Laneville Independent School District’s school board voted unanimously to seriously consider switching to a four-day week in Thursday night’s board meeting.
Following up on a board member’s suggestion in a previous meeting, LISD Superintendent Teresa Wright created a series of hypothetical school calendars to present a possible four-day school week to present to the staff as a preliminary survey. Surprised by the amount of positive feedback and enthusiasm of the staff at the idea, Wright brought the proposal before the board with offers of a regular five-day week, a four-day week with Mondays off, or a four-day week with Fridays off.
Board members voted to approve Wright’s proposal for late-evening community meetings to gauge the community’s feelings about the drastic change.
When the question of childcare needed for the off-day, Wright cited studies done showing that when school’s adopting this innovative solution created a one-day-a-week daycare program after a very short period those programs were shut down due to lack of participation. Wright did say that the school would be willing to create this program utilizing paraprofessionals, depending on actual need within the community.
Overton ISD and Leverett’s Chapel ISD have both recently adopted the four-day week and are among at least 60 Texas school districts offering four-day weeks, with many of those intending to start the schedule in the 2023-24 school year.
The board also convened into a lengthy executive session where they discussed personnel resignations, contract extensions, and administrative salary and contracts.
Once open session resumed the board voted to approve a 2% raise for both Principal Keith Collins and Assistant Principal Shannon Freeman and to offer Freeman a probationary contract for next year. Term and probationary contracts were approved for a long list of employees with an approved motion to remove second-grade teacher Riley Holcomb’s name from the list.
The resignation of 6-8 grade math teacher, Kayla Tillison, was accepted and approved.
Teacher certifications once again were a hot topic with lengthy discussions held aimed at amending the LISD District of Innovation Policy, very specifically board President Suzanne Kinard hoping to amend the policy to state that only “certified teachers” could be hired. Wright argued that the board could make any determination they felt necessary but if they tied her hands so thoroughly she couldn’t be expected to accept blame when the district couldn’t legally function due to a lack of ‘certified’ educators.
Kinard’s motion to amend the plan did not pass. They did pass a motion to amend Board Policy DC, which previously gave Wright the authority to offer new teacher contracts during summer months. The new policy should state that contracts are to be approved by the board, with an emergency meeting called to approve those contracts.
The board also approved a contract for Morgan LaGrone to continue functioning as the school’s financial auditor, despite inquiries as to why no outside bids were requested.
Collins’s Principal Report was filled with the names of successful students participating in the recent Rusk County Youth Project Show. With 11 Ag. Mechanical Shop projects, three Creative Arts projects, one breeding rabbit, 19 combined head of cattle, and 14 goats which grew into 16 as one of the dairy goats kidded after leaving the show ring.
Josue Gaytan made the sale for $1,300, Rosemary Ramirez made the sale with $2,000 per head for 21 of her commercial heifers. She also made Reserve Grand Champion Dairy Goat, for a buckle.
Melissa Martinez brought home all the metal with a buckle for Grand Champion Percentage Doe Goat and Reserve Champion Dairy Heifer.
Ben Reitan won Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Steer, Average Daily Gain, Grand Champion Full Blood Doe, Grand Champion Dairy Heifer, and Reserve Champion Buck, four of which earned a buckle.
Sarah Reitan made the sale with her commercial heifers bringing $1,500 per head for 15. She also earned Grand Champion Jr. Showmanship, Grand Champion Diary Doe, Grand Champion Buck, and Reserve Division Champion, earning four buckles.
LISD finished third place in the district in basketball with five players named 72-A All-District players. Adolfo Martinez, a unanimous pick by all opposing coaches, was named First Team-All District along with teammate Jamorian Williams. Deandre Thomas is Second Team-All District, while Matthew Johnson, and Victor Hernandez, both received Honorable Mention All-District.
Adolfo Martinez and Deandre Thomas were both named Academic All-District for maintaining a 90-grade average or above.
Junior High and High School track are off to a rocket of a start with Neveah Rodgers taking First in Triple Jump, twice, First in Discus and 100-meter Hurdles, and Jayle Session taking First in Long Jump and First in 200-meters, twice.
Mackinley Best brought home First in Discus, and Amaya Carey twice won First in Shot Put, and First in 100 meters and Long Jump.
Melody Bradberry took First in 300-meter Hurdles while Jeremee Sheppard brought home First in 800 meters and Long Jump.
High schoolers Deandre Thomas took First in the Shot Put at two separate meets while Lamarion Rodriguez sprinted for First in 400 meters and Joseph Clark tossed a First place in Shot Put.
