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Burnet CISD
I shared this story with you during my first few years in Burnet CISD, and as I have been reminiscing about the past 12 years.
During my first year of teaching over 30 years ago, I had a student give me a used Uncle Sam Avon cologne decanter for Christmas.
It was wrapped, but it was not in a box, and half the cologne was already gone. I told Tony how much I appreciated his gift and made a big production of putting on the “frou frou juice” in front of my class.
All of you have probably experienced a similar situation, one in which a student that really doesn’t have much, wants to share everything with you because of how important you are to them.
It is one of the reasons I love our vocation. I like the surprise of opening gifts, but my favorite gifts to give and receive are moments of connecting, sharing, and laughing.
I tend to remember moments like that long past ever remembering a gift I received. So my wish for you this Christmas season is a break full of moments enjoying opportunities to connect, share and laugh.
BCISD News
The Burnet CISD Board of Trustees met this evening for their regular December board meeting. Included below are the most notable information and action items.
The pledges to the flags were led by the following Shady Grove Elementary students: Caleb Barnard, Myla Smith, Kane Lawdermilk, and Daleyza Herrera.
The meeting began with recognizing the December students of the month for Burnet High School: Grant Roberts and Arely Castillo Zapata. These students were selected from the Science Department.
The board recognized the 2023 Christmas Card design winners. This year Burnet High School students were the featured artists for the design contest: 1st Place-Calton Schmidt, 2nd Place- Mia Elias, and 3rd Place- Victoria Canales. The 1st place design was used as the Burnet CISD Christmas card.
FFA Champions
The board recognized BHS students that won the FFA National Champions for Meats Evaluation and Technology. Each student on this team also won individual honors: Carter Bostic (1st Place National Champion), Jackson Drozd (2nd Place Reserve National Champion), Enrique Montalvo (4th Place High Individual), and Cayden Beatty (6th Place High Individual).
All-State Football The Board recognized BHS Seniors Luke Hudgins (2nd Team), Tyson Trim (2nd Team), Jace Haberer (2nd Team), Grant Jones (2nd Team), Garner Krause (Honorable Mention), Trenton Park (Honorable Mention), and Dash Denton (Honorable Mention) for being named to the Texas High School Coaches Association Academic All-State Football Team.
All-State Volleyball
The final recognition of the night was Senior Zaria Solis who was named to the Texas Girls Coaching Association All-State Volleyball Team.
Audit Hearing
The Burnet CISD Board of Trustees held a public hearing for the annual financial and compliance report for 2022-2023. The audit was conducted by Eide Bailly, and the audit firm provided an unmodified opinion on the district’s financial statements which is the highest opinion possible. The Board approved the external audit report.
Financial Report
Clay Goehring, Chief Financial Officer, provided an overview of the monthly financial reports, including the 2021 Bond Financial Report. In addition, Mr. Goehring reviewed the 2024-2025 Budget Development Calendar with the Board. The first Budget Workshop will be held on March 4, 2024.
Bond Program
The administration provided a report to the Board of Trustees regarding the status of projects as part of the 2021 Bond Program. A copy of the bond update can be found at www. burnetcisd.net.
Superintendent Search
Board President Earl Foster provided a status report of the superintendent search process. The position was officially posted on Dec. 8 on the Career Center of the TASA website (www.tasanet.org) and on the TexasISD website (www.texasisd.com). The application will close at 4 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2024, and the board is scheduled to review applications on Feb. 12. The staff and parent/community feedback sessions were held the week of Dec. 4. The attendance numbers for each session include: Tuesday, Dec. 5 Staff Feedback: 17 Attendees; Tuesday, Dec. 5 Parent/ Community Feedback: 17 Attendees; Thursday, Dec. 7 Staff Feedback: 2 Attendees; andThursday, December 7 Parent/ Community Feedback: 6 Attendees.
The online Superintendent Search link went live on Dec. 1-Dec. 22.
Intruder Detection
A report was provided to the board regarding an unannounced intruder detection audit conducted in Burnet CISD. The audit was conducted at Burnet Middle School and there was one finding. One exterior door within a fenced secured area was found to be locked, but not properly latched due a pebble in the door sweep. This unlatched door would not have been flagged last year because it is located within a fenced secured area. Because of a change of audit standards, this unlatched door was flagged.
Board Election
The board approved an order calling the School Board Election on Saturday, May 4, 2024, and the appointment of Doug Ferguson as Early Voting Clerk. Four places will be on the ballot this year: Place 2 - currently held by Angela Moore, Place 4 - currently held by Ross Behrens, Place 6 – currently held by Robby Robertson (these are threeyear terms) and Place 5 - currently held by Katy Duke who was appointed in November (this is a three-year term with oneyear remaining). The window to file candidate applications is January 17, 2024 to February 16, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. The last day to register to vote for the May 4 election is Thursday, April 4.
Policy Update
The board approved Policy Update 122. This update includes policy recommendations to address many of the legislative changes from the Regular Session of the 88th Legislature, which ended on May 29, 2023, and specifically addressed the following 10 local policies and topics: CQB — cybersecurity (SB 271); DC — employment of bus drivers (HB 1789); EHB — dyslexia and related disorders (HB 3928); EHBCA — accelerated instruction (HB 1416); FEA — career investigation days (SB 68); FFAC —opioid antagonists (SB 629); FFB — threat assessments (HB 3, SB 1720); and FL — student records (HB 1416).
Personnel Authority In addition to Update 122, the board retains final authority for the employment of personnel in positions at the level of principal and above, including the assistant superintendent, and any director in a position for which the State Board of Education is required.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the addition of two new teacher FTEs due to the increase of class sizes;
• Had discussion, and approved, refreshing of the exterior of the Bertram Elementary Gym. This will be done by making necessary repairs to the cosmetic exterior, then sealing and painting it. The paint scheme will match the remainder of the Bertram campus, thus improving the overall aesthetics of the campus. This work is expected to be completed during the Spring semester;
• Approved a request presented by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jones to approve an application for Maximum Class Size Exceptions in the TEA waiver system.
The state’s waiver application has been disabled in past months, and therefore this has been the first opportunity in the 2023-2024 school year to apply for the waivers.
In the meantime, the district has continued to monitor class sizes, provide support to elementary teachers with large rosters, and hire additional teachers where possible.
Although the approved application will include a total of 30 prekindergarten - 4th grade classrooms that sit over 22:1 today, the board later approved the addition of 2 teacher positions that will relieve the ratio for 13 of those classrooms that were more than one student above the threshold.
When new teachers are hired mid-semester, the experience of the teacher hired and the needs of students at the time of the hire determines whether new sections will be created, or whether an additional teacher will push in and/or pull-out small groups of students from oversize classes. Once those teachers are in place, and with the previous hire of other additional teachers this past semester, we will have PreK - 4th grade ratios no higher than 23:1, and 5th grade ratios no higher than 25:1.
Next Meeting The next Burnet CISD Board of Trustees Meeting is scheduled for Jan. 22 at 6 p.m.
All campuses and offices will be closed for Christmas Break Dec. 25-Jan. 5. Monday, Jan. 8 will be a staff planning day, and all classes will resume a normal schedule on Tuesday, January 9.
