Six hour executive session marks BISD meeting

Jim Hanks All members of the BISD School Board were present for the regular March meeting on Monday evening, 3/23. Those volunteers were still hard at work as that date ended, as a marathon executive session occupied most of the six-hour meeting.

Also present were the architect, general contractor and construction consultant to give an update on progress on the new high school. The news of that front was very positive. Consultant Jim Hanks presented slides and commended on the stages of work at the various sections of the facility. Contractor Rohn Boone affirmed that the project is moving along well, stating, "We're making good progress -- I'm really pleased with it right now," although he qualified that by bemoaning the timing of the recent rains. "We got rained on at exactly the wrong time down in the gym. There's nothing we can do to dry it out, but we need a dry period right now." now." Architect Paul Mc- Cullough reported that overhead site inspections by consultant engineers out of Dallas took place on March 11, checking the electrical, mechanical and plumbing. The review indicated only three minor items that will be corrected, and the consultants had high praise for the project. "I was pleased with their response -- what they thought the work looked like," Mc- Cullough concluded.

The three men met with the Board in a long executive session at the end of the meeting to hash out proposed change orders for construction revisions. After they returned to open session Jack Helmcamp made a motion to approve the construction revisions that would not affect the Guaranteed Maximum Price and the motion passed.

Early in the meeting Board President Jim Scott gave an update on the upcoming school board election. Gene Pruitt, Jr. and Willie Gilliam will run unopposed for Positions 3 and 7, respectively. Three candidates for Position 6 held a drawing for order on the ballot, and they will be listed: Incumbent Jennifer Humphries, Scott Glick and Jeff Jones. Early voting begins on March 27th and the May 9th joint election with the City of Buffalo and Leon County wiill be held at the Buffalo Civic Center.

Superintendent Jackie Thomason presented the enrollment report, and reported on recent UIL results and went over the upcoming UIL activity calendar.

Another portion of the Board meeting focused on the State of the Campus Report by Buffalo Elementary Principal Johnny Veretto. He reviewed BES activities and programs that have occurred in the spring semester, and presented the spring testing schedule. TAKS reading tests have already been administered and those scores were presented, as well as strategies to bring up the scores of those students not passing in the first test. The first retake will be April 29th.

The Board approved routine housekeeping matters, voted to sell an old school bus (#21), and extended the district's service agreement with Interquest Detection Canines.

The meeting ended with an executive session to consider personnel matters. Reconvening in open session the Board unanimously voted to approve the superintendent's and campus principals' recommendations regarding employment and contract status of staff and teachers at all three campus. They also accepted the resignations of Chris Griffith (high school teacher/coach), Andy Kent (high school teacher/coach), Hector Ruiz (high school teacher), and Brenda Sanford (high school custodian).

The meeting was adjourned just a minute shy of midnight.