BURTON SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY PURCHASE

  

The Burton School Board agreed on Monday to purchase new technology for student instruction.

Superintendent Vikki Curry said students across the district are in need of new Chromebooks and tablets.  The items are being grouped together into one lump sum purchase not to exceed $75,000.

Curry said the district will use “everything but local funds” to make the purchase, using sources such as grants and the state’s instructional allotment.

Trustees tabled two related items to purchase instructional resources for math, as well as English, language arts and reading (ELAR).

The board also approved going through the Texas Association of School Boards Risk Management Fund as the district’s property and casualty insurance provider.  Business Manager Caitlyn Blakey-Staal said the district’s property coverage is going up $13,000 for a total of $105,093, but she noted that rates are not going up.  Rather, this is due to the district having a greater amount of insured value as construction continues on bond projects.

In a discussion-only item, the board received an update on efforts by Burton ISD staff members to adjust the district’s facility rental agreement.  Curry said there were aspects of the agreement that “needed to be tightened up” in terms of expectations when someone uses district facilities.  Blakey-Staal said the changes assist in the district’s goal of equitable access, legal compliance and financial responsibility as it pertains to the use of those facilities.

Additionally, trustees approved teacher contract extensions, certified the provision of instructional materials process for the 2025-26 school year, and approved the Open Education Resources (OER) transition plan. 

Monday’s meeting opened with a prayer and moment of silence in memory of 6^th grade teacher Kim Applewhite, who passed away after experiencing a medical emergency on campus Monday morning.  Several agenda items, including student recognitions and a bond construction update, were postponed to next month’s meeting.