December 2019

"Clean" Opinion Earned in Comprehensive Financial Audit Report Belton ISD Trustees received the District’s first Comprehensive Financial Audit Report (CAFR), which included an unmodified or “clean” opinion, indicating that the independent auditor had no reservations about the district’s financial statements. The audit also found no material weaknesses, no significant deficiencies, and no noncompliance issues, and no costs were questioned.   An annual financial audit is used by the Texas Education Agency, debt analysis companies and others to “rate” the district in a number of areas. Going a step further this year, the district’s release of a CAFR presents a wider variety of important financial information in order to provide greater context and transparency to the public. This is the seventh year that the district’s annual financial audit has been conducted by Pattillo, Brown & Hill, LLP. The CAFR will be posted online at www.bisd.net .

Board Recognitions - Texas State Thespian Festival Thirty-one students represented Belton High School (BHS) Theatre at the Texas State Thespian Festival in November, with students achieving outstanding distinctions among the more than 8,000 attendees.    Nine students competed and received a Superior ranking in individual events. Those include BHS Seniors Evan Taylor and Coltan Beaird who competed in monologue, BHS Junior Annie Bailey and BHS Senior Ethan Taylor each for their duet musical, BHS Sophomore Eden Irom and BNTHS@W Sophomore Megan Sloane for their Duet Musical Theatre Dance. BHS Senior Jamey Pearson received a Superior in Stage Management, Senior Kaden Massey received a superior in Makeup Design and Junior Bailey Dugan also received a Superior in Costume Design. Seven of these students have qualified to compete at the International Thespian Festival this summer in Indiana.     BHS Senior Ethan Taylor was elected last year as a State Thespian Officer (STO) and worked throughout the year as one of 16 officers from across the state to prepare for the Festival. During this year’s event, BHS Junior Annie Bailey was elected a State Thespian Officer. In addition to helping plan next year’s festival, Annie will also teach advocacy and leadership workshops and junior festivals representing BHS in her capacity across the state. We are proud to have had three STOs in three years.    This was only the third time for Director Melissa Stuhff and the Belton Thespian Troop to participate in this significant annual event.

Prekindergarten Update Information regarding the high-quality full day prekindergarten program Belton ISD offers at the Belton Early Childhood School was presented. The presentation included enrollment data, curriculum and instruction, student progress monitoring, teaching staff qualifications and professional development, and opportunities for family engagement.

Big Red Community Partner - Temple Elks Lodge #138 Temple Elks Lodge #138 has been and continues to be a strong partner of the district living their mission of “demonstrating that Elks Care and Elks Share ”. Annually supporting Red Ribbon Week, Elks provide the district with ribbons, bookmarks and other instructional materials that support our efforts to promote both drug-free and anti-bullying messages to our students. More recently, Lodge #138 has gone above and beyond in its support of students participating in Project Heartbeat, Belton ISD’s program that meets the unique needs of homeless youth in our district. In August, the Elks hosted a Back to School Summer Cookout and swim party for students and families in the program. For the more than 30 Belton ISD students in attendance, Lodge #138 provided a backpack filled with their grade level school supplies. Entering this holiday season, Lodge #138 stepped up in a big way to support Project Angel’s Heartbeat by filling the Christmas wish lists and clothing needs for more than 40 of the 135 students participating. For their continued support of Belton ISD and significant generosity this holiday season, the Temple Elks Lodge #138 is this month’s Big Red Community Partner.

Interim Superintendent's Report Finance/Operations: Impact Aid: Our application is due to the federal government on or before January 31, 2020. We receive about $70,000 per year, but this is based upon the appropriation. Walk-Through: The various storage areas behind Administration, the facility on 6th Avenue, and the North parking lot at Belton Early Childhood School have been evaluated. Cost estimates to refurbish and modify these spaces have been requested from the district's director of facilities and construction. The main entrance of the Administration Building will be remodeled into an enclosed and secure entrance. Student Services: SMART Tag: This process has become more refined. The long-term benefits of this system are vast including using this card for library check out, school lunches, etc. The goals of this program are two-fold: 1. Safety of students (ensuring that the correct students are on the bus); and 2. Efficiency (right now students are checked into the bus by hand). We will follow the Student Transportation Code of Conduct regarding lost tags. Students/parents will be billed for a new card, but the student will immediately be reissued an ID. This is our standard operating procedure for all ID tags. Human Resources: Substitute Teacher Retention Plan: Substitute teachers who taught 70% or more days this fall term will receive a $500 bonus in their December checks. The total cost is $16,500 for the fall term. We received 91 applications for the two football coach positions. The hiring recommendations will likely come to the Board at their regular January meeting.

Consent Agenda Approvals: Previous Minutes November 30, 2019 Financial Report Gifts & Grants Budget Amendment #3 for 2019-2020 Cooperative Purchasing Program Fee Report New Course Requests for 2020-2021

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