Fruitvale District, Campus Plans Approved By Board

FRUITVALE — Technology took the lead in discussion of a district improvement plan at the Fruitvale ISD School Board meeting on Nov. 19.

Trustees unanimously approved both district and individual campus improvement plans as presented at that meeting.

District curriculum director Rebecca Bain highlighted several changes and additions to this year’s plan, among those being the addition of six SmartBoard interactive learning boards in math and science classrooms at the junior high and high school.

She also noted the reading skills improvements being seen through use of a reading intervention program at the junior high and high school.

"It is considered one of the best such programs in the nation and it is going really well with our students," Bain said. "We now have students at the junior high and high school campuses reading books when they don’t have to."

Some school board members asked about the potential for adding a "parent portal" to the district’s Web site to allow parents to view their child’s progress reports as well as individual test and assignment grades.

"As a parent, you don’t always realize what work has been turned in or what may be missing," trustee Bonnie McGee said in voicing her interest in seeing the online program added.

Fruitvale ISD Superintendent Bill Boyd said the function could be added, but warned there were potential drawbacks to it, noting that there is often a time lapse in posting of grades.

"I’ve been in other districts that have had that and there is a potential fallout that was with it. It can be done, but there are things that go along with it that you need to be aware of," he said.

Trustee Jean Hogue added that she felt parents "would appreciate it and feed into it."

Business manager Susan McCann later mentioned another technology-related matter, the possibility of adding another position to the district’s technology operations.

"(Technology director) Trish McAdams does a fantastic job for us. We now have over 400 computers, new SmartBoards, document projectors…It is a tremendous amount of equipment to try to keep running and still keep up on the latest things," she said.

At the start of the meeting, the school board recognized Van Zandt County Precinct 1 Constable Mickey Henson with a plaque of appreciation for his recent work patrolling through the school district and enforcing the speed limit in the school zone.

In other matters, the board took the following action:

— Cast the district’s 81 votes to Ed Bailey for election to the Van Zandt County Appraisal District Board of Directors.

— Approved Texas Association of School Boards Update 81, with the exception of Policy EIA Local, regarding student grading policies, due to pending litigation on that issue. The district will keep its current grading policy in place.