AISD trustees review budget draft

By Melinda L. Lucas

Changes and additions to the student handbooks, along with reviewing the preliminary budget, took up much of Monday’s regular Albany ISD school board meeting.

The trustees also approved the new minimal teacher pay scale and a heard a brief report on the progress of the Graham Memorial Pavilion in honor of AISD employee Melba Graham, who worked for the district for more than 10 years before she and her husband were killed in a highway accident in 2018.

The concrete foundation for the outdoor covered eating facility is being poured this week next to the AHS tennis courts, and will be used by students for lunches, as well as for tennis events.

Secondary principal Edward Morales said that he would like to see electricity added and perhaps even a propane heater for use on colder days.

Policy Changes

Morales went over a number of changes and additions in the secondary student handbooks, much of it recommended by the district’s attorneys, but some that will affect cell phone privileges and add tuition for summer school.

Although a few teachers already utilize clear pocket charts for cell phones, Morales said that the pouches will now be placed in every classroom, and students will be required to deposit their phones there at the beginning of each class.

“We’ve been leaving this up to the teachers, but now everyone has to do the same thing so there will be consistency across the board,” said Morales. “There’s no excuse for the kids to ‘forget’ the policy for that class.”

The principal is also suggesting that students who have to attend summer school for credit recovery due to a failing grade be required to pay $150 tuition for each half credit.

“We’re trying to put a little more teeth in motivating them to do their work during the regular school year,” said Morales. 

Other policy changes affect absences, mandatory tutoring, and graduation “certificates of completion,” all of which will be reviewed with students when the school year begins.

Elementary principal John Gallagher went over minor changes in the NSES student handbook.

Preliminary Budget

Superintendent Jonathan Scott presented very preliminary budget figures, although he doesn’t expect to have final valuations and calculations from the appraisal district until later in the month.

Scott, along with AISD business manager Angelyn Faith, will work to finalize the document during August, with the required notices to be published during the month and the budget adopted by Aug. 31.

As a part of that process, the trustees formally approved the new 2019-2020 minimal teacher pay scale set by the state.

AISD currently pays $2,050 above base to teachers, and Scott said that several districts in the area are dropping their above-base incentive pay because of the state raise.

Both Scott and board members were of the opinion that the district should keep the above-base pay in the budget.

Other Business

•Local business owner Jacob Cleveland, who was told by a school employee recently that his store was “last on the list” for supply purchases, asked board members if that was actually a directive. Scott will look into the matter.

•Scott said that the district is still seeking a paraprofessional to manage the PLATO lab at the secondary campus.