GCISD Meeting Minutes

Hello GCISD, My Name is Justin Dearing, one of GCISD’s Director of Communications and you are listening to GCISD’s Meeting Minutes.

The Board of Trustees met on Monday at 7:00pm in the District Board Room.

First, the Board recognized the Grapevine High School cheerleading team who recently completed an incredibly successful, championship-winning season. The Mustangs first made history as they won their first UIL Spirit State Championship, taking home the 5A Division 1 title on January

14 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Just one week later that GHS won the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Spirit Program National Championship in Dallas at the NCA High School Nationals, one of the nation’s most prestigious cheerleading competitions.

Next, the Board recognized the Grapevine High School volleyball team who also recently completed a very successful season. Back in November, the Mustangs advanced all the way to the state championship match in the UIL 5A State Tournament. Their runner-up finish was the best finish in program history. It marked the second straight year that the Mustangs were one of the last four teams in the playoffs and advanced to the State Tournament.

Next, the Board recognized Kyle Berger, GCISD Chief Technology Officer, and his technology services team, who were recently named the winners of Best Overall Implementation of Technology award at the Tech & Learning Leadership Summit in Dallas. Part of the Innovative Leader Awards, this honor recognizes exceptional administrators in select regions around the country who are leading innovation in their school districts

Finally, the Board recognized a special member of our community. Sergeant Jason Keller is a decorated 25-year Grapevine Police Department veteran with a Master Peace Officer License and 12 years of SWAT experience. Sergeant Keller is retiring this month and the Board thanked him publicly for all that he does for GCISD and our entire community.

The Board heard about the “One School One Book” program from Heritage Elementary and a LEAD 2.0 Highlight presentation on the district’s Career and Technology Education Programs.

The Board took approved the recommendation for the Colleyville Heritage High School Principal position, the Executive Director of Athletics position, and approved the Superintendent's Priority Performance Goals for 2022.

The Board will meet again on March 28, 2022.

Join us the Wednesday after every Board meeting to keep up-to-date on what’s happening with your GCISD Board of Trustees. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on whichever platform you prefer so that you don’t miss an update.

If you’d like to learn more about the GCISD Board of Trustees, including Trustee bios, previous meeting minutes, meeting schedule, and more, please visit www.gcisd.net.

The GCISD Board of Trustees met Monday, December 13 for its regularly scheduled meeting.

Students from Collegiate Academy began the meeting by leading the pledges and sharing their progress towards the GCISD Portrait of a Graduate. Brandi Carey presented the LEAD 2.0 Highlight on First Year Teacher Academy.

The Board recognized the GCISD Holiday Card Contest winners. Each year students from across the district take part in the annual GCISD Holiday Card Art Contest. Winning designs were based on originality, theme, use of color and overall design. As a result, three cards are selected to be sent out on behalf of GCISD, one from elementary, middle and high school students. Congratulations Katherine McLaughlin, Alexis Hogan and Quinlan Voss!

Next, the Board recognized GCISD for being named a Dallas Morning News Top 100 Place to Work. This is the fourth consecutive year that GCISD has earned this honor.

Finally, Trustees recognized Coach Kirk Martin, Colleyville Heritage High School’s Head Football Coach for being awarded the 2021 Landry Coach of the Year Award. Each year, The Landry Award recognizes a Coach of the Year who exemplifies the Christian values that defined Tom Landry on and off the field. The Landry Award Coach of the Year, selected by Greater Dallas Fort Worth FCA leadership and The Landry Award voting panel, is one who encourages leadership, selflessness, maturity, respect and kindness.

During the action items of the meeting, Trustees approved the student and staff calendars for the 2022-2023 school year. These calendars may be found on the GCISD website at www.gcisd.net. Trustees also approved the 2022-2023 course selection guide and adopted a resolution to discontinue participation with TRS-ActiveCare.

The Board also heard three updates during the meeting. Amy Taldo, Director of Health Services provided a health update for the 2021-2022 school year, members of Curriculum and Instruction and Technology provided an update on the Instructional Materials Review Process and Huckabee, GCISD’s architect, gave an update on the 2016 Bond Program.

The next GCISD Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 24. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on whichever platform you prefer so that you don’t miss an update. if you’d like to learn more about the GCISD Board of Trustees, including Trustee bios, previous meeting minutes, meeting schedule and more, please visit www.gcisd.net.

The GCISD Board of Trustees met Monday, November 15 for its regularly scheduled meeting. The meeting opened with GCISD Portrait of a Graduate and a LEAD 2.0 presentation.

Following these presentations, there were many amazing recognitions from all over GCISD!

During the action items of the meeting, Trustees approved resolutions to nominate Cassandra Phillips to the Dallas Central Appraisal District Board of Directors and Rich DeOtte for the Tarrant Appraisal District Board of Directors. The Board also accepted a donation of two new wrestling mats to the Grapevine High  School wrestling program from the GHS Wrestling Booster Club.

The Board also heard two updates during the meeting. Amy Taldo, Director of Health Services provided a health update for the 2021-2022 school year and Huckabee, GCISD’s architect, gave an update on the 2016 Bond Program.

The next GCISD Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 13. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on whichever platform you prefer so that you don’t miss an update. if you’d like to learn more about the GCISD Board of Trustees, including Trustee bios, previous meeting minutes, meeting schedule and more, please visit www.gcisd.net.

As you know, every month, we will release an episode of Meeting Minutes after a regular Board of Trustees meeting. Occasionally, the Board hears presentations that really showcase the great work done here in GCISD. We will take these presentations and air them in their entirety as bonus episodes of Meeting Minutes.

This month, we are sharing the LEAD 2.0 Highlight on Dyslexia.

We hope you enjoy this bonus episode of Meeting Minutes!

The GCISD Board of Trustees met Monday, October 25 for its regularly scheduled meeting.

Students from Grapevine Elementary School began the meeting by leading the pledges and sharing their progress towards the GCISD Portrait of a Graduate. Amy Montemayor, Director of Intervention Services presented the LEAD 2.0 Highlight on Dyslexia Services in GCISD.

The Board then moved into recognizing a special group of 55 GCISD seniors that have been recognized as College Board National Recognition Program Scholars. This program creates pathways to college for students from underrepresented communities by awarding them academic honors and connecting them with universities across the country. These students scored in the top 2.5% of the Preliminary  SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test takers who identify as one or more of the following: African American, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, or attend school in a rural area, or are from a small town.

Trustees also shared an official proclamation for Red Ribbon Week. GCISD students and staff are joining others across the nation for the annual Red Ribbon Week celebration. The purpose of this week-long celebration is to promote family and individual responsibility for living healthy, drug-free lifestyles.

During the action items of the meeting, Trustees approved adjustments to the 2021-2022 compensation plan which provides a pay increase of 5% to all employees on the Clerical Pay Structure, a 5% pay increase to all current auxiliary and instructional support employees, quarterly retention payments for hard-to-fill positions, and approve a one-time retention payment for all employees on December 3, 2021.

The Board also accepted two donations. The first was $7,000 from the Grapevine High School Wrestling Booster Club to purchase new competition and warm-up uniforms and a donation of $20,000 to benefit academic and extracurricular programs at GCISD Collegiate Academy.

Trustees also approved the Board Operating Procedures, the resolution for local remote learning, and the proposed additions to Board Policy EIF(LOCAL) to incorporate the submission and completion requirements for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Texas application for state financial aid (TASFA).

The Board also heard two updates during the meeting. Amy Taldo, Director of Health Services provided a health update for the 2021-2022 school year, and Huckabee, GCISD’s architect, gave an update on the 2016 Bond Program.

The next GCISD Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 15. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on whichever platform you prefer so that you don’t miss an update. if you’d like to learn more about the GCISD Board of Trustees, including Trustee bios, previous meeting minutes, meeting schedule, and more, please visit www.gcisd.net.

The GCISD Board of Trustees met Monday, September 27 for its regularly scheduled meeting.

The big agenda item on Monday night was the adoption of the 2021 tax rate. Trustees voted to lower the tax rate for the second year in a row. They reduced both the maintenance and operations rate, as well as the interest and sinking rate for a total tax rate of $1.2751 per $100 valuation. Did you know that the GCISD tax rate is made up of two different rates? Learn more by watching a tale of two buckets, available on the District’s YouTube channel.

More highlights from Monday’s meeting: Trustees began the evening by participating in a workshop on Campus Improvement Plans with all of our building principals. Students from Bridges led the pledges and talked about their progress towards the GCISD Portrait of a Graduate.

Tiffany Cuningham, Director of Student Services presented the LEAD 2.0 Highlight on our summer programs including Secondary Summer School, STAAR Academy, Dream Camp, Summer Enrichment, Summer Bridge and our Extended Day Program.

Next up, during recognitions, Trustees recognized 18 GCISD seniors who have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Selection for this prestigious honor is based on the students' scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.  Over the past 11 years, GCISD has celebrated the recognition of 192 National Merit Semifinalists. GCISD’s 18 semi finalists from the Class of 2022 is the largest number of semifinalists from GCISD since the Class of 2019.

Other actions taken by the Board include:

The Board also heard several updates during the meeting. Dr. Lance Groppel, Executive Director for Instructional Leadership discussed the 2021-2022 Student-Parent Handbook. Bryan Gerlich, Executive Director of Athletics, Kevin Starnes, Assistant Director of Athletics and Dr. Paul Sikes, Director of Fine Arts discussed the Quality Cup - an internal measurement system of extracurricular programs in GCISD. Shannon Tovar, Director of Accountability and Continuous Improvement provided an update on the Texas Student Assessment Program results for 2020-2021. And finally, Huckabee, GCISD’s architect, gave an update on the 2016 Bond Program.

The next GCISD Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 25. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on whichever platform you prefer so that you don’t miss an update. if you’d like to learn more about the GCISD Board of Trustees, including Trustee bios, previous meeting minutes, meeting schedule and more, please visit www.gcisd.net.

Every month, the GCISD Board of Trustees meets to consider recommendations, hear updates and discuss information that is important to the success of GCISD. While all meetings are streamed live on YouTube, we understand that not all parents, community members or staff are able to watch a lengthy meeting.

In an effort to keep our community informed regarding the information presented and decisions made at the Board of Trustees monthly meetings, GCISD is launching the Meeting Minutes podcast.

Join us the Wednesday after every Board meeting to keep up-to-date on what’s happening with your GCISD Board of Trustees. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on whichever platform you prefer so that you don’t miss an update.

In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about the GCISD Board of Trustees, including Trustee bios, previous meeting minutes, meeting schedule and more, please visit www.gcisd.net.