BOERNE - By a margin that approached 3-1, voters approved a $99.5 million bond package for the Boerne ISD in Saturday’s election. 

Election returns, which are unofficial at this point, show 2,895 votes in favor of the bond, 1,079 against. 

“We are gratified by these results and pledge to be excellent stewards of the resources and the trust placed in us by the voters of the district,” said BISD superintendent David Stelmazewski. “I want to thank voters for taking the time to become informed about this bond and for getting out to vote in impressive numbers.

“So many dedicated people in our community helped make this bond election a success, including the citizens committee that developed the bond, our BISD Board of Trustees, members of the faculty and staff, and concerned citizens who formed an independent organization that helped generate awareness for the bond. The success of this initiative would not have been possible without these collective efforts.” 

Stelmazewski said work supported by the bond will begin almost immediately, with a focus on campus security issues, technology upgrades and new safety features on specific campuses that will begin to be addressed this summer. He said he will also appoint a general oversight committee and a technology oversight committee that will hold the district accountable for effective and efficient use of bond finances. 

“I believe we will look back on this day,” Stelmazewski said, “as a pivotal point in our shared desire to strengthen our community by providing excellence in education for our students.”

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ELECTION RESULTS

Trustee Race and Bond Proposition

Trustee, Place 5

Dale Adams                 1708

Chris Godsey               1696

Proposition 1

FOR (A FAVOR)            2895

Against (En Contra)      1079

By the time the fall of 2015 arrives, twenty years will have passed since Boerne ISD last configured middle schools to include grades 6-8.   The decision to move sixth grade to the elementary level two decades ago was based on growing enrollment and limited space at Boerne Middle School. As the district prepares to reintroduce sixth grade students into middle school, the rationale is predicated on academic needs.

The State Board of Education (SBOE) establishes the required curriculum, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills or TEKS, by grade-level bands in K-5, 6-8, and high school for foundation and enrichment subjects. Textbook adoptions and other instructional materials are arranged in a similar manner. Grouping 6^th- 8^th grade students strengthens vertical alignment for core subjects, provides opportunities for foundation teachers to collaborate, and expands PreAP offerings in English, reading, science, and social studies. 

With regard to enrichment courses, particularly Fine Arts subjects, band and orchestra instructional time is increased from the current elementary schedule of 330 minutes to 450 minutes during a two-week cycle or thirty-six hours throughout the school year. Additionally, middle school students can select full semester classes of Art, Choir, and Theatre Arts, as well as other elective options. Finally, housing sixth grade at middle school also affords students an entire year of transition prior to the “no pass no play” standard for extracurricular University Interscholastic League (UIL) athletic participation.

Campus and district representatives will collaborate during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years in order to facilitate a smooth transition for sixth grade to return to middle school in the fall of 2015.

BOERNE – Superior student achievement and a far-reaching plan to address growing enrollment were among the highlights superintendent David Stelmazewski included in his annual State of the District presentation to the Boerne ISD Board of Trustees on Monday, January 14.

“We have had successes on multiple fronts in the course of the past year,” Stelmazewski said. “In every initiative we have undertaken as a district, our goal has been to create and expand excellence in education. Because of the dedication of our teachers, staff and volunteers, because of the commitment of our students and their families, we achieved that goal and positioned ourselves to reach even greater heights in the year ahead.”

Stelmazewski called attention to several areas of student achievement to support his point. Over ninety percent of sophomores and juniors earned passing marks on all accountability tests in the Boerne ISD, compared to a statewide average of 75 percent. Boerne’s four-year completion rate of 98.6 percent compares favorably with the statewide graduation rate of 84.3 percent. And in state-mandated End of Course testing at the high school level, Boerne students scored well beyond the statewide averages in all subject areas: algebra, English, biology and geography.

The superintendent also pointed to the work of the Facilities and Resources Planning Committee, commending its recommendations for improvements in technology capacity, facilities and transportation to accommodate the steady growth in enrollment that is projected for the district. Enrollment surpassed 7,000 students for the first time this year. A demographer’s reports projects that Boerne ISD enrollment will eclipse 10,000 within the next 10 years.

The committee’s recommendations call for an investment of almost $99.5 million in district-wide improvements. The Boerne ISD Board of Trustees is expected to address the recommendations at its January 28 regular meeting.

“The work of this group of community volunteers has established a path for the district’s future,” Stelmazewski said. “We are behind in terms of our capacity to fully utilize technology in our classrooms. We have facility needs that must be addressed in order to accommodate more students. And we have an obligation to meet the safety, security and transportation needs in our growth district. The committee’s report addresses all of these issues. Their work was a significant highlight of the past year and it will have an imprint on our children’s learning environments for years to come.”

Stelmazewski’s presentation to the board included a set of goals for the next calendar year. Among those goals was the imperative that all students demonstrate growth and success in all academic content areas. He also pledged that the district would undergo systemic change based on the tenets of the School Transformation Network, a statewide initiative focused on innovative, next-generation learning standards and assessment and accountability systems that support 21^st century education

A new, three-year strategic plan will be instituted in the coming year, Stelmazewski announced. Referencing the work of the Facilities and Resource Planning Committee, he said the district will facilitate passing a bond that will provide investment in current and future needs to preserve and expand excellent educational environments. A major component of that initiative is a significant upgrade of the district’s capacity to incorporate technology and 21^st century instruction in all classrooms.

Other highlights of the superintendent’s State of the District report included the following: 

Boerne students recorded their highest ever success rate in advanced placement courses, which give college credit to high school students and have the potential of saving families significant college tuition dollars. More than 1300 advanced placement tests were taken last year by Boerne students, a 21 percent increase over the previous year. Sixty-seven percent of tests taken earned grades that qualified for college credit. This represented the equivalent of 3100 college credit hours and a conservative savings in tuition cost of $2,200,000. 
 
Principals from all nine campuses, along with the superintendent and assistant superintendent for instruction, engaged in the Academy for Transformational Leadership. Led by the highly regarded Schlechty Center in Austin, the academy helps prepare education leaders to transform their campuses to facilitate innovative instruction and engage students in 21^st century learning.
 
Boerne ISD initiated a partnership with Abilene Christian University’s Connected Consulting program, designed to equip teachers to effectively incorporate technology and advanced teaching methods into the classroom. One hundred teachers from the district, including all math and science teachers in grades 5-12, are participating in the first phase of the training.
 
The Boerne ISD Board of Trustees became one of the early endorsers of a statewide resolution voicing discontent with high stakes, mandated standardized testing. To date, some 880 of the state’s 1100 districts have signed the resolution. At the same time, demonstrating a commitment to comply with the current system, the district successfully implemented the new STARR/EOC standardized testing process.
 
The Texas Education Agency granted Boerne ISD the highest possible designation – Superior Achievement – for its financial accountability and management practices.
 
Additional financial highlights included the district’s move to lower the tax rate by two cents, an option available to the district due to growth of the local tax base and the district’s moves to refinance bond debt. Those refinancing – or rebonding – strategies resulted in savings of $41 million for district taxpayers.
 
The Board of Trustees adopted a vision statement to guide its leadership process: “Our community will engage students and adults in a challenging educational environment that inspires creativity and enriches lives for today’s realities and tomorrow’s possibilities.”
 
The superintendent’s full report is posted here. 
 

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 Contact: David Stelmazewski, 830-357-2000

Contact: Bill Rutherford, 800.580.8272, ext. 6169

Local Trustee Attends Program on Advocacy

(Austin) – Richard Elkins of Boerne ISD was among a group of school board members gathering in San Marcos November 8-10 to focus on their roles as advocates for public schools with state and national policymakers. Trustees, who met for the second of five training sessions of Leadership TASB, began their activities by touring facilities at Comal Independent School District and participating in an Advocacy Boot Camp provided by the Governmental Relations Division of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). In the advocacy training, trustees gained tips and practice in providing testimony before legislative committees and learned the protocol for appearing before governmental entities.

On Friday the group heard keynote speaker Bill Graham of Graham Corporate Communications. Graham, a nationally recognized trainer in effective communication, provided tips on effective strategies for contacts with policymakers. His client list includes numerous political candidates, corporate executives, and university classes. Afternoon activities featured a teambuilding session delivered by Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EGALA) certified facilitators from Five Horses LLC.

Selected by TASB , the group of 36 trustees is participating in a year-long education leadership study program. The Leadership TASB class of 2013 represents Texas school districts of all sizes, with student populations of 275 to 106,000, and reflects a wide range of property wealth. Participants who complete all required elements of the study will graduate next year with a unique designation recognized by TASB.

            Each session has a specific theme that builds on the previous session and features state and national experts in the fields of leadership development and education. Teams also work on extended learning assignments between meetings throughout the year. Created in 1993, Leadership TASB has more than 600 graduates to date.

            TASB is a voluntary, nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local Texas school districts. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 4.9 million public school students.

BOERNE – The citizens committee appointed to help the Boerne ISD develop a strategic approach for growth has recommended a multi-point plan that includes a significant investment in technology and a schedule of facility upgrades to address expanding enrollment in the district.

The Facilities and Resource Planning Committee, chaired by local banking executive Steve Mack and including 70 members from across the community, presented its recommendations to the Boerne ISD Board of Trustees at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Dec. 3.
 
The recommendations include support for a major enhancement of technology capabilities in all Boerne classrooms, allowing both students and teachers to take advantage of the trend toward instruction that incorporates digital resources and mobile devices into the curriculum. A new campus for Fabra Elementary School is also on the committee’s list, which along with upgrades and renovations on other campuses will enable the district to maintain its current nine campuses and still accommodate steady enrollment growth that is forecast for the coming years.
 
The projected cost of the recommended items totals $99.5 million. Over the next several weeks, the Board of Trustees will study the committee’s recommendations and possibly determine to seek BISD voter approval of bond funding in support of the initiatives. Trustees also have the option of reconvening the committee for additional refinement of its recommendations.
 
“The committee finished its process with a very strong sense that the items on this list are critical needs for the district as we look at current growth in enrollment, projections for future near-term growth, and our shared desire for excellence in education,” Mack said. “I think it is also important to underscore that, based on analysis we received, we believe the entire list can be financed and accomplished without raising tax rates.”
 
In summarizing the committee’s work, Mack described a process that included seven months of increasingly intense study, campus tours, and evaluation of data from a variety of sources including a comprehensive community opinion survey, a demographer’s enrollment forecast, and a bond financing study that delineated the district’s capacity for issuing bonds to help meet the needs of the growing district.
 
“I have been impressed by many things throughout this process,” Mack said, “not the least of which was the committee’s access to information that was in-depth, timely and essential to making informed decisions.
 
“I was equally impressed by the seriousness with which the members of the committee accepted their responsibility. We knew we were being asked to help shape the future of education in our district. I think we also knew that each of us would be asked to make challenging decisions. We were determined to offer recommendations that are fiscally responsible while also assuring that our school facilities are elevated to a standard that guarantees excellence in education for a growing number of students.
 
“I am confident that we achieved those objectives with this set of recommendations.”
 
Technology upgrades, a unanimous top priority for the committee, would include extensive infrastructure enhancements on all nine campuses. This upgrade would significantly increase the capacity for rapid, wireless access to the Internet and the educational resources that increasingly are found in digital format.
 
The $14 million technology investment also would include an extensive upgrade in computer hardware, communication systems, and mobile devices in classrooms and labs. A high percentage of the district’s current computer inventory – some 3,700 desktop computers, laptops, and other devices – has an average age of eight years of service, putting technology-based instruction at a significant disadvantage.
 
“Our community rightfully prides itself in having an excellent school district,” BISD superintendent David Stelmezewski commented. “But the fact of the matter is that in order to maintain that edge, we must invest in technology and technology training. We are behind, but we can catch up and excel once again as a leader in this area. I think the committee recognizes this and made technology investment a priority accordingly.”
 
The committee examined a number of options related to facility upgrades and expansion, ultimately determining that the best approach financially and logistically involved constructing a new Fabra Elementary School and adding classroom capacity to accommodate moving sixth grade to the two existing middle school campuses no later than 2015.
 
The recommendation involving Fabra centered on the age of the existing facility and its related limitations as a modern learning environment. The committee factored in information involving the prospect of identifying available real estate within reasonable proximity of the current campus and the idea that the current facility, with modest renovation, could be repurposed for administrative and alternative school uses.
 
A significant portion of the classrooms in the current Fabra Elementary School date back to 1948 and are increasingly burdened with maintenance and energy efficiency issues. Traffic congestion and safety issues for the district’s smallest campus also were factored into the recommendation.
 
“The committee had the opportunity to tour the Fabra campus as part of our fact-gathering,” Mack said. “It is obvious that the facility, due to its age, is not up to the standards of our other elementary campuses.
 
“I commend the teachers and staff who continue to provide excellent instruction to the students on that campus, but we owe it to those students to provide a learning environment that is up-to-date, accommodating, and safe. The committee felt this is an imperative.”
 
The committee reviewed a specially commissioned enrollment forecast produced by Templeton Demographics, which projects an increase of more than 1,000 students in the district within four years. The report goes on to project enrollment growth of 3 to 4 percent annually for the foreseeable future, acknowledging that BISD’s reputation for excellence makes it a “destination district” for families moving to the area. With current enrollment topping 7,000 for the first time this year and in light of the growth projections, the committee recommended additional steps to accommodate the increased number of students on the current nine campuses.  
 
Major upgrades to Curington Elementary School and Boerne Middle School North, two of the district’s older campuses, were included in the recommendations along with renovations to all campuses that would address energy efficiency, safety and security issues. The committee placed a premium on expanding Career and Technology Education programs at Boerne High School to alleviate overcrowding and scheduling issues faced under the current system of shared facilities on the Boerne Champion High School campus.
 
The need to expand and update the bus fleet and other school vehicles for the growing district was also addressed in the committee’s recommendations. The committee also recommended setting aside funds for the purchase of land for future school sites.
 
“It was an honor for me to work with this committed group of my fellow citizens, each of whom cares deeply for our students and the strength of our school district,” Mack said.   “A great deal of intense work, dialogue and thoughtful opinions were involved in developing these recommendations. I commend them to the Board of Trustees as a path that will provide for the district’s needs and strengthen our community’s commitment to excellence in education.”
 
Additional information on the recommendations from the Facilities and Resource Planning Committee is available by clicking this direct link. 

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 BISD Facilities and Resource Planning Committee
Recommendations – December 2012

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Boerne ISD superintendent David Stelmazewski is a recognized education leader who has devoted more than 30 years serving as teacher, coach and administrator in Texas public schools.

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Superintendent David Stelmazewski is a recognized education leader who has devoted 30 years serving as teacher, coach and administrator in Texas public schools.

 
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Superintendent David Stelmazewski is a recognized education leader who has devoted 30 years serving as teacher, coach and administrator in Texas public schools.

ESTABLISH QUORUM
Jennifer Christianson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. A quorum was established with the following board members present:
 
Jennifer Christianson,  President
Richard Elkins,  Vice President
Ernie Pyles,  Secretary
Members:  Susan Allen, Ron McBee, Bob Ogle and Alan Rich
 
OPEN SESSION
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND MOMENT OF SILENCE
The pledge of Allegiance and Pledge to the Texas Flag were led by students from Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary School. The students asked many thoughtful questions primarily focusing on campus improvements across the district. These questions included such topics as: improving campus restroom facilities, campus beautification efforts and continued support for fine arts in our district. Mrs. Jennifer Christianson shared that upgrades to restroom facilities were being looked at by the Facilities and Resources Planning Sub-committee. The district was not specifically addressing the landscaping around our campuses, however, school PTOs do have committees that support those projects. Mrs. Christianson also mentioned that fine arts choices are important to BISD students and the Board will do everything it can to maximize those choices in our fiscally constrained environment.
 
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mr. Alan Rich made a motion to approve the agenda as presented.
The motion was granted and the agenda was approved.
 
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PRIOR MEETINGS
Mr. Richard Elkins made a motion to approve the Special Bond Workshop Minutes, dated August 10-11, 2011 with minor edits. The motion was granted and the minutes were approved.
 
COMMENDATIONS FOR STUDENT / STAFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Mrs. Christianson presented a commendation to Ms. Jonna McRedmond from Boerne Middle School North as the district’s 2012-2013 SACU - KENS 5 ExCEL Golden Apple Award Winner. Mrs. Christianson also recognized the BISD Principals in honor of the Governor of Texas’ Proclamation declaring October as Principal Recognition month.
 
COMMENTS FROM VISITORS
Dr. Jerry Lamping shared with the Board that October 15, 2012 was “Global Hand Washing Day” and hand hygiene was important in school attendance and student performance.
 
MONTHLY REPORTS / HEARINGS
There were no comments from professional organizations. Ms. Mary Longoria and Ms. Gail Theis will serve as Co-Presidents of the local chapter of the BCTA. Teri Nail is the President of the local ATPE.
  
HEAR AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDITOR’S REPORT
Ms. Nancy Vaughan, Auditor from Armstrong, Vaughan & Associates, P.C. presented her Annual Audit findings for the district for Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2012 to the Board for its approval. Ms. Vaughan shared that there were no major or minor findings for the district. Net assets were $153,507,720 and net liabilities were $127,911,778, reflecting a 7.4 percent ration decrease as compared to the previous year. Budgeted revenues totaled $60,176,318 with total expenditures of $59,092,622, with 2 percent of those expenditures being a Robin Hood payment to the State of Texas of $10,573,492. The district’s ending fund balance for the fiscal year was $8,983,361, representing an excess of 1.8 months of operating expenditures, up from 1.7 months last year. Ms. Vaughan suggested the district consider an audit for the Boerne Education Foundation (BEF), possibly as part of the district’s annual audit since BEF’s fund balance is approaching a material threshold of $1,000,000, and since BISD is the sole beneficiary of these funds. Ms. Vaughan also suggested the district recommend to the Kendall County Appraisal District that they contract out for a Service Auditor’s Report for the ad velorum property taxes that are collected for BISD. The Board will consider these suggestions. Mr. Ron McBee made a motion to approve the Financial Auditor’s Report. The motion was granted and the report was approved as written.

RECEIVE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FROM THE BISD BUSINESS OFFICE AND BOARD ACTION ON FINANCIAL MATTERS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THOSE REPORTS (INCLUDING TAX REPORT, DONATIONS and BUDGET AMENDMENTS)
Mr. Bruce Revell updated the Board on this month’s budget which shows a deficiency compared to revenues for this year as the district has collected no revenues to date. He further explained this is the reason to hold a large fund balance in reserve to cover these expenses until tax collections and state payments begin later in the year. Donations to BISD programs continue to be generously provided and very much appreciated with $26,445.23 collected for September 2012. Mr. Rich made a motion to approve the Monthly Financial Report and accept the donations. The motion was granted and the report and donations were approved. The General Fund balance is $1,626,359.
 
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORTS:
Mr. David Stelmazewski commended the Board for their 100 percent attendance and participation in this year’s TASB/TASA Annual Convention and that our Board was recognized during the Convention for this commitment. He commended Mrs. Sandra Radtke for her management of a successful and productive staff in-service on October 8, 2012. Mr. Stelmazewski also shared that the district continues to make progress on the compressed natural gas initiative and that members of the district staff will be visiting Mansfield ISD to collect information about their 10-year program. He mentioned that he is continuing to collect information on the Alliance for Technology Education and Advanced Manufacturing (ATEAM) and the district may possibly partner with Comfort ISD or Kerrville ISD to bring this program to our side of San Antonio.
 
Academic Instruction Initiatives
Mr. Stelmazewski introduced Ms. Sarah Anderson from Champion High School’s Science Department. As Science Department Chair, Ms. Anderson shared her department’s experiences using iPads for instructional purposes in their classrooms. Student feedback from these electronic teaching initiatives has been extremely positive so far this year. Mr. Stelmazewski announced that BISD has entered into a partnership with Abilene Christian University to set up a one-year electronic device training program for math and science teachers, beginning in January 2013. Mr. Stelmazewski also introduced Ms. Jocelyn Dudney, the principal from Fabra Elementary who shared her initiatives to increase energy and support at her campus. These initiatives include: a Fabra 5K Fun Run, a community fundraiser called, “Howl at the Moon” to raise money for classroom supplies. Ms. Dudney is also creating a culture of student achievement and is working hard to focus on student engagement since coming to Fabra.
 
UPDATE ON FACILITIES & RESOURCES PLANNING
Mr. Don Tillis introduced Mr. Steve Mack, Chair of the Facilities and Resources Planning Sub-committee. Mr. Mack shared the sub-committee’s work so far on some visioning exercises that will take the district out to 2022. He discussed a drafted document entitled, “Guiding Principles from the Year 2022 and Directions for today” that will provide confidence to the Board and the taxpayers that the sub-committee is on the right track to meet the needs of our students over the next 10 years and beyond. Mr. Scott Milder from the SHW Group explained each of the committee’s 12 findings and directions that make up the roadmap for BISD. Mr. Tillis introduced Mr. Bob Templeton from Templeton Demographics to provide a forecast for student population growth across BISD. Mr. Templeton mentioned BISD is ranked 8th in the San Antonio area (Region 20) for enrollment growth between 2006 through 2011, with a 9 percent increase. Mr. Templeton’s evaluation indicates BISD can be looked at as a “destination” district. He shared the largest student increase has been with our middle schools which appear to show that families are relocating to our district based on our strong BISD reputation and to prepare their students for the transition to high school. Based on our enrollment history, Mr. Templeton also provided his projections for our elementary and secondary campuses. At our current rate of growth, most of our elementary campuses will exceed capacity by the 2015/16 school year and BMSS and CHS would reach their limits by 2018. Overall, BISD could expect to see an annual growth rate of 3-4 percent per year over the next 10 years.
 
TECHNOLOGY UPDATES
Ms. Julie Turner shared some examples of “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) successes in Mr. Earl Little’s class at BMSN. Students at this campus are using their devices for problem solving skills above the normal note-taking tasks that have been used in the past. Ms. Turner also shared her experiences with students at CHS as they used Edmodo and other applications. Students at CHS are more comfortable bringing their own devices to school because they are more familiar with the installed applications and the devices are faster than the computers that are resident in their classrooms. She also mentioned a survey will be hosted on the district website in the next few weeks for students and parents asking about the availability and probability of students bringing in their own electronic devices to school to be used as a learning tool. An Acceptable Use Policy regarding technology use will also be in place soon to provide guidance.

REPORTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS
Mrs. Christianson reported that the Hispanic Advisory Committee met and had one of the largest parent turnouts to date. Their current focus is on student achievement and how does the district close the gap with our sub-populations. Mrs. Christianson shared her positive impressions from the Curington Walk-A-Thon fundraiser. Mr. Rich reported on his experiences at CCES Country Fair that helps teachers with supplies in the classrooms. Mrs. Christianson discussed administrative updates that were added to the draft of BISD Board Operating Procedures. This document would be voted on during the next monthly meeting.

CONSENT AGENDA
Mr. Bob Ogle made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda and to approve the Local Policy EI revision regarding how course credit is awarded in classes with EOC Exams. The Consent Agenda along with the Policy EI revision were approved as written.

UNFINISHED/NEW BUSINESS
There were none
 
The meeting ended accepting 1 resignation. Pamela Young resigned effective December 31, 2012. As a result of her resignation, the Board formally rescinds its August 6, 2012 proposal to terminate the teacher contract for Pamela Young. The meeting adjourned at 10:18 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Board Secretary

ESTABLISH QUORUM
Jennifer Christianson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. A quorum was established with the following board members present:
Jennifer Christianson               President
Richard Elkins                         Vice President
Ernie Pyles                             Secretary
Members                               Susan Allen, Ron McBee, Bob Ogle and Alan Rich

OPEN SESSION
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND MOMENT OF SILENCE
The pledge of Allegiance and Pledge to the Texas Flag were led by members of the Student Council from Cibolo Creek Elementary School. They briefly described their first fundraising event of the year, “Hats Off for Cancer”. Students could donate $1 and wear a crazy hat to school. Last year’s event raised over $500 to bring awareness to childhood cancer and provided hats to children with cancer. Also, during the month of October the Student Council will sell bottled water during CCES’ annual Country Fair. Each year in December, CCES students create gift bags for the campus maintenance and custodial staff along with notes of appreciation, wishing them a safe and happy holiday season.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mr. Bob Ogle made a motion to approve the agenda as written.
The motion was granted and the agenda was approved.
 
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PRIOR MEETINGS
No minutes from prior meetings were presented for approval.
 
COMMENDATIONS
The Academic UIL Computer Science Team from BHS was recognized as 3A State Champions for 2011-2012, a first for Boerne ISD. Congratulations to this team for securing a Team Gold medal along with individual Gold and Silver medals in this academically challenging event.

COMMENTS FROM VISITORS
Mr. Dale Adams expressed his appreciation to the Board for their honesty, openness and commitment to what is best for our district.

MONTHLY REPORTS / HEARINGS
There were no comments from professional organizations. Ms. Mary Longoria and Ms. Gail Theis will serve as Co-Presidents of the local chapter of the BCTA. Teri Nail is now the President of the local ATPE.
 
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORTS.
Mr. David Stelmazewski complimented the Central Office Staff, Campus Administrators and Staff, and especially our Teachers for a great opening to our school year. Mr. Stelmazewski also passed along the many thanks from all district employees for the $1200 supplement the Board approved at last month’s meeting.
 
Student Achievement.
Mr. Stelmazewski shared that the district had received a College Readiness Letter from ACT. The five year trend for BHS and CHS students that take the ACT has continued to rise. In 2012, 259 students took this college placement test with an average score of 24 in all categories, well above the state average. He also shared enrollment is up considerably this year, with an increase of 318 students across the district. The second largest increase for the district. As a result of this increase, over the last month the district has added 12 teachers with 9 of those at the elementary level, 7 of those in the K-4 grades.
 
Management of the District.
Mr. Stelmazewski announced the Facilities and Resource sub-committee (formerly the Long Range Planning Committee) met on September 6 and will meet again on September 20 to continue its visioning work to set the stage for the district’s long range plan over the next several years. There have been several parallel efforts across the district, especially the work of Mr. Steve Stewart and Ms. Julie Turner in the Technology Department. As the sub-committee looks to address future technology needs possibly with a bond initiative, our district staff will be prepared to support their efforts. Some technology visits to BISD have included presentations by Apple and by Abilene Christian University.
 
Planning Efforts.
Mr. Stelmazewski shared that as a member of the Economic Development Council, he has been a part of the Workforce Development Committee which met last week and discussed student workforce initiatives such as: the Alliance for Technology Education and Advanced Manufacturing (ATEAM). This program would allow 24 high school students to visit seven industries around the San Antonio area to learn about advanced manufacturing. Mr. Stelmazewski also mentioned that he attended a second meeting with Chesapeake Energy to discuss the way ahead on a compressed natural gas solution for the district’s bus fleet. The next step would be to visit some school districts that have incorporated this fuel alternative.
 
Academic Instruction Initiatives. Mr. Stelmazewski introduced Ms. Chelsea Thompson from Curington Elementary School’s language department to share her discovery of a new innovative instructional solution called Edmodo. This computer learning management system allows teachers to collaborate on lessons plans, learning materials and videos and allows teachers and students to learn in a safe, secure interactive environment. Edmodo can be securely accessed from any school or home computer and can follow the students throughout their primary and secondary school years. Mr. Stelmazewski also introduced Mr. Tommy Hungate, the principal from BMSN who shared some of his instructional initiatives such as: “Teach like a champion”, which is designed to focus teachers on proven methods of success, with 10 techniques to master at a time; “Mission Possible”, which is designed to turn students who are diamonds in the rough into shining gems; and “100% Purple Pride”, encouraging students to do everything they do to 100% of their ability in academics and in their character.
 
Respectfully Submitted,
 
 
Board Secretary

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Superintendent David Stelmazewski is a recognized education leader who has devoted 30 years serving as teacher, coach and administrator in Texas public schools.