School board approves universal breakfast, rezoning

By BRITTANY FHOLER 
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove Independent School District board of trustees approved the implementation of universal breakfast for the district and the attendance rezoning for students living in Skyline Flats for the 2019-2020 school year during its regular meeting Tuesday evening. 
The rezoning, which the board unanimously approved, is due to growth on the north side, with the Creekside Hills and Heartwood Park subdivisions, located in the S.C. Lee Junior High School attendance zone. Heartwood Park is zoned for Williams/Ledger Elementary School while Creekside Hills is zoned for Hettie Halstead Elementary School. 
Heartwood Park, off of Courtney Lane, has an estimated total of 560 or so lots for homes that will be available once all four phases of construction have finished. Phase I of Creekside Hills, located on Lutheran Church Road, is currently under construction, with a total of 211 lots for homes. Phase II, approved by the city council in July 2018, adds another 93 lots for houses.
Those who live south of FM 1113, in Skyline Flats, had been zoned to attend Williams/Ledger Elementary or S.C. Lee Junior High prior to Tuesday’s meeting. Now, those students will be zoned to attend Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary and Copperas Cove Junior High School.
The district also provided an answer for why it would not be building a new school, saying that there is capacity for students on elementary campuses south of FM 1113. 
According to the FAQ page about the rezoning on the district’s website, students who currently attend Williams/Ledger will be grandfathered in, meaning a fifth grade student who currently attends Williams/Ledger Elementary School may attend S.C. Lee Junior High School or a sixth grade student at S.C. Lee may continue at S.C. Lee. Parents must complete a transfer request, but their students will be automatically admitted if they have attended Williams/Ledger Elementary School or S.C. Lee Junior High School during the 2018-2019 school year. 
Students accepted under the grandfather clause must maintain eligibility under the CCISD Transfer Agreement, with no more than three unexcused absences during the 2019-2020 school year and no more than one office referral. Failing the maintain eligibility means the student will be withdrawn and enrolled at the campus assigned to their attendance zone. 
Bus transportation will not be provided for the students who wish to remain on their current campus under the grandfather clause but will be provided for students moving to their new school. 
Grandfather clause paperwork was sent home through Skyward on Wednesday and a hard copy was mailed as well. The transfer application and agreement under the grandfather clause must be submitted to the district no later than May 24, either through the district office located at 408 S. Main Street or by emailing joycewilberg@ccisd.com. 
The board also approved meal prices for the 2019-2020 school year and the implementation of universal breakfast, which would be free to students, as recommended by Child Nutrition Director Melissa Bryan. 
With the implementation of district-wide universal breakfast, the meal prices for 2019-2020 will remain the same as the current school year, $2.35 for a second meal of breakfast or lunch; $2.50 for elementary paid lunch; $2.70 for junior high paid lunch; $2.80 for high school paid lunch; and $0.40 for reduced lunch at all campuses. 
The district will continue to use the students’ eligibility status for reimbursement. In the memo attached to the meeting’s agenda, it says that Bryan estimates that the Child Nutrition department will have to cover $86,920 to implement free breakfast. 
“I feel that this will make a big impact on the families in our community while making sure that each child begins their day with a well-balanced breakfast to promote learning and supports the Child Nutrition Department Vision [which says] ‘The Copperas Cove ISD Child Nutrition Department supports the vision and educational goals of the Copperas Cove Independent School District by providing nutritious, appealing meals to the students of this district at a minimum cost. The Child Nutrition Department strives to Enhance Education through Healthy Nutrition,” wrote Bryan in a memo to Deputy Superintendent Rick Kirkpatrick. 
The board also approved four new principals in the district. For Copperas Cove High School, the board approved the appointing of Jimmy Shuck to the position of principal. For Crossroads High School, the board approved Pat Crawley. The board also approved Katherine Baney at Clements/Parsons Elementary and Rebekah Shuck to the position of principal at Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary. 
Several teachers and staff were recognized upon their retirement during the evening, including Josie Kelly, who worked in Child Nutrition at Clements/Parsons and is retiring after 23 years with CCISD; Lisa Cox, a Special Education Aide at Mae Stevens, retiring after 23 years;  Jessie Davis, a bus driver for 14 years; Rosa Nelson, a teacher at Williams/Ledger, retiring after 20 years with CCISD;  Yuko Simpson, a Special Education Aide at CCHS, retiring after 22 years with CCISD; Robin Spencer, librarian at Clements/Parsons, retiring after 22 years with CCISD; and Loretta Stone, an interventionist at House Creek, retiring after 19 years with CCISD. 
Student recognitions included HOSA student Alexis Grasso, who won multiple awards at the state conference and advances to the international contest next month, as well as HOSA students Brayden Smolen and Logan Stock, who are alternates to the international contest. HOSA was also recognized for winning the Carer Blood Care 6A Award for the ninth consecutive year, and advisor Sandra Perry was recognized for being named the Texas HOSA Adviser of the Year, out of more than 475 advisers state-wide. 
CCJHS Junior Historian Emma Morris was recognized for outstanding regional project for her documentary at Texas History Day, while CCHS freshmen Will French and Justin Delgado were recognized for winning the Sr. Division award and the National Military Pacific War Special Award. 
CCHS DECA students Luke Avritt, Nazhoni Wyss and Parker Freeman were recognized for placing 2nd in the world DECA contest.  
The student councils from Martin Walker Elementary, Williams/Ledger Elementary, and Clements/Parsons Elementary were each recognized for being selected as National Honor Councils.
Clements/Parsons music teacher Tino Sanchez and CCHS marketing teacher Charlotte Heinze were each recognized for winning the District 14 VFW Teachers of the Year and advancing to the state competition.