SWISD Board Report
FEBRUARY 20 MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
The student of the month for Medio Creek ES is Jimena Ortiz. Jimena is an exemplary 5th-grade student who always tries her best and goes above and beyond to help her class and school community. She exemplifies what it means to be an MCE Gator with her awesome attitude each and every day. She is a Student Ambassador, AAA participant, Robotics Club member, and A-Honor Roll student. Jimena is headed for great things as she moves on to middle school next year, and we are proud that she has been a product of our MCE Dual Language program since Pre-K.
Madelyn Maldonado is the Student of the Month for McAuliffe MS. She is an exceptional 8th grader who shines in academics and extracurricular activities. Madelyn Maldonado is a hard worker and sets a high standard of classroom excellence. She actively participates in class, collaborates with others, and enjoys learning new skills and information. Not only is she a model student in the classroom, but Maddy also excels in extracurricular activities such as Theatre and Cyberpatriots and is a part of the National Junior Honor Society. She consistently exhibits honesty, respect, and a sense of responsibility, making her an excellent student and an admirable individual. As the Vice President of the National Junior Honor Society, Madelyn demonstrates strong leadership and dedication. Madelyn was recently awarded a prestigious Valley Hi Optimist Club Award for achieving the highest GPA. This award recognizes students who exemplify the Optimist Club Creed. Maddy truly exhibits the Rocket Way!
The SWHS Student of the Month is Reilly Milligan. NJROTC Lieutenant Commander Sean Wilson chose Reilly to represent SWHS. Reilly is heavily involved in multiple activities at SWHS, as he participates in water polo, swimming, and golf and serves as team captain for all three sports. Reilly is currently a class officer for the junior class and a yell leader for the SWHS student spirit group, The Dungeon. In Navy Junior ROTC, Cadet Ensign Milligan is a platoon commander and the operations officer for Sea Dragon Company. He is active on several teams, including as a member of the Academic Team and the Black Knights Armed Drill Team, an award-winning competition Color Guard. He is a graduate of the week-long Basic Leadership Training course. With all of these extracurricular activities, Reilly also shines in the classroom, as he participates in dual credit courses and is ranked in the Top 10% of his class.
Southwest Legacy - 2024 R.O.C.K. Mentoring Program
Coach Jake Kotzur from Southwest Legacy H.S. was recognized for being selected for the 2024 R.O.C.K. Mentoring Program. Nominated for his outstanding coaching abilities, Coach Kotzur embodies the program's values of being Rare, Outstanding, Compelled, and Knowledgeable. The R.O.C.K. Mentoring Program, a collaboration between the Texas High School Coaches Education Foundation and Texas A&M Thornton-McFerrin Coaching Academy, aims to support and retain high school and middle school teacher coaches. Coaches play a vital role in shaping individuals, teams, and communities, and this program seeks to cultivate their leadership skills, align their work, implement best practices, and address various challenges they face, including time management and work-life balance.
Designed to motivate and provide support, the program focuses on empowering coaches to positively impact their athletes' physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Ultimately, the goal is to equip coaches with the tools to instill character, integrity, and life lessons through athletic performance. We are excited about Coach Kotzur's participation in this program and its positive influence on our district's athletic community.
Southwest High School- THSCA Region 8 Asst. Coach of the Year
Southwest High School is proud to announce that the Texas High School Coaches Association chose Ronnie Molina as the Region 8 5A Assistant Football Coach of the Year for his dedication to the kids in our Dragon Football program and his work as a teacher in the classroom! Ronnie is an amazing football coach who understands and teaches strategy and technique to our kids, but far more so because of his ability to build incredibly positive relationships with all our athletes and students throughout Southwest High School. He is also an amazing mentor to our coaches, especially the younger ones. Furthermore, Ronnie is an amazing asset to Southwest High School's campus culture. On the night we announced his award, he was working the concession stand with our Powerlifting team, as he is also the Head Powerlifting coach. Finally, you can find Ronnie at almost every game the Dragons are in outside of football. Whether it be a girl's basketball game, softball, baseball, water polo, or track meet, you will most likely find him cheering them on. This type of dedication and leadership by example is why he is the THSCA Region 8 Assistant Football Coach of the Year, and we are so proud and honored that he chooses to bless us here at SWHS with his talents!
Presentations
Construction Update
Thomas Kreuger, Director of Facilities and Maintenance, gave an update on various Bond 2023 construction projects around the District, including the SWHS Press Box, Central Office, Bob Hope ES, Legacy HS, SWE, and Elm Creek ES renovations. Representatives with Marmon Mok Architecture presented the Schematic Designs for the Juan M. Alvarado Elementary School.
Summer Camp Programs
Anitra Crisp, the Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum and Veronica Wilson, Executive Director of Elementary Curriculum, delivered a presentation on Summer School Programs aimed at enhancing instructional support for students in need and facilitating summer End-of-Course (EOC) testing. The Division of Curriculum and Instruction is preparing to launch several programs focused on mastering essential Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Additionally, specific students will have the opportunity to participate in mandatory tutoring sessions as per HB4545. The Summer School Smart Start initiative will be implemented across three elementary schools and one Secondary Campus for grades 6-12 at SWHS from June 4 to 18, 2023, with classes scheduled from Monday through Thursday. Program dates may vary based on specific needs. SWISD plans to utilize SCE and General funds to support these academic and summer initiatives.
LASO Grant Report
In October 2023, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced its ongoing provision of streamlined, consolidated grant applications, targeting select programs to foster academic progress. The Learning Acceleration Support Opportunities (LASO) represents the latest phase of this universal consolidated application process, strategically bundling grant funding opportunities to support continued learning acceleration and innovation endeavors.
Southwest ISD participated in the LASO Grant Cycle 2 application process during Fall 2023, concentrating on Math acceleration support for grades Kindergarten through 5. The district was recently granted $250,000 to further these objectives.
Items Approved
Senate Bill 763
The Board approved a recommendation stating that the District will not permit chaplains to serve as employees or volunteers, in accordance with SB 763. This Senate Bill allows districts to employ chaplains or accept them as volunteers to offer support, services, and programs for students, as directed by the board, starting from the 2023-24 school year. Although chaplains may currently be allowed on campus along with other visitors or volunteers, SB 763 mandates each board to vote on whether to adopt a policy permitting the employment or acceptance of chaplains within six months of the bill's effective date, September 1, 2023.
Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Package#1 for the New Central Office Construction Project
That the Board approved the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for Package 1 of the New Central Office Project, not to exceed the amount of $2.4 million and allow District Staff to negotiate terms and conditions on the GMP. The total GMP for Package 1 amount will be $2.4 million and will be funded by the 2023 Bond.
Schematic Design for Alvarado Elementary School
Trustees gave their approval of the Schematic Design drawings presented by Marmon Mok Architecture. Collaboratively, District staff and Marmon Mok Architecture meticulously identified the program and design requirements for the new Alvarado Elementary project. The budget for this project is approximately $39,900,000. The cost of this project will be funded by 2023 Bond funds.
2023-2024 Compensation Plan Amendment
The Board approved the Board approve the attached additional pay items for the 2023-24
Compensation Plan. District staff recommended to amend the 2023-2024 compensation plan that was approved at the November 28, 2023 Board Meeting. This recommendation included an Early Retirement Notification for Teachers, PROMISE Interim Stipend, increased Substitute Counselor Rate and an hourly rate for paraprofessionals who perform additional work duties such as coaching or club sponsor.
Board Resolution in Support of a Fair and Transparent Accountability System.
Trustees approved a resolution endorsing a fair and transparent accountability system. The district has joined with other Texas School Districts in a collective effort to advocate for actions that ensure the Rating System delivers equitable, transparent, and effective performance ratings for school districts. Southwest ISD opposes any retroactive and significant mid-year alterations to the measures, methods, and procedures utilized for the 2022-2023 school year performance ratings, and stands firm in supporting the Rating System's alignment with Texas state law as legislated by the Texas Legislature.
Southwest Independent School District
Website: www.swisd.net
Location: Southwest Independent School District, TX, USA
Phone: 210-622-4300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWISDsatx
Twitter: @swisd