All action items were passed unanimously including the $421,778 purchase of three new buses through the 2023 Bond program funds. These new buses include:
Chief financial officer Earl Husfield said that the regular bus is needed to help reduce students’ ride time on the longer bus routes by realigning some of the routes. The special needs bus with lift is needed due to an increase in students with special needs who have requested transportation. The activity bus, which the district has two of already, is needed because those two buses are highly sought after and requested more than they are available.
The board also approved a request to improve the serving line and kitchen equipment for Vandagriff Elementary School at a cost of $583,864 that will be paid from the Child Nutrition Fund.
“We’re updating the serving line,” Husfield said. “We’re updating some of the quick kitchen equipment and their selected equipment in the kitchen as well. We’re kind of restructuring some of the walk-in cooler, the freezer.”
Also approved were the communication items at last month’s board meeting including the district fiberoptic cabling upgrades and the campus and district improvement plans.
Also approved was the interlocal agreement between Aledo ISD and the Town of Annetta regarding Flock Security and the installation of license plate recognition cameras at Stuard Elementary School and Annetta Elementary School. Annetta has agreed to use its funds to pay for the installation and maintenance of these cameras in the town’s jurisdiction.
Four easements regarding the Old Weatherford Road Improvement Construction Project were approved including: Public Access, Temporary Construction, Drainage, and Permanent Slope.
The consent agenda was passed with no changes.
Two representatives from the Aledo Growth Committee, Aaron Valencia and Callie Caldwell, came to speak to the AISD board about the committee and talk about what the expectations of the committee are now that they are looking at the possibility of another high school site and answer any community questions.
“I want to make sure everybody understands it’s not we’re not building a bond right now,” Valencia said. “We’re just planning for the future.”
Caldwell said that they are taking their time and figuring out what the community wants and what their needs are going forward and making a master plan.
“How will we meet their needs as twenty-first century learners and future employers and future parents and community members and citizens,” Caldwell said. “That’s what we’re looking at. What can we do? How can we build facilities to meet all of those kids’ needs?”
The committee has already had two meetings, and Valencia said one main thing that has stood out to him so far is the difference in how the buildings look now compared to when he was in school.
They said that they will be working to deliver two conceptual designs, one for the second high school in the district, and the other for a college and career academy, which they will be speaking to the community more about in the future.
The AGC will hold a community feedback meeting from 6-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 at the Daniel Ninth Grade Campus.
Also introduced at the meeting was the new Executive Director of Special Programs Lynn Jameson. She has had 27 years of experience in the special education field and was most recently the executive director of education at Keller.
Jameson said in the four days that she has been with the district she has never felt a sense of energy and pride like what she has seen at Aledo.
The board was also given an update on the district instructional focus on the first cycle of the school year about both professional staff and where students are.
“As I transition into my new role, I look forward to listening, learning, and building on the strong foundation that already exist in Aleo ISD over the next 90 days,” she said. “And together, we’ll continue to ensure that every student feels supported, challenged, and valued.”
For commendations for this board meeting the Bearcats of Character trait honored was “Perspective.”
The Perspective Bearcats of Character were:
Parker Felty, Aledo High School/Daniel Ninth Grade Campus; Christian Medley, Aledo Learning Center; Avery Bean, Aledo High School/Daniel Ninth Grade Campus; Kamdyn Elms, Aledo Middle School; Molly Smoot, McAnally Middle School; Zara Pruitt, Annetta Elementary School; Samuel Maly, Coder Elementary School; Hazel Patterson, McCall Elementary School; Mila Briseno, McKinney Elementary School; Samantha Morgan, Stuard Elementary School; Austyn (Jessie) Adams, Vandagriff Elementary School; Abigail Shaw, Walsh Elementary School; Kalani Perkins, Early Childhood Academy
Also honored were students with high academic achievements including:
The featured collaborative team for this meeting was the Aledo Highschool and Daniel Ninth Grade Spanish II team with Gillian Walker, Diana Cifuentes, Efren Martinez, and Mary Pope.
Walsh Elementary School also gave a campus presentation about their “LEAD” behavior guiding coalition.
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