SCHOOL NEWS
BISD meets early Thursday for budget
The Bowie Independent School District will finalize its 2024-25 budget when the board of trustees meet for a pair of early morning meetings on Aug. 31, the last day of the fiscal year.
The public hearing for the proposed tax rate and budget will be at 7 a.m. on Aug. 31.
The proposed budget projects expenses of $18,186,973 and revenues of $17,649,586. It includes a 2% pay increase for teachers and paraprofessionals, and all would move to the next step. Non-step employees would get a 2% raise.
Calculations for the budget have been difficult to narrow down as the State Legislature will have a special session on school funding in October and there is a special election to increase the homestead tax exemption from $40,000 to $100,000, which is expected to pass on Nov. 7. The state template for the school year funding has not been finalized and BISD has not received its final two state funding payments for the present fiscal years, which leaves the end-of-year figures in questions.
The proposed tax rate is .887180, which is lower than the 2022 rate of $1.03460 per $100 in property value. Maintenance and operation would receive .69180 cents and .18 for debt service. Per the district’s tax rate publication the average market value of a home in the district is $180,509 this year and with the proposed tax rate taxes for that value will go down $459.71.
Taxable revenue will change significantly if the homestead exemption changes to the higher amount and those adjustments will have to be made after those results are known. The legislature has indicated it will help make up any funding loss, but no specifics have been made public.
In a second meeting at 7:15 a.m. the board will make any amendments to the 2022-23 budget, designate the committed fund balance, approve the salary schedule and budget for 2023-24 and the 2023 tax rate.
The principal of Forestburg Independent School District Kay White, has sent out an alert to parents and students regarding a dangerous Tik Tok Trend regarding Chromebook devices.
A letter was posted to the district’s Facebook page on May 8 bringing this trend to their attention. According to the post students through Tik Tok are being encouraged to force electrical short circuits on Chromebook devices by inserting items into the USB port. This action can spark or puncture the lithium battery in the device and poses a serious fire risk.
“Students and parents, be award if your student chooses to engage in this trend they will face serious consequences including, but not limited to the following:
- Up to $300 in replacement/repair fee.
- At minimum a 30-day loss of technology use if not permanent loss.
- School consequences such as ISS/OSS/DAEP.
- Criminal charges pursued for vandalism and/or arson.”
It concludes by encouraging parents to talk to students about the importance of appropriate use of district technology resources and the consequences of their actions.
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District approved all the offered contracts for professional educators during last week’s meeting.
After a brief executive session the board returned to open session to approved the contracts. Several staff members are retiring include Kathy Green, principal at Bowie Elementary; Chris Cornelison, assistant principal at Bowie Junior High and Kristi Hunt at Bowie High School.
Superintendent Blake Enlow said there are a few who don’t have all their certification completed that did not receive a full contract. There also were no reassignments of staff to other duties as of April 21.
Read the full story in the May 1 Bowie News.
The Hardin and Clark Scholars, the top academic honors at Midwestern State University, and other outstanding students were named during the annual Honors Recognition Banquet April 25 in D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
Rykir J.A. Evans was named Hardin Scholar. Evans is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
The Hardin Scholar is the university’s highest award for academic excellence and was begun in 1962 by the Hardin Foundation. It is presented each spring to a student during his or her senior year and a $3,000 scholarship award is given with the honor.
Read the full story in the May 1 Bowie News.
Rykir J.A. Evans named Hardin Scholar for Midwestern State University stands with Kandace Adam, the Clark Scholar. (Courtesy photo)
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