorney, Section 551.072 Real Property, 551.074 Personnel Matters (Appointment, Employment, Evaluation, Reassignment, Duties, Discipline, Dismissal, Complaint)

• Personnel
  • Director of Special Education
  • Director of Safety and Security

The Board reconvened to Open Session at 8:46 p.m.

• Consider and possible action to hire a Director of Special Education (Approved 7-0)
  

• Consider and possible action to hire a Director of Safety & Security (Approved 7-0)

The Board adjourned at 9:04 p.m. on January 22, 2024.

The next regular School Board meeting is scheduled for February 20, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.

This newsletter is in line with Strategy III: We will broaden and strengthen partnerships with staff, families, and communities through transparency and effective communication.