BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD HEARS UPDATES ON BOND & VATRE PROGRESS, INCOMING WINTER WEATHER

  

The Brenham School Board received updates on Tuesday about the initial stages of rolling out the school bond improvements and Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE), as well as the possibility of schedule changes next week with winter weather on the way.

For the bond, Superintendent Clay Gillentine said requests for qualifications (RFQs) for program management services and architectural and engineering professional services were posted prior to the holiday break and were closed on Friday.  He said Brenham ISD will proceed next month with presenting the results to the board for approval.

The bond sale is expected to close roughly 30 days after the board’s vote. 

The $39 million bond is dedicated for capital improvements at various district facilities.  Some of the bond proceeds will go back toward the district’s general fund, which was used to cover the cost of some capital projects that were considered emergencies.  Last summer, the board passed a resolution to reimburse the general fund in the event the bond was approved.

As for the VATRE, which will cover staff pay raises and the hiring of new positions to alleviate classroom crowding, Gillentine said some elementary teaching positions have been posted, and communication is continuing with the elementary and secondary campus principals this spring on what they need. 

Gillentine also gave an update on Brenham ISD’s preparations ahead of wintry conditions set to arrive this weekend.  He said the district is continuing to watch weather models as they change and is coordinating with emergency management officials and area superintendents.  He acknowledged the possibility of a delayed start or outright cancellation for classes on Monday, and he said the district will let the public know its decision as soon as it can, but there are multiple factors that go into making that call.

Also in session, trustees received a presentation from instructional leaders about the district’s new literacy instructional framework, as well as the framework’s “exemplary” rating of 21 out of 21 points through a review by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). 

Trustees were thrilled with the framework and its score from the TEA, with Board President Jared Krenek saying there are not “enough positive words” to describe his excitement and his appreciation of the work put in by staff.  Board Vice President Bonnie Brinkmeyer said she had “goosebumps” and that this framework “pulls everything together”.  Trustee Archer Archer said he was grateful for this opportunity to be intimately involved in the actual learning that students receive, adding, “This is the stuff that matters.”  Trustee Shawn Koonce thanked staff for being intentional and thorough, saying he believes this can be a “keystone moment” for the district.

In other business, the board:

• Accepted a contribution from Center Church Brenham totaling $3,682.22, including a monetary donation of $3,142.22 and an in-kind donation of educational toys and LEGO sets valued at $540.
• Received recognition as part of School Board Appreciation Month.  Each trustee received a basket of goodies along with a challenger coin commemorating the 150^th anniversary of Brenham ISD.
• Approved the addition of three purchasing cooperatives for Brenham ISD, including the Central Texas Purchasing Alliance, the Purchasing Solutions Alliance and Sourcewell.  Joining the co-ops allows the district to use contracts already competitively procured by the co-op, instead of having to issue its own competitive bids or solicitations.  The Central Texas Purchasing Alliance has an annual fee of $150, while the Purchasing Solutions Alliance and Sourcewell are free to join.