CCISD trustees approve district applying for modified schedule during STAAR testing

By BRITTANY FHOLER 
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the district applying for a Modified Schedule of State Assessment Testing Days waiver for K-8th grades and to request 40 percent campus hybrid instruction for 9th-12th grade students during the STAAR/EOC testing, at the board’s regular meeting on Tuesday evening.
The state has said that all students must be present on campus for testing, and the Texas Education Agency has provided districts with the opportunity to modify the schedule of classes for students who are not being STAAR/EOC tested. This would reduce interruptions during the testing period and allow better utilization of existing staff when administering exams. 
CCISD Superintendent Joe Burns explained that only a certified teacher can administer the testing, which leads to a shortage of staff.  Students not participating in STAAR/EOC testing will participate in asynchronous virtual instruction on testing days.
The board also approved the 2021-2022 school year calendar and also approved several new course offerings at Copperas Cove High School for the 2021-2022 school year. 
The first day of school is August 18, with the last day of school being May 26, 2022 and graduation scheduled for May 27, 2022. 
The new course offerings at CCHs include innovative courses such as Peer Assistance I, Peer Assistance II, Making Connections I, Making Connections II, Making Connections III, Making Connections IV, Community Transportation, Sports Medicine I, Sports Medicine II and Sports Medicine III. 
“These are courses that are newly introduced to TEA, and TEA says they’re eligible to be used,” said Burns. “We are wanting to expand the opportunities for our high needs students who may have a learning or physical disability and provide more programming opportunities for them, create some other electives for them.”
The board approved the consent agenda which included the renewal of the N2Y Total Solution Bundle with Professional Development, a special education software, curriculum and learning tools system, for a budgeted cost of $29,646.94. They also accepted a donation in the amount of $1,500 from Cove Meadows Management Corp. to be used for a JROTC -like program at Crossroads High School. 
The board also approved adoption of Pre-K instructional materials of Fountas & Pinnell Classroom, which is an extension of what the district already has for grades K-5. 
The board approved a contract with BWC Education Group, LLC as the Construction Manager At-Risk for the rehabilitation and additions at Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy, Hettie Halstead Elementary, Williams/Ledger Elementary, Martin Walker Elementary and possibly Child Nutrition Services. 
The board also held a brief recognitions ceremony. CCISD was honored as the Fort Hood Area Lemonade Day Partner of the Year for its efforts in helping bring the program to its students even after they began virtual learning last spring. 
The Fort Hood/Cen-Tex Partnership honored students from Martin Walker for winning the annual Fort Hood Area Recycle Bowl competition. A CCISD campus has won the Recycle Bowl the last four years. Students at Martin Walker recycled 1,172 pounds of recyclables during the one-month time frame of the Recycle Bowl between November 15, 2020 and December 15, 2020. 
The student councils at Martin Walker Elementary and Fairview/Jewell Elementary were also recognized for receiving the 2020 Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) Student Leadership Award. Martin Walker Student Council also received the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Student Council Excellence Award.