Chisum ISD board approves multiple local policies and student/employee handbooks

Travis Ball, a board member who called the meeting to order, opened the Chisum ISD Board of Trustees meeting at 6:30 p.m. on July 31, 2025 and led votes to adopt a series of district policies and handbooks.

The board approved a set of local policies and handbooks, including Board Policy FM (Local), FNCE (Local), FD (Local), EFB (Local), an amendment to EIA (Local), the Elementary, Middle and High School Student Handbooks, the Chisum ISD Student Code of Conduct, the Band Handbook and the Athletic Handbook, and the Chisum ISD Employee Handbook. Each motion was made and seconded as recorded in the minutes and carried with four trustees voting in favor and three trustees recorded as absent (James Weems, Craig Burns and Dashielle Floyd). For example, the motion to approve Policy FM was made by Judd Oats and seconded by Matt Patterson; the recorded vote was Travis Ball, Judd Oats, Matt Patterson and Larry Rickman voting 'For.'

Why it matters: the package governs day-to-day operations, student conduct and staff expectations for the coming year. The minutes do not list substantive debate or amendments to the policies and handbooks; each item was moved, seconded and adopted with identical recorded tallies. The consistent roll-call pattern means the board advanced district governance documents with a clear majority of the present trustees.

The minutes list others present at the meeting, including Amy Ball, Aaron Bridges, Clint Miller, Tammy Crutcher, Zac Millsap and April North. The meeting record shows President John James Weems on the signature line, but he is recorded as absent in the roll call for votes.