AISD recognizes school supporters
By Melinda L. Lucas
During their regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 19, school board trustees learned details about the Albany ISD’s “B” grade in the state’s accountability ratings, and reviewed some of the plans to make improvements during the upcoming year.
Details about the accountability numbers are included in a page one article in this week’s issue.
The board also looked over the second draft of the proposed budget and made plans to act on the numbers at a special evening meeting on Aug. 29.
Community
Recognition
During the first part of Monday’s meeting, superintendent Jonathan Scott recognized six local businesses, with representatives of five of those present to accept the certificates.
Scott explained that the Business Recognition Program through the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) is meant to thank businesses for ongoing support of Texas public schools and the students who attend them.
“You have been selected to be added to the list of businesses from all over the state who are ‘standing up for public schools’,” said Scott.
Receiving certificates were Treca Peacock of Prairie Star, Jacob Cleveland of True Value Hardware, Betsy Parsons of Albany Dance Theatre, Steve Waller of First Financial Bank, Robert Dacus and Randall Palmore of First National Bank, and Curt Manning of Brookshire’s.
Budget, Tax Rate
The board plans to adopt the budget at a brief 5:30 p.m. session next Thursday, Aug. 29, a couple of days before the Aug. 31 deadline set by state law.
Expenditures for the upcoming school year are projects to be $6,513,814, compared to the actual expenses so far this fiscal year of just under $5.7 million.
Much of the increase is due to the recent teacher pay raise approved by the Texas Legislature.
Revenue for the year is expected to total $5,799,627, including an increase in state funding to pay for the employee salaries.
“The templates continue to change daily,” said the superintendent. “Obviously, we have to approve it at the end of this month, but we’re still working on the expenditures and trying to calculate what the revenue will be. The bottom line is that we may not know until November what the state is going to give us.”
New Scoreboard
A donation of $26,242 by First National Bank for the new scoreboard at the football field was accepted by the trustees.
Scott said that the project had been ongoing since April, with some delays because of heavy rains during the first part of the summer.
“The scoreboard is up and working, but the First National Bank part of the sign is still being refurbished and won’t be installed before this week’s scrimmage,” said Scott. “We hope it will be in pace for the first home game.”
Other Business
•As part of the consent agenda, the board approved a facilities use request by the Albany Lions Club for the circus to be performed on the ele-mentary campus Oct. 5-6.
•A required resolution of “hazardous traffic conditions” was adopted in connection with the district’s 2019 transportation routes, coding the roads that are considered as “high mileage.”
•Local principals Edward Morales and John Gallagher went over their enrollment figures, as well as various activities during the first week of school.
•The superintendent was approved as the district’s investment officer.
