MISD opens new year with enrollment up

By Phil Major
publisher@wood.cm
Posted 8/19/21

Mineola schools kicked off the new year last week.

Superintendent Cody Mize told the school board Monday that the year has started well, and staff is monitoring processes and procedures and …

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MISD opens new year with enrollment up

Posted

Mineola schools kicked off the new year last week.

Superintendent Cody Mize told the school board Monday that the year has started well, and staff is monitoring processes and procedures and watching COVID-19 very closely.

The board approved a policy that will allow staff members who must take off for 10 days following a COVID-19 diagnosis to have eight days of local sick leave.

Mize explained that COVID-19 is the only disease that requires a 10-day quarantine. The 8-day figure was developed since the quarantine includes calendar days and would cover at least one weekend.

The policy is for the employee only and does not cover quarantines for family members.

The policy will be revisited in the spring.

The board decided to leave a three percent teacher pay increase in place after Business Manager William Bjork reviewed a preliminary $1.2 million increase in spending for 2021-22.

Bjork noted the district had lost some teachers to districts with higher pay.

He explained that some of the funds from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) would help offset some of the increase, but the district would have to figure how to replace those funds over the next 2-3 years when the program goes away.

Bjork noted that school attendance, which helps the district with state funding, is up this year.

MISD ended the spring semester with 1,575 students, and as of Monday enrollment was 1,603, and attendance usually picks up after Labor Day.

Bjork said he will also increase the expected property tax collections to 97%, after the district surpassed that amount this year.

Mize reported that the district’s new fine arts building project is nearing completion.

A punch list was completed last Thursday.

Among the items remaining are the acoustical panels for the new band hall, which are expected to be delivered in early October.

Mize said a grand opening will be held after that.

 Assistant Superintendent David Sauer presented the use of funds plans for ESSER Two, which will give the district $1.6 million.

About $1.2 million of that will go toward salaries.

No date has been set yet for the second part of ESSER Three, which includes $1.2 million for MISD. The district is receiving $2.4 million in the first part of ESSER Three.