Board Notes: January 11, 2022

BOARD NOTES – Jan. 11, 2022

Public Hearing

Review of TAPR
Dr. Mike Mattingly, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction conducted the Public Hearing on the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) 2021 which replaced the AEIS report. The 2021 Accountability Rating was “Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster” (Covid-19). Given the impact of COVID-19, all districts and schools received a label of Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster for their 2021 accountability ratings. Dr. Mattingly gave an overview of student performance for Denton ISD, the class of 2020 had a total of 2096 graduates and the credit for College, Career & Military Readiness (CCMR) credit was 63.1%. The District’s graduation rate for 2020 was 97.1%. The entire report can be viewed here.

“I appreciate the comprehensive review of the data, you have not only presented this year’s data, but you have also given us great perspective over several years,” said Dr. Jim Alexander, trustee. “I see us making real progress in several key focus areas that the Board has set as a priority, and I appreciate the work of all involved.”


Workshop Items

Denton ISD Utility Management Report for July 2020 - June 2021
Paul Andress, Executive Director of Operations and Brandon Hoke, TD Industries presented the trend data comparing 2020 to 2021. Our utility cost runs around $1.23 per square foot. The Board was also provided an update as to the solar system at Union Park Elementary. The Operations Department continues to have bi-weekly utility audits to review any problem area.

Discussion of High School Course Planning Guide
Dr. Lisa Thibodeaux, executive director of secondary education, presented an overview of the new online high school course planning guide.  The course planning guide is comprised of all the high school course offerings, graduation requirements, testing information, GPA guidelines and information, and college information, and serves as a planning guide. The web-based catalog was designed by Melissa Green, district web manager. The changes made to this new planning guide were for purposes of continuing to update the new STAAR state assessment requirements, deleting courses no longer offered, adding new courses already approved by the Board, reflecting any Board-approved changes, and text editing.

As a direct result of suggestions made by the Board, a personal graduation planner was developed and is now a permanent part of the planning guide as well as additional information about scholarships for attending college. All required or editing changes proposed are the direct result of communication from high school principals, associate principals, counselors, registrars, content area Curriculum Coordinators, the Director of Counseling, the Director of Fine Arts, the Director of Bilingual/ESL Education, the Director of Athletics, the Executive Director of Special Education, and the Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Staff Development. The Course Planning Guides undergo general reformatting, corrections, revisions, and editing. It also provides clarifications to current practice:

  • GPA calculation worksheet
  • CBE options, available exams
  • Examples of mathematics acceleration
  • 5th year English GPA option
  • Changes to current practice:
  • New options for world language credits for transfer students
  • Course changes recommended by course committee:
    • Dual Credit Chemistry
    • Astronomy
    • AP Biology (grade level change)
    • Strategic Learning for High School Mathematics
    • Money Matters (for LaGrone)
    • CTE course updates

Discussion of Middle School Course Planning Guide
Lisa Thibodeaux, Director of Secondary Academics presented the Middle School Course planning guide. Updates are made to the planning guides each year to reflect changes in course offerings and other related policies and practices. The purpose of this report is to share with the Board of Trustees the changes that will be reflected in the 2022-2023 Denton ISD Middle


School Course Planning Guide.

The Planning Guides updates include: General reformatting, corrections, revisions, editing Clarifications to current practice:

  • Credit Recovery
  • “Courses taken in middle school”
  • Spanish for Spanish Speakers additional information
  • Course changes recommended by course committee:
    • Middle School Dance 2
    • Robotics 1
    • Principles of Applied Engineering
    • Gateway to Technology I-IV

Discussion of Extended School Day (ESD) Program
Lesli Guajardo, Director of District Services presented a report on Extended School Day for the Board of Trustees to consider the following:

  • Increase of tuition for ESD
  • Early Release Plan for 2022-2023 school year
  • In order to keep the current (temporary) pay increase, ESD will have to raise tuition. Without the temporary pay increase for ESD instructors, the program would continue to be significantly short-staffed resulting in waitlists for all campuses.
  • The Early Release Plan will require additional preparation and training for ESD instructors. It will also require cooperation from campus paraprofessionals and the substitute teacher office (ESS).

 

Report Items

COVID Update
Susannah O’Bara, Assistant Superintendent of Academic Programs, provided the most recent update on student/staff Covid cases.

 

New Business

Order of Trustee Election
Trustees approved the call of the Trustee Election for Saturday, An election is hereby ordered to be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022 for the purpose of electing to the Board of Trustees two trustees for a full three (3) year term for each position designated as Place 3, Place 4 and Place 5.
Applications for a place on the ballot shall be filed by February 18, 2022, at 5 p.m. Early voting by personal appearance will be conducted each weekday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. beginning Monday, April 25 and ending on Tuesday, May 3, 2022.

 

Other Items of Note
Recognized NMSQT Semi-Finalists and Commended
United Way of Denton County Check Presentation
Recognized AP Scholars: Braswell, Denton & Ryan High schools
Recognized Trustees for School Board Recognition Month