BRENHAM ISD BOARD APPROVE NEW SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT OFFICER
The Brenham ISD Board of Trustees approved the employment of a new School Improvement Officer at their Board of Trustees meeting on Monday evening.
Brenham ISD Superintendent Dr. Walter Jackson addressed the Board, and the Board approved Rachel Peterson for that position. Peterson addressed the Board expressing her appreciation of being considered, and then officially accepted the position.
Human Resource Director Christie Olivarez address the Board concerning the administrator/principal/assistant principal evaluation instruments.
According to policy, a campus administrator who is a certified PDAS appraiser and approved by the Board, shall conduct a teacher’s appraisal. A “campus appraiser” includes a principal, assistant principal, or other supervisory staff designated as an administrator.
The Board also voted to send Board President Natalie Lange as a official voting delegate and alternate to the 2015 TASA/TASB Delegate Assembly in Austin on October 2-4th. There is still an opportunity for other Board members to considered accompanying Lange to Austin if they so choose.
An Instructional Update was also presented to the Board.
Bonnie Brinkmeyer, Director of Instruction and Accountability and AP and English teacher Donna Fielding addressed the Board concerning the Brenham ISD Instruction update.
The number one goal: “Brenham ISD will provide a coordinated curriculum that is implemented through effective instructional practices.”
As a result of the district conversing with other districts who have written curriculum documents in place, the decision was to have guidelines designed to facilitate more consistency across Prek-12 campuses while still maintain high expectations, which include a common lesson plan that should allow teachers to plan TEKS-aligned, authentic learning and assessment for every student in Brenham ISD. The plan has been shared with the teachers to help facilitate teacher planning for the fall, and more details will be provided during Inservice Week.
Some concerns brought up by Board members was one of the requirements concerning having a certain number of grades by the end of the grading periods, which is usually six weeks.
Board President Natalie Lange and Board member Susan Jenkins asked Bonnie Brinkmeyer if these guidelines or if they were “set in stone,” expressing concern to having enough grades if the grading period had fewer than six weeks in them.
Brinkmeyer noted that these were just guidelines, and that the shorter grading periods would be considered when deciding whether a teacher was in compliance with the guidelines. The number of grades needed was dependent on grade level.
The National FCCLA Leadership participants were introduced to the Board of Trustees. The members attended the National FCCLA Conference in Washington D.C
