RISD holiday card winner from Amanda Rochell Elementary
Rockwall, TX (December 10, 2024) – NOTE: Board meeting summaries highlight different agenda items. Board meeting videos are available for viewing within 24-hours of the meeting at www.rockwallisd.com
The Board of Trustees recognized outstanding individuals and groups for the following accomplishments:
o Zoey L., an Amanda Rochell Elementary student, is the District holiday card winner. Her teacher is Ms. Elizabeth Churchill. Zoey’s piece was selected for the Rockwall ISD holiday card from artwork submitted by elementary schools across the District.
o The 2024 Class of the Rockwall ISD Leadership Academy, the 8th cohort, completed its program on November 12. The participants learned about elementary and secondary curriculum, data walks, school finance, board governance and heard from a principal and student panel during the seven-month program. The Rockwall ISD Leadership Academy allows participants to learn about Rockwall ISD.
o The Rockwall ISD Education Foundation recognized educators across the District for their Innovative Teaching Grants funded by the Rockwall ISD Education Foundation. Fifteen grants to 51 educators from 20 campuses won grants totaling $32,279.88. Approximately 5,274 students will benefit from the grants. With this cycle of Innovative Teaching Grants, the REF has provided a total of $658,930 in funding for 377 grants involving 1,200+ educators and impacting more than 116,080 RISD students.
Board Approves Rockwall ISD Legislative Priorities for the 89th Legislative Session
The Board of Trustees approved Rockwall ISD’s legislative priorities for the 89th Legislative Session that starts January 14, 2025. District leaders will begin sharing these legislative priorities this month with elected officials representing Rockwall ISD in the state legislature, advocating for the critical funding and support necessary to meet the needs of all students, teachers, and staff. The district also encourages Rockwall ISD stakeholders to join in this effort by sharing these priorities with elected officials and community members.
In summary the priorities includes:
1. Fully Fund Public Schools: Increase the basic student allotment by $1,495 to $7,655 per student to provide the same buying power afforded to public schools in 2019, adjusted for inflation. This will allow districts to address teacher and staff recruitment and retention through long-term competitive compensation outside of any one-time increase.
2. Fully Fund School Safety: Increase the School Safety Allotment to ensure armed officers at all campuses per state requirement without negatively the funding for other services.
3. Fully Fund Special Education: Adjust funding based on severity of services rather than instructional arrangement to fully support Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for special education students.
4. Inflation Index Funding: Create a Basic Allotment inflation index adjustment factor to adjust the basic student allotment to reflect changes in the consumer price index as determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
5. Assessment and Accountability Priorities: Repeal the A-F grading system, which heavily relies on high-stakes tests (STAAR) and reduce state assessments by eliminating those not required by federal law, reducing testing time, and prohibiting standardized tests from serving as the primary indicator of student and school performance. Rockwall ISD advocates for non-high-stakes tests such as diagnostic reading, writing, and math assessment alternatives that measure growth in student performance.
Middle School #4 Grades 6-8 Update
Mr. Jacob Payne Named MS#4 Principal
Mr. Jacob Payne has served Rockwall ISD as Associate Principal of Student Services and an assistant principal at Rockwall-Heath High School for the past seven years. He has previously served as an assistant principal at North Forney High School and Tyler Legacy High School. He has been a middle school teacher and coach, leading his basketball team on a streak of 47 straight wins. He has also been a high school Spanish teacher and a professional basketball player.
Mr. Payne earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University in College Station. Mr. Payne can fluently speak, read, and write both English and Spanish.
Mr. Payne’s professional experiences and accomplishments include the following:
• Aspiring Administrators Academy,
• Developing and implementing a systematic approach for campus-wide positive student behavior supports,
• Skilled facilitator of the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) process;
• Google Classroom Presenter, and
• Developing and coordinating multiple systematic campus-wide processes for increasing efficiency, streamlining communication, and improving safety.
Mr. Payne will continue serving Rockwall-Heath High School as the Associate Principal during the spring semester while planning for the opening of Middle School #4 in the fall of 2025.
Communication Planning for all 6th Grade Families
District leadership announced two District come & go informational meetings for all 6th grade parents on January 7, 2025 and January 8, 2025 from 6pm until 7:30pm at the Dr. Gene Burton College & Career Academy.
Naming Process for Middle School #4
District leaders announced the online naming nomination period for Middle School #4 begins January 1, 2025 until January 31, 2025. The nomination form will be available on the district website. The nomination period information will also be advertised via print and digital advertisements, and social media. The Middle School #4 name will be announced at the March meeting of the Board of Trustees.
Middle School Feeder Pattern Realignment Process
In November and December, District leadership collaborated with a demographer to develop a proposed feeder pattern realignment plan to accommodate Middle School #4. A parent and community meeting to review the plan and provide feedback will be scheduled in January. Additionally, the realignment plan will be available on the District’s website for online feedback from January 14 to February 5, 2025. After reviewing community input, a final recommendation will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval on February 17, 2025.
Board Approves 2025-2026 Academic Planning Guide Substantial Changes
The Board of Trustees approved the 2025-2026 Academic Planning Guide Substantial Changes.
Press release submitted by Luci Mouton, edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News. Courtesy photos.
Update from the Rockwall ISD Board of Trustees meeting, Monday, December 9 added by Melanie M on
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