ALL THE BUZZ

It is such a wonderful privilege to serve on the Caldwell ISD School Board! Our Board of Trustees is dedicated to serving our students, administrators, staff, families, and our community. We were extremely excited to share that our district received an unofficial grade of a “B” on our Accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency! We are proud of the hard work and effort that every student and teacher put forth to earn this rating.

The 2024-2025 District Improvement Plan and all four Campus Improvement Plans were approved during this month’s meeting. These documents can be found on the CISD website. A special thanks for the new website and Caldwell ISD mobile app implemented by Mrs. Tammie Novosad!

September is always an extremely busy and exciting time for our students who participated in the Kolache Festival, Homecoming and are now participating in the Burleson County Fair. These events bring together our community and it’s wonderful to see the amount of support from parents, volunteers, and our community. Congratulations to all participants!

Enjoy this fall weather and we are looking forward to great things from our students and staff!

Sincerely,

Vicki Ochs

Caldwell ISD Board of Trustees

The Board meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM followed by the pledge and prayer, led by William Foster.

Recognize Students & Staff

Dr. James Barton, Caldwell ISD Superintendent, recognized Jack Gardner and Efrain Gallegos, who were selected as Caldwell ISD’s “October Students of the Month.” Additionally, he recognized Holly Witherwax as the “October Employee of the Month.”

Public Input

Chase Welch addressed the board regarding safety and security.

Superintendent’s Report

Enrollment Report:

The enrollment of Caldwell ISD is currently 1,938.

Accountability Update:

Dr. Barton provided the Board with an update on the district's accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). While the official release of these ratings was delayed due to legal action, TEA allowed districts to submit their own internal calculations for verification. Caldwell ISD did so, and the agency confirmed that we earned a "B" rating for the 2023-2024 school year.

Donation:

Dr. Barton informed the Board that Cops 4 Kids donated $2,400 to the district from its “Stuff the Bus” school supply drive. The money was split among the four campuses to purchase school supplies for students.

Informational Reports

Delinquent Collections Update:

John Banks, of Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, gave the Board a tax collection report that featured a timeline of collections from the issuance of tax statements. The full report can be viewed HERE.

Finance Reports: Heather Escalante, Chief Operating Officer, presented the August Financial Reports. The full report can be viewed HERE.

New Business (Action Items)

Consider and Approve Tax Rate:

Mrs. Escalante presented the Board with the 2024-2025 tax rate at $0.9171, a 2-cent decrease compared to the 2023-2024 tax rate. The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the tax rate as presented.

Consider and Approve District Improvement Plan:

Susan Groce, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, presented the 2024 District Improvement Plan to the Board of Trustees, who unanimously approved the plan. The full plan can be found on our website HERE.

Consider and Approve Campus Improvement Plans:

The four CISD campus Principals highlighted important points from each of their campus improvement plans. The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the 2024-20254 Campus Improvement Plans. The full plan for each campus can be found on our website HERE.

Consent Agenda

Meeting Minutes - The Board unanimously approved the meeting minutes.

The Board went into Executive Session at 6:47 PM.

The Board Meeting adjourned at 7:08 PM.

Caldwell Independent School District was officially established as a public school district in 1923 and serves the northern and western portions of Burleson County. In 1990, Caldwell ISD became the largest school district in the county that serves just under 2,000 students and is comprised of four campuses: Caldwell Elementary

(PK - 3rd), Caldwell Intermediate (4th - 6th), Caldwell Junior High School (7th - 8th), and Caldwell High School (9th -12th). The district also has a District Alternative Education Program and an Alternative Center of Education.

Caldwell ISD is the home of the Hornets. The official colors are Texas orange and white. Texas UIL classifies Caldwell ISD Hornets as a 4A district.

Email: info@caldwellisd.net
Website: caldwellschools.net
Location: 203 North Gray Street, Caldwell, TX, USA
Phone: 979-567-2400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaldwellISD
Twitter: @CaldwellProud

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caldwell_proud/