SISD trustees approve drug testing at SHS, iPads for HJH

Actual enrollment higher than expected across district

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Stephenville ISD Board of Trustees || FLASH FILE PHOTO

By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com

STEPHENVILLE (September 19, 2016) — Drug testing is coming for the 800-plus students at Stephenville High School who participate in extracurricular activities.

What began as a slideshow presenting results of an anonymous student survey in a superintendents’ report months ago came full circle at Monday’s regular board meeting, as SISD trustees voted unanimously in favor of the drug screening.

The rationale behind the testing as well as a list of applicable extracurricular activities and testing procedures, frequency and standards is on the district website here. There is also a notice of pertinent student rights and responsibilities concerning interrogations and searches here.


[slideshow_deploy id=’32835′]


Trustees also unanimously approved the next step in its iChampion digital learning, which is the purchase of iPads for students at Henderson Junior High, with device and cost details here. The total cost at HJH will be $383,492.69, according to a presentation by district executive director of technology and digital learning Shelby Womack.

Implementation began at Hook Elementary School last year, and Gilbert Intermediate School students were presented their iPads at the beginning of this school year.

After HJH iPads are distributed at the beginning of the spring semester, the final phase of the plan’s installment will be at the high school. The plan is for SHS students to receive iPads at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year.

Trustees discussed enrollment and how it affects funding from the state. The district, says chief financial officer Deborah Hummell, budgeted for 3,578 students but instead have an actual enrollment of 3,262. They are targeting an average daily attendance of 3,501.02 including 1,022.90 in the high school. That would generate $11,209,507 instead of the expected 10,922,506, an increase of $287,001. The enrollment and financial impact report can be found here.

The board recognized two groups of students with proclamations read by Superintendent Matt Underwood and presented by board president Dr. Ann Calahan. They honored Aaron Stufflebean and Ali Obermiller as members of the Congress of Future Medical Leaders, as well as the UIL robotics team that was a state semifinalist. The complete list of robotics students honored can be found on the district website here.


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Trustees also approved a number of housecleaning items including:

-Electrical contract with Direct Energy based on a proposal from the Texas Association of School Boards Energy Cooperative and a recommendation from district maintenance director Keith Starnes.

-Annual approval of 4-H ag extension agents’ adjunct faculty status

-TEA class size waiver

-Consent agenda including minutes from regular and called meetings in August and a review of monthly bills.


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