NISD donates to local first responders

Navasota ISD Board of Trustees opted to give back to local law enforcement and fire personnel by donating used gym equipment to the departments.

Navasota ISD received new weight room equipment from the Navasota Athletic Booster Club several years ago. Since then they have stored used equipment that is no longer of use to the district in the old “rock gym.” The Grimes County Sheriff’s Office and Navasota Fire Department have expressed interest in obtaining the equipment.

Since the equipment is outdated and of no use to the district, the NISD Board of Trustees elected to award the used equipment to both entities. Navasota ISD Superintendent Dr. Stu Musick said the items have been inventoried and will be distributed amongst the entities as fair as possible.

KickStart

Students at NISD will continue to benefit from the KickStart Kids program that teaches discipline and responsibility through martial arts.

The board approved a one-year contract to continue utilizing the program within the district. Navasota will see an increase in the fees. In previous years, NISD paid 65 percent of what other districts paid. This year NISD was asked to pay the same amount all other districts pay, due to the cost of funding the program. Navasota will now pay $65,000 a year, which is a $15,000 increase from the original $50,000.

Bilingual stipend increase

To remain competitive with other districts, NISD will raise its yearly stipend pay from $3,000 per year to $5,000 per year beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.

Musick said finding teachers with bilingual certification has grown more difficult and retaining those teachers is a must.

Dr. Tracy Brewer stated the district is reimbursing fees to teachers who successfully complete their certification and giving them the stipend pay as well.

Student recognitions

NISD board members recognized three groups Monday night, and were led in the pledges by a select group of John C. Webb Elementary first-graders.

The Navasota High School One Act Play performed “Lafayette No 1.” A true story about the Yellow Fever epidemic in Lafayette Louisiana. Navasota advanced past district and were alternates at bi-district. Several cast members and crew received awards at the district and bi-district level.

Students were also on hand from both the high school and junior high school science fair. Navasota had several students from the junior high advance to the regional science fair in Kilgore and four that advanced to state at Texas A&M University.

The high school had two participants advance to the state science fair and both students plan to attend Texas A&M University next fall.

Teacher hires

and resignations

Following closed session discussion, the board approved the hires of several new teachers. Susan Foy will replace Alicia Ellis as the new high school head volleyball coach. Her husband, Ruben Foy, was also hired as a math teacher and coach at the junior high.

Ed Glendening returns to Navasota to take over as junior high athletic director while maintaining time on the field as a coach and in the classroom as a teacher.

Three faculty were hired to the Grimes County Special Education Cooperative: David Bennett, Renee Rains and Mandy Howell.

Resignations

The Board approved the resignation of the following teachers.

John C. Webb Elementary: Halley Palmer – fourth-grade Brule Elementary: Michelle Kimball – fourth-grade and Jan Breaux – third-grade

High Point Elementary: Angela Giannini - kindergarten Navasota Junior High; Jenna Bane - Science and NHS head softball coach, Donna Wright – Math, Nelda Rodriguez – Intervention, Bailey Rocha - Social Studies,Troy Kingston - Special Education, Derrick Hadley - Physical Education and coach, and Franklin Nevlud - Math

Navasota High School: Marsita Johnson - English Language Arts and Vida Slay-ton- Diagnostician Special Education Cooperative

Retiring: Veronica Weems-Spanish and Karen Kloss-Special Education

The next scheduled NISD board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 22.