Board approves 2025 election order, school calendar and a package of waivers and nominations; limits major Downing project to safety work

The Lewisville ISD Board of Trustees approved a series of procedural and budget-related items at its Feb. 18 meeting, voting to set the May 3, 2025 trustee election, adopt a 4x35-minute school-day calendar for 2025–26 and approve several waivers and nominations tied to a Feb. 3 campus water-main incident.

The board voted 5-2 to adopt a calendar that sets student instructional minutes at 4 periods of 35 minutes per day (175 student days). Board members Dr. Lori Barker and Catherine Sells voted for a competing 4x45-minute calendar; the 4x35-minute calendar carried by majority vote.

In other formal actions the board approved: submitting a missed school day waiver and a low-attendance waiver to the Texas Education Agency for campus closures on Feb. 3; a resolution delegating authority to continue payroll for staff affected by temporary campus closures; three targeted improvement plans for Delaney Middle, Mill Street Elementary and South Ridge Elementary; and a resolution nominating Superintendent Lori Rapp for TASB Region 11 Superintendent of the Year. All those items passed on recorded 7-0 votes.

On capital work, trustees approved the consent agenda with one notable exception (item K1A2) and later considered that Downing Middle School guaranteed maximum price request separately. Trustee Allison Lassonde moved, and Trustee Sheila Taylor seconded, a motion to approve only “safety items” in the Downing 20-year lifecycle project and deny additional refresh projects at this time; the motion passed 7-0.

The board also approved the order calling the May 3 general election for Single District Place 2, Single District Place 3 and At-Large Place 7 (unanimous), and granted administration authority to pursue TEA waivers connected to the Feb. 3 water-main closure and its attendance impacts (unanimous).

Votes at a glance - Adopt 2025 board election order for May 3, 2025 — Outcome: approved 7-0 (mover: Dr. Bonner; second: Dr. Barker) - Approve 2025–26 school calendar (4x35-minute option; 175 student days) — Outcome: approved 5-2 (mover: Dr. Bonner; second: Ms. Lassonde) - Consent agenda (with item K1A2 pulled) — Outcome: approved 7-0 - Approve K1A2 Downing Middle School: limit work to safety items, deny additional projects — Outcome: approved 7-0 (mover: Ms. Lassonde; second: Ms. Taylor) - Submit missed school day waiver for 02/03/2025 — Outcome: approved 7-0 (mover: Ms. Fells) - Submit low-attendance waiver for 02/03/2025 — Outcome: approved 7-0 (mover: Ms. Alcatel) - Approve resolution delegating authority during temporary campus closures (payroll) — Outcome: approved 7-0 (mover: Dr. Barker) - Approve targeted improvement plans (Delaney Middle, Mill Street Elementary, South Ridge Elementary) — Outcome: approved 7-0 (mover: Ms. Taylor; second: Dr. Barker) - Nominate Dr. Lori Rapp for TASB Region 11 Superintendent of the Year — Outcome: approved 7-0 (mover: Ms. Lisonbee)

Why it matters: The calendar choice changes the district’s instructional-day structure and staff planning time; the waivers and payroll resolution respond to emergency closures and have immediate funding and payroll implications; the Downing decision narrows capital work for now and preserves district flexibility while the board continues planning for middle-school facility needs.

Details and next steps: Administration will submit the waivers to TEA and report back on TEA’s decisions. Capital projects that were deferred for Downing may be brought back for future workshop discussion; administration indicated safety work will proceed under the approved limited authorization.