Belton ISD Receives Perfect Score for Financial Accountability
During a public hearing, Trustees reviewed the 2018 School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) Report. Belton ISD received a perfect score on the report and a Superior Achievement rating, which is the highest available.
The 2018 School FIRST Report is issued by the Texas Education Agency and based on data from the 2016-2017 school year. It evaluates school districts based on 15 indicators, which include the findings of external auditors, cash-on hand, debt and staffing levels. Using those indicators, school districts are scored on a 100-point scale. Belton ISD received all 100 points possible. This is the 7th year in a row that the District has achieved a perfect score.
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National Merit Commended Scholars
The National Merit Program has recognized Belton High School seniors Marcus Ake, Jacob Jimenez, Bradin McDonald and Peter Morris, along with Belton New Tech High School @ Waskow senior Sarah Batson as Commended students for 2019.
Each year more than 1.5 million high school students take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholar Qualifying Test. Of those, just 50,000 qualify for the National Merit Program including 34,000 selected as Commended students. While Commended students do not continue on to compete for National Merit Scholarships, they are often candidates for special scholarships sponsored by other organizations.
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Belton ISD Seniors Achieve National Academic Honors
Included in the Board’s recognitions for October were seven Belton ISD seniors who have earned national academic distinctions from the National Merit Scholarship Program and the National Hispanic Recognition Program. These top scholars are a part of the District’s continued efforts to advance the highest performing academic students through the District’s Advanced Academics program.
In an Advanced Academics program report presented to Trustees, it was noted that Belton ISD’s composite ACT and SAT test scores continue to exceed both state and national averages and overall, the District saw an increase of students receiving Gifted and Talented services in the last school year. Additionally, students earning a distinction of being Belton ISD Superintendent Scholars and Junior Scholars continues to grow. For the first time this fall, the District will be honoring Elementary Scholars for their academic achievements.
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National Hispanic Scholars
The College Board has recognized BHS seniors Jacob Jimenez and Mariah Montgomery along with BNTHS@W senior Maia Borchardt as Hispanic Scholars for 2019.
Hispanic or Latino juniors that take the PSAT/NMSQT can apply for academic recognition as part of the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP). Every year, the NHRP recognizes about 5,000 of the 250,000 students who take the test. While there is not a scholarship competition associated with this designation, colleges and universities use this program to identify academically exceptional Hispanic/Latino students.
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Good Citizenship Proclamation
Marissa Todd, a freshman at BNTHS@W, was recognized by City of Temple Mayor Tim Davis and Council Member Mike Pilkington with an official Good Citizen Proclamation. Late last month, Marissa stopped to render aid to a neighbor during a significant rain storm and the story of her kind and thoughtful actions was shared by the lives she touched. Her actions exhibited many of the principles of character that her campus emphasizes with Henry T. Waskow’s devotion to the service of others.
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National Principals Month
Each October, National Principals Month recognizes the essential role that principals play in making a school great. The success of Belton ISD as a district is a direct result of the hard work our campus principals do on behalf of our students and staff and is worthy of recognition.
Belton ISD’s principals are Sue Banfield, Belton Early Childhood School; Elizabeth McMurtry, Chisholm Trail Elementary; Amy Armstrong, High Point Elementary; Marcie Beck, Leon Heights Elementary; Judy Schiller, Lakewood Elementary; Jennifer Conner, Miller Heights Elementary; Rebecca Vaughn, Pirtle Elementary; Stacy Cox, Southwest Elementary; Julee Manley, Sparta Elementary; Michelle Tish, Tarver Elementary; Kris Hobson, Lake Belton Middle School; Joe Brown, North Belton Middle School; Kevin Taylor, South Belton Middle School; Jill Ross, Belton High School; and Ben Smith, BNTHS@W. The coordinator of the District Alternative Education Program is Emilio Olivares.
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Big Red Community Partner:
Central Texas Regional Advisory Council
I
n partnership with the Central Texas Regional Advisory Council (RAC), Belton ISD has been implementing hands-on training for staff, which is facilitated by local emergency services professionals and first responders. The RAC also provided recommendations for additional emergency kits which have been purchased and placed in strategic locations across the District.
For their role in supporting the comprehensive safety and security of Belton ISD students and staff, the Central Texas RAC was recognized as this month's Big Red Community Partner. Executive Director Christine Reeves and RAC Board Secretary Elizabeth Hicks accepted the award.
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Superintendent's Report:
Anonymous Alerts
The District has executed the purchase of the new safety communications tool,
Anonymous Alerts
. This system will replace the District's existing tip line with both an online and web app interface for students, staff and community members to submit reports through. The system is anonymous, allowing for 1-way and/or 2-way encrypted communications between submitters, administrators and district safety staff. Campus administrators are participating in training this week and
following a short pilot at South Belton Middle School, the system will be rolled out across the District. Additional training for students and communication to parents will accompany the roll out.
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Stop the Bleed Training
Stop the Bleed training was held for all Belton ISD high school staff on October 8. In collaboration with the Central Texas RAC, health providers including Baylor Scott & White Health, the Belton Police Department, the Belton Fire Department, Premiere Health, and others facilitated this hands-on training. All participants learned how to stop life threatening bleeding by either packing a wound or applying a tourniquet.
Middle school campus staff will receive this training on November 12, and elementary campuses are working with the Central TX RAC to schedule a session for their staff members. In the future, Belton ISD will look to provide Stop the Bleed training to secondary students.
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