HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-04-19 BOT Min WESTLAKE ACADEMY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
November 4, 2019
PRESENT: President Laura Wheat and Trustees: Alesa Belvedere, Carol Langdon, Greg
Goble, and Rick Rennhack arrived at 5:07pm.
ABSENT: Michael Barrett
OTHERS PRESENT: Superintendent Amanda DeGan, Deputy Town Manager Noah
Simon, Assistant Town Manager Jarrod Greenwood, Assistant to
the Town Secretary Tanya Morris, Attorney Janet Bubert,
Dr. Mechelle Bryson, PYP Principal Rod Harding, PYP Assistant
Principal Beckie Paquin, Secondary Principal Stacy Stoyanoff,
College Counselor Carl Tippen, Director of Communications
Ginger Awtry, Communication Manager Jon Sasser, Director of
Information Technology Jason Power, Director of Facilities &
Public Works Troy Meyer, Finance Director Debbie Piper,
Accounting Clerk Marlene Rutledge, and WA Foundation
Executive Director Dr. Shelly Myers.
Work Session
1. CALL TO ORDER
President Wheat called the work session to order at 5:01 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
President Wheat led the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States and Texas flags.
3. CITIZEN COMMENTS
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No one addressed the Board.
4. RECOGNITION OF SPORTS TEAMS.
Coach Burt introduced Cross Country Coach Cawthra, she provided an overview, and
recognized the following students: Cooper Cawthra, Mollieruth Cawthra, Isabelle Evans,
Kendall Farmer, Samuel Febres, Lily Hansen, Gabriel Kelly, Evan Krebs, Neal Rhodes,
Lucas Romero, AJ Sonday, Daniel Spicer, Blake Stoltenberg, Elle Thompson, Kimberly
Wang, and Benjamin Ward. (Cross Country athletes not present at the meeting include:
Nash Kendall, Micah Matthews, Tyler Nguyen, Logan Risenhoover, and Julian Santillan.)
Coach Burt then introduced Soccer Coach DeMoss, he provided an overview, and
introduced the following students: Jude Butler, Toby Foley, Josey Foley, Landry Griffin,
Andrew Grimes, Griffin Hunt, AJ Kozman, Vidbath Kumar, George LoFrisco, Stephen
McKeon, Vinay Menon, Duncan Morse, Kai Pruismann, Payton Reed, Kevan Robinson,
Josie Thomas, and Joshua White. (Soccer athletes not present at the meeting include:
Kai Beeman, Griffith Fitzgerald, Bryce Goldsmith, Marshall Kennedy, Isaac
Selvaranthinam, Seth Voigt, and Matthew Williams.)
S. REVIEW OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS LISTED ON THE REGULAR MEETING
AGENDA.
No additional discussion.
6. REPORTS
a. Report Regarding International Staff at Westlake Academy.
b. Report Regarding Giving Day and the Blacksmith Campaign.
Discussion ensued regarding current numbers for the Campaign.
7. DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Presentation and discussion regarding an amendment to the Graduation Policy.
Mr. StoyanofF provided a presentation and overview of the amendment to the policy.
Discussion ensued regarding the availability of the new policies on the website.
b. Presentation and discussion regarding Special Education Services.
Attorney Bubert provided a presentation and overview of the item.
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Discussion ensued regarding obligations of Home District in relation to Child Find,
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) category criteria, eligibility
determination, Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee ability to disagree
with Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) and the parent's options when that happens,
frequency of disagreements in ARD meetings, advocates and others ability to come
to the ARD meeting, contracting obligations with other school districts, transportation
services under IDEA, state reimbursements, Westlake Academy (WA) contractual
relationships or understanding with other districts, Shared Services Arrangements
(SSA), student services needs for extended school year, Community Store House
eligibility for students with disabilities, SSA offered for certain number of students,
State Legislative increased funding, State's progress in supporting Special Education,
WA is never the Home District, difference in Section 504 and IDEA, 504 Team and
ARD/IEP (Individualized Education Plan) Team determine regulations for each,
graduation requirements for special education students, IEP graduation modifications,
International Baccalaureate (IB) graduation and regular Texas graduation options
because of IEP, liability of school/teacher for not implanting the IEP, contracting for
individuals to supplement teaching, Number of 504 and Special Education (SPED)
students at WA, correlation of classroom performance and special needs
identification, Texas has been under identifying and lower than the national average,
making potential parent's of students with disabilities aware of other schools that
would better serve the students, fundraising for Special Education Services, students
requiring one-on-one aides, FIE taking into account home environment, and if a
student qualifying for Student Success Initiative (SSI) could lead to school
reimbursement.
8. EXECUTIVE SESSION
President Wheat moved to Workshop Item 9.
The Board convened into Executive Session at 7:09 p.m.
The Board will conduct a closed session pursuant to Texas Government Code, annotated,
Chapter 551, Subchapter D for the following:
a. Section 551.071 and 551.0821 - Consultation with School Attorney on the Operations
of the special education program when the consultation may contain personally
identifiable student information
The Board reconvened at 8:16 p.m.
Mayor Wheat closed the Work Session at 8:16 p.m.
9. BOARD RECAP / STAFF DIRECTION
Discussion ensued regarding SSA's with surrounding districts, researching numbers on
Special Education and changes over time, the State's changes on Special Education
Services, Special Education enrollment numbers, Special Education and academic
success, funding, and forming relationships to build and encourage shared services.
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Regular Session will begin immediately following the work session
1. CALL TO ORDER
President Wheat called the regular session to order at 7:01 p.m.
2. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST
Ms. Awtry provided an overview of the upcoming events.
3. CONSENT AGENDA
a. Consider approval of the minutes from the meeting on October 7, 2019.
b. Consider approval of Resolution 19-18, Approving amendments to the
Graduation policy.
MOTION: Trustee Belvedere made a motion to approve the consent
agenda. Trustee Rennhack seconded the motion. The motion
carried by a vote of 5-0.
4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
No future agenda items.
S. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Board, President Wheat asked for a motion to
adjourn the meeting.
MOTION: Trustee Goble made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Trustee
Rennhack seconded the motion. The motion carried by a vote of
5-0.
Mayor Wheat adjourned the regular session at 7:09 p.m.
Mayor Wheat re-opened the work session at 7:09 p.m. and moved to Work Session
Item 8.
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APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON DECEMBER 2, 2019.
ATTEST:
(- 48 MAAA
Ta a Morris, Assistant to the Town Secretary Laura Wheat, President
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