Coppell ISD Board Briefs are highlights of select items from the CISD Board of Trustees meetings.

• Trustees voted to name the new middle school campus Coppell Middle School West. In a 4 to 3 vote, (Trustees Anthony Hill, Thom Hulme, Judy Barbo and Susie Kemp voted in favor, and Trustees Tracy Fisher, David Caviness and Leigh Walker opposed) the Board voted to maintain the name Coppell Middle School West as recommended by the Facilities Naming Committee. The new CMS West will open in the 2018-2019 school year.

• The Board approved CBS Roofing Services as the contractor to complete the roof replacements at Coppell High School, Denton Creek Elementary, Victory Place and the CISD Service Center. Work will begin in January 2018 in areas that will not be disruptive to campuses and will continue through the summer of 2018. These projects are a part of the 2016 Bond program. The total bid for all projects is $1,992,919.00, including the payment and performance bond. A total of $2,222,000 (excluding contingency) was budgeted for these projects. Therefore, this project is $229,081.00 under budget.

• Trustees took action regarding the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Policy Update 109, affecting several local district policies addressing the following topics: Board member requests for records and visits to campuses, security of polling places, district investments, criminal history for contractors and subcontractors, prepaid meal card/accounts for students, board delegation of certain termination actions, employee standards of conduct, including electronic communications with students, possession of firearms in locked vehicles in district parking areas, cameras in special education classrooms, parental notification of certain educator misconduct with students, transportation funding for areas with a high risk of violence, student issues, including attendance, bullying, mental health and lice notification, refusing entry to or ejecting persons from district property and visits by sex offenders to district premises, responding to Public Information Requests and opportunities for patriotic society representatives to speak to students.  A copy of the policies that were added, replaced or deleted can be found here.

• Trustees also voted in favor of the monthly budget amendments for 2017-2018, approved the November 2017 Financial Report, approved the quarterly investment report for the period ending November 30, 2017 and approved the presentation of the annual financial audit for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2017.

Great Educators Matter (GEM) Awards

The Board recognized the recipients of CISD GEM Awards, which recognizes  outstanding employees who serve the mission of the district in a manner that exceeds job and salary expectations. Twice a year the awards honor those who go "above and beyond the call of duty". Their names are also added to the "Wall of Honor" in the district's Vonita White Administration Building. Fall 2017 recipients are: Chris Gray and Megan Kozar with Austin Elementary; Tammy Gilstrap, Rachel Milliken and Sarah Meador with Cottonwood Creek Elementary; Martha Brown, Vonda McFarling and Amanda Rodgers with Denton Creek Elementary; Barbara Arnt, Gayla Cockrell and Dawn Rehling with Lakeside Elementary; Ashley Minton and Stephanie Shannon with Richard J. Lee Elementary; Jason Gray with Mockingbird Elementary; Kathy Kirkley and Jeremy Phillips with Pinkerton Elementary; Nadya Gulam with Valley Ranch Elementary; Raquel Cantu with Wilson Elementary;  Julie Bottom with CMS North; Ariel Cruz; Wendy Flaherty, Shelby Otway, Sanela Pjetrovic and Catherine Schaefer with CMS West, Teresa Whittle with New Tech High @ Coppell; Jennie Allison, Ryan Smits and Rochelle Williams with Victory Place @ Coppell; and Linda Cook with CISD Administration.

Holiday Greeting Card Winner

The Board of Trustees recognized Akshara Pillai, a 4th grade student at Mockingbird Elementary, as the Coppell ISD Holiday Card Competition winner. Her artwork is featured on the official 2017 CISD Holiday Greeting Card. Her art teacher is Terese Kitts, and her principal is Laura Flynn. Works of art from three additional students were selected as first, second and third places in the competition as follows: First place, Sadie Darowski, Kindergarten at Lakeside Elementary; Second place, Cade Slaton, 4th grade at Town Center Elementary; and Third place, Rajiv Anandkumar, 3rd grade at Cottonwood Creek Elementary.

2017 Football Season

Trustees heard about the 2017 season for the 9-6A District Champion Coppell Cowboys, who finished with an overall 11-2 record. Though the team lost a heartbreaking game in the third-round of the playoffs, the district and team rallied around the team after an exciting season!

Digital Learning Coach (DLC) Professional Learning Network Launch

Trustees heard about the Nov. 30 Digital Learning Coach (DLC) Professional Learning Network Launch event, which had about 75 people attend the networking event and live “tweet up.”  The purpose of the event was to provide an environment where educators were empowered to own their professional learning for the year, begin to build their own professional learning network and have fun building relationships.

YMCA Youth & Government Club

The CMS West YMCA Youth and Government Club was highlighted for is recent district success and for being the largest delegation in the state of Texas with 100 competitors this year.  Led by Advisor David Norman, a Texas History teacher at West, the team participated in the Dallas District Competition the Saturday before Thanksgiving and walked away with 18 medals, the most of any team at the competition.

Update and reported on the Coppell Education Foundation and the District Education Improvement Committee.

Advanced Academics Participation and Performance

Deana Dynis, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, presented a report on the district’s performance and participation in ACT Exams, SAT Exams, and Advanced Placement & International Baccalaureate Course Participation and Exams for the Class of 2017.

Construction Update

Louis Macias, Executive Director of Facilities and Special Projects, gave an update on the District’s current construction projects, including the new middle school, 9th grade campus, high school renovations and other district improvement projects.

Update on Demographer’s Report

Associate Superintendent Sid Grant gave an update on the Demographer’s Report given at the Nov. 27 meeting. In January the Board will hold a workshop to further discuss this report.

Trustees Discussion and Report Items

Board President Tracy Fisher gave an update reflecting House Bill 2563, TEC, Section 11.159(b), which states the minutes of the last regular meeting of the Board of Trustees held during the calendar year must reflect whether each trustee has met or is delinquent in meeting the training required to be completed as of that meeting date. Trustees also gave a Legislative Update, and gave reports on the Coppell Education Foundation and the District Education Improvement Committee (DEIC).