SCHOOL NEWS
BISD debates moving third grade back to intermediate
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
A combination of space constraints and efforts to address accountability factors have led Bowie Independent School District Trustees to begin the debate of moving third grade back to the intermediate campus.
At last week’s board meeting, Superintendent Blake Enlow said there have been lots of ideas passed around among the administrative team, and they need to get board feedback and discuss how to garner public input.
In 2017 the third grade moved back to the elementary from the intermediate. It was 2009 when the third grade went to the intermediate campus as it was established when the high school moved to its new building.
Elementary Principal Kathy Green and Intermediate Principal Sara Cravens were asked to report on potential changes and how they could be incorporated into their campuses.
The third grade has 125 students at this time. The grade has grown some from 2017 when the population ranged from 120 to 140 students.
Green said the campus improvement committee discussed what would be best for the students.
“What it boils down to is not space, but the biggest concern is getting those classroom ratios down from 22 in every class to 18 or 19. That level gets the most from the time and allows for individual attention some kids may need. That is the priority for me,” said Green.
She gave the board two maps of the present layout at the campus showing one with three new teachers and without third grade and one with three new teachers with third grade.
Green explained they already have some classes doubled up including three speech teachers in one room, two Response to Intervention teachers doubled up.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
Bowie school trustees began the arduous task of creating a 2024-25 budget during a lengthy workshop this week.
The board also reviewed some possible changes in the student/employee handbooks and codes of conduct.
Superintendent Blake Enlow said the board spent about two hours in discussion Monday night and began crunching numbers; however, many factors still remain unknown including state funding and local ad valorem tax revenue.
Trustees examined where the district stands for the rest of the fiscal year that ends in August. Finance Director Paula Peterson said the district is catching up on the arrival some state revenues, which she hopes will help offset the expect shortfall. The 2023-24 budget adopted with a half-million deficit, but Enlow said they hope to keep that down as much as possible.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
As the Bowie School District launches into its summer projects, several department heads offered their year-end reports to the trustees last Thursday.
Annual reports
Wayne Walker, support services director, told the board the management team for all his departments set a goal to reduce budget expenses this year and so far they are below budget projections as the school year winds down and summer projects kick off.
As of June 6, child nutrition was $235,678.46 below budget; transportation, $217,942.20 below budget and custodial $312,277.44 below budget, for an overall projected amount of $765,898.10 below budget.
“We hope to finish August 2024 under budget to help out the district in recouping some of the adopt deficit budget for 2023-24. We are projecting in the right direction to end the fiscal year,” said Walker.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
Bowie High School’s Mighty Marching Maroon Band will host a fundraiser paint party from 6-8 p.m. on June 18 in the high school cafeteria.
Cost is $30 to paint an 11 X 14 pre-traced canvas with $15 of each prepaid ticket going to the boosters. The band boosters will be providing snacks, and all supplies such as paint, brushes and canvas are provided.
Host will be Shannon Adkins of Texas Gals Creative Studio.
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