School Board approves expanded benefits
Jun. 20—The Huntsville Independent School Board of Trustees reviewed two federal funding sources, which have poured millions of dollars into Huntsville at Tuesday night's meeting.
The meeting was Tuesday due to a previously scheduled conference, the Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. June 18. The meeting was attended by Board President JT Langley, Vice-President Ken Holland, Rissie Owens, and Cathy Schweitzer. Tracy Stoudt and John Hendricks were not present and Position 7 remains vacant.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a Trump Era piece of education reform, which replaced No Child Left Behind.
Jessica Hassell, Director of State and Federal Programs, reported $2.5 million spent locally on areas like supplemental spending for economically disadvantaged students, alternative/behavioral support, professional development, English learning assistance, safety, technology replacement, and creating more well-rounded opportunities for students.
Hassell also presented on the expenditure of funds provided from the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER). ESSER was first implemented through the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) in 2020 and later that same year The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA), as a result of COVID-19 response. These Trump Era bills appropriated $85 billion nationally for retrofitting schools, and adapting learning during and following the pandemic.
In 2021, the Biden Administration would add another $122 billion to the amount dispersed to school districts across the nation. Huntsville ISD was on the receiving end of some $22 million dollars of federal assistance. Major expenditures like the new HVAC being installed at the high school, carpet removal, replacing water fountains with refill stations, and bridging pandemic related achievement gaps were a part of this package.
Superintendent Scott Sheppard also announced an expansion of District employee health benefits, adding $100 more per month per employee in health coverage, moving from $300 to $400. Sheppard noted that this is on top of the already approved 4% pay increases for teachers and staff. Sheppard pointed toward the passage of the bond as having created the space for increases, by addressing major bleeding from aged infrastructure.
Sheppard also reminded the School Board that much of the state is facing budget cuts this year, and Huntsville is bucking those trends because of strategic investments made in the last several years by the District.
Position 6 Holland, who is also the Board Vice President, applauded the superintendent, calling the increase to health and wages "bold." The increase passed unanimously.
Huntsville ISD Media Director Matthew Lahey shared a new digital presentation on the District's expanded Summer Sports initiative, now that the Athletic Complex is fully functioning. Scores of Huntsville secondary students are taking part in free sports programming, meant to focus on training, conditioning, and skills.
President Langley brought attention to the need for better promotion of the quality athletic facility offerings to other communities.
The School Board will meet next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, at the Hawkins Administration Building.
