Having concluded the three-year trial period for the four-day school week, the Alba-Golden School Board unanimously decided to continue the four-day instruction week in the 2026-27 school year.  The board approved the upcoming school year calendar at last Tuesday’s regularly-scheduled board meeting.

The first day of school this fall will be Monday, Aug. 10, and the school year will conclude on Thursday, May 27, 2027. Instruction times remain unchanged: the elementary school will be from 7:40 a.m. to 4:08 p.m., and the secondary school will be from 7:40 a.m. to 4:13 p.m.

The board also opted to take no action on Texas Senate Bill 11, which would mandate establishing time, place and procedures for students to pray or read their Bibles. Superintendent Shelby Davidson commented that such a bill would unnecessarily limit the expression of free speech and curb both prayer and Bible-reading. 

No trustee election will be necessary at this year’s May election cycle. Two school board members will be standing for re-election to the board, and no other candidates have registered. One additional board position will become vacant – board member Brad Lennon will not be standing for election – and only one candidate, Devon Hawthorn, has registered to run for that spot. A trustee election will not be necessary to fill three positions with three candidates.

The board approved contract of Colonial Roofing of Fort Worth to repair the roof of the elementary school. Cost of repair is $31,000. Colonial will be using a newly-developed silicone roofing material. Work should commence in the next two weeks.

A public hearing to disclose the 2024-25 Texas Academic Performance Report opened the agenda. The district received an overall B rating with a score of 88. The secondary school received an A rating, while the elementary school scored a B. 

The board was briefed on the Safety and Security Audit conducted in January by Education Service Center Seven. The audit rendered positive results with the district earning high scores for trust in the faculty and the maintenance of a sense of security among students.  The school was lauded for being clean and orderly as well. 

The board approved administrative contracts for the following: Elementary School Principal Pete Bell, Elementary School Assistant Principal Brandon Bohannan, Director of Operations and Safety Terry Busby, Secondary School Principal Brittany Hall, Secondary School Assistant Principal Shelby Keller, Director of Support Services Stacy Rolen, Director of Finance Beau Shelby, Director of Curriculum Megan Smith, Athletic Director Drew Webster, Human Relations Director Jennifer Wigington, and Secondary School Assistant Principal Kevin Wright. 

A targeted intervention plan was approved to bring the correct instructional resources to the struggling students yet this school year.

Responding to another state mandate, the board determined that outfitting of the school buses with seatbelts would be accomplished as new buses are purchased. The district did not have the funds to retrofit the ten buses that currently don’t have seatbelts.  The state has mandated the year 2029 as the deadline for mandatory seatbelt-equipped buses.

Three administrative waivers were approved.  They were required due to the three weather days that preempted school this winter. Waivers were approved for missed school days, low attendance, and remote homebound instruction.  

The board recognized Presley Zito as elementary school student of the month, and Brett Sutton and Hogan Webster as secondary school students of the month.  

Para-professional Linda Hernandez and FFA teacher Erin York earned employee of the month recognition. 

Board member Mike Ragsdale was the sole absentee at the meeting.