Salutatorian Sidney Dietze, daughter of Jason and Jill Dietze
The annual Dairy Festival Queen contest should be conducted in the auditorium at the Regional Civic Center. That’s the conditional assurance given by Don Roundtree to the Sulphur Springs school board Tuesday night during their regular May meeting. The board also heard a variety of reports and approved action items including applications for Head Start and Early Head Start grants for expansion and cost of living increases for staff. Graduating Class 2016 Valedictorian Kendall Wallace and Salutatorian Sidney Dietze were introduced to the board. The board also unanimously chose KSST to serve as the official sports radio outlet for the district.
Valedictorian Kendall Wallace, daughter of Mark and Michelle Wallace
Regarding the auditorium, Don Roundtree, consultant, stated that much of the outside work, sidewalks and parking, is in place. The acoustical wall panels, ramps and stairs, seating, stage manager’s rack dimming racks, stage air conditioning, and rooftop equipment access ladders are all in place. He said 70% of the theatrical lighting is installed, mechanical and electrical systems are being installed, and the floor should be finished by the end of the week. Curtains for the stage should be hung next week.
Head Start will seek an additional $22,469 cost of living (COLA) grant that will increase the permanent annual grant to $1.4 million. The COLA will increase staff salaries.
Early head start seeks to add 24 additional students utilizing two day care centers to house infants and toddlers and staff, according to Hillary Young, Director of Head Start and Early Head Start. SSISD will supply the staff but no district money will be spent. The infants and toddlers will be brought into the program to enable parents to begin receiving the benefits of growth in parenting skills and in involvement in educating their children. School staff and day care staff will receive training, playgrounds will be maintained, a janitor will be provided, and minimum liability will cover the children; all paid for by the grant. Sulphur Springs Christian School will have 16 infants and toddlers if the grant is approved and Little Texans Learning Center will have 8 infants and toddlers. When the children reach 3-years of age, their families must re-apply for head start. Seventy-five grants will be given nationwide. The program will run 11 to 12 months each year for the five years covered in the grant. Application will be made in July and the district will know if the grant has been awarded to the local district in February, 2017.
The board voted to request waivers for two student days to be turned into staff development days focused on math and science. The application to increase professional days will be made to the state.
Josh Williams, Assistant Superintendent, reported to the board that campus plans are now aligned with district plans following the four priorities set by the board.
An easement was also granted to the City of Sulphur Springs by the board. The city will be using grant funds to connect city sidewalk to the school sidewalk in front of the school.
PERSONNEL
Resignations
Sherry McCarter LSSP Intern Dist-Wide
Randa Massey 3rd Grade Teacher SS Elementary
Amanda Pennington Library Aide High School
New Personnel
Sonia Yanez Title I Aide ECLC
Lesli Ray Grade 1 Bowie Primary
Ruth Fernandez SpEd Aide Lamar Primary
Patricia Cooper Grade 3 SS Elementary
Brittany Cox Grade 3 SS Elementary
Ellie Denton Grade 4 SS Elementary
Jessica Gilbert Grade 4 SS Elementary
Chandra Maddox Grade 4 SS Elementary
Rachel Tubb Grade 4 SS Elementary
John Mark Francis English Middle School
Hannah Garrett Science High School
Lacie Stracener HSTE High School
Meredith Townsend Digital Learning Spec. High School
Personnel Changes New position/campus Former position/campus
Carmen Hammack Dist. Math Coordinator/Admin. Math/Middle School
Jennifer Harrington Head Start 3/ECLC SpEd Aide/ECLC
Pam Tomany PPCD/ECLC Grade 4/SS Elem
Chandra Crawford Academic Spec./Bowie Literacy Support/Bowie
Kim Slaughter Grade 2/Bowie Grade 4/SS Elem
Amanda Thompson Grade 1/Bowie Grade 4/SS Elem
Tye Boatman Elem. Counselor/Lamar Trans 1st /ECLC
Teresa Parker SpEd Aide/Lamar SpEd Aide/Middle School
Joanna Foster Academic Spec./Travis Literacy Support/ECLC
Maria Rivera Bilingual & SpED/SSES & Travis Grade 1 Bilingual/Travis
Mackenzie Cross Instructional Tech. Spec/SSES Grade3/SS Elementary
Shelby Gammill Grade 3/SSES Grade 5/Douglas
Sulema Martinez Grade 3 Bilingual/SSES Bilingual & ESL Aide/SSES
Kimberly Smith Grade 3/SS Elementary Grade 5/Douglas
Tim Thomas Science/Douglas P.E./Douglas
Lance Brandenburgh Spanish/High School HS Success/Middle School
Amber Nix Art/High School Art/Middle School
