During their March 4th regular meeting Longview ISD trustees voted to cancel the May 4, 2019 elections for two seats that have candidates running unopposed.
Place 5 trustee Shan Bauer and Place 6 trustee Ted Beard are unopposed and will serve another term.
ETMPA Outdoor Science Laboratory
Later, board members approved utilizing $49,500 of Magnet School Assistance Program Grant Funds for the Montessori Outdoor Science Laboratory.
East Texas Montessori Prep Academy's Outdoor Science Laboratory will consist of garden beds for each of the five hallways.
LISD Director of Montessori Dr. Jacqueline Burnett explained that part of the Montessori educational philosophy is that 'children should interact with the natural world to build a connection with the world around them.'
Nature studies are a means for Montessori schools to embrace this principle and help kids get hands-on interactions with nature,' she said. 'The outdoor gardening is part of our curriculum and is one avenue we use to incorporate nature studies into our classrooms. Our gardening activities are done both indoors and outdoors, so children have the flexibility to explore all of their interests in botany.'
CATE Agriculture Barn
Trustees also approved a $39,710 bid from Longview-based Hendrix & Arp Services to install new barn panels at the CATE Agriculture Barn.
During the Nov. 12, 2018 regular meeting the LISD Board of Trustees approved administration's request for the construction of a new agriculture barn. An addendum to the construction proposal was an item for the purchase of panels for use inside the facility following the completion of construction.
LISD Chief Financial Officer Joey Jones told the board that, after evaluating the quotes, his department recommends purchasing the panels from Hendrix & Arp Contracting Services at a cost of $39,710.
Jones told board member that CATE funding will cover cost of this project.
Engage2Learn contract
In other business, trustees approved a contract with Corpus Christi-based Engage2Learn for the development of Longview ISD standards, assessments, training and coaching.
LISD Magnet Grant Director Dr. Craig Coleman expalined that one of the goals of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant is to improve and increase the instruction taking place in the classrooms.
'To this end the district issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) to seek submissions for the development of content standards that incorporate higher expectations than the state standards and include K-12 interdisciplinary, concept-based scope and sequence that are aligned to the 16 Career Clusters as well as the assessments of performance for these standards,' he said.
Mr. Horace Williams, LISD Assistant Superintendent of Campus Accountability, said this project will be to develop the content standards, including Learner Outcomes and Student Profiles for all students K-12.
'The project will provide student performance assessments, professional development and training of the staff of how to incorporate the raised rigor of the standards, coaching of our principals, principal supervisors, instructional specialists, and teacher leaders in the evaluation of the new content standards, the development of exemplar units aligned to Career Clusters, Montessori, and IB standards, and the opportunity to build capacity within our personnel in order to replicate the process across the district in the future,' he said.
Williams added that, due to the depth and size of the program, it will take a process and time to complete.
'The project will be ongoing over the period of 3-4 years and require Engage2Learn to be in our district approximately 300 days during the next 4 years,' he said.
Budgeted total cost for the project is $1,341,307 over the course of the contract. The funding for this project will come from the MSAP grant funds.
For more info...
Trustees meet in the boardroom of the LISD Education Support Center, 1301 E. Young St. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. April 15th.
For more information about the Longview ISD Board of Trustees please click here.