Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Santa Fe ISD trustees approve canvass, policy updates and service agreements in unanimous votes
Loading...
Summary
The Santa Fe ISD Board unanimously approved the canvass of recent election results and a package of policy and contract measures, including state-mandated policy updates, a new employee sick‑leave donation policy, administrator outside‑work contract language and several service agreements totaling roughly $452,478.47.
The Santa Fe ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved a slate of routine and policy actions at its Nov. meeting, including canvassing recent election returns, adopting legislative policy updates and signing several service agreements.
Board members formally approved the canvass of election results after volunteers presented absentee, early and election‑day tallies for multiple propositions. After a motion and second, the board "passed unanimously," the president said, and thanked staff for their work.
The board adopted the TASI/TASB policy update 01/26 — a package of legal and local revisions prompted by the most recent legislative session — following administrative review. Miss Davenport summarized the update, noting it spans roughly 1,400 pages and contains near‑200 local policy changes, including new agenda‑posting timelines and an increased competitive procurement threshold.
Trustees approved language aligning FMH local (diploma delivery) with current practice, allowing district representatives to distribute conferred diplomas and specifying who may present a diploma when a former board member is involved. The board also approved a new DEC local "Friends Helping Friends" policy, which establishes a voluntary program for employees to anonymously donate state and local sick‑leave days to coworkers facing catastrophic illness or family emergency. "In this particular policy, it would give the opportunity to donate local and state sick leave days to another employee who is in need due to a catastrophic injury or illness," Mister Sanchez said during the presentation.
Under newly discussed state rules about outside employment, trustees approved contract language that allows administrators (other than the superintendent and other specified chief officers) to receive compensation for personal services to outside education entities only if the board determines the contract will not harm the district, will not create a conflict of interest, and that duties are executed entirely on personal time. The board considered a specific contract for Gina Welsh, who also works with the Education Foundation, and approved the process for such contracts.
The board also approved two service agreements with Region 4 related to LASSO grant work: one for $70,000 and another for $227,500, totaling $297,500 for professional development and implementation support. In a separate vote the board approved a shared‑service agreement with the Galveston‑Brazoria Cooperative for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for $154,978.47 to provide direct site and itinerant services and assistive listening equipment for students through age 21.
Board President and members offered thanks to staff and administrators for their work during the meeting; all votes on the listed items were unanimous. The board adjourned after closing remarks and trustee recognitions.
The board recorded no dissenting votes and stated that any final actions required by executive session would occur in open session at a subsequent meeting.
