Navasota scores 'strong B'

Navasota Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Learning, Dr. Tracy Stone, presented accountability ratings to the NISD Board of Trustees at the monthly board meeting Thursday, Aug. 25.

“It is my pleasure to share that the district received an 86 on the accountability results, earning a strong B,” stated Stone. “This is the highest achievement rating the district has received under the A-F accountability system. I commend our most-important stakeholders, our students. The students in Navasota persevered through one of the most challenging times endured in recent history. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic decline has been felt here at home and across the state. Our students not only met but exceeded expectations.”

Stone also thanked parents for “supporting the students and supporting the schools, taxpayers for continuing to invest in quality school programming and to the educators who work intensively and tirelessly while they themselves were also personally impacted by the economic downturn. Thank you to our school board members who were willing to step up and serve at a time when they were needed. You put in-place the right leader who was needed for positive change. Thank you Dr. Musick.” “I think congratulations to y’all [NISD staff] is due,” explained NISD Board Member Paul Malek. “What y’all have accomplished is incredible, and we couldn’t be more proud. It is not this board, but y’all that accomplished this great feat.” Malek recounted the moment he saw the ratings, “When I saw that, that was the first time I danced in public in years.” Musick said when he saw the results, he began banging on his desk. So much so that his secretary asked if he was alright.

Band Trip

Navasota High School Band Director, David Holland, presented a proposal for an out-of-state band trip to Branson, Missouri during Spring Break in March of 2023. Holland estimates approximately 60 students and staff attending. Highlights of the trip would include the Dolly Parton Stampede, Branson Belle Dinner Cruise, Titanic Museum, Silver Dollar City, The Haygoods performance and more. The band would also have opportunities to perform on the trip.

The approximate cost per student is $1,000. This would include meals and a payment plan can be utilized. As per policy, the trip must be presented one month then voted on the following month. It will be on the agenda as an action item for the September meeting.

HealthPoint

A proposed HealthPoint medical clinic at NISD has been tabled until proper procedure can be followed.

The clinic would provide medical services to students with parent or guardian permission and a referral from the school nurse. Faculty would also be able to utilize the clinic. To house the clinic, NISD needs to provide a room and access to a bathroom and access to water.

NISD Director of Personnel and Administrative Services, Derek Bowman, said attorneys stated there are several hurdles that have to be crossed before implementing a schoolbased health clinic. “Those are related to policies FFA Legal and FFA Illegal,” he explained.

He said the first thing under policy FFA Legal is that before the district can expand or change the healthcare services available at school, the board must hold a public hearing and address the following items: Healthcare services to be provided; whether federal laws permits or requires any healthcare service provided be kept confidential from parents; whether the child’s medical records will be accessible to the parent and information concerning grant funds to be used including titles of the person(s) who will have access to the medical records of the student and the security measures to protect private medical records.

If all the above-mentioned steps are achieved, a secondary step process would then begin with drafting a resolution.

Action Items

• Approved proposed balanced budget of $30,197,089.00.

• Approved proposed decreased tax-rate. The taxrate decreased on the M&O side by 6.89% from last year and .4 cents on the INS side for a total of 7.29 cents

• Approved contract with P-Ville Inc. for mowing and weed eating services at a rate of $115 per hour. The district has contracted with this company in the past.

• Approved contract for HVAC services with Geowen Garrett at a rate of $95 per hour and $242 per hour for services after regular hours. The district will still have the opportunity to use other companies in emergency situations.

• Approved the purchase and installation of Interactive TV’s from Bluum/Trox to be installed throughout the district. There are a total of 96 TV’s and cost for the devices and installation is $314,847.36. They will be purchased with ESSER funds. All TV’s are under a 7-year warranty.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting is Monday, Sept. 19.

Navasota Independent School District Board of Trustees were presented with the Region 6 School Board of the Year award at the monthly board meeting Thursday, Aug. 25. The board was recognized as the top board out of 57 school districts. School board members include: Tim Harris, Kay Harris, Amy Jarvis, Valerie Jefferson, Jennifer Ramirez, Greg Mock and Paul Malek.