GCISD’s school board Aug. 11 set a public hearing on the tax rate for 2003-2004 for Aug. 25 at 6 p.m. in the school administration building, with a special meeting for setting the rate to follow at 7 p.m.
The board plans to set the new rate at $1.50 per $100 valuation, a level that requires a public hearing. The effective rate, that necessary to raise the same dollars as the past year, is $1.45 per $100. School Superintendent Steve Long said this could be a “benchmark year that could affect us six years down the road.” He said a tax rate of $1.50 is best for the school, but “we can make it on $1.45.” Long said the higher rate would allow the school to further build its reserves, which now approximate $3 million.
Board member Tibby Niehues said, “There may be those who don’t think we need to build the reserves any higher.” But Long said, ”We don’t know what will happen [with state financing], so it’s safer to build reserves while we can.”
Board member Karla Hoelscher said since oil companies, not individuals, are hit the hardest by an increase in taxes, “We might as well let them fund the increases.”
Fifth Grade to Experiment with PDAs
Secondary School Principal John Petree reported on a 5 –day technology institute, paid for with grant money, which he and several teachers attended. He said they brought home 10 laptop computers, three infrared printers, and have ordered 33 personal digital assistants (PDAs) for use in an experimental fifth grade program under Dana Cook’s supervision. He said things like class work, tests, and homework would be done on the PDA’s. He said secondary teachers are doing web site development.
Elementary School Principal Ken Hoskins reported good meetings with his faculty, and said he has told them, “I’m going to let you teach.”
The board approved exercising TEA Option Four, which allows some of the “Robin Hood,” WADA, funds to be paid to a technology consortium of schools, which in turn rolls part of it back into the Region 18 Service Center, and thereby indirectly benefits GCISD.
In other action, the board approved Texas A & M extension personnel as adjunct faculty, so they are able to direct students and approved continuing membership in the 87-20 Co-op, which is comprised of several area schools and provides special education services, which include diagnostics and speech therapy.