Message from Mike: September 16, 2019 Board Brief

Message from Mike

September 16, 2019

Board Brief

Dear Wonderful Lovejoy Community:

Our communication plan includes a monthly update regarding Board meetings. Following each meeting of the Board of Trustees, I will share a recap of the evening’s events. Below you will find the September 16, 2019 Board Brief.

We begin each board meeting with a board dinner which includes the Board of Trustees and the Cabinet. The Lovejoy ISD School Board Members in attendance last night were:

Chad Collins, President

Amy Smith, Vice-President

Anne Smith, Secretary

Matt Gournay

Jennifer Kline

Al Litchenburg

Together with the Board, we are the Team of Eight.

Cabinet is comprised of myself and:

Shay Adams, Chief Financial Officer

Sancy Fuller, Executive Director of Special Education and Academic Support

Dr. Dennis Womack, Assistant Superintendent of Operations

Dennis Muizers, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

Stacey Dillon, Assistant to the Superintendent

Following the Board Dinner, we move into Executive Session which is a time where limited issues such as personnel actions may be discussed. No votes are taken in executive session.

The formal Board meeting began at 7:05 PM with an invocation by Board Trustee Matt Gournay.

Board President Chad Collins introduced Hart students Caroline Mair and Landon Isakson who led the pledges.

The Board of Trustees approved the new hires, followed by introductions.

Ray Winkler, Principal of Sloan Creek Intermediate School introduced:

Krysten Estell

Special Education Teacher

Kimberly Liebbe

Speech Language Pathologist

Francisco Martinez

Music Teacher

Tiffany McGuire

STEM Teacher

Chris Mayfield, Principal of Lovejoy High School introduced:

Andy Doughty

English Teacher

BillieJean Kelsey

Part-Time French Teacher

John Kreighbaum

Business Teacher

Amy Burks, Special Education VAC Teacher, introduced:

Jerry Bowens

Special Education Vocation/Transition Teacher

Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dennis Muizers and Director of Employee Selection and Development Marcy Hambrick presented the Dee Rogers Memorial Awards for Professional Development. The Dee Rogers Memorial Award for Professional Development recognizes Lovejoy educators who exhibit an extraordinary commitment to professional development during Learning @ Lovejoy. This award is in commemoration of Dee Rogers who dedicated 20 years of her life to public education. Sixty-five award recipients completed at least 6 days/36 hours towards their professional learning this summer.

Each Board meeting contains a dedicated time for general public comments. Last night the following citizens spoke in reference to the positive impact the LISD cell phone policy has had on themselves/students/families:

Stephanie Cigainero

Aspen Lintz

Clint Wilkins

Christy Payne

Kellie Hall

Each Board meeting contains a dedicated time for public comments related to agenda items. There were no public comments related to September 16, 2019 agenda items.

Board President Chad Collins explained the application process to fill the Position 7 vacancy on the Board of Trustees. The process included:

Application

Five Recommendations

Board Interview

The Board was thankful for those willing to volunteer for this position and for taking on the thorough vetting process. The applicants were diverse with experience in their profession, applicable skills, executive leadership, and volunteerism. The Board interviewed financial executives, board presidents, an educator, physician, and others with valuable experiences.

Board Trustee Matt Gournay made a motion to nominate Barrett Owens to fill the vacancy of Position 7 of the Lovejoy ISD Board of Trustees. Board Vice-President Amy Smith seconded the motion. There were no other nominations. The Board of Trustees unanimously approved Barrett Owens as a Trustee.

Barrett Owens was sworn in as a member of the Board.

Mr. Owens has lived in Lovejoy ISD for 14 years where he has served on the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools in various roles to include President in 2015. Additionally, Mr. Owens serves as the Vice-President of Finance for the Grand Slam Booster Club and coaches Fall Softball. Barrett and his wife Paige are proud parents of Macy, a 4th grader at Lovejoy Elementary School, Cooper, a 6th grader at Sloan Creek Intermediate School and Jade, a freshman at Lovejoy High School.

Upon swearing in, Mr. Owens assumed the role of member of the LISD Board of Trustees.

Director of Employee Selection and Development Marcy Hambrick and Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Mary Mullen presented highlights from Learning @ Lovejoy, the district’s annual professional development conference. You may click here to review the report.

Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dennis Muizers presented a report on the 2018-2019 STAAR data. You may click here to review the report.

The Board approved the consent agenda which included:

Approval of the minutes of the regular Board meeting held August 12, 2019 and the special Board meetings held on September 8, 2019 and September 9, 2019.
Approval of the July Finance Report
Approval of the November Board meeting as a Budget Workshop
Approval of Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) Members for 2019-2020
Approval of Plano Regional Day School Program for the Deaf Shared Services Agreement
Notification of Resignations

The Board considered and approved the purchase of five buses which will be partially funded by the Texas Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Program Grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The District was awarded the grant in the amount of $369,000 or $73,500 per bus. The grant award per bus amounts to approximately 66% of the cost of a new bus. The grant will replace one (1) 2002, two (2) 2003, and two (2004) buses. Additionally, the purchase of one mini-bus with a wheelchair lift was approved.

The Board considered and approved the 2019-2020 Board Priorities:

The Board considered and approved the Superintendent’s Goals and Evaluation instrument, which is directly aligned to the Board Priorities. You may access the Board Priorities on the LISD website at any time.

The Board of Trustees 2019-2020 Calendar of Activities is as follows: