Following a lengthy executive session with Texas Association of School Boards the North Hopkins Independent School District Board of Trustees opened their regular meeting at 7:05 p.m. last Thursday.
With Board President Allen Joslin presiding the Trustees approved in a 6-0 vote to hire Garrett Ragan and Ryan Petty for the upcoming school year. Ragan has been assigned to Agriculture, and Petty will be one of the new Social Studies instructors.
The Trustees also agreed it was time to increase the above base pay for the teachers of North Hopkins (which currently stands at 42 salaries). Each teacher will receive $2,000 increase for the upcoming school year at a cost of $84,000 for the District. This puts the above base at $5,000 for North Hopkins teachers – which comparably – is not more than Sulphur Springs but more than other smaller neighboring Districts. It passed 5-0 with Brian Lewis abstaining.
The Board also approved the 2016-2017 school calendar.
“We have changed from days to minutes to meet TEEA standards,” said Superintendent Donna George. “Each child must come to school 75,600 minutes each year.” North Hopkins ISD will release on May 24, 2017. Teachers will still report 187 days. To account for the minutes needed the District opted to add five minutes to each school day which gives a two day allowance. The school day will start at 7:55 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. It was passed unanimously.
The exit agreement with Superintendent Donna George was tabled as well as the transfer student list.
North Hopkins High School Principal Rob Stanley reported on the UIL academic results with 27 medals presented to students at the Spring District Meet for Conference 2A, District 14 and nine team medals.
Those results are as follows: Accounting: 6. Mason Virgil; Calculator Applications: 5. Veronica Ugalde, 6. Mary Brown; Current Issues: 5. Christian Matlock; Computer Science: 5. Allegra Thomas, 6. Katerin Flores; Editorial Writing: 4. Kelsey Horton, 5. Sheyenne Mitchell; Feature Writing: 4. Christian Matlock, 5. Cheyanne Cockrum; Informative Speaking: 6. Ryan Reed; Lincoln Douglas Debate: 1. Rachel Stanley, 4. Samuel Stanley; Literary Criticism: 4. Mary Brown; Mathematics: 6. Allegra Thomas; Number Sense: 2. Allegra Thomas, 5. Christian Matlock; News Writing: 5. Cheyanne Cockrum; Persuasive Speaking: 5. Rachel Stanley, 6. Samuel Stanley; Poetry Interpretation: 3. Kally Allen; Prose Interpretation: 5. Nathan Olavide, 6. Baile Gammill; Ready Writing: 1. Allegra Thomas, 2. Kelsey Horton; Science: 2. Colton Ross, 3. Nathan Olavide; Spelling and Vocabulary: 1. Allegra Thomas, 5. Katerin Flores.
Team Results: Calculator Applications: 2. North Hopkins team; Current Issues: 2. North Hopkins team; Computer Science: 2. North Hopkins team; Cross Examination Debate: North Hopkins received third and fourth; Number Sense: 2. North Hopkins team; One Act Play: 1. For 35 points for North Hopkins; Science: 2. North Hopkins team; Speech: 2. North Hopkins team; Spelling and Vocabulary: 2. North Hopkins team.
“We received second overall to Martin’s Mill,” said Principal Rob Stanley, excited, for the students advancing. “We have another chance at them as we will be in their district again next year.”
North Hopkins Assistant Principal and Head Baseball Coach Tim Henderson reported the Panthers were second in the District with a 12-2 record. They will face McCloud at Union Grove in the Bi-District playoffs this Thursday, May 5 at 5 p.m.
The meeting returned to executive session for personal discussion at 7:20 p.m.
Upcoming events: "Round-Up Days" for Pre-K and Kindergarten will be June 1-2. Parents and Students are invited visit the Pre-K and Kindergarten rooms and teachers between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. May 17 will be the FFA banquet. The Faculty Banquet will be May 23.
The minutes were approved and an amendment for a $6,000 copier lease for one year for the new Elementary building was passed. The bills were approved 4-0 with two members abstaining. No public comments were presented. The meeting adjourned at 8:26 p.m. The Trustees meet the fourth Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The District expects to have a new superintendent in place by July 1.