Taylor County school board appoints member to strategic-plan committee, approves hires, calendar and five-year plan

At its meeting the Taylor County School Board approved several administrative and personnel items, including naming a board representative to a strategic-plan development group, adopting an amended 2025–26 school calendar, confirming three district hires and approving a five-year capital plan that reflects a reduced projects budget.

Why it matters: the personnel appointments fill leadership roles at the high school and technical college, the strategic-plan representation brings board input into planning, and the capital-plan numbers show the district’s constrained project capacity after recent revenue losses.

Votes at a glance

- Board member participation on the district strategic-plan effort: The board accepted Miss Carlton’s volunteer to participate in the committee’s work (miss Carlton will participate in committee meetings and report back to the board but will not vote on final board approval). Motion and second were made at the meeting; the motion carried.

- Amended 2025–26 school calendar: Miss Bell, the director of personnel, requested approval of the amended calendar for the 2025–26 school year; the board approved the amendment (motion by Miss Carlton; second by Miss Agner; vote carried).

- Personnel appointments: The board approved three hires: Chuck Findlay as Taylor County High School principal, effective March 2025; Shelby McCall as director of Big Bend Technical College, effective March 2025; and John White as project manager and CTE recruitment specialist at Big Bend Technical College, effective April 2025. The board noted pending pre-employment requirements for one hire (fingerprints completed; drug testing pending). Motions and seconds were recorded for each appointment and each was approved.

- Five-year capital outlay plan (item 13.07): After staff discussion, the board approved the district’s five-year plan. District staff said the projects budget is constrained this year after local revenue declines: staff reported roughly $3,400,000 in capital funds earlier in the cycle but said capital resources have fallen to about $1.7 million after the loss of a paper mill and housing changes, limiting projects in years two through five. Staff detailed remaining work on HVAC replacements and the use of maintenance funds for routine needs; board members were told the five-year plan will be revisited next October and could change after upcoming elections or revenue shifts.

Board discussion and clarifications

Board members asked for more public engagement as the strategic-plan process proceeds; Miss Donnell and others requested a public workshop so the community can review initial work and provide input. Superintendent Wentworth said the committee is still in development and that the board would be invited to weigh in at the appropriate stage. The board also discussed project prioritization; a staff presenter said most routine maintenance will continue but capital projects are limited by current funding.

Ending: The board carried all motions presented at the meeting. Item 13.08 was removed from the agenda at the superintendent’s request.