Board Meeting Minutes
2005 - 2006

Overton ISD
Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting Summary
May 16, 2006

The Overton ISD Board of trustees met for their regular monthly meeting on May 16, 2006. The following items of business were transacted:

• No individuals spoke in open forum

• The results from the May 13 School Trustee Election were canvassed and the results were accepted by the Board

• Kathy Cahill administered the Oath of Office to new Board members Pam Raney, Scotty Moore and James Thomas

• David Gravely was elected Board President, Todd Meadows was elected Vice President, Scott Florey was elected Secretary and Pam Raney was elected as assistant secretary

• The minutes of the April 11 regular school board meeting and April 27 special school board meeting were approved

• The agenda for the meeting was certified

• The checks written in the month of April were reviewed

• The elementary principal’s report was given by Mrs. Maines and the secondary principal’s report was given by Mr. Fenton

• The results of the May 13 school bond election were canvassed and approved

• The Board held a level three grievance to hear a parent complaint. The Board upheld the administrative decision.

• Dr. Stretcher reported on the recent District Site Based
Decision Making Committee Meeting

• A budget amendment was approved

• The Board approved a dress code for the 2006-2007 school
year.

• The Board approved student transfers as presented

• Stacey Cook was added as an authorized check signer for the
district.

• Edward Aleman was employed as the band director for the
2006-2007 school year.

Overton ISD
Board Meeting Summary
April 11, 2006

The Overton ISD Board of Trustees met for a Regular Board meeting on
Tuesday, April 11. The following items of business were transacted:

• Plaques of appreciation were presented to Allan Torbert and
Joel Kerby for their service as Overton ISD Board members.

• No individuals spoke in open forum

• The minutes of the March 7, 2006 Board meeting were approved

• The agenda for the meeting was certified

• The bills paid in March, 2006 were reviewed by the Board

• The elementary and secondary principals’ reports were given

• Dr. Stretcher reviewed the most recent district Site based
decision making Committee meeting

• A report was given on the recent success of the UIL academic
team. The UIL team placed third overall at the District meet.

• A report was given on the third and fifth grade reading TAKS
scores

• A motion was approved to use a gift to establish a High School
Art program

• The Board approved a resolution to nominate Mark Stretcher
for Region 7 ESC Superintendent of the Year

• A committee consisting of Todd Meadows, Stacey Cook and
David Gravely was named to study possible building options

• The Board accepted the bid of DeMoulin Uniform Company to
purchase new band uniforms

• Kara Young and Rodrick Portley were approved for one year
contracts and Andy Chiles was approved as a half-time art
teacher.

• Resignations from Omera Davison and Elizabeth Hancock were
approved

• April 27 was set as the date for a contract non-renewal hearing

Overton ISD
Board Meeting Summary
March 7, 2006

The Overton ISD Board of trustees met for a regular meeting on Tuesday,
March 7. The following items of business were transacted:

• The minutes of the February 14, 2006 meeting were approved.

• The agenda for the meeting was certified.

• The bills paid in February were reviewed.

• Mrs. Maines presented the elementary principal’s report and Mr.
Fenton gave the secondary principal’s report.

• Dr. Stretcher reported that the District Site Based Decision
Making Committee had met and discussed some strategies for
reducing the number of secondary students who fail each six
weeks. The committee also discussed some wording in the
handbook that pertains to absences, makeup work and class
ranking.

• The second reading of TASB Policy Update 77 was approved

• Mr. Huskey presented a design for new band uniforms that had
been selected by a uniform committee. The Board approved the
design presented by Mr. Huskey to send out for bids.

• The Board called a School Bond Election in the amount of
$2,025,000 for May 13, 2006.

• The Board approved a trip to Henderson for the seventh and
eighth grade to participate in an abstinence based human
growth and development program.

• The Board approved a Student Health Advisory Committee.

• At the request of a Board Member, a discussion was held about
the possibility of adding a Junior Varsity Cheerleading Squad
for the 2006-2007 school year. No action was taken on this item
and cheerleading tryouts were left intact for this year.

• The Board approved contracts for the 2006-2007 school year.

• The Board agreed to propose non-renewal for the term contract
of Rusk County Shared Services employee Connie Bagley.

• The Board accepted the resignation of Karl Kilgore effective at
the end of the school year.

Overton ISD
Board Meeting Summary
February 13, 2006

The Overton ISD Board of Trustees met for their regular monthly meeting on
February 14, 2006. The following items of business were transacted:

• No individuals spoke in open forum.

• The minutes of the January 10, 2006 special meeting and the
January 10 regular meeting were approved.

• The agenda for the meeting was approved.The checks written in the month of January were reviewed.

• The elementary principal’s report was given by Mrs. Maines and the
secondary principal’s report was given by Dr. Stretcher.

• A public hearing was held to consider a waiver to set the first
instructional day for the 2006-2007 school year prior to August 21,
2006

• Dr. Stretcher reviewed the most recent district site based decision
making committee meeting.

• The number of training hours that each Board member has earned
in the last year was reviewed.

•; An election was called to fill the trustee seats currently held by
Allan Torbert, Jamie Thomas and Joel Kerby.

• The election calendar for the May 13, 2006 trustee election was
approved.

• The first reading of TASB Policy Update 77 was approved.

• A new mission statement was approved. The new mission
statement was developed by the District Site Based Decision
Making Committee and reads as follows:

• The mission of the Overton ISD, in partnership with the parents
and community, is to educate all students in a secure and nurturing
environment so they will:

*Acquire a foundation of knowledge
* Develop intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically
* Practice ethical attitudes, beliefs and behaviors
* Become productive members in the world of the future

• The Board authorized Dr. Stretcher to pursue funds from an
Instructional Facilities Allotment.

• The March meeting date was moved to March 7, 2006.
A resolution to approve the newly acquired voting system relating
to the elections of the Overton ISD was approved.

The contracts of Cindy Smith, Sarah Maines, Jim Fenton
and Stephen DuBose were extended by one year.

Overton ISD
School Board Meeting Summary
January 10, 2006

The Overton ISD Board of trustees met for a special meeting followed by the
regular monthly meeting on January 10, 2006.

The following items of business were transacted at the special meeting:

• The Board entered executive session to conduct the annual evaluation of superintendent Mark Stretcher.

• The Board returned to regular session and voted to extend the
contract of Superintendent Mark Stretcher by one year.

The following items of business were transacted in the regular meeting:

• The minutes of the December 13, 2005 regular School Board
meeting were approved.
• The agenda for the meeting was certified

• The bills paid in December, 2005 were reviewed by the Board

• The elementary principal’s report was given by principal, Sarah
Maines and the Secondary principal’s report was presented by
principal, Jim Fenton.

• Thank you notes from the families of Chester Roy and Wayne
Roberts were read.

• Simone Sanders and Ruth Bynum from the student council
presented pens as a token of appreciation to the school board
members in recognition of School Board Appreciation Month.

• The Board approved the setting of a public hearing to discuss
the request for a waiver to start school prior to August 21, 2006.

• The Board approved the adoption of calendar recommendation
number 4, which sets the first day of school next year on
August 17.

• The Board reviewed the School Report cards, which will now be
sent home with each student.

• The Board was informed of the results of the election for the
Rusk County Appraisal District Board of Directors election.

• The Board was informed that the Overton ISD will hold a public
meeting to receive input on the schools’ special education
program.

• The Board entered executive session and no action was taken
on the items that were discussed in executive session.

Overton ISD
Board Meeting Summary
December 13, 2005

The Overton ISD Board of Trustees met for a regular monthly meeting and
the following items of business were transacted:

• The minutes of the November 8, 2005 meeting were read and
approved

• The agenda for the meeting was certified

• The checks written in November were reviewed by the Board

• Mrs. Maines gave the elementary principal’s report and Dr.
Stretcher gave the secondary principal’s report

• A public hearing was conducted to review the 2004-2005
Academic Excellence Indicator System Report. No individuals
spoke at the hearing and the hearing was closed.

• Richard Loughlin presented the 2004-2005 Annual Financial
Report. He was complimentary of the financial management of
the school and noted that the schools’ fund balance had
increased during the year.

• A motion was approved to call for bids for new band uniforms.

• Dr. Stretcher reported that the District Site Based Decision
Making Committee had met to discuss the school calendar and
a new mission statement.

• The Elementary Campus Improvement Plan was approved

• The Secondary Campus Improvement Plan was approved.

• The Board entered Executive Session to discuss personnel. No
action was taken on the items discussed in executive session.

• Dr Stretcher reported on current student enrollment, tax
collections for the month of November and upcoming school
board training opportunities.

Overton ISD
Board Meeting Summary
November 8, 2005

The Overton ISD Board of trustees met for a regular monthly meeting on
Tuesday, November 8. The following items of business were transacted:

• The minutes of the October 11, 2005 meeting were approved.

• The agenda for the meeting was certified

• The checks written during the month of October were reviewed
by the Board

• The secondary and elementary principals’ reports were
reviewed.

• The board reviewed legal advice from the school attorney
concerning the issue of public prayer in schools.

• The board voted to cast their votes for nominees seeking
election to the Rusk County Appraisal District Board of
Directors.

• The board discussed the possibility of moving the High School
graduation in May to another site because of a lack of seating
in the auditorium.

• Dr. Stretcher gave board members information from the Site
Based Decision making Committee.

• The Board approved the District Improvement Plan for the 2005-
2006 school year.

• The second reading of TASB Policy update 76 was approved.

• Dr. Stretcher reported that there are currently 536 students
enrolled in school at Overton.

Overton ISD
Board Meeting Summary
October 11, 2005

The Overton ISD Board of trustees met for a regular monthly meeting on
Tuesday, October 11. The following items of business were
transacted:

• The minutes of the September 13, 2005 meeting were
approved.
.
• The agenda for the meeting was certified.
.
• The checks written during the month of September were reviewed
by the Board.
.
• The secondary and elementary principals’ reports were reviewed.
.
• Following a presentation from a parent, the Board voted to uphold
the current district dress code regarding the length of boys’ hair.
.
• The Board voted to table a motion to reinstate public prayer in the
school pending further investigation of the legality of public prayer.
.
• Technology coordinator Jason Johnson made a presentation to the
Board concerning the current status of technology in the district.
He informed the Board of the work he has done thus far and his
plans for the future of technology in the district.

• A resolution to approve 4-H activities as official extra-curricular
activities was approved.

• Dr. Stretcher informed the Board that the Texas Association of
School Boards Convention will be held in Dallas on October 28-30. Three members of the Overton Board will attend the convention.

• The first reading of TASB Policy update 76 was approved.

• The Board authorized the superintendent to meet with the senior
class and their parents to discuss the possibility of moving graduation to an alternate site.

• Dr. Stretcher reported that there are currently 555 students enrolled in school at Overton.

• This includes a current total of 26 evacuees, down from a high of 36 evacuees from Hurricane Rita.

• Dr. Stretcher informed the Board that Leverett’s Chapel would host
a Legislative Update training session on Thursday, October 20.

Overton ISD
Board Meeting Summary
September 13, 2005

The Overton ISD Board of Trustees met for a regular meeting on Tuesday,
September 13. The following items of business were transacted:

• The minutes of the August 16 Regular School Board Meeting and the August 30 Special School Board Meeting were approved.

• The agenda for the meeting was certified.

• The bills paid in August were reviewed.

• A letter of thanks from the Cobbs family was read.

• The elementary and secondary principal’s reports were given.

• The Board approved a trip for Senior Band members to the Dallas
Symphony and other destinations at the end of March.

• Dr. Stretcher reported on the District Site Based Decision Making Committee meeting.

• The Board reviewed plans to attend the Texas Association of School Boards Convention in Houston.

• The Board approved a motion to call for bids for a new school suburban and van.

• Dr. Stretcher reported on the current work being done on the facilities, He also reported that we had 534 student enrolled in school.

• The Board also reviewed the student activity fund reports, the finance report and the tax collection reports.