Crowley ISD Boardroom Rewind

The Texas Education Agency has awarded Crowley ISD an ‘A’ financial rating, considered Superior Achievement, for exemplifying high-quality financial management practices.

School systems are assigned one of four possible letter grades --- A, B, C, or F.

The School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas, or FIRST, measures compliance, liquidity and solvency on financial statements from the 2021-22 school year.

Each school district is required to prepare and distribute an annual financial management report in accordance with state law. CISD held the public hearing to review the FIRST report at Thursday's board meeting.

View the Public Hearing FIRST Report

Trustees also approved the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the year ending June 2023. Each year, charter schools, education service centers and school districts must have their annual financial and compliance report audited by an independent auditor. The resulting annual financial and compliance report must then be submitted to TEA for review.

A representative from Weaver presented the 2022-23 audit report, noting that there were no material weaknesses, significant deficiencies or non compliance material in the district's financial statements.

View Audit Report

Dr. Michael Weir, a North Crowley High School chemistry teacher, is the November 2023 Heartbeat Team Award winner.

The award recognizes employees who display heart as they go above and beyond their job description, inspiring other employees through their extraordinary work ethic. Heartbeat team members are nominated only by other district employees.

Watch to learn more about why Weir is the heartbeat of Crowley ISD.

Students from the H.F. Stevens Middle School Showcase Dance Team gave a special performance in honor of veterans at Thursday night's meeting. The H.F. Stevens Middle School dance instructor is Victoria Hackney.

Crowley ISD will receive two grants related to bullying prevention and safety totaling nearly $3 million.

The Stronger Connection Grant helps support systemic change in the way that school districts address and respond to bullying, violence and acts of hate. Supporting the academic and non-academic needs of students by providing safe, inclusive and supportive learning environments will result in improved academic achievement as well as mental, behavioral, emotional and physical health and well-being of students.

The Safety and Facilities Enhancement Grant (SAFE) Cycle 1 will provide safety and facility improvements throughout the district.

Crowley ISD will receive $1.5 million with the Stronger Connection Grant and $1.4 million with the SAFE Grant.

Trustees approved a new course for the 2024-25 school year — Native American Studies.

This will be the third option for students within the Ethnic Studies course offerings. Other offerings include African American Studies and Mexican American Studies.

American Indian/Native Studies will explore the history and contemporary cultures of American Indians/Natives with a primary goal of offering students a perspective rooted in American Indian/Native viewpoints, treating each Native Nation studied as an independent and sovereign entity.

The course delves into the cultures of Native Nations in the United States and Texas, emphasizing their social, economic and political interactions within the broader context of North American history. By understanding the impact of historical events on the present, students gain a deeper context for addressing the triumphs and challenges faced by American Indian/Native communities in today's United States.

Read more about this and the other Ethnic Studies courses.

Two new Student Trustees joined the Crowley ISD Board of Trustees meeting Thursday night. Nevaeh Hamilton-Roberts is a junior from Crowley High School and Guadalupe Gomez is a senior from North Crowley High School.

Crowley ISD trustees will consider purchasing Styrofoam recycle units for each middle school campus after success with the units at the high school campuses. The units help with lowering waste costs and are environmentally friendly.

A Styrofoam recycle unit can dispose of 1,100 trays at one time, allowing campuses to run machines one to two times per week. The unit reduces trays into small bricks for safe disposal. One condensed brick contains about 1,000 trays. Each unit costs $27,000 to $30,000.

BENEFITS

• Reduce Styrofoam waste volumes by 95%

• Save on waste collection fees

• Significantly reduce landfill volumes

• Fewer carbon emissions from reduced waste hauling

A Styrofoam recycle unit can dispose of 1,100 trays at one time. The unit reduces trays into small bricks for safe disposal. One condensed brick contains about 1,000 trays.

In November, Crowley ISD hosted two learning labs for North Lamar ISD, Duncanville ISD and Grand Prairie ISD. Meadowcreek Elementary and David L. Walker Elementary hosted Eureka Math while J.A. Hargrave Elementary and Deer Creek Elementary hosted Amplify.

Campus leaders, teachers and students showed off the excellence of Crowley ISD. Visitors appreciated seeing and hearing the impact and journey of High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) at the district, campus and classroom level. They were equally impressed by the culture, climate and behavior of the students in the hallways and classrooms.

Front row (L-R): Nedra Robinson, board secretary; Superintendent Dr. Michael D. McFarland;
Dr. La Tonya Woodson-Mayfield, board president; Gary Grassia, board first vice president

Back row (L-R): June W. Davis, board member; Kelicia Stevenson, board member;
Daryl R. Davis II, board member; Dr. Mia Hall, second vice president

MEETING VIDEO: To watch a recording of this meeting, please click here.

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