Perry ISD superintendent reports construction progress, testing schedule and student wins; junior-high ESL teacher resigns after door-latch audit

Superintendent Brown told the Perry Independent School District board that construction at Perry High School and Wright Elementary is progressing and that the district is finishing TELPAS testing and preparing for STAAR and end-of-course (EOC) exams.

Brown said the district has posted update videos of the high school V-hall and Wright Elementary’s north hall on the district website, and that the Wright hall may be ready for use “around spring break” as crews finish work.

Brown said administrators are completing TELPAS, the English-language proficiency assessment for students learning English, and are “gearing up for STAAR and EOC,” adding the district will focus on student preparation “in the next 6 to 8 weeks.”

The superintendent read a long list of recent student achievements across music, welding and powerlifting programs, including several students who earned superior and excellent ratings at solo and ensemble contests, multiple students qualifying to compete at the state level, and welding students who earned Level 3 certifications and top placings in state visual and X-ray inspection rankings.

Brown also reported personnel and safety items to the board. “Yes. Luz Garcia, a junior high ESL teacher, has submitted her resignation,” he said. Brown reported the district’s safety audit found one kindergarten classroom door that had not latched. He described the door as “a door that faces the courtyard where the portables are. It was a classroom door. The door was locked. The door was closed. The door hadn’t latched.”

Brown said staff have trained the kindergarten team on ensuring doors latch and that the district believes cold weather was a factor in the door not closing properly. “We need to make sure all those doors are latching,” he said, while noting the district’s findings differ from earlier incidents that involved propped or unlocked doors.

The board acknowledged the report and then moved on to campus and department updates. The meeting later convened a closed session to discuss personnel matters, attorney consultation and security devices, as allowed by Texas Government Code chapter 551.

The board did not take any formal votes during the portions of the meeting covered in the public report.