By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie Independent School District Trustees saw a drop of about 78 students after a little more than two weeks into the school year.
The board met Wednesday night. Superintendent Blake Enlow said the morning report that day was 1,497, compared to 1,575 last year. It broke down into 478 at BHS, 344 at BJH, 344 at BIS and 331 at BES. That night the number was 1,502.
The superintendent said there appears to be a low birth rate which is impacting the lower grades. There had been three pre-K classes planned, but due to the lower numbers it was changed to two and one pre-K teacher was moved to first grade.
Enrollment numbers were as follows per campus as of Wednesday with some fluctuations to the superintendent’s numbers due to changes or additions that day:
Elementary – Headstart, 30; Pre-K, 28; K, 92; first, 91 and second, 90. Total – 331
Intermediate – Third, 126, fourth, 105 and fifth, 113. Total – 344.
Junior high – Sixth, 131, seventh, 109 and eighth, 109. Total – 349
High school – Ninth, 138, tenth, 119, eleventh, 110 and twelfth, 111. Total – 478.
Overall total – 1,502 (Wednesday night)
Trustees also were informed the district is not expected to have to pay recapture due to a local revenue level in excess of entitlement for 2024-25.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

Budgetary items once more will dominate the Bowie City Council agenda when it meets at 6 p.m. on Aug. 26.
It opens with a public hearing on the proposed tax rate of .5430 cents per $100 in property value. This is the third year in a row for the rate to remain at this level. An ordinance on its adoption will be on the next council agenda.
The first reading of the budget ordinance for 2024-25 is slated. Overall operational expenses total $23,296,885 with nearly balanced revenues projected at $23,306,568.
Proposed budgets for the Bowie Economic Development Corporation and Bowie 4B Sales Tax Corporation also will be presented to the council for action.
Other new business items including reappointments to the BEDC board and the 4B board, consideration of the Big Sandy Creek Watershed Agreement and a resolution adopting a procurement policy in relation to federal grants.
Old business wraps up with the second reading of ordinance for a property conveyance on 1200 Madison and the Atmos Energy rate settlement.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will provide updates on multiple construction projects in the city including Green Street drainage, Wichita Street water line, Downtown Revitalization grant, wastewater line project, Nelson Street and a planning grant.
Public comments conclude the agenda.

A Bowie man was one of 18 people arrested in a Denton County Sheriff’s Department “Prostitution Demand Suppression Operation,” last week.
According to a release from Sheriff Tracy Murphree, the operation was designed to suppress prostitution in the community by arresting offenders attempting to purchase sexual favors for money.
Anthony Charles Elliott, 45, Bowie, was arrested and booked into the Denton County Jail on Aug. 14 on complaints of soliciting prostitution from a person under 18 years old and unlawful carrying of a weapon. He was released the next day on bonds totaled $40,000.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.