Trustees approve board goals, enjoy reading demo
BY CHARLOTTE SMITH Editor

Connor Shofner, Jonathan Arreguin, Jonathan Ralson and Ethan Hartmann attended Monday's school board meeting and read excerpts from their books to Troup trustees. The students are in the school's Reading Recovery program.

Troup Independent School District trustees approved seven board goals for the 2007- 08 year at Monday's regular meeting in the TISD administration building. The spectrum of the goals varied from curriculum, personnel and finance to community relations.

Trustees also enjoyed a presentation from students in the Reading Recovery program. The first-grade intervention program targets students who are finding reading difficult, said Jan Singletary, Reading Recover y coordinator along with Sylvia Wamble.

"I just want to say to you as a board and my administration how fortunate we feel to have your suppor t," said Mrs. Singletary. "We just finished our 11th year of Reading Recovery which has allowed us to touch the lives of 179 children, and for that we are in your debt."

Four students in the Reading Recovery program, which offers daily one-on-one assistance in the form of 30-minute sessions, then read to members of the board from individually chosen books.

First-grader Ethan Hartmann reads to trustees Johnny Johnson (left) and Homer Jones at Monday's school board meeting. Ethan takes part in the Reading Recovery program at Troup ISD.

Mrs. Singletary thanked the students and their parents, adding "it takes more than just teachers to do it. It takes all of us as a team."

Trustee Melissa Young complimented the program and commended the school on its reading scores from the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skill test. Supt. Marvin Beaty added that even though the test judges math and science skills as well, "everything revolves around reading" in terms of students being able to read and comprehend the tests.

Following the student presentation, the board turned to agenda action items for consideration. The following seven board goals were approved:

Curriculum - Goal 1: Troup ISD will close the achievement gaps for all subgroups in all subjects at all grade levels on the TAKS test.

Curriculum - Goal 2: Troup ISD will offer our students a multitude of opportunities to observe various careers so they may maximize their individual potential.

Curriculum - Goal 3: Troup ISD will promote a higher level of expectation for academic achievement within the community and student population.

Curriculum - Goal 4: Troup ISD will achieve Recognized status in the spring of 2008 with at least one campus earning Exemplary status and no campus earning below Recognized status.

Personnel - Goal 5: Troup ISD will implement a comprehensive anti-drug and alcohol prevent program for all campuses.

Finance - Goal 6: Troup ISD will create a sound financial plan to sustain the district through the next two years.

Community Relations - Goal 7: Troup ISD will enhance the ability of parents to support the learning activities by providing proper learning tools both at school and at home.

Trustees also approved with limited discussion a variety of local policies concerning Texas Association of School Board requirements. Trustee Keith Lindsey did ask Supt. Beaty if the school handbook gave adequate guidance on the dress code; Beaty said both the handbook and the school's Codes of Conduct covered the issue.

The measures approved included several revisions to existing policies on office management/ records, employee requirements and restrictions, term contracts, employee standards of conduct and student conduct, dress code, as well as new policies concerning conflict of interest disclosures and compensation and benefits.

In a separate agenda item, trustees also approved revisions to the school's drug-testing policy concerning student rights and responsibilities, and interrogations and searches.

Among the revisions was the exemption of sixth grade students from drug testing and more specific guidelines for first, second and third strike positive testing.

"We have a ver y good policy, but it's not perfect," said Beaty. "We won't know what the flaws are until we test it."

In revising policy, Beaty said he worked with the presidents of the academic and athletic booster clubs, the school band director and the principals and secondary principals of the middle school and high school campuses.

In other action, board members:

- approved $9,926 for a second double oven in the elementary cafeteria;

- heard repor ts from Dewayne Brown, director of support ser vices, about upgrades to the track and other summer maintenance projects;

- welcomed Jennifer Stewart, new finance director, giving the monthly investment report;

- accepted various written reports from campus department;

- approved the district's current mission statement without revision.

Following a short executive session, trustees accepted the resignation of Amanda Lucas and approved extending teacher contracts to Kayla Dyess, Jane Oakes, Mar y Ferrell and Sylvia Horton.