May 18, 2023 at 6:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  Goal #1: Maximize Academic Performance  
Background: Administration is highlighting the 8th Grade Math Collaborative Team Cycle (CTC) at Pieper Ranch Middle School. This team is building collective teacher efficacy through their commitment to intentionally design rigorous lessons based on standards, effective questioning on the best way to instruct students and discussion on strategies to scaffold the instruction to meet student needs. As a result, the teachers are continuing to achieve increased student growth scores and students are engaged in becoming problem solvers.   

Description:  Goal #1: Maximize Academic Performance
Background: Administration will provide an overview of the 2023 Accountability Refresh and STAAR 2.0 update to provide context and awareness of factors that will influence outcomes for 2023 campus and district ratings. 

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement   
Background: Various vendors from the Comal ISD approved pool of professional service providers will provide required services for Bond 2021 and capital projects.  On September 24, 2015, District staff presented a process to help expedite design work related to Bond and other approved capital projects. Under the approval, administration was delegated the authority to execute agreements ranging from $50,000 to $350,000 with Board ratification at the next regularly scheduled meeting.  Contracts being presented are for the playground upgrades and Hill Country College Preparatory High School. 

Description:  Goal #1: Maximizing Academic Performance
Background: Since 2016, Comal ISD has offered high school students the opportunity to enroll in UT OnRamps Dual Enrollment courses. These courses enable students to master knowledge, skills, and competencies in both the articulated high school course and the corresponding college level course. UT OnRamps Dual Enrollment courses are approved TEA College, Career, Military Readiness (CCMR) courses. Upon successful completion of a UT OnRamps course, students are designated by TEA as being College, Career, Military Ready.

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the UT OnRamps Dual Enrollment 2023-2024 Interlocal Agreement.

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement? 
Background: Vulcan Materials Company is proposing to donate $5,000.00 to the SVHS FFA. This is a one-time donation of funds to support the SVHS FFA Smokin’ Clays Shoot Out and SVHS FFA student expenses, including travel and meal costs. Funds must be obligated and expensed within 1 year.

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees accepts a $5000.00 donation from the Vulcan Materials Company as presented. 

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement 
Background: There are project savings to be realized in the construction contract for the Spring Branch Middle School roof replacement. This deductive Change Order represents the project reconciliation which returns the balance of project savings to the District. Board Policy CV (Local) establishes the authority for facilities construction change orders.  Change orders totaling $50,000 or more, or that exceed the contract sum, may be approved only by Board action and may be signed by the Superintendent.

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the deductive change order to the construction contract for the Spring Branch Middle School roof replacement.

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement 
Background: The District is required to file a Board Resolution every biennium to extend the current Depository Contract until the termination of the contract, not to exceed eight years total. The District may complete and submit the Board Resolution Extending Depository Contract for Funds form, if the District and its depository bank agree to extend the current contract for an additional two-year term and the district qualifies for an extension.   

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the resolution extending the current Depository Contract for the 2023-2025 biennium as presented. 

Description:  Goal #1 Maximizing Academic Performance 
Background: Administration is recommending purchase of updated Advanced Placement (AP) textbooks for courses deemed in critical need based on copywrite year and course updates since last adoptions.  In addition, to meet requirements with our Institute of Higher Education partner, Northeast Lakeview College, the Administration is recommending the purchase of updated Dual Credit textbooks aligned with course-specific MOUs.   

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the purchase of AP textbooks for five courses. 

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement 
Background: This project includes upgrades to the interior corridors of the Smithson Valley High School B-Wing. This is the first phase of work that can be completed over this summer. This was approved in the 2021 Bond, and this is the first phase of the project. The contractor ranking for the evaluated proposals is submitted for consideration for District staff to enter negotiations with the top ranked contractor. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the renovations to be performed as presented. 

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement 
Background: This project includes improvements to the secure vestibules to include physical security systems such as video surveillance, electronic access control, intrusion detection, intercoms, master stations, door release push buttons, panic buttons, safety security mirrors, and cabling. This was approved in the 2021 Bond. The recommendation for consideration will be from an awarded vendor through a District subscribed purchasing cooperative contract. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the District-wide secure vestibules project to be completed as presented. 

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement 
Background: The Technology Department is planning to purchase classroom Chromebooks due to growth. Lead times on this equipment necessitates ordering now to have the devices available by the start of the school year. The recommendation for consideration will be from an awarded vendor through a District subscribed purchasing cooperative contract. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the purchases of campus technology devices as presented. 

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement 
Background: The Technology Department is planning to purchase routers for the Data Centers at Support Services and Smithson Valley High School. The equipment is necessary to increase internet security as it is designed to allow internet access while mitigating outside intrusion threats. The recommendation for consideration will be from an awarded vendor through a District subscribed purchasing cooperative contract. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the purchase of routers for both District data centers as presented. 

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement 
Background: Board policy CDA and Public Funds Investment Act of Texas Government Code 2256.023 require the investment officer to submit to the Board a written quarterly report of investment transactions for all funds covered by the Public Funds Investment Act.  The Board will receive the 3rd Quarter Report covering the period from January 1, 2023 thru March 31, 2023.

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the 3rd Quarter Investment Report as presented. 

Description:  Background: In order to complete the design and construction for installation of a sidewalk, widening for a right turn lane, ADA improvements, drainage improvements, and the addition of a driveway to the FSES campus, the District will need to construct improvements within TxDOT’s right-of-way (ROW) on SH 46 located approximately 660 feet south of Prairie View Road in New Braunfels, Guadalupe County, Texas.  TxDOT is requiring the District to enter a Local On-System Improvement Project Agreement (LOSA) to access the ROW. The agreement would further require dedication of those improvements to TxDOT.  

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve and authorize the superintendent or designee to negotiate terms and enter into a Local On-System Improvement Project Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation as presented.

Description:  Goal #!: Maximize Academic Performance
Background: The District is recommending an amendment to the approved 2023-2024 Academic Calendar. In accordance with the commissioner's recommendations, we propose to move the bad weather makeup days from the end to earlier in the academic calendar year to allow for more efficient use of these days.  The recommended changes include the following: 

February 19 will be a Bad Weather Makeup Day or Holiday rather than a holiday. 

April 26 will be an additional Bad Weather Makeup Day or Holiday. 

May 23 will be the last day of school rather than May 22 and will be an early release day.   

This modified 2023-2024 calendar would allow the district to have 2 earlier bad weather days as recommended by the Commissioner and bank 3.45 days in daily instructional minutes.  With the two bad weather days and banked instructional minutes, we will have 5.45 days to access as needed. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approves the modifications to the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar as presented. 

Description:  Goal #4 Recruit, Develop and Coach Talent 
Background: Administration has reviewed the district’s pay structure as it aligns to pay offered in surrounding districts. In addition, administration has analyzed estimates for potential raises and the potential fiscal impact of such raises or adjustments in pay or stipends. Considerations to changes in employee compensation are the result of available budget, input from the Compensation Task Force, Salary Survey data, and discussions with district administrators. A comprehensive compensation plan for the 2023-2024 school year will be presented. 

Description:  Description: Goal #4 Recruit, Develop and Coach Talent 
Background: In preparation for campus staffing allocations for the 2023-2024 school year, the administration is presenting to the Board of Trustees a current staffing analysis and a request for additional staffing. Our district is projected to grow by 1,428 students in the next school year. As we reach approximately 30,000 students, we will need additional teachers to meet the growing and changing needs of the district. Administration has been reviewing demographic projections and the district’s budget to formulate the staffing recommendation. This request will be the second of two staffing requests, with the first being in February, and aligns with campus and district requests. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approves the request for staffing allocations as presented. 

Description:  Goal #5: Allocate resources in the most effective manner to maximize student achievement
Background: A public meeting is required under Education Code 44.004 to discuss the 2023-24 budget and proposed tax rates.  The Board will be asked to set the official date, time, and place to hold the public meeting for the proposed budget and tax rates.  The Board is also asked to take a record vote for the maximum tax rates that can be approved at the September 28, 2023 meeting.  A copy of the notice that will be published at least ten days prior to the public hearing will be included for your review at the Board meeting.

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board approve June 22, 2023 at 6:00 pm at the Support Services building for the public meeting to discuss the proposed 2023-2024 budget and tax rates.  The administration also recommends the maximum tax rates that can be considered for the 2023-24 fiscal year be $0.9144 for Maintenance and Operations and $0.35 for Interest and Sinking for a total tax rate of $1.2644 per $100 of property value.