*Maria Agado
  Diana Atkinson
  Ernesto Balli  
  Maria Teresa Bazan
  Luis Cantu
  Arnold Castillo
  Fred Cavazos
  *Pamela Cole
  *Dolores De La
  Fuente
  *Marina De Leon
  Sylvia Espinoza
  Carol Evans
  Normalinda Garcia
  Rene Garcia
  Isabel Gomez
  *Carlos Gonzales
  Dr. Margarita Greer
  Lisa Gutierrez
  Roberta Kelly
  *Jana Landrum
  Stan Leshner
  Antonio G. Limon
  Sam Mendez
  *Jose L. Morales
  Monica Pulido
  *Eddie Ramirez
  Dee Dee Reza
  Rene Rivas
  *Victor Rosas
  Nancy Thompson
  *Joe Villarreal



  Reference
  Individuals:
  Ruben Franco
  Celia Longoria
  Emma McCall
  Celeste Sanchez


  * Unable to Attend

  Next meeting date:
  April 10, 2008 at
  3 p.m. at the John F.
  Barron
  Administration
  Building
 

March 17, 2008

Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG)

Planner/Evaluator Ruben Franco presented information related to the Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG).  Franco reported that this marks the third year that this item is presented to members of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council.  He explained that the state selects which campuses will receive grant funding.  Committees have been formed and a tremendous amount of work and effort goes into developing campus plans.  Riverside Middle School and Judge Oscar De La Fuente Elementary are new grant recipients.  Previously, Berta Cabaza Middle School and Veterans Memorial Academy, had received monies.  VMA received $130,000, which was based on the student population.  The money was divided amongst staff members according to a plan developed by a committee at the campus level.  Riverside Middle School qualified for $100,000 as a result of a student population of 700.  The funds will be divided amongst the current employees, according to Principal Joel Wood.  The decision was made at the campus level to include those staff members that are currently employed at that campus this school year and not include staff members from the previous year, Wood said.  Judge Oscar De La Fuente Elementary qualified for $75,000 and developed a distribution method plan. 
 
 

District Award for Teacher Excellence (DATE) Grant

Melonie Flores and Dr. Margarita Y. Greer are spearheading a committee that has developed qualifying criteria and eligibility for the District Awards for Teacher Excellence (D.A.T.E.) grant.  The grant is designed to promote academic excellence for both students and teachers.  The district qualified for $535,000.  The state requires that a minimum of 60% is specifically used for teacher awards, and 40% for other areas.  However, the committee decided to allocate 90% of the funds to award teachers who meet the eligibility criteria and submit the portfolio with the required documentation.   Ten percent of the amount will be allocated to award principals whose campuses meet the set criteria, and for other expenses required by the grant.  The criteria include student academic achievement, tutorials, use of technology in the classroom, professional development, campus involvement, and data from walkthrough results. 

Committee presents proposed calendar

Members of the Calendar Committee, headed by Director of Secondary Curriculum/Gifted & Talented Mary Alice Martinez reported that Calendar A received the most votes by employees.  The calendar will be submitted to the San Benito CISD Board of Trustees for final approval in the near future.

2008 Bond Election Presented

Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón and members of his team, including principals Elsa Lambert and Manuel Cruz, conducted an informational 2008 Bond Election presentation.  The district has qualified for Instructional Facilities Allotment monies from the state.
 
The San Benito CISD Board of Trustees unanimously called for a bond election.  Scheduled for Saturday, May 10, the bond has been deemed necessary because the district continues to experience steady growth.

The availability of IFA monies would allow the district an opportunity to fund the projects needed with only a fraction of a cost being incurred by residents.  Since the time frame for implementation of these projects is only four years away, the district is making every effort to secure current available funding.
 
With a Wealth Per Average Daily Attendance of $62,708, the San Benito CISD is ranked by TEA as the 15th poorest district in the state.  San Benito CISD will qualify for $37 million, pending a successful bond election.
 
The bond issue would require a 7-cent tax increase.  The current tax rate is $1.24 for every $100 of assessed property value.  The new proposed tax rate would be $1.31 per $100 valuation.
 
Proposed projects included in the 2008 bond election package are as follows:


Elementary Schools

New Elementary–$11,000,000
Sullivan Elementary Renovations–$6,000,000
New 16 classroom wing
New cafeteria
Convert existing cafeteria into a library

Landrum Elementary–$2,000,000
Classroom wing renovations

Ed Downs Elementary
Heating Ventilation Air Conditioner (HVAC) and old cafeteria renovations–$1,420,000

La Paloma Elementary–$700,000
Air Conditioning (A/C) Controls
Science Classroom Renovations

Dr. Cash Elementary–$700,000
HVAC Renovations

Rangerville Elementary–$500,000
HVAC Renovations

Fred Booth Elementary–$100,000
A/C Controls

Frank Roberts Elementary–$100,000
A/C Controls

 
Enclose All Canopies (Elementary Schools)–$1,650,000

 
Elementary School Totals–$24,170,000

 

Middle Schools

Miller Jordan Middle School–$500,000
Chill Water System for Non-Renovated Building

 Middle School Totals–$500,000

 
Secondary Schools

San Benito High School–$4,200,000
HVAC Retrofit

 
San Benito Veterans Memorial Academy–$8,130,000
Two Classroom Wings (16 classrooms per wings)

 
Secondary School Totals–$12,330,000

 Grand Total–$37,000,000

 

Early Voting

Early voting for the proposed bond election begins April 28 and continues until May 6.  Early voting will be held at the San Benito CISD Tax Office on 152 E. Rowson between 8 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. 


Election Day (Precincts)

On Saturday, May 10, the following polling places will be open to the public from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.:

•Precinct 17–La Encantada Elementary, 35001 FM 1577
•Precincts 18, 22, 89, 90–Fire Station, 1201 S. Sam Houston
•Precincts 19, 21, 44 & 50–Community Building, 210 E. Heywood
•Precinct 23–Rangerville Elementary, 17558 Landrum Park Road
•Precincts 25 & 88–Los Indios School Building
•Precincts 40, 43 & 91–Fred Booth Elementary, 705 Zaragosa
•Precinct 51–La Paloma Elementary, 35076 Main Street
 

Open Forum

• Nancy Thompson inquired about teachers having to attend three days of inservice for two exchange days.  Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Celeste Sanchez explained that teachers receive $75 per day.  If a teacher attends all three days, the teacher will earn a total of $225.
• A question was raised about the pay period (whether paychecks would be issued early) and the response is that next payday is set for March 25.
• Fred Cavazos of the Afterschool Program announced that several chess teams are advancing to nationals.  The schools include Berta Cabaza Middle School, Miller Jordan Middle School, San Benito High School, Dr. Raul Garza Jr. Elementary, Dr. C.M. Cash Elementary, Landrum Elementary and Judge Oscar De La Fuente Elementary.  The elementary schools will be traveling to Pittsburg, Pa.; the middle schools will travel to Dallas, Tx.; while San Benito High School will travel to Atlanta, Ga. at a later date.
  
  

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