January BOE Meeting
The Board met on Wednesday, January 17, for their monthly meeting. Here is a recap of the meeting highlights. You can view the complete agenda and supporting documents by clicking the January 2024 BOE Meeting link.
January Board Spotlights: During their recent board meeting, the Lawson BOE had the opportunity to celebrate and recognize Board Spotlight, our 7-12th grade Library Media Specialist, Mrs. Katie Berger. Mrs. Berger was recently named the Lawson Memorial VFW & Auxiliary (Post 6278) Lawson High School Teacher of The Year. #WeAreLawson
Items for Discussion:
FEMA Site Coordinators: The Board approved six individuals to act as FEMA Site Coordinators for the remainder of the 2023-2024 School Year. This recommendation was made and approved as a condition of the awarded federal grant money for constructing the SW FEMA Building. The six individuals approved were Tyson Miller, Tina Murdock, Daniel Petet, Natalie Sloop, Michael Stephenson, and Marci Weatherspoon.
Items for information:
2023 Annual Performance Report (APR): Results from the 2023 APR and associated academic performance data were shared with the Board. The district's overall score was a 77.90% out of 100%. Dr. Stephenson informed the Board, "While our current score is not at the level we desire, it does not tell the whole story of the many great things we as a school community are doing for the betterment of students." Dr. Stephenson continued by stating, "We have many positive things happening, and we will continue to utilize our District Strategic Plan to guide the work of our School District." The complete APR presentation can be found utilizing the paperless board meeting link.
2024-2025 Academic Calendar: The 2024-2025 Academic Calendar Draft was provided to the Board for information. The final draft will be presented to the Board in February for approval. Over the coming month, district staff can provide feedback as part of completing a final version for Board consideration.
2024 Student & Staff Handbooks - Update / Discussion: The Board discussed the concerns brought forth during the December meeting by Mr. Klintworth during public comments. It was a constructive conversation geared toward acknowledging areas where the district can improve while recognizing we, as a school district, have a solid foundation and are continually working to improve. Dr. Stephenson assured the Board that our principals, staff, and teachers will and are continuously working to improve as positive role models for our students and continually seek ways to help students be accountable for their behavior in and out of the classroom.
No Tax Rate Increase Bond (April 2) - Update: Dr. Stephenson updated the Board regarding the work being completed to begin sharing information with the community regarding the project priorities for the upcoming April 2 election. The district will ask the voters to approve a No Tax Rate Increase Bond of $6,000,000. If approved, the funds generated from the bond would be used to address student safety, ADA facility improvements, classroom upgrades, and deferred facility maintenance needs. We will share information on the listed projects connected to the bond over the next 2+ months.
Superintendent Update: Dr. Stephenson updated the Board on various topics relevant to the district's overall success, which can be viewed using the provided paperless board meeting link.
Closed Session Items
Cardinals Nest Preschool Recommendation – The Board approved hiring Mrs. Madison Taylor as a classroom teacher for our recently approved expanded Cardinals Nest Preschool Program. Mrs. Taylor will join the Southwest Elementary team in August for the 2024-2025 school year.
Additional Announcements:
February Meeting Date - The next BOE meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 21, 2023, at 6pm in the Lawson Library Media Center.
Please get in touch with Dr. Stephenson with questions or concerns regarding any information provided in this recap or other district matters.