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Wichita Falls ISD superintendent reports lower attendance, facility updates, rattlesnake warnings and plans for 10 Commandments posters; board approves consent,
Summary
Superintendent Donnie Lee reported a Day 23 attendance dip, facility work at new high schools, multiple rattlesnake sightings at Memorial, and the district’s plan to post 10 Commandments posters by state delivery; the board approved routine items including the consent agenda, a roof restoration and the applicant pool.
Superintendent Donnie Lee told the Wichita Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees that Day 23 attendance and average daily attendance (ADA) are below district targets, and he provided updates on facilities, safety and curriculum policy implementation.
Enrollment and attendance: The superintendent said Day 23 enrollment figures were provided in the meeting materials and reported the district’s ADA at 94.84 percent. “I don’t really like that our ADA is already below 95,” Dr. Donnie Lee said during his report. He told trustees the district’s pre-COVID ADA target had been about 96.5 percent and that post-COVID a 95 percent ADA is “great,” but the current level is a concern.
Staffing: Lee said the district had to reduce staffing positions due to enrollment and that, for this year, the district “had to reduce 3” positions. He named the campuses affected in his remarks as Jefferson, Burgess and FAME (one each), though another speaker later suggested Burgess may have had two reductions. The superintendent and other trustees emphasized that certified teachers keep jobs if they are reassigned; staff on letters of reasonable assurance face a different status.
Facilities and projects: Lee reported progress on two new high schools — Memorial and Legacy — noting recent grading and topsoil work, and showed photographs of the sites. He also updated trustees on a new turf/field work and support facilities progress. The district flagged athletic infrastructure questions (batting cages, dugouts) raised by community members and said maintenance and site security improvements are under consideration.
Rattlesnake safety: Lee said the district has found multiple rattlesnakes near Memorial’s facilities and that the location has earned informal nicknames referencing rattlesnakes; he said the district will post warning signs at affected campuses. “This is the eleventh rattlesnake we found at Memorial’s Football Field,” Lee said, describing recent sightings including snakes found in a batting cage and a parking lot.
Ten Commandments posters and legal context: The superintendent described outreach from a Faith Baptist Church representative seeking to place Ten Commandments posters. He said the district paused a wide rollout while courts and other districts litigated similar implementations, then coordinated with a state senator’s office and an internal staff member (Miss Thomas) to collect campus needs via a Google form. Lee said the senator’s office will send posters directly to campuses, and the superintendent stated that the posters “will be going up, in all of our classrooms according to state law.”
Assessment changes: Lee summarized state-level assessment changes described in the district materials, noting that materials labeled “HBA” (as presented) indicate a change to periodic BOY/MOY/EOY assessments to measure growth and produce faster results, targeting implementation in the 2027–28 school year. He said the district expects faster results — “within 48 hours” in the materials presented — and described the change as a modification of the existing STAAR system rather than its complete repeal.
Extracurricular and community notes: Lee highlighted student achievements — culinary students winning awards — and school events including homecoming, principal meetings and a Future Ready Superintendent Leadership Network event the district will host for visiting superintendents.
Board actions at a glance: The board approved the consent agenda (5–0), awarded a West Foundation Elementary roof restoration contract to Trimco for $479,740 (5–0), and approved the proposed applicant pool in human resources (5–0). The McNeil Elementary renovation award was considered separately and approved 4–1 (see separate article).
Votes and formal motions: Consent agenda approval and the applicant pool were recorded by unanimous votes. The West Foundation roof restoration, presented by financial services staff, was awarded to Trimco with trustees noting prior positive experience with the vendor on other district roofs; the motion passed 5–0.
Closed session: The board moved into a closed session under Texas Government Code 551.074 to discuss personnel matters at the end of the meeting; the superintendent said any final votes would occur in open session.
