On Monday Night, members of the Coppell ISD Board of Trustees received recognition for their hard work and dedication. January is designated as School Board Appreciation Month, and the theme this year is “Leadership for Tomorrow’s Texas.”
Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt presented each of the members with an award.
“We’re very fortunate to have seven incredible board members that give up countless hours of their time, energy, and service to this district. It is not a paid job, as you all know. It’s voluntary,” Dr. Hunt said.
Dr. Hunt also addressed the closure of all CISD buildings that took place last week due to inclement weather. The Board will assess the situation and determine if the two weather days that are built into the calendar will be used. The community will be informed as soon as decisions are finalized.
Dr. Hunt said the CHS Cowboy Theater Company is presenting “Matilda” for the first time at CISD this weekend and next weekend. It is a district-wide musical, with the cast from several CISD schools.
On the topic of theater, Hunt also commended 74 CISD students for being recognized at the Texas Thespian Festival in Grapevine. Eighteen of these students qualified for the International Thespian Festival, which will be held at the University of Indiana in Bloomington in June.
”They’ve spent countless hours of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. These students delivered outstanding individual event performances, earning them well deserved recognition,” Dr. Hunt said.
Dr. Hunt also recognized Wilson Elementary School music teacher Eric Hanson for being announced as a Country Music Association Foundation’s Music Teacher of Excellence for 2024. Hanson is among 30 teachers chosen for this award, and one of 10 teachers outside of Tennessee.
“We’re so proud of Eric. He’s an amazing person, amazing dad, partner, friend to all. We’re just thrilled to have him in CISD,” Dr. Hunt said.
Next, the Board went over the strategic plan update. CISD is implementing the CISD Efficiency Review Committee (CERC), a committee composed of parents, students, community members and staff to examine budget, operations and facility efficiencies. The CERC will meet four times this semester and provide input on various topics.
The Board also went over the budget plans. It discussed Fund Schools First, an initiative designed to provide consistent and accurate information on school funding and the impact inflation has on lawmakers, business leaders and the community.
The district faces a $6.5 million gap in funding for special education, a $4.9 million gap for transportation and a $700,000 gap for safety and security. Enrollment projections show a decline and the average price of homes in CISD is increasing.
The Board also addressed the boundary realignments to relocate students from Pinkerton Elementary School as well as consolidate the DLI programs. Elementary schools will be the most impacted, but middle schools will also be impacted to a degree. The Board will provide more details of which exact communities will be relocated at the workshop on Wednesday.
The Board approved the proposal from Spectrum Resource Roofing LLC for the Coppell High School’s roofing project. Seventy-five percent of the main building’s roof will be replaced. The project involves removing the existing membrane and installing a new backer board with a very severe hail rating and a 60 mil TPO membrane, which will also improve the overall wind resistance. The total cost is not to exceed $5,750,111.
The meeting concluded with the approval to hold the School Board Trustee election for Places 1, 2 and 3 on May 3. The information session will be held on Jan. 23 and more details can be expected on the district website.
