SCHOOL NEWS
Bowie ISD reviews superior FIRST rating in hearing
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
For the 15th year in a row Bowie Independent School District has received a superior rating in the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas.
The board of trustees conducted the required public hearing during their Monday night meeting. Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Pastusek made the presentation noting the district received 90 out of 100 points in the review of the 2016-17 school year.
The purpose of FIRST is to ensure school districts will be held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and achieve improved performance in the management of their financial resources.
There are 15 indicators a district is scored on encompassing all aspects of financial practices from compliance with debt, cash on hand versus current investments, liabilities’ ratios, deficit budget and administrative cost ratios.
Pastusek said indicator 10 was the only one where BISD did not receive any points. It asks: “Was the debt service coverage ratio sufficient to meet the required debt service.”
He explained the district ratio was .9599 and BISD had a deficit budget in both the general fund and debt service fund which lowered the ratio.
Patusek said the board opted to not increase the debt service rate because for the past few years it has collected more than was needed.
Read the full story in the mid-week News.
SCHOOL NEWS
Gold-Burg grad serving NASA internship
By Andy Newberry, MSU Texas
Midwestern State University junior Rykir Evans is not only building his skills during a NASA internship—he’s creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Evans has been a remote student at MSU Texas this semester while completing the internship. During that time, he had the opportunity to meet American naval aviator and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, as well as NASA Chief Flight Director Gene Kranz.
“It definitely has been an amazing experience thus far, and meeting all of the super inspirational figures in flesh and blood was definitely surreal,” Evans said.
Read the full story in Thursday’s Bowie News.
(Top photo) Rykir Evans had a chance meeting with Reid Wiseman NASA astronaut and commander of the Artemis II lunar fly-by mission. He also met famed NASA chief flight director Gene Kranz, who directed the first lunar landing mission, Apollo 11.

SCHOOL NEWS
Chamber music concert May 18
Join the Bowie High School Band for a chamber music concert featuring state solo/ensemble qualifiers at 6 p.m. on May 18 in the junior high auditorium.
This concert is an opportunity for these state qualifiers to showcase all their hard work, talent and dedication. It also is their final change to take the state to build confidence and shake off those last minute nerves before heading to state competition.
SCHOOL NEWS
BISD trustees meet April 20
Bowie Independent School District Trustees will discuss personnel issues including possible action on hiring a new high school principal when it meets at 5:30 p.m. on April 20.
An executive session is scheduled for that topic and other personnel updates as the school nears its end.
Last month the high school principal and assistant superintendent resigned as did the head boy’s basketball coach. The new coach was named this week
The regular agenda opens with recognition of high school students and staff.
Superintendent Donna Hale will provide informational updates for enrollment and attendance, intruder detection and audit report, operations reports and parent and community forum meeting comments.
The Montague County Tax Appraisal District annual financial report will be reviewed. There also will be a discussion on open enrollment for pre-kindergarten for the 2026-27.
Under action items the board will determine the financial feasibility to comply with the Texas Transportation Code regarding school bus seat belt requirements. Possible action on applying for two waiver days for missed instructional days due to snow.
Monthly reports and financials wrap the agenda.
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