The Aledo ISD board of trustees purchased district-wide instructional materials and approved seven new staff positions at the May meeting. After passing the consent agenda in full, which included an audit of the district’s 2024-25 fiscal year, the board went through the action items.
The board approved a purchase of $67,767 from Really Great Reading Products for a systematic structured explicit phonics program, which the district has been using for four years according to Director of assessment and accountability Candace Summerhill. Also approved was the renewal of NWEA’s Measure of Academic Progress growth assessments across the district for $53,400. These assessments are used to measure progress in math and reading.
Finally, for instructional item actions, the board approved a purchase of $114,325 from IXL for supplemental learning materials as well as screeners. Finishing off the business items, the board approved seven new staff positions across the district, which included two classroom teachers at Coder Elementary and McKinney Elementary at a cost of $130,000; one PRIDE classroom teacher at McAnally Middle School at a cost of $65,000; one structured learning classroom teacher at Vandagriff Elementary at a cost of $65,000; one PRIDE paraprofessional at McAnally Middle School at a cost of $28,000; and two speech language pathologists at an undetermined location at a cost of $111,000.
Superintendent Susan Bohn explained that the reason the district was waiting on approving these positions was because of uncertainty on how much state funding they would receive, but these positions are vital to the continuing of school.
“These are required positions,” she said. “We can’t have school without these. These are based on the needs of particular students who have special needs.”
Swearing in and Bearcat community member presentations
Along with the business matters, two trustees were sworn in to their seats including board President Forrest Collins and Lynn Morgan, who was elected to seat 5 to replace outgoing trustee Jennifer Taylor.
Taylor was honored by the board in the beginning of the meeting with Bohn emphasizing the dedication she had to Aledo ISD.
“We’re very grateful for her service and her family for allowing her to serve with us in this capacity and all the impact that she’s had on our Bearcats over the years,” Bohn said.
During executive session, the new board determined officer positions with Collins remaining president, trustee David Lear remaining vice president and trustee Zach Tarrant becoming board secretary.
After the swearing in, the Aledo Education Foundation updated the board about their outgoing executive director Valerie Kerr. In her honor, they presented a check of $100,000 to the board for Aledo ISD. According to past President Ashley Hodo, it’s the largest one-time gift given by AEF.
“As you know and probably have heard, state funding isn’t at its max right now for our school districts in public education,” Hodo said. “AEF helped fills some of those gaps, and we are so proud of all the teachers that have done grants with us and really excited about this gift tonight.”
During the public comments portion of the meeting, multiple parents spoke to the board in concern of the quality of special education at Aledo ISD, asking the board to work with them to find a solution.
Updates on instructional priorities and math department
Two presentations were also given during the meeting to update the board on the districts academic progress through the end of the school year. The first presentation given was regarding the district’s instructional priorities and how they were seen in the classroom through a series of daily walk throughout the 2024-2025 school year. The priorities focused on were lesson frame, critical writing, frequent small group purposeful talk, and active participation.
According to the presentation, there were improvements in the set priorities across K-12, including classroom discussion which, according to Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Amber Crissey, has returned to pre-COVID percentages.
“When we came back from remote learning or hybrid learning, we saw a dramatic decrease in students talking and having that academic discussion,” she said. “So, this is the result of a lot of hard work on behalf of our teachers.”
Following the instructional priorities presentation was a report from the math department regarding their curriculum goals and plan for the future given by math coordinator Deanne Torres. The department focused on four key principles in their instruction for the school year: curriculum writing, vertical and horizontal alignment, learner engagement, and postsecondary readiness in math. Torres said they would be bringing another high school math class, pre-AP Algebra 2, to the classrooms soon.
Recognition received
The May Aledo ISD board meeting was a packed house with students, staff, and family as multiple students and faculty were given commendations by the board. These ranged from academic to staff recognition and included:
Featured Collaborative Team: Aledo Middle School Vertical Math Team: Kailea Click, Elizabeth Shifflett, Skye Lindgron, Emily Lyle, Grace McCurdy, Macy Cantu, and Kaitlyn Winn
Bearcats of Character: (Purpose) — Hudson Hackfeld, Aledo High School/Daniel Ninth Grade Campus; Frida (Camila) Huerta, Aledo Learning Center; Scout Newman, Aledo High School/Daniel Ninth Grade Campus; Kendall Bricker, Aledo Middle School; Henry Hardwick, McAnally Middle School; Deacon Kirk, Annetta Elementary School; Wren Smith, Coder Elementary School; Wyatt Palmer, McCall Elementary School; Adrian Rios, McKinney Elementary School; Olivia Rubino, Stuard Elementary School; Ruben Cabral, Vandagriff Elementary School; Perri Whipple, Walsh Elementary School; Thiago Rodriguez, Avila, Early Childhood Academy
Circle of Greatness Honorees: Tim Rogers, Professional; Andrea Winkfield, Auxiliary; Lauren Melanson, Paraprofessional; Monica Adams, Campus Guest Teacher
First for Aledo High School CTE Aviation 2 FAA Commercial Drone Pilots: Tyler Anton, Audrey Apetz, Cooper Charrier, Orlando Churion, Carsyn Cox, Owen Fox, Michael Kimball, Kaden Martin, Matthew Nestor, Trent Newton, Noah Peffer, Justin Nguyen, Peyton Prichard, Kale Roberson, Jaxon Robinson, Zachary Rosenhoover, Bowie Royal, and Henry Williams
UIL Journalism Interscholastic League Press Conference: Aledo High School; JJ Araiza, Kyle Krall, Daryn Rice, Ryan Lotter, Faith Masseau, Drake Hadley, Ella Flowers, and Ian Black; Daniel Ninth Grade, Christian Carver. Aledo Ledoian: Gold Star Yearbook winner
Visual Art Scholastic Event (VASE): Ariana Storms, Gold Seal Award and State Champion
UIL Class 5A State Golf Qualifier: Emily Crick
UIL Class 5A State Tennis Tournament Qualifier: Lila Satterfield
Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) Class 5A Girls Swim and Dive Super Elite Team: Haley Roberson, Aledo High School
Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) Academic All State Athletes: Aledo High School Team; Tennis — Patrice Loftin — Elite; Eleanor Jack — 1st Team; Boys Track and Field — Braylon Brown — 2nd Team; Luke Schabel — 2nd Team; Adam Averett — 2nd Team; Boys Soccer — Cole Crawford — 1st Team; Kaden Callaway — 2nd Team; Sean Michel — 2nd Team; Adrian Solis, Austin Randriamahefa, Elliot Smith — Honorable Mention; Softball — Taylor Mckean — 1st Team, Marina Taveras — 2nd Team, Addie Perry — 2nd Team; Baseball — Ethan Hodo — 1st Team, Deacon Schneider — 2nd Team, Braden Montgomery — 2nd Team, Brooks Burdine — 2nd Team, Blake Burdine — Honorable Mention, Luke Trager — Honorable Mention, Devin Miller — Honorable Mention, Grayson McKelvey — Honorable Mention
Robotics Team 20325 — 10th Place Finish State Championship: Aledo High School; Omar Cervantes, Jake Fergus, Ryan Hajj, Jackson Hamner, Benjamin McCain, Landon McNiel, Brayden Richardson, Cameron Robbins, Cooper Simpson, Alex Steward, and Finley Van Dyk
Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) State Qualifiers — Aledo High School: Avery Green — Clinical Nursing — State Gold Medalist; Aspen Gardner — Extemporaneous Writing; Brooke Timms — Health Career Display; Emma Cox — Health Career Display; Sadie Williams — Nursing Assisting; Kennedy Dudley — Health Career Display; Kennedy Fleck — Health Career Display
UIL Class 5A State Track and Field Qualifiers: Adam Averett, 300 Hurdles; Braylon Brown, Pole Vault; Trey Warner, Jace Lay, Lincoln Tubbs, and Adam Averett, 4X400 Relay; Molly Garrison 1,600 — State Bronze Medalist, and 3,200; Daniel Ninth Grade, Emma Ralph, Pole Vault
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