08/05/10 - Arlington Independent School District

Boardroom Notes
August 5, 2010
President Gloria Peña convened the meeting with
Peter Baron, Bowie Hogg, Dr. Aaron D. Reich, Wayne Ogle,
Jamie Sullins, John Hibbs and Jerry McCullough present.
Appointments
The Board approved the following:
• David Gutierrez as principal of South Davis Elementary. Gutierrez started his teaching career in 1998 at Thornton
Elementary as a first-grade bilingual teacher. In 2001, he was named an administrative intern, and in 2002, he became
assistant principal. He has served as Thornton’s principal since 2007. Gutierrez has a bachelor’s and a master’s from the
University of Texas at Arlington.
• Jacob Wilson as an assistant principal at Sam Houston High School. He has been an assistant principal at Atherton
Elementary since 2007. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb University and a master’s degree from the University of
Texas at Arlington.
• Derek Hinton as an assistant principal at Ferguson Junior High. Last year he was a behavior intervention inclusion
teacher at Summer Creek Middle School. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a master’s
degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.
• Max Smith as an assistant principal at Gunn Junior High. He has been a business teacher and football and wrestling
coach at Seguin High School since 2008. He has a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Baptist University and a master’s degree
from the University of Phoenix.
• Michelle Harris as an assistant principal at Atherton Elementary. Since 2003, she has been a counselor at South
Davis Elementary. Harris has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree from
Amberton University.
• Clifton Womack as an assistant principal at Atherton. Since 2003, he has been an English and ESL teacher, AVID
elective teacher and coordinator, and LEP Grant Initiative teacher with the Fort Worth ISD. He has a bachelor’s and a
master’s from Tarleton State University.
• Melinda Schweig as assistant principal at Bryant Elementary. She has been the head band director and elective
department coordinator at Mary Lillard Intermediate in the Mansfield ISD since 2006. She has a bachelor’s degree from the
University of Colorado and a master’s degree from Florida State University.
• Jacqueline McDowell-Walton as assistant principal at Ellis Elementary. Since 2006, McDowell-Walton has served as
academic coordinator for testing and staff development for the Dallas ISD. She has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s
University and a master’s degree from Texas Christian University.
• Selena Bastidas as assistant principal at Hill Elementary. She has been an assistant principal at Merrifield Elementary
in the Duncanville ISD for the last two years. She has a bachelor’s and a master’s from Dallas Baptist University.
Open Forum/Agenda Items
• Michael Jarzabaski, UEA President, spoke regarding the AISD budget and asked the Board to consider the loss of
the 2 percent stipend and increase in insurance rates.
• Larry Shaw, UEA, spoke regarding the AISD budget and asked the Board to consider pay increases for teachers and
not cutting their salaries.
• Richard Weber, Arlington resident, spoke regarding the AISD budget and asked the Board to balance the budget.
• Anthony Nagy, Arlington resident, spoke regarding the AISD budget and asked the Board to aim to balance the
district’s budget.
• Carol Daley, Arlington resident, spoke on her opposition to changes in the transfer policy.
Discussion Item
• 2010-2011 Budget – The 2010-2011 budget has been in development since January 2010. Input has come from
teachers, administrators, the Citizens Advisory - Financial Futures Committee, the District Instructional Decision-making
Committee and the public. The proposed tax rate for the 2010-2011 budget is $1.335, an increase of 6.3 cents to the
interest and sinking tax due to passing of the bond election last school year.

Discussion/Action Items
• Proposed Tax Rate for 2010-2011 Fiscal Year – Associate Superintendent Cindy Powell presented the Board with
the proposed tax rate of $1.335. The Board approved that the proposed tax rate be posted in the Notice of Public Meeting
to discuss the budget and proposed tax rate for the 2010-2011 budget.
• Student Transfer Policy and Procedure Changes for 2010-2011 – Assistant Superintendent of Administration
Jimmy Walker presented information on revising the student transfer policy. After looking at the transfer procedures from
large and surrounding school districts, the administration recommends that an online system be implemented with a twoweek
window for parents to submit transfer applications and that a lottery system be used to determine placement in the
students’ school of choice. No action was taken.
• Center for Reform of School Systems Training, AISD Core Beliefs and Commitments, District Goals – School
Board Assistant Secretary Aaron Reich presented the Board’s beliefs, commitments and district goals. No action was taken.
Open Forum/Non-Agenda Items
• Anthony Nagy, Arlington resident, discussed the district rating and TPM.
• Missy Reuland, Arlington resident, discussed Families Against Bullying and her desire for the district to launch an
anti-bullying campaign.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Jerry McCullough began by announcing that according to accountability ratings released last Friday by
the Texas Education Agency, the AISD received a Recognized rating, the state’s second highest rating. He said he is proud of
the work done by our students and teachers and the improvements last year in student achievement. The AISD is the largest
district in North Texas to receive the Recognized rating. In addition to this districtwide achievement, eight campuses received
the Exemplary rating and 31 campuses received the Recognized rating.
Next Friday, McCullough will present the State of the District address during the Arlington Chamber luncheon at the
Professional Development Center. He will discuss some of our achievements from this past year and our goals for the year to
come. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., with the luncheon from noon to 1:30 p.m. Ticket information is available at aisd.net.