Speaker: School Library Diversity Essential; McHazlett Contract Extended
There was one person who signed up to comment at the January meeting of the LGISD School Board.
Becky Snyder, former public school librarian, spoke to the board on the importance of having diverse library collections. She reminded the board that she had spoken about this previously, but felt the need to repeat it. Here is part of her message, “Representation matters. Our school district is now a minority majority district. In 1984, white students made up 74% of the district enrollment. In 2002, it was 67%. The most recent data was from 2022 and white students were 47.2% of the district. This is important to mention because the staff makeup and the board makeup do not reflect these changes. Because of that it is necessary for those of us in this room to make a conscientious effort to be inclusive and provide diversity.
“We must educate ourselves on what the students and families of our district are like. We are a district where over half of our students are classified as economically disadvantaged. Many of us in this room did not have the same experiences growing up as our students do now. We must be diligent in providing books that allow our students to see themselves in the characters and things that happen. Representation matters. We also need a diverse collection of books so that all of our students can learn about others – other races, cultures, religions, and backgrounds. Cultural diversity is important. Our students and we as adults need to know enough about other cultures to appreciate the similarities and differences we have with others and respect the values, customs, and beliefs of others. This doesn’t just apply to cultures around the world. It includes our country, our state, and our neighbors. Please be mindful of the books being brought up for discussion and be sure that it isn’t to exclude any particular group. Also, even with the revised policy, books must be consider in their entirety.”
Personnel
Resignations (some effective at midterm and some effective at the end of the school year) were received from the following professional staff members: Rusty Cauthern – high school teacher/coach, Ralph Ferguson – county AEP teacher, Justin Fiero – middle school assistant principal, and Tanya Tousek – middle school special education teacher.
New hires included: Melina Cueller - elementary school educational aide, Janet Greene – food service manager in training, and Roque Macal – general maintenance worker.
The board extended a three year contract to Superintendent of Schools, Andy McHazlett, beginning June 1, 2024.
Administrative Reports
Superintendent Andy McHazlett reported that the overall enrollment was at 1931 which is up a total of 39 students from last year at this time. The individual campus enrollment was as follows: elementary school – 1,014 (up by 1 from this time last year), middle school – 311 (up by 17 from this time last year) and high school – 606 (up by 21 from this time last year.) The average daily attendance (ADA) is at 1,798.
This is the number that determines the funding for the district. If this number stays up, it could result in more funding for the district. He noted that much of the increase is a result of increased enrollment of students from foreign countries, many of whom do not speak English. They are not only new to La Grange, but new to the United States of America. He stated that the school is having to stretch its resources to make sure that these students are served.
He also told the board that the upcoming senior academic banquet will be held on Wednesday, April 24, at Casino Hall this year.
Assistant Superintendent Stacy Eilers told the board of the upcoming UIL academic and One Act Play season. It began with the elementary and middle school UIL academic contest held on Tuesday, Jan. 23 and Jan. 30. It was supposed to begin on Tuesday, Jan. 16, but due to the weather conditions, it was postponed. Middle School UIL One Act Play was held in La Grange on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at the Performing Arts Center in La Grange. CX Debate will be held Feb. 2 in Smithville. All other UIL events will take place in March and April.
Director of Operations Sharon Muzny reported that the school maintenance team did a great job repairing and preventing problems during and after the freeze earlier this month.
She told the board that she had met with the insurance providers from TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) and they told her that the school’s insurance could go up as much as 30% for this next school year. These are increases that are occurring statewide. She is reaching out to another company to get more information. She stated that there are currently 936 students being transported daily with 15 bus routes. She also was happy to report that the elementary school passed their safety audit performed earlier this school year.