Millsap ISD News and Notes
May, 2015
Teacher Appreciation Week: David Belding
What a great year 2014-2015 has been! This is Teacher Appreciation Week and it is my belief that every week should be Teacher Appreciation. "Thank you" can not adequately capture the gratitude I have for all you do for our students. Millsap ISD is known for how we nurture and take care of our students. That is because EVERY employee is committed to all of our students and ensuring their educational experience is the very best!
A story appeared in the Mineral Wells Index this past week talking about a couple of companies that used some creative ways to rank schools. Millsap ISD was highly rated by both companies. Niche.com has us in the top 100 districts in Texas while Nerdwallet.com has us as 21st out of the D/FW area districts. This is a supper accomplishment by every person in our district. Click on the link to read the article in the MW Index: http://www.mineralwellsindex.com/news/rankings-rate-millsap-isd-among-top-dfw-area-school-districts/article_76426ade-ef69-11e4-99bf-db01067baeb3.html
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our children. I hope the end of the school year is smooth and rewarding for each of you!
Mrs. Ables
Millsap ISD will be losing a treasured teacher at the end of this year. Mrs. Ables will be retiring after 47 years of service to Millsap Elementary and all in first grade. We are so proud of Mrs. Ables and what she means to our community.
I am excited to announce that Rep. Phil King has sponsored a House Resolution in honor of our Mrs. Ables. The resolution will be presented to Mrs. Ables Thursday, May 7th on the floor of the House of Representatives. The House convenes at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday. You can watch a live video stream of the proceedings at: http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/
Mr. Hook
After 30 years of teaching our own Mr. Johnny Hook has decided to retire! Mr. Hook has been in charge of many programs during his tenure at Millsap ISD most recently starting the high school archery team. He will be missed by us all.
A reception for Mr. Hook is planned for Thursday, May 28 at 4:00 p.m. in the M.H.S. Library. Everyone is invited to attend and wish him well.
Business Office: Lori Hobbs
Income Tax
Most of you have filed your tax return for 2014 and some of you may have filed for an extension. Usually, the early filers are getting a refund and the late filers owe money to the IRS. Either way, now is a good time to determine if the income tax being withheld from your earnings is too small, too large, or just right.
The best way to find out your withholding status is to look at your Wage and Earnings Statement that you get monthly. Look where it has "Withhold Stat and Exempt". For example, "Withhold stat: M and Exempt: 2" means married and 2 exemptions. If you need to change the amount of income tax being withheld from your check, a new W-4 needs to be filled out and sent to the Business Office. Here is a link to the form: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf Please print only page one.
Also, remember that each person's tax information is unique and refunds and balance dues are just as unique. If you have any questions about filling out the W-4 form, please contact the Business Office.
Custodial Department: Deborah Wright
We are so happy to receive all of this rain that we have been blessed with this season. We are doing our best to stay ahead of all the mud that comes along with the rain. Please bear with us.
The custodial department purchased a new window cleaning system that will aid us in keeping our outside windows looking great! We used it during Spring break at the high school and at the elementary school. It will allow us to clean our large outside windows in a matter of minutes, and leaves no water spots or mess. No electrical power is needed, only water pressure, so no generator is required which makes it a quiet process. We should be able to keep our entry ways and large window areas sparkling and free of bugs and spider webs. It's a great addition to our department. Hope you enjoy the results as well.
Child Nutrition Department: Pam McGee
Millsap ISD is on the tentative list for an Administrative Review by the Texas Department of Agriculture for the school year 2015-2016. This is a very important review, as it could cause a loss of income or even penalties and fines for the district if certain findings are observed. We have not been informed of the exact date and should be given ample time to prepare. The reviewer will observe at least two campuses. They will monitor breakfast and lunch from prep, to serving, and point of sale. They will review production records, recipes, and all free and reduced materials. They will spend time going over financial records as well. It is important that all staff be aware of rules concerning FMNV (Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value) and Competitive Foods on campus.
Athletics: Ron Berry
The boys and girls high school basketball teams are playing in spring leagues.
The high school football season ticket holder information letter for the 2015 season will be coming out shortly describing the packages available.
The boys and girls off-season teams are working hard in the weight room and outside on the field getting stronger and faster.
The Athletic Banquet is scheduled for Thursday, May 7th at 6:00 p.m. in the MHS Gym.
We are proud that the 8th grade girls track team placed 2nd at the district track meet.
Congratulations to Mrs. Abbott
Curriculum and Instruction: Deann Lee
Maintenance Department: Norman Adkins
The Maintenance Department has started the Spring HVAC filter change process. The high school campus is complete and we will be working on the middle school and elementary campuses the next couple of weeks. As the school year begins to wind down please help us to identify items in your areas that may need repairs in the summer.
Mowing has started everywhere: please give us a little space around islands and curbs where you park. Thank you to all staff and faculty for your help and patience as we work on your individual projects and maintain the day to day operations of the district. Have a great end of the year!
Transportation: John Graham
It has been a busy year in the Transportation Department and we are working hard to keep all of the buses running and on the road as the end of the year approaches.
At the moment we have one bus that is having air-conditioning installed through a program called Texas Correctional Industries. This program will perform some bus repairs or overhauls at a reduced rate and is performed by inmates at different TDCJ facilities. The A/C installation will take 8 to 10 weeks to complete. We still have three buses to send and of those one will get A/C and the other two will get A/C plus a complete repaint inside and out. After this is done all of our buses except one will have A/C. We are excited to have the vast majority of our buses air conditioned!
This is getting to be a very busy time of year so please remember if you need to check out a vehicle give us at least five days notice. We understand that is not always possible, but if we do not get that notice I can't promise we will have one available for you.
As always if you have any concerns please e-mail or call me.