May 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  Announcement by the Board President whether a quorum is present and that notice of the meeting has been posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551 as required by law.

Description:  "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Description:   "Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible." 

Description:  What a year. Tonight we are recognizing students from across campuses and extra-curricular and co-curricular activities for their exemplary performance in their respective competitions.

Congratulations to the 8th Grade Boys Tennis Team for winning the district championship. This marks the fourth district championship for the 8th grade boys this year (Cross Country, Football, Track, and Tennis). What a year and we can't wait to see you all playing again next year at the high school level.

Congratulations also to Liam Scales and Madelyn Gola for winning the district tennis mixed doubles championship. The dominance continues for these student athletes.

For the fifth consecutive year, the Florence High School Band made school history and earned the UIL Sweepstakes award at the UIL Region 32 Concert and Sight Reading Contest. The band received straight one division ratings from all three judges on the concert stage and all three judges in the sight-reading room. Congratulations especially to the senior members of the band, as they are the second class in a row to go through all four years of high school earning sweepstakes. Special congratulations to Dr. Peter Acosta and Ms. Alexis Davis for their leadership, guidance, and dedication in making our band the best around!

Congratulations to the following track athletes who qualified for the UIL Regional Track Meet. Ella Morrison competed in the 3200m run and the 1600m run while Adaliz Benitez competed in the 400m run. Ella Morrison finished in 5th place in the 3200m run capping off a strong and consistent season. She closed out her Florence Track career with a personal best performance in the 1600m run and a 9th place finish.

Several track athletes also earned the right to represent Florence High School at the Area Track Meet. Congratulations to these track team members for a great season:
3200m - Ella Morrison and Alondra Martinez
1600m - Ella Morrison
800m - Sara Koch
100m - Khloe Hardy
400m - Adaliz Benitez
200m - Brooklyn Stanfield
4x200m Relay - Khloe Hardy, Sophia Koch, Chaztin Futrell, and Brooklyn Stanfield

No to be outdone, the following boys track team members also qualified for the Area Track Meet:
High Jump - Gavynn Moore
3200m - Parker Jamison-Goff
1600m - Parker Jamison-Goff
300m Hurdles - Ty-Rhythm Nunez
100m - Yoel Ybarra
4x100m Relay - Gavynn Moore, Cristian Rosas, Kaden Moss, and Yeal Ybarra
4x200m Relay - Cristian Rosas, Kaden Moss, Jayden Fuentes, and Eduardo Rios-Reyes

Softball ended a very successful season in the Bidistrict Round of the playoffs, falling to Merkel in 2 out of 3 games. They finished district play in second place with a record of 8-2 and represented the district as the first place team in the 3A Division 2 playoffs. Another great year by our Lady Buffs!

Finally, our FFA CDE Teams had an extremely successful spring, capped off by winning their 43rd straight Sweepstakes for Area XII. 
Wildlife Team - 2nd in Area, 7th at State
     *Sydney Bertelson - 3rd High at Area
     *Cody Carlson - 8th High at Area
     *Aiden Champlin - 5th High at Area
     *Steling Arldt
Wildlife Team 2 - 3rd in State
     *Miles Kanetsky - 5th High at State
     *Lacy Allen - 13th High at State
     *Taytum Hogue - 15th High at State
ENR Team - Area XII Champions, 6th Place at State
     *Sterling Arldt - 9th High at State
     *Cody Carlson - 14th High at State
     *Carson Underwood
     *Joselyn Perez
Food Science - Area XII Champions, 6th Place at State
     *Sebastian Gomez - 1st High in Area, 10th High at State
     *Bailey Skinner - 2nd High in Area, 17th High at State
     *Brynlee Cody - 3rd High in Area, 18th High at State
     *Jessi Threet - 4th High in Area
Plant ID - Area XII Champions, 29th at State
     *Cody Carlson - 1st High in Area
     *Sterling Arldt - 2nd High in Area
     *Carter Hamm - 3rd High in Area
     *Caleb Wilkinson - 5th High in Area
Tractor Tech - 2nd in Area, 25th at State
     *RC Woolery
     *Jacob Gray
     *Levi Stone
Milk Quality - 2nd in Area XII, 37th at State
     *Haydon Mauk - 3rd High at Area
     *Bailey Skinner - 4th High in Area
     *Jessi Threet - 10th High in Area
Meats - Area XII Champions, 42nd at State
     *Sebastian Gomez - 1st High in Area
     *Brody Fisher - 2nd High in Area
     *Cristofer Gomez - 3rd High in Area
     *Branson Reeder - 9th High in Area
Range - 2nd in Area XII, 40th at State
     *Cody Carlson - 3rd High in Area
     *Joselyn Perez - 8th High in Area
     *Carter Hamm - 10th High in Area
     *Aiden Champlin
     *Sydney Bertelson
     *Lacy Allen
Land - 2nd in Area XII, 48th at State
     *Dane Gola - 3rd High in Area
     *Noe Ortiz - 10th High in Area
     *Caleb Wilkinson
     *Cooper McAnelly
Homesite - 4th in Area, 56th at State
     *Alex Tapia
     *Dempsey Espinoza
     *Angel Mora-Salgado
     *Heriberto Sanchez
Forages - Area XII Champions, 24th at State
     *Aiden Champlin - 2nd High in Area
     *Sydney Bertelson - 3rd High in Area
     *Cody Carlson - 4th High in Area
     *Sterling Arldt - 6th High in Area
Agricultrual Technical Mechanical Systems - 3rd in Area XII, 23rd in State
     *RC Woolery - 4th High in Area
     *Jacob Gray - 5th High in Area
     *Alex Tapia - 9th High in Area
     *Dempsey Espinoza
Again a huge congratulations to the FHS FFA Teams for winning their 43rd consecutive Area XII Sweepstakes. This means they have not lost the area championship since 1982! A special thanks to their teachers: Denielle Bailey, Dennis Bratton, Haley Foeh, Emily Squires, and Karoline Turner for their hard work and dedication!






 

Description:  Congratulations to Mrs. Tess Gill for being selected as the FISD Teacher of the Month. From her nomination:
Since joining our campus, she has jumped in with both feet and fully committed herself to helping our students grow academically and personally. She brings a tremendous level of energy, professionalism, and purpose to her work each day, and her impact on our campus has been immediate and significant. 
Under her instruction, we have seen tremendous growth in student performance. Our AP scores have improved significantly, and our EOC performance has also shown meaningful gains as a direct result of her strong instruction and high expectations for students. She does an exceptional job of balancing rigor and support, ensuring students are challenged while also giving them the tools and confidence to succeed.
What stands out most about Mrs. Gill is the intentionality she brings to her classroom every day. Even in a Freshman English classroom, she holds students to a high standard and pushes them to engage with strong academic vocabulary, critical thinking, and meaningful discussion. Each time I observe her classroom, I walk away having learned something myself. Her instruction is purposeful, engaging, and rooted in genuine belief that students are capable of more. 
Most importantly, Mrs. Gill cares deeply about kids. She gives her best every single day and is fully invested in the success of her students, both in and out of the classroom. She is the kind of teacher every school hopes to have — highly skilled, deeply committed, and unwavering in her belief in students. From her students:
Such a good teacher and supportive teacher. I love her class and everything she does for us. I'm so grateful for all the hard work she does to teach us every day.
Mrs. Gill has been an amazing, patient teacher with great understanding, and she's overall very comfortable and close with her seniors.

Description:  The Florence ISD Board of Trustees and the FISD staff honor outgoing board member Jeff Stone for his 15 years of service to the staff and students in Florence ISD. During his time on the board, he has been a part of substantial staff pay raises to make FISD competitive with surrounding district, several construction projects to enhance the educational experience for our students, and the construction of a new elementary campus to serve our youngest students for the next generation of children. Congratulations to Jeff and thank you for your many contributions to FISD.

Description:  The Board encourages comments about the district from members of the public.  Anyone who has signed up to speak in advance of the meeting in accordance with the Board procedures may do so at this time.  The Board asks that each participant's comments pertain to district business and be no longer than 5 minutes.  For any member of the public who is accompanied by a translator, your time will be doubled as required by law.  Remember that the Board may not discuss or act upon any issues that are not posted on our agenda.  In addition, the Board has adopted policies to provide prompt and equitable resolution of complaints and concerns for employees, students or their parents, and the general public.  Copies of our district policies and procedures on public comments and filing complaints are available on the district website. 

Description:  Each newly-elected trustee will receive a Certificate of Election in the name and by the authority of the State of Texas and issued by the Florence Independent School District.

Article XVI, Section 1 of the Texas Constitution requires all elected or appointed state and local officers to take the official oath of office found in section 1(a) and to subscribe to the anti-bribery statement found in section 1(b) before entering upon the duties of their offices. Local officers must retain the signed anti-bribery statement with the official records of the office. This directive may also be found in TASB Policy BBBB(LEGAL).

The order of events for each newly-elected trustee is as follows:
1. Issuance of Certificate of Election
2. Statement of Officer
3. Oath of Office

Description:  Dr. Porterfield will provide an overview of the graduation ceremony.

Description:  Mr. Banfield will provide an overview of the expected budget for the 2026-2027 school year based on current information. This will be a draft presentation as the District is continuing to refine calculations. The Taxpayer Impact Statement is a new schedule required to be posted with the Board meeting notice, each time the Budget for the new year will be discussed at a meeting. The values presented in this schedule are preliminary estimates.

Description:  Dr. Avritt will present an overview of the gifted program in FISD in conjunction with the required annual training on gifted education for FISD Board of Trustees.

Description:  TRS has again raised the total premium payment for employees for the 2026–2027 school year. In the 2023-2024 school year, the cost to employees for the lowest-cost health plan was $395. At that time, the district paid $395 toward employee health insurance. In 2024-2025, the TRS premium payment rose to $445 and the district raised their contribution to $445. For the current school year, TRS raised the premium to $484 and the district did not raise their contribution. For the 2026-2027 school year, TRS has again raised their total premium to $521. 

Description:  The scope of the project changed. Instead of replacing the carpet in the band hall, we will be installing VCT. We will install carpet in the practice room for sound absorption. This caused an increase in price from the one approved at the April Board Meeting.

Description:  In accordance with TASB Policy BDAA(LEGAL), at the first meeting following each election and qualification of Board members, the members of the Board shall organize by electing officers.

Description:  TASB's 2026 Delegate Assembly will be held October 9, during txEDCON26 in Houston. Attending the Delegate Assembly gives the board the chance to participate in the democratic process that governs TASB. Delegates will elect TASB officers and directors, vote on TASB's Advocacy Agenda, have the opportunity to interact with other board members in our region, and earn continuing education training credit.

Description:  TASB is seeking nominations for the Region 13, Position B seat on their board. The position is currently held by Stephen Mackey from Blanco ISD who intends to seek reelection. The term of the position is three years beginning at the close of the 2026 Annual TASA/TASB Convention and expiring after Convention 2029. TASB Directors actively promote TASB's mission and purposes. Directors also supervise and direct the affairs of the Association on behalf of its members. The TASB Board is composed of members from all 20 TASB regions, which follow the boundaries of the education service centers. Local boards in each region, who are Active Members, are eligible to nominate trustees for vacancies in their regions. 

Description:  Change orders are a part of any construction project and need to be approved in a timely manner. Current board policy requires board approval for all change orders. I am asking that the Board suspend CV(LOCAL) and authorize me to approve change orders that do not increase the contracted price. This would include the approval of the expenditure of contingency funds that are included in the original contracted price. All change orders require architect or engineer approval before I can sign on behalf of the district to ensure the change remains in line with the scope of work.

Description:  A portion of the 2022 Bond Project that was eliminated to save costs was to replace the lighting in Florence Middle School with LED lighting. The District received quotes from two cooperative Job Order Contractors and Centrix offered the best value to the district. The scope is to retrofit the light fixtures in all hallways and the cafeteria dining area with LED fixtures. The ceiling tiles in these areas will also be replaced, though we will use the existing grid. 

Description:  Amend the budget for the Teacher Incentive Allotment Revenues and Expenditures, with Budget Transfers for Property Value Audit and Printing Equipment Costs. This Most Recent Property Value Audit for the 2023-24 School Year Tax Values Returned an Additional $214,563 in State Funding to the District. 

Description:  In accordance with Texas Education Code 31.1011, local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to certify annually to the State Board of Education (SBOE) and the commissioner that students have access to instructional materials covering all Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for all required subjects, except physical education.  

Additionally, LEAs are required to certify that they protect against access to obscene or harmful content in compliance with the requirements for certification under (i) the Children's Internet Protection Act (Pub. L. No. 106-554); (ii) Section 28.0022; (iii) Section 43.22, Penal Code; and (iv) any other law or regulation that protects students from obscene or harmful content. The Certification of Provision of Instructional Materials Survey 2026-2027 (formerly known as TEKS Certification Survey) includes a section to allow LEAs to certify they meet this requirement.

Description:  Per SB 13 and our library acquisition policy, the Board of Trustees must approve all donated or proposed library materials.  The attached lists of books have undergone the district collection development process for any library material that students will have access to in the campus collections.  We ask that the board approve the list of books for purchase.

Description:  The District recommends approval of a revision to Policy EIF(LOCAL) related to graduation requirements. The primary changes are as follows:
For Local Early Graduates, the revised policy requires completion of all coursework and credit requirements necessary to graduate under the Foundation High School Program, and requires the student meet at least one College, Career, and Military Readiness indicator. This only applies to Local Early Graduates and not to students graduating under the Texas First Early High School Completion Program, as those requirements are set by state law. 
In addition to changes for Local Early Graduates, the following change is recommended for Career and Technical Education: A student must complete at least one TEA approved Career and Technical Education Program of Study to be eligible to graduate. Waivers are permitted under documented extenuating circumstances.

Description:  The District is proposing a summer schedule for 2026 that simplifies arrival and departure times and makes our staff available to students and parents during normal business hours.  I recommend that professional employees work Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 4 pm. As a reminder, the district is closed June 29–July 3.

Description:  Attached are lists of library books to be considered for purchase.

Description:  The attached list of new staff hires is current through May 7, 2026. If additional hires are made or resignations received during the time period between May 7 and the Board meeting, an updated list will be presented.