Closed meeting began at 6:05pm.

Regular Board meetings conducted as a Zoom meeting due to district closure. (COVID-19)

 

Open meeting at 6:41

2. Call to Order Open Session in the Board Room at Zellars Center for Learning and Leadership on 300 Lobo Lane, Little Elm, Texas 75068.

3. Pledge of Allegiance

4. Invocation

5. Introduction and Roll Call

6. Superintendent Spotlight - Thanks to our custodial staff for getting our building sanitized. Curriculum department stepping up during vacation, communication -- thank the board for their support to ensure our employees are getting paid.

7. Citizen Input Audience participation shall be permitted at regular Board meetings and shall be limited to the public comment portion designated for that purpose

no citizens joined meeting

8. Reports of the Superintendent - 

A. Update: LEISD Response to COVID-19 Presenter: Dr. Cyndy A. Mika

The response from the District - First thing we did was launch our SafeLobo website - on this site, we have resources for families, meal program information, communication updates, developed an FAQ for families and staff.

March 30 is when at home learning will begin.  Meal service began today. We are feeding all students regardless of their financial status can receive lunch and a bagged breakfast for tomorrow. We will do this every day while the District is closed.

We are also doing a bus delivery to Hilltown residents of food. 

This week is week zero. We are training teachers. We had faculty meetings all day.  We trained them on our at-home learning plan. Teachers began setting up their online classrooms. 

IT department began its hotline for teachers and staff to resolve issues they are experiencing. Tomorrow, no scheduled virtual meetings. It will all be campus-based meetings. SPED and PEIMS will begin having their virtual meetings with their teams Tuesday. Wednesday, we will have more meetings. Teachers will complete online learning. They will work on week two learning plans in case we have to close longer.

We want Wednesday and Thursday to be days for teachers to take care of their families.

Monday, March 30 - we are calling this week 1. The commissioner has charged each district to provide opportunities for online learning. This was developed over Spring Break.

We will have low tech and high tech options for learning.

8-9am will be for campus admin meeting with staff

9:00-10:30 to meet with teams to work on the following week's lessons.

Virtual office hours will be from 10-12 and 3-4 every day. This is when parents can call in or email questions to teachers.

 

ARDS - Flores wanted to know about timelines. Mika: we must follow timelines for ARDS and 504s. LEISD will conduct these by phone or zoom.

 

Blackwood -- If we hear of parents or students who are not being contacted by teacher? First stop is campus admin team so it can be looked into at the campus level. 

Myers - As far as the meals, are we keeping track of the meals we are serving? More than 800 meals were served. 

What about grading at the HS -- Right now, there is no grading for at-home learning -- the Districts must attempt an opportunity for students to learn, but there is nothing in the place where teachers are to hold students accountable through grading because of the level of difficulty due to the lack of direction of instruction. The District does not feel like it's appropriate to grade because of these barriers.

Global protect feature on student's laptops - We have set up a hotline for technology support for any issues.

Montemayor - what at GPA if grading is not happening. For seniors, the date we would gather class rank is toward the end of the third quarter. Thankfully, that happened before we went to Spring Break. We will not have issues with that. In terms of other situations, since COVID-19 is so fluid, we have only lost instruction for two weeks. We will begin grading as soon as we return. If there is a chance we extend closure -- we would have to come together and consult with each other and look toward state guidance.

 

9. Action Items

A. Consider Superintendent's Contract Presenter: David Montemayor -- postponed

B. Consider Resolution Regarding Delegation of Authority During the COVID-19 Emergency Presenter: Daniel Gallagher -- recommended by our attorney - BOT is authorized to govern the management of the District. The Governor declared disaster, and US president -- this is an urgent public emergency. See Boardbook page 17.

Vote passed

C. Consider Resolution to Postpone May 2nd 2020 Election to November 3rd 2020 Presenter: Daniel Gallagher - see page 21 on Boardbook

vote passed - Harding abstained from the vote.

D. Consider Possible Action to Order Election to Authorize Board to Address Excess Local Property Tax Wealth Pursuant to Chapter 49 of The Texas Education Code Presenter: Grant Anderson

LEISD will be required to pay Recapture (reduce its Local Revenue) for the 2020-2021 school year pursuant to Chapter 49 (formerly Chapter 41) of the Texas Education Code. Prior to the 06-07 school year, every Chapter 41 District had to conduct an election to seek approval to pay Recapture via the Purchase Attendance Credits from TEA. If successful, this election provided authority to pay recapture indefinitely. The state provides funding to districts using a formula which measures the property wealth per student at an attendance level. The purchase of attendance credits is a mechanism to equalize wealth which provides a “property wealthy” district additional attendance credits for a cost to lower the wealth per student or weighted average daily attendance.

vote passed

10. Consent Agenda A-K pass as is.

11. Board president comments -- Thanks to Jason for running the meeting. Thanks to the cabinet for working quickly to inform the community.

12. board comments - 

Myers -- Mr. Gallagher has done an outstanding job leading the district. All the communication that has gone out. Really thinking about all the moving pieces - including reconnecting with Jared Patterson to talk about online learning.

English -- Thank you to staff, the speed in which we are able to communicate. Thank you for stepping up for our students who may be facing nutrition issues. Thank you to the teachers and responding in a positive manner.

Flores -- Thanks to Mr. Gallagher and his staff for moving fast. Thank you for communication.

Blackwood -- Thank you to staff. The communication that I have seen has been really really good. 

Harding -- we do recognize that many people have put in hours when they should have been with their families. Thank you for what you have done.

Olson - thank you to staff -- 

13. Superintendent - take minute again to thank our curriculum department, Dr. Mika, Doug Sevier, Jeff Wiseman, IT and everyone who was involved.

Special thank you to our teachers for asking questions.

closed the meeting at 7:37

Watch the zoom meeting