DENISON ISD BOARD NEWS

Denison Independent School District

1201 S. Rusk Avenue, Denison, TX 75020

November 19, 2024

 

Published for DISD employees in the week following school board meetings.

 

NOTE: Attachments for agenda items can be viewed by visiting the Board of Trustees agenda site at  Board Book - Denison ISD Meetings

 

Denison ISD Board of Trustees President Bob Rhoden called to order the Meeting of the Denison ISD Board of Trustees on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. In the Bruce T. Hibbitt, Jr. Board Room of the Administration Building, located at 1201 S. Rusk in Denison, Texas. The Board began the meeting with Board Vice-President Becky Russell presenting the role of the Board of Trustees. “Board meetings are a public meeting of the Board of Trustees, not a meeting of the public. Day-to-day operations of the school district is the function of the Superintendent, but he or she must do so within the framework of policies and priorities adopted by the Board of Trustees.” The meeting continued with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Jonas Clark from Terrell Elementary followed by the invocation by Denison ISD assistant superintendent Randy Reid. The vision statement of the DISD Board of Trustees, who work diligently to serve and meet the educational needs of more than 4,500 Denison ISD students, states “The Denison Independent School district will inspire, enable and encourage all students to learn, grow and succeed in a global society.”    

During the Board comments portion of the meeting, trustees stated… 

 

Board member Eric Hunt: “I just want to say I had the opportunity to go to the football banquet last night. First one I've been to since 2009, I believe, when Christian graduated. So this was Ethan’s senior year and Coach Whitson made a profound statement to the audience, that really kind of stuck with me. He said, ‘you know, even though we didn't have the success we were looking for in the fall, it's not about the fall. It’s about the four years. It's about the four years of memories, the four years of travel with your friends, the working hard and being part of the team,’ he said. Concentrate on that. It's not. About what happens this fall... that will pass. And I was like, that's a really good way to sum it up. It's the sense of family that we have here in Denison. It's being the Yellowjacket for life. That's not something you grow out of. That's not something you graduate out or you move out of. One of our players turned out to be a transfer from a city south of us. By the end of the fall, he said he's not a transfer anymore. He's a Yellow Jacket. And so I thought that was a really good thing to bring into the holidays and to bring into this season is that it's a family and this is family time. To our staff, to all the teachers and support staff, they're going to get a well-needed break. Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.” 

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Board member Amber Pilcher: “I've gotten to be at Hyde Park this week for their Christmas holiday store. And, I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all the teachers and the staff. And I know this is a really hectic time for everybody in the schools. I love seeing just the sense of family with the teachers and their students and all the things that they do to make things magical and exciting. I know some of our kids don't always get to experience that same momentum at home. And so again, I just, with everybody else, want to say you deserve a well rested holiday and time with your family. Merry Christmas.” 

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Board member Linda Flemming: “I'd like to say it's been nice seeing all the great things that are going on in the district during this holiday season. Gingerbread houses, projects and the carolers. Many, many years ago, Eric has a son that was a caroler from Golden Rule with Mrs. Groff. Wouldn't this draw anyway? But I wish everybody Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza. We appreciate everybody in the Denison District and hope that you have some time of rest and reflection. Thank you.”   

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Board secretary Shelle Cassell: “Hats off to Scott Middle School and their annual Hot Cocoa Contest. I just love how our schools are so good at intertwining community activities and involvement with great life lessons for their students.”  

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Board president Bob Rhoden: “I just want to say thank you to those folks who work to pull this meeting together here tonight. When you have to take a board meeting on the road, there are a number of things that have to happen. And so, it’s a lot easier to do it in your own boardroom than to take it somewhere else. So, we certainly appreciate that food service for bringing the meal to us this evening. I want to say that, as we looked in our study session before we started tonight, we looked at the growth that's coming and the things that are heading this way and we're excited. I can't tell you how happy I am that we have a long-range plan that the group is working on, and that we're not being reactionary. Staying on the front side of that. I saw Chuck (Edwards) really get scared over there. We talked about the fact that we might actually have to build some more schools and he thought he was going to retire sometime soon. I'm really glad that you all mentioned the Hot Cocoa Challenge. We are so thankful that our Denison Chamber of Commerce and the things that they have done. They work with those students and they've learned a lot. I think the students learned a lot about business. So pretty proud of that.”   

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Following the Board comment portion of the meeting, the agenda opened the floor for public comments. There were no public comments and the Board meeting proceeded to the Superintendent comments.  

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Denison ISD Superintendent Dr. David Kirkbride: “I attended the closing ceremony at the Horse’s Axe for the Cocoa Challenge. I left there feeling very moved for their passion for the kids, passion for that program, but they don't have to do that. They truly get into it and just pour into those kids. There are several things this Christmas at your places. I want to make sure you knew what everything was and where it came from. So, that notepad with the with the red ribbon on it and the pen attached, that is part from our POPS committee. So the entire district, all the staff, received one just like this. I think Mr. Eaves was part of this design. So, thank you for again sharing your genius with us. Shonda, and I think the ladies in the Curriculum department, they tied all the bows and coordinated getting them to the campuses. In the jars, you have something special and a card from Lauren and the Food Service department. The ornaments are to you from the Kirkbride family. It has the POPS theme for this year and the date on it. You have some popcorn that came from technology staff. So, thanks to Kyle for sharing that with us. You made a comment earlier about the setup here tonight. So, Shonda came over today to help get everything set up. Kyle came over and set up our technology. James and David here in the building came over again. We don't have to do it like this every time but we needed to do this tonight because of our study session. And then one last thing I want to mention. I had the privilege twice today to interact with students. One, we had carolers from the Scott Middle School honor choir who came over and gave a little concert for our building today. They are very talented and it's just great reminder of why it is we do what we do. Then I went to the high school where I was invited by Cynthia Bruton and the diagnosticians to our structured learning classrooms. They received a grant from the Dentist Education Foundation to help put together a special holiday meal. And, the kids pulled all that together and they learn and teach and all that through that. I had the opportunity to sit and visit with a young man named Dawson. Dawson was very impressive and quite amazing. He sat across from me and as I walked away from my meal, I was almost in tears. He was so polite. He was completely engaged. He asked me how it was when I sat down. This is just another reminder of why we do what you do in this district. So wanted to share that with you guys and Merry Christmas.”   

After the Superintendent’s comments, the meeting proceeded as scheduled. 

 

ACTION ITEMS

• Routine Business - Consent Agenda 

• Approval of Board minutes for the November 2024 (11.A.1) 

• Approve Expenditures for October 2024 (11.A.2) 

• Approval of the October 2024 investment report (11.A.3) 

• Approval of the October 2024 financial reports (11.A.4) 

• Approval of the October 2024 tax reports (11.A.5) 

 

 

REGULAR BUSINESS

Agenda Item #: 11.B.1  

Subject: Consider accepting the 2023-24 FIRST Report   

Denison ISD has received a rating of “A” for “Superior Achievement” under Texas’ School FIRST financial accountability rating system. The rating system measures the quality of a school district’s financial management and reporting system. This is the 22st year of School FIRST (Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas), a financial accountability system for Texas school districts developed by the Texas Education Agency in response to Senate Bill 875 of the 76th Texas legislature in 1999 and amendments under House Bill 5, 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2013. The primary goal of School FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of school districts’ financial resources, a goal made more significant due to the complexity of accounting associated with Texas’ school finance system. The Schools FIRST accountability rating ensures that Texas school districts are accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently. The Texas Education agency assigned one of four financial accountability ratings to Texas school districts, with the highest being “A” for “Superior Achievement.” Denison ISD has achieved the highest rating for 21 prior years. The board accepted the 2023-24 FIRST report as presented. 

 

Agenda Item #: 11.B.2.  

Subject: Consider approval of the 2024 tax roll and tax levy   

Bruce Stidham, the Grayson County Tax Assessor/Collector, has provided the Denison ISD 2024 tax roll and tax levy. Below are the 2023 and 2024 total taxable value and total tax levy: 

 

                                 2023                          2024                         Increase (Decrease)       % Increase/ (Decrease) 

Tax Roll Value           $3,261,689,310     $3,590,651,610    $328,962,300                   10.08% 

Tax Levy                      $35,121,421.35      $38,331,565.93    $3,210,144.58                    9.14% 

Special

Assessment Levy    $35,440.92            $50,899.53             $15,458.61                          43.32% 

 

The board approved the 2024 tax roll and levy. 

 

Agenda Item #: 11.B.4  

Subject: Presentation of Pathways Campus Site-Based Improvement Plans  

Attached is the Campus Site-Based Improvement Plan for Pathways High School. The school’s site-based decision committee has approved this plan. The Board of Trustees approved the Campus Improvement Plan for Pathways High School. 

 

Agenda Item #: 11.C  

Subject: 2025 National Journalism Conference  

Denison High School Journalism and Video Production students have the opportunity to attend the National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle, Washington April 24-27. Students will get to cover topics from a wide range of Journalism including: Ethics and Law, Technology and Design, Advertising and Business Operations, Photography and Art, Writing and Reporting, and so much more. The Board of Trustees approved the out-of-state travel as described for the Denison HS Journalism and Video Production students. 

 

 

 

INFORMATION ITEMS

 

Agenda Item #: 12.A 

Subject: Personnel Report 

Personnel Report: 

The following resignations were accepted: 

• Janet Richardson – DHS –Culinary Arts (12/20/24)  

• Retirement Bre Green – DHS/SMS –Spanish (12/20/24)  

• Stephanie Thiele - DHS – English (12/20/24)  

• Shane Krotz – DHS – Spanish (12/20/24)  

• Angela Vega – Mayes –Bilingual SLP (5/23/25)  

• Mary Elizabeth Thornton-SMS-Math (12/20/24) 

The following employees have been hired: 

• Christina Bullock-DHS-Culinary Arts (01/06/25)  

• Julie Winter – Mayes – Special Education Teacher (11/18/24)) 

 

 

 

Agenda Item 

Construction Update – Bond2023 

Denison ISD Construction Supervisor Chuck Edwards presented an update to the current construction projects associated with the 2023 bond.  

 

Agenda Item  

Board Budget development 2025-26 

 

 

EXECUTIVE/CLOSED SESSION ITEM:

Pursuant Texas Government Code Section 551.072, discussions regarding potential real property for purchase 

 

At the conclusion of the Closed/Executive session, the Board of Trustees reconvened in Open Session. 

 

Following the handling of all business, the Denison ISD Board of Trustees meeting was adjourned.  

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