Alba-Golden’s monthly meeting featured many announcements, recognitions and updates on ongoing projects. 

For the first year, AG Food Service Director Laura Reid is recommending that the school begin the process to be CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) certified. This process is a federally-funded opportunity for schools to change the way they charge for meals.

In 2024, the amount of directly certified students (or students who are eligible for free or reduced meals) is at a crossroads with the amount the school pays per meal. While it would not have made business sense, Reid says, for the school to attempt this in previous years, this year’s application to the CEP program would be the best way to go. If Alba-Golden’s application is approved, each school meal would be entirely free of cost to the students. 

“What CEP means for us is that every child, regardless of whatever, will get to receive a free breakfast and a free lunch,” said Reid. “So no student would have to pay for a meal.”

Reid also mentioned that the cafeteria is working on building a new freezer.

Because no one ran against the incumbents on the school board, the May 4 election was canceled. 

Terry Clark and Mike Ragsdale will serve three more years.

The board also unanimously voted to approve a resolution to accept chaplains as volunteers for the school. The chaplains will serve in addition to normal guidance counselors, and their services will be used only if students request them.

According to AGISD Secondary School Principal Brittany Hall, each graduating senior is being trained in CPR. 

Superintendent Shelby Davidson brought up that he has finished meeting with every graduating senior. These exit interviews were “extremely informative,” Davidson said, and, “I have enjoyed every one of these meetings.”

“I saw one thing – our students love our school,” he said.

The tradition of meeting with graduating seniors one-on-one is something Davidson intends to continue.

According to AGISD Elementary Principal Tracy Browning, the school will not be doing preparation for STAAR testing after school, since school hours “start so early and go so late.” Instead, prep work will be incorporated into normal study hours.

Kaitlynn Hawley, director of finance, announced that they are going to fall short in the expected budget for tax collection. This is due to uncertain predictions regarding Texas’ new homestead exemption law and how it affected tax collection. Hawley acknowledged the issue was a complicated and “confusing” situation. 

However, the state revenue is above the predicted amount for Alba-Golden, so administrators for the school were happy to announce that the budget differences come out to “a wash.”

“Our budget for all the revenue is $11.2 million, and we’re still going to collect $11.2 million. So at this point, I’m not worried about it,” said Hawley.

While the initial diagnosis didn’t sound good for the AG budget, Davidson assured attendees that “we are in good shape” due to Hawley’s “conservative budgeting.”

The board began the public session of the meeting with several heartfelt recognitions. Among the spotlights were AG’s beginning and academy teachers, who had taught two years or less.

Axel George, a Pre-K student, was chosen as elementary student of the month for his big personality, sweet heart and “witty words.”

Ella Landers was recognized as Alba-Golden’s junior high student of the month, and Maya Smith was the high school student of the month.