MISD approves 2024-25 school year calendar

In a very short agenda, the Moulton Independent School District has officially adopted the 2024-25 school calendar at the March 20 meeting. Earlier this school year, the district formed a calendar committee consisting of teachers, administrators, and the superintendent. Two different calendars were voted on by teachers and parents.

There were 72 responses, and the vote was split 36 to 36 between calendar A or calendar B.

“The 2024-25 has five days less than our current calendar,” Superintendent Renee Fairchild said. “There were a couple of comments about academics and that was discussed while we were meeting as a group. We also talked about the fact that we would rather have full days instead of half days. Mental health was also a concern for both staff and students. We also looked at the testing dates anytime that we had off and we took that into consideration. The difference in the calendars is on the week of spring break and if the break should be broken up between two weeks instead of one week.”

One of the comments from a voter mentioned the prospect of four-day school weeks.

“We as a board have talked about the fact that we don’t even want to have the discussion of four-day weeks,” Fairchild said. “This is for both the academic factor and also our local childcare. When Moulton has holidays that are different than schools around us, it’s difficult as far as childcare is concerned because our parents still have to work.”

Most of the staff members picked option A to address student performance. As a result, the district opted for that calendar.

The board also approved state adopted curriculum for the 2024-25 school year. The four categories that are approved by the Texas Education Agency were science, CTE, technology applications, and social studies.

Other items on the agenda included:

• The district approved a financial advisory service agreement with Live Oak Public Finance. Recently, a representative from Live Oak made a presentation to the board detailing how property values over time have affected the local tax rate and described possible ways the district could leverage money earned. The schools around the area that have used Live Oak’s services have had good results, according to Fairchild.

• The district has approved the renewal of their liability insurance with the Texas Association of School Board risk management.

• In discussion items, the district has announced that all ESSER grants are in complete compliance.• Enrollment numbers are currently holding steady at 300 students. The district may be getting three additional students.

• MISD wants to thank the PTO for helping with Dr. Seuss week for the elementary school students. They gave every student a Dr. Seuss book. Third and fourth grade students are also gearing up for a field trip to the Alamo.

• Moulton High School will be partnering with Blinn College in Schulenburg to hopefully offer some more dual credit courses for the students. Typically, it is recommended that students looking to go to college have at least nine or 12 credit hours after completion of high school.

• Windshields on Bus 14 and Bus 16 have now been replaced and the window film at the school are nearly finished.

• School board members will be going to school board training on May 16.