The Whitney Independent School District (WISD) Board of Trustees met in regular session Monday, February 10, and approved the move to a four-day school week for the 2025-26 academic year.
In a survey conducted within the district, 94.7% of WISD faculty and staff wished to move to a four-day instructional week, and 66.7% of the WISD faculty/staff preferred to have Mondays off to allow them to better prepare for the upcoming week of instruction.
In a discussion about the change during January’s board meeting, Superintendent Todd Southard suggested that this will allow the district to provide a better work-life balance for staff and aid in teacher recruitment and retention.
The approved calendar generally lists two Mondays a month as staff-only days and two Mondays as “no school” days.
Numerous neighboring districts have moved to a four-day week, with Hillsboro ISD having made the switch in August of 2024.
“This is our first year to do this. This is not going to be perfect – we know it’s not going to be perfect, and we may come back next year and say ‘Okay, we’re going to do Mondays or Fridays or something totally different the following year, because we didn’t think about that,'” said Superintendent Southard. “That’s okay; it’s a learning process.”
A full version of the approved calendar is available to the public at whitneyisd.org, as well as on the district’s Facebook page.
Assistant Superintendent Amy Leech gave a presentation on the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program, which WISD is considering adopting.
House Bill 3, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in June 2019, established the optional program. Designed to promote the profession of teaching in Texas, the TIA provides a path to higher incomes for educators through a system in which they attain one of three levels of designation: “Recognized,” “Exemplary” and “Master.”
Through the TIA, an educator can obtain funds to be allotted to the district according to their designation. Once achieved, a designation will be valid for five school years. These funds range from $3,000 at the least to $32,000 at most per designated teacher; districts which are deemed to be rural or higher need receive more funding from the program.
In order for a district to be approved for a local teacher designation system, it must develop and implement a system based on teacher observation and measures of student growth and have it be approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), a process which altogether spans three school years. After a system is established and approved, the district will be approved to issue TIA designations.
Ninety percent of funds generated through the TIA program must be used to compensate educators, while 10% may be used for costs associated with supporting a local designation system or to support educators in obtaining designations.
At a November meeting, Leech stated the district was in the process of creating a TIA Stakeholder Committee. This committee has now been formed, along with a leadership team that attends monthly meetings related to the program within Education Service Center (ESC) Region 12.
An application for the program has been drafted and is planned to be submitted before the April 15 deadline, pending review by ESC Region 12.
Director of State and Federal Programs Melissa Marbut presented a Targeted Improvement Plan for Whitney Intermediate School (WIS), which the board approved.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires state education agencies to determine low-performing schools. The Texas Education Agency identified WIS as a school in need of comprehensive support and improvement (CSI), as it was ranked in the bottom five percent of schools which receive funds under the TEA’s Title I, Part A statute.
As part of CSI requirements, the district developed a targeted improvement plan for 2024-25. The plan is available online at whitneyisd.org.
Cheryl Taylor-West gave a public comment, in which she promoted positivity and appreciation for the school board. She said, “I’ve been a resident a little over two years. One of the comments that I want to make, that I believe is very important, is that when I first moved here I felt it was important to observe, and to learn, and to listen.
“I never expected to push my agenda off on anyone – even though I come from a large, heavily populated area, which I am constantly reminded of… I believe that, for any of us, when we’re moving to a new place it’s a good idea to listen and to learn.”
Taylor-West then spoke about her own, as well as her family’s, extensive background and vested interest in education, herself having worked in higher education for nearly 29 years, and said: “A lot of times lately – I don’t know where it comes from – but I hear a lot of negativity in our community, and I’m a believer in positivity.”
She said that she wanted to take the opportunity to express how friendly and welcoming the board and students have been at meetings, and she thanked the board for doing a good job.
The board approved a property bid in the amount of $5,400 for a lot in White Bluff, as well as an update to the district’s Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Localized Policy.
Also approved was the order, publication of required notices and a resolution calling the upcoming WISD Board of Trustees election. As in years past, the board approved a joint election agreement between the City of Whitney and the district.
All administrators’ contracts were approved as follows: Amy Leech, Assistant Superintendent; Melissa Marbut, Director of State and Federal Programs; Kim Estes, Director of Technology; David Haynes, Director of Athletics; Kendra Hensley, High School Principal; Alex Richters, High School Dean of Students; Amber Seely, Intermediate School Principal; Steven Slaughter, Intermediate Assistant Principal; Mark Anthony Page, Middle School Principal; Jacquelyn Souders, Middle School Assistant Principal; Amanda Martinez, Elementary School Principal; and Karry Ward, Director of Operations.
The board approved the hiring of Leasa Minyard.
Resigning or retiring were: Scott Sheffield; Karen Cagle; Ahleasha Hope; Susan Cox; Michaela Driver; Kevin Snow; Austin Cleere; and Susan and Victor Patalon.
Enrollment stands at 1,428, down from 1,434.
Staff members of the month were as follows: elementary school campus Secretary Julie Trevino; intermediate school Security Officer Heath Yeager; middle school teacher Colleen Long; and high school teacher Lindsay Ward.
Students of the month were: elementary school student Haylee Ryals; intermediate school student Jaetyn Mitchell; middle school student Avery Curry; and for the high school, the Royelles Drill Team was collectively recognized as students of the month.
The next board meeting will be held Monday, March 3, at 6 p.m. in the WISD Administration Board Room, located at 305 South San Jacinto Street in Whitney.
The Lakelander 