Board Notes: March 6, 2008
Article Date: March 6, 2008
Trustees approved the Garland ISD election order and notice at Thursday night’s Board Meeting in the Harris Hill Administration Building. The approval secured Saturday, May 10, 2008 as the date for Trustee election.
Deadline for the filing period for Place 4 and Place 5 – which has been underway since Feb. 9 – is 5 p.m. Monday, March 10, 2008. Drawing for position on the ballot will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 11, 2008.Modifying Garland ISD’s 2008-09 school calendar was also discussed.
Since returning from winter break and completing semester examinations, concern has arisen from several area school districts that utilize the same current calendar format as GISD.
“After going through Winter Break for the first time under the 07-08 calendar format – which began with the state mandated start of school time – students and staff were concerned that we weren’t able to fully utilize instruction time,” explained Curtis Culwell, GISD superintendent.
Traditionally, semester examinations were administered prior to Winter Break. Under the current 07-08 calendar, examinations were not administered until after returning from break. That same format was approved for the 08-09 calendar and approved by Trustees in December, causing officials to revisit the issue.
Changes in the traditional methods used by Texas school districts to set their calendars were brought about on the state level. Legislators voted in 2007 to move the official start date for all districts to the last Monday of August.
Trustees will vote on these calendar changes at their April 3 meeting.
In other agenda items, GISD Trustees:
- Heard a report concerning the Garland ISD Metropolitan
Area Network/Wide Area Network (MAN/WAN) - Announced Board Member training credit hours
- Considered modifying the 2008-09 School Calendar
- Approved revisions to Board Policies on first reading
- Approved canceling March 20 Regular Board Meeting
- Reviewed calendar events
- Discussed future agenda items
- Approved minutes of Feb. 21 Board Meeting
- Approved Trustee Election Order and Notice
- Approved Draft Joint Election Contract submitted by the Dallas County Elections Dept.
- Approved tax refunds
- Approved purchase of summer flooring bids for GISD
- Approved Facility Leasing updated rate schedule
- Approved Central Textbook Committee recommendations for 2008-09
- Approved Clean Fleet Vehicle Ordinance