Board Notes: February 28, 2023

Presentations and Recognitions

Denton ISD’s Board of School Trustees recognized several groups and individuals at Tuesday night’s meeting, including 10 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State band, choir and orchestra students. These students consisted of Braswell High School’s Arianna Shepherd, Denton High School’s Caleb Harold and Leo Illari, Ryan High School’s Favour Ayeni and Jack Bowman, and Guyer High School’s Cale Golden, Alden Daniels, Maxwell Douglas, Celine Cho and Audrey Lee. 

These students were chosen for this prestigious honor through a competitive process held across the state at the district, region and area levels. This process begins throughout the state in auditions hosted by 33 TMEA regions. Individual musicians perform selected music for a panel of judges who rank each instrument or voice part. From this ranking, a select group of musicians advance from their region to compete against musicians from areas in eight TMEA Area competitions. The highest ranking musicians judged at the area competition qualify to perform in a TMEA All-State music group. 

All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can achieve. Only 1,875 students are selected through a process beginning with over 70,000 students – meaning only the top 2.6% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.

Trustees also recognized the district’s theatre department for earning the Texas Thespians Premiere Communities for Theatre Education Award. Only nine out of 1,026 eligible districts were awarded this honor throughout the state. 

To qualify for the Texas Thespians Premiere Communities for Theatre Education Award, Denton ISD answered detailed questions about curriculum, scheduling standards, class sizes, facilities, theatre safety, technical equipment, production elements, overall support for the theatre program and Thespian troupe involvement. Responses were verified and reviewed by Texas Theatre Education specialists.

Representing the district’s theatre departments for the board recognition were Dr. Jackie deMontmollin, Director of Fine Arts, Michelle Greene, Braswell High School Theatre Director, Michael Cleveland, Denton High School Theatre Director, Eleshia Crotwell, Guyer High School Theatre Director and Jeannene Abney, Ryan High School Theatre Director.

Lastly, as part of the district’s Community Spotlight, Trustees recognized Texas Woman’s University.

Each year, the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) honors businesses and organizations for their support and exceptional advocacy of local schools. This state-wide honor, as part of “Stand Up for Texas Public Schools,” recognizes local businesses and community organizations that partner with districts, making a difference in the lives of local public school students.

Through a partnership with TWU, professors provide support to Denton ISD through in-service to teachers of record in dual-language classrooms at 12 schools. They also support faculty members, administrators and support staff at Denton and Braswell High Schools to effectively educate English language learners (ELLs). 

Since 2014, TWU has provided a pathway for Denton ISD Education and Training graduates to complete their educational preparation and return to the district to teach through TEACH Denton. The Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (SCOTTE) awarded TWU and Denton ISD the Exemplary Partnership Award. 

Because of the reciprocity and shared values of our organizations, Denton ISD hires more graduates of TWU than any other school district in Texas. 

Workshop Items

Discussion of 2023-2024 Budget Calendar
Denton ISD Executive Director of Budget Jennifer Stewart presented an overview of the 2023-2024 budget calendar. Mrs. Stewart explained that campuses and departments will submit their budgets in April. The district also receives projected property values in April. There will be a public hearing in June, and an adoption of the official budget will happen at that time. For 2023-2024, the district’s budget priorities will be the opening of Pat Cheek Middle School, compensation plan considerations and a review of contractual obligations that may have a cost increase. 

Discussion of Pedi Place Partnership
Denton ISD Director of Health Services Nicole Goodman presented to Trustees regarding a proposed partnership with Pedi-Place medical clinic. The clinic would offer quality care to students who currently lack access to care, which will allow students to return to class more quickly. This will also decrease the number of days absent due to treatable or preventable illness. If approved, Denton ISD would provide Pedi-Place with a location to use beginning later this year in Fall 2023. 

Discussion of Mid-Year Performance Update 
Denton ISD Associate Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Staff Development Dr. Mike Mattingly, Director of Secondary Curriculum Dr. Lisa Thibodeaux, Director of Early Childhood Cecilia Holt and Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction Sandy Brown presented the mid-year student progress report, showing student progress as it relates toward attaining grade level proficiency. 

Discussion of 2023-2024 Open and Closed Campuses
Denton ISD Director of District and Student Support Services Lesli Guajardo presented a summary of Denton ISD’s functional capacity and projected enrollment for 2023-2024. Additionally, this report also identified which current campuses are open or closed to intra-district and inter-district transfers. 

Based on the projected numbers, the following elementary schools will be open to transfers:

  • Braswell Zone: Bell and Paloma Creek Elementary
  • Denton Zone: Alexander, Borman, Houston, Newton Rayzor and W.S. Ryan Elementary
  • Guyer Zone: Adkins, Blanton, E.P. Rayzor, McNair and Nelson Elementary
  • Ryan Zone: Ginnings and Stephens Elementary

The following middle schools will be open to transfers:

  • Braswell Zone: Cheek, Navo and Rodriguez Middle School
  • Denton Zone: Calhoun and McMath Middle School
  • Guyer Zone: Crownover and Harpool Middle School
  • Ryan Zone: Myers Middle School

At the high school level, Denton High School will be open to transfers. 

Report Items

Quarterly Growth Report – 4th Qtr 2022
Rocky Gardner from Zonda Demographics presented a summary concerning the Dallas/Fort Worth housing market, economic indicators, Denton ISD’s residential activity and enrollment projections as of the 4th Quarter of 2022 as it relates to the overall growth of Denton ISD. 

Mr. Gardner noted Denton ISD was second home closings in 2022 Q4 in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Denton ISD also had an increase in new home starts in 2022 Q4. The district has 66 actively building subdivisions with 4,000 lots available to build on. Denton ISD is forecasted to enroll more than 36,600 by 2027-208 and 42,400 by 2032-2033. 

Construction Report
Denton ISD Executive Director of Construction, Planning and Growth Brandon Boyter presented information concerning construction projects as to scheduling, progress and funding. The construction program will meet the demand to construct high-quality facilities for students and staff with critical oversight and fiscal responsibility. 

Mr. Boyter also shared the progress of Newton Rayzon Elementary, Calhoun Middle School and Cheek Middle School. 

Intruder Detection Audit Report Update 
Denton ISD Superintendent Dr. Jamie Wilson presented a report to provide an update to the recent Intruder Detection Audits conducted by the Texas School Safety Center. Further detail was provided to the board in executive session for the purpose of safety and security.