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Gadsden ISD board adopts 2025-26 calendar, approves graduation attire policy and routine minutes/consent items
Summary
At its Feb. 6 meeting the Gadsden Independent Schools Board approved the 2025-26 school calendar (Option A) and adopted a revised graduation-exercises policy that allows decorated caps subject to campus approval. The board also accepted the agenda, minutes from Jan. 23 and the consent agenda.
Gadsden Independent Schools Board of Education members voted Feb. 6 to adopt the district's 2025-26 academic calendar (Option A) and to revise policy IKFB on graduation exercises, and they approved routine agenda, minutes and consent items.
The calendar vote followed a district presentation showing a close stakeholder split between two draft calendars. Academic services director Wilbermuth told the board the district ran a seven-day stakeholder voting window and that the two options were compliant with current guidance while state rulemaking remains unsettled after a recent court ruling about the 180-day requirement. Wilbermuth said, "We had our stakeholder voting window for 7 days" and described trade-offs including start dates, alignment with regional calendars and access to professional-development presenters.
The board adopted Option A on a voice vote after a motion by board member Morales. The superintendent and academic staff told the board they favored Option A because it gives earlier access to national presenters used for staff professional development.
On graduation policy, the board adopted changes to IKFB (graduation exercises) to require district-approved attire including cap and gown and to allow students to decorate caps so long as decorations comply with campus-issued graduation contracts and do not violate the published do's and don'ts (for example: no obscene or threatening images, nothing hanging off the sides, no noise-making devices). Superintendent Dempsey said the cap-decoration guidance was developed in consultation with students and campus staff and recommended that campus principals be the final authority on disputes.
The board also approved the meeting agenda as presented, accepted the regular board minutes for Jan. 23, 2025, and approved the consent agenda without roll-call exceptions.
Votes at a glance - Motion to accept the Feb. 6 agenda: Passed (voice vote). - Motion to accept regular school board minutes for 01/23/2025: Passed (voice vote). - Motion to accept consent agenda: Passed (voice vote). - Motion to adopt 2025-26 calendar (Option A): Mover: Mr. Morales; Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Motion to adopt policy IKFB (Graduation exercises) as modified by superintendent: Mover: Ms. Rodriguez; Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
Board members who made motions and the meeting record indicate unanimous or broad voice approvals on those items; the transcript records multiple "Aye" responses.
The meeting moved on to discussion items after the votes and later entered closed session for personnel matters; the board announced afterward that it approved a performance-improvement plan for the superintendent during closed session.
