BURTON SCHOOL BOARD DISCUSSES TRANSFER STUDENTS, APPROVES 2023-24 CALENDAR
The topic of transfer students was brought up during Monday’s Burton School Board meeting.
During the report section of the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Edna Kennedy said Burton ISD has been receiving many requests for transfers. She said she plans to have more discussions with the board and administrators on this, as Burton schools currently do not have much more room to bring in new students and still keep small class sizes for teachers.
Dr. Kennedy said the district is considering changing the transfer process to once a year in July, before the start of school, reduced from twice a year.
Dr. Kennedy said Burton ISD may look at the possibility of not accepting existing transfer students back, if they do not meet school criteria like attendance and academic requirements.
Also on Monday, trustees adopted the instructional calendar for the 2023-24 school year. Like Brenham ISD’s calendar, Burton ISD will let out for the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the Washington County Fair. However, unlike Brenham ISD, students in Burton will have off December 18th through January 2nd for the winter break, returning on January 3rd. The last day of school is May 23rd, and graduation will be May 24th.
The board also went over the results of the Texas Academic Performance Reports. The district’s overall accountability rating was an A, and the individual school grades were 95 for Burton Elementary School and 87 for Burton High School.
Burton Elementary School earned distinctions for academic achievement in English/Language Arts, Reading and Math; academic growth; closing the gaps; and postsecondary readiness. Its scores were 93 for student achievement and school progress and 100 for closing the gaps.
For Burton High School, distinction areas were academic achievement in English/Language Arts, mathematics, social studies and postsecondary readiness. Category scores were 87 for student achievement, 82 for school progress and 86 for closing the gaps.
Following regular session, trustees broke into executive session to perform the annual superintendent’s evaluation and discuss Dr. Kennedy’s contract and salary, as well as the contracts for the elementary and high school principals, assistant principal, counselor and athletic director. No action was taken on the contracts.
In other business, the board:
- Approved a joint election contract with the City of Burton and an order of a school board election for the positions of Dean Fuchs, Misty Lucherk and Donna Putnam on May 6th. It also appointed election officials.
- Approved a board policy update affecting local policies.
- Approved a 2022-23 application for a low attendance day waiver for Burton Elementary School on December 16th.
- Approved a Washington County Appraisal District surplus funds budget amendment from the 2021-22 budget year.
- Approved adjustment of the 2022-23 school calendar minutes and professional staff development days.
