NEWS
Bowie ISD Trustees approve four-day school week for 2023-24
By BARBARA GREEN
After two failed motions Monday night, Bowie Independent School District trustees finally approved a four-day school calendar for 2023-24.
The possibility has been in discussions for the last several months with the district’s calendar committee examining a variety of four- and five-day calendar options. BISD joins Nocona, Prairie Valley, Montague and Gold-Burg which all operate with some form of a four-day schedule. Forestburg and Saint Jo ISD each have committees looking into the options.
There were about a dozen people in attendance for this topic, and two parents were surprised when they found they were not allowed to ask questions in the discussion.
The board procedures require those wishing to make public comments to sign in and make those comments during that item early in in the agenda. Superintendent Blake Enlow said one of the administrators would be happy to call and talk with them the next day.
The board reviewed many of the pros and cons during its last meeting and during the public forum two weeks ago; however, they went through the major ones once more.
The basics of a four-day week would have the staff and students out of school on Fridays, with the staff coming in one Friday each month for professional development.
The exceptions would add one more day in October when parent-teacher conferences are required for kindergarten-fifth grades and in March when interim data is available. The school day would see 45 minutes added to the day on all campuses.
The early Wednesday release was eliminated from all calendar options. Students would only attend on Friday if invited for tutorials, attendance recovery or behavioral intervention. Based on the recommendation school would begin Aug. 7 and release on May 23. Staff would report on July 31.
The holiday schedule would remain the same except there is no Martin Luther King or President’s Day holiday. Curriculum Director Lee Ann Farris said the proposals mimic the present schedule, but on three-day weekends it is on a Friday not a Monday. When they return from Christmas break there would be one training/planning day.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
The Department of Public Safety has provided information on an auto vs. motorcycle accident that reportedly occurred on July 4.
James Lee Hilton, Nocona, was driving a 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Daniel Parra, Chico, was driving a 2018 Ford Fiesta. Both vehicles were north on State Highway 101 outside Sunset with the motorcycle behind the car.
Parra was attempting to turn left on Farm-to-Market Road 2265 when the motorcyclist attempted to unsafely pass to the left states the report. The bike struck the left side of the Fiesta. Both vehicles came to rest off the roadway on the northwest corner of SH 101 and FM 2265.
Hilton was transported to Denton Medical City with
A major crash on East Wise in front of the Second Monday parking on July 11 shut down traffic for several hours in the morning and sent two people to the Bowie emergency room.
The accident occurred at 9:53 a.m. Thursday at 1616 E. Wise involving a large sign installation truck and an SUV.
Briana Rollison, Bowie, was driving a 2001 Ford Expedition east in the 1600 block of E. Wise and the large truck from Turner Signs System of Richland Hills was traveling west on East Wise driven by Joshua Thompson.
The preliminary accident report states Thompson lost control of the vehicle crossing the double yellow line striking the SUV in front of the Parker Properties and Farm Services Building. The SUV was knocked into the ditch and later made it back on the roadway.
The truck rolled on the passenger side and slid about 50-100 feet west of the incident location. Skid marks from the truck were observed to start approximately 300-350 feet east of the crash location.
See the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie City Councilors this week got their first look at the 2024-25 proposed budget seeing a balanced plan with a total operational budget of $23,296,885 in expenses, which is a little more than $1.4 million above the previous year’s budget.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris said Monday night the budget looks “eerily familiar” to last year, despite adding a few equipment purchases. City Manager Bert Cunningham said he had already slashed more than $300,000 from the department requests in order to get a balanced budget.
The utility fund is balanced with expenses of $12,595,995 and revenues projected at $12,601,000. In the general fund revenues are projected at $10,705,568 with expenses at $10,700,890. Total budget expenses are $23,296,885 and overall revenue projected at $23,306,568. Cunningham said it leaves a small margin to set forth a balanced budget.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo: New chip and seal was laid on Elba and Lamb this week repairing well-worn roads near the Nelson/Mill drainage project. (Photo by Barbara Green)
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