BISD Trustees approve Ag Farm improvements
On Monday night, the Breckenridge Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to approve additional improvements to the district’s Ag Farm. They also had a hands-on computer demonstration by gifted-and-talented students from North Elementary and heard concerns from a parent about bullying and safety in her child’s classroom.
Ag Farm improvements
During the meeting, trustees approved a contract with Donnie Sechrest Construction in Breckenridge for $37,300 to make additional improvements to the district’s Ag Farm.
The district began making improvements to the existing structure at the farm last year, as well as building a shell for additional animal projects. The additional improvements approved by trustees at Monday night’s meeting include adding an additional concrete work space, finishing out the pens and adding electrical work inside the new structure.
“Last year, we built a new shell of a barn with a new concrete slab and then the structure and the steel and the roof on it,” Tim Seymore, BISD superintendent, said. “So this finishes out the pens, (adds) an additional slab that is going to be like a work space and installs the electrical panel and all the electrical that goes inside. So when it’s finished, there will be two full working barns, enough to accommodate the animals which our program has grown.”
Gifted and Talented presentation
During the Highlights in Learning section of the meeting, four third graders from the Gifted and Talented Program at North Elementary used Chromebook laptop computers to demonstrate to board members some of the computer programs they use on the computers. The students, Rihana Fuller, Stella Ray, Cooper Wimberley and Teagan Deen, rotated among the trustees with their Chromebooks, demonstrating how they use the programs on their school-supplied computers.
When introducing the students before their presentation, North Elementary Principal Jennifer Gillard gave trustees a description of the different programs the kids would be demonstrating and how they are used by students and how their progress is monitored.
Following the student presentations, BISD Chief Learning Officer Molly Johnson gave an overview of the district’s Gifted and Talented program and some of the traits that are used to identify students for admission into the program.
Students of the Month
Awards were also presented at the meeting for October students of the month at the three elementary schools and Breckenridge Junior High School.
Kindergarten student Rhody Stewart was student of the month at East Elementary; third grader Teagan Deen was student of the month at North Elementary; fifth grader Anthony Munoz was student of the month at South Elementary; and eighth grader Colton Ray was student of the month at BJHS.
Consent Agenda
Also during their meeting Monday night, trustees approved several items on the consent agenda, including approving minutes from the Sept. 10 regular board meeting and the Sept. 18 special board meeting and declaring Oct. 29 – Nov. 2 as BISD Safe and Drug Free School Commitment Week. They also approved the Sept. 30, 2018, financial reports, a donation from the Breckenridge Education Foundation for “Communities In School” campaign, budget amendments, and student transfers for the 2018-2019 school year.
Additionally, they received the resignation for South Elementary fifth-grade teacher Sherry Davis. Seymour said although her resignation had been received by the district, it had not yet been accepted because they have not found a suitable replacement for her, which he said is district policy.
Public Comments
During the public comments section of the meeting, Heather Dabney, who has a child attending North Elementary, addressed the board concerning safety issues and bullying in her child’s class.
After her comments, Seymore and Board President Jeff Dooley briefly addressed the issue and said that they are investigating the situation.
Dabney reiterated that she just wants to make sure that the issue will be looked into.
Story by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Cutline, top photo: North Elementary students Rhiana Fuller, right center, and Teagan Deen, left center, show BISD school board members the Chromebooks and computer programs they use in class. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 1:08 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, to add the photo of the junior high student of the month.