Thursday, March 26, was a busy – but great day here in Arlington ISD. Earlier in the day was Arlington ISD’s State of the District at the Arts and Athletic Complex that featured a huge showcase of student programs and activities. And then in the evening, the Arlington ISD Board of Trustees held a school board meeting. Here are a few of the highlights from the meeting.
South Davis Elementary sixth grader Barbara Limon started the meeting by leading everyone in the pledges of allegiance. She did a great job!
Then the board took a moment to honor the district’s purchasing department for receiving the Award of Merit from the Texas Association of School Boards for following best practices in purchasing operations. Congrats to purchasing director Lisa Phillips and her entire team. The work they do behind the scenes is greatly appreciated.
After the Board Honors, the board heard six different reports with a variety of updates. Here are three of them. First, the board got an update on progress related to districtwide goals for academic growth in reading, math, and college and career readiness. They looked at data from recent benchmark testing compared to STAAR scores in recent years and discussed next steps to make sure the goals are achieved.
Another update came from deputy superintendent Dr. Jennifer Collins about the progress that been made on a new strategic plan. Over the last year, trustees, administrators, and staff have collaborated to develop a comprehensive strategic plan grounded in the district’s vision and priorities. The board hopes to finalize this plan soon so it can serve as the foundation for upcoming district, campus, and department improvement planning.
Finally, trustees heard a report from the Financial Futures Committee, outlining key priorities and potential strategies for addressing the district’s budget challenges. The FFC, comprised of 18 volunteers, advises the board by providing findings and recommendations related to budgets and long-range financial planning.
On the topic of financials, the board approved the district’s monthly financial report through January. They also approved Whitely Penn to conduct the district’s annual independent fiscal audit.
Those are just a few of the items that were on the agenda. If you’d like more information on any of these or any of the items not covered in the Board Brief, please click here to watch the entire meeting.