There's no place else to be but in Belton on the Fourth of July! This year, the City of Belton and the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the 100th year of the parade. Special thanks to the M100, the Magic Belles, the BHS Cheerleaders, and Belton Tiger Media for their participation.
|
|
Message from the Superintendent:
Dear ,
An exciting time awaits for Belton ISD students, parents, and staff as we quickly approach the start of a new school year. It’s our hope that the upcoming school year will bring opportunities to create more moments that matter for our students while we deepen our knowledge and skills by continuing to build on the major work already in progress.
As educators, we are passionate about continually improving our craft in order to enhance the lives of our students. We design, create and build learning environments that meet the needs of all children. Those three words, “Design.Create.Build,” hold a powerful and significant meaning in education and will serve as this school year's district theme.
Each part of the district’s theme represents a key component of the educational process. In the design phase, we conceptualize, imagine, and plan our work. We then create by
resourcefully gathering materials and tools to craft lessons. And we build by staying on task, trying again through mistakes, collaborating with teammates, and taking a moment to reflect on the beauty of the product, which is our masterpiece, the students.
A beautiful graduate logo designed by Bill Woodward, of Woodward Design, illustrates our “Design.Create.Build” theme and was inspired by the beauty of stained glass and the reverence we have for the education profession and our students. At the end of their time with us we celebrate each graduate as a unique and beautiful masterpiece.
Last week, campus principals, assistant principals, counselors and other district leaders gathered for a unique experience called “Design.Create.Build. : A Master Class,” where we used
art and the creative process as another way to think about teaching. I am grateful to the University
of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s
Fine Arts Department for hosting our team, as well as
Chairman of the UMHB Art Department Hershall Seals and Art History Professor Dr. Sarah Andyshak for discussing
creativity and ways Belton ISD can continue to build something even better for our kids.
It was truly remarkable to see so much creativity and passion from our team as we talked about art and the skills necessary to becoming a “Master.” Having our visual arts teachers lead administrators through hands-on classes including paper quilling, watercolors, block printing, calligraphy, and mosaics was an incredibly memorable experience. The day was a wonderful welcome back for
campus administrators and
a
perfect kick off to start focusing us on the work ahead for the new school year, which will be driven by several priorities.
Belton ISD will continue creating supportive campus cultures which prioritize safety, security, inclusive environments and include student voice and participation; focusing on each student’s unique academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs; increasing student achievement through the use of the district’s curriculum and data to inform instruction; and advancing highest performing academic students.
Sincerely,
Susan Kincannon, Ed.D.
Superintendent
|
|
Message from the School Board President:
While Belton ISD students and families are enjoying their last few weeks of summer break, planning and preparation for the new school year continues. The board and administration are dedicated to the continuous improvement of the district and the success of all of our students.
On behalf of the Belton ISD Board of Trustees, it was our honor to approve a 2019-2020 compensation plan at the July 15 board meeting that includes $4.8 million in raises for district employees.
We are thankful for the increased revenue provided by House Bill 3 and commend legislators for prioritizing funding for public schools in Texas during their last legislative session. The additional funding is coming at a crucial time as we prepare to add additional staff with the opening of three new schools.
Our community benefits tremendously from all the work our employees do each day to take care of our kids! Whether that service in Belton ISD takes place in our classrooms, on our school buses, at our libraries, or the numerous other sites across our district, my fellow Board Members and I want our employees to know that we truly appreciate them.
As a board, we are proud of the thoughtful and fiscally sound way that the administration has addressed what will be the most significant investment in Belton ISD’s employee compensation plan in recent history.
The new compensation plan will provide teacher pay increases ranging from $3,200 to $5,190 based on years of experience, which represents an average increase of 6.5%. Our starting teacher salary will increase by $2,900 to $50,200.
Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees, such as custodians and school nutrition workers, will receive a 6% increase on the midpoint of their salary. And, the district will also pay more for employees’ monthly health insurance premiums, increasing the district’s contribution to $400 per month.
Our action to provide raises to employees is, in part, due to our district’s longstanding commitment to
attract and retain the best people we can by
maintaining a competitive salary system. To that end, the 2019-2020 compensation plan exceeds requirements established by the Texas Legislature in House Bill 3 by investing over $1 million more than the law requires in employee salaries.
We are incredibly excited for the upcoming school year and know it will be filled with more moments that matter.
Thank you for your continued support of our schools!
Sincerely,
Sue M. Jordan
President, Board of Trustees
|
|
We are excited to open Charter Oak Elementary this year. Community and civic leaders have had opportunities to tour the campus and we welcomed our new students and families at a sneak peek event earlier this year. The library is full of brand new books ready for students to enjoy! The 82,500 square foot campus will support 800 students. We are so thankful to the community who approved the bond program in 2017 to support construction of this beautiful facility.
|
|
Construction on Lake Belton High School (LBHS) continues to move at a fast pace and is on track for completion August 2020. These photos highlight exterior masonry work, construction in classrooms and the commons area (center). Work on athletic fields is underway. Shown here are the tennis courts and the football field. Also depicted is a rendering of Main Street, one of the interior features planned for LBHS. Four themes were chosen for the campus to celebrate the history of the area - The Depot, The Prairie, The Springs, and The Line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
