CCISD board of trustees approve 2023-2024 school year calendar

By LYNETTE SOWELL 
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove Independent School District board of trustees held its monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, during which a number of students and student groups were recognized for their accomplishments. 
They included the Copperas Cove High School Lady Dawgs volleyball team, recognized for qualifying for state playoffs for the 17th year in a row; the S. C. Lee Junior High Cougar cheerleaders, honored for placing in the top five at the state contest, and the CCHS Aqua Dawgs for being 6A Regional Finalists.
Likewise, both Haylee Myers and Bethany Hamilton were recognized as national qualifiers at the Texas State Thespian Festival. 
Myers qualified in the Monologue Category and Hamilton qualified in the Solo Musical category. Each year, Texas Thespians host two state-wide festivals which include more than 10,000 delegates. Students have the chance to compete in various categories and take classes from professionals in the field.   
Two district employees were also celebrated for their retirement, to include Mark Murphy, 29 years; and Nancy Ronne, for 23 years with the district.
The board also approved the district’s proposed 2023-2024 school year calendar. Notable dates include a first day of school for students of Wednesday, Aug. 16; and an early out/last day of school of May 23, 2024. According to the calendar, there will be no school on Monday, April 8, 2024, when Copperas Cove will be in the path of totality for the total solar eclipse. The date is slated as a staff professional development day. 
The calendar has two bad weather makeup days built into the schedule, March 8, 2024 (the Friday prior to spring break) and April 1, 2024 (the day after Easter).
The calendar is available on the district’s website for download.
CCISD superintendent Joe Burns mentioned to the board that the recent school closures did not impact the students’ bad weather makeup day for Monday, Feb. 20, as there are enough minutes built into the schedule. So, the students will have no school on Monday. 
However, the board was requested and approved a resolution that will continue wage payments for district staff for January 31 and Feb. 1 of this year, because staff’s contracts are calculated by days. 
The board voted to approve the estimate from Cavalry Construction for the reconstruction of Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy, which has been under remediation and repairs after the freeze during Christmas break caused pipes to rupture in the building. 
Cavalry Construction has performed the work for the amount allowed by the insurance adjustor and expects to be completed this week. The district’s insurance is covering all costs above the deductible of $500,000, which this claim will well exceed once work is completed.
Since the start of classes in January, the prekindergarten students have been bussed to and from three campuses in the district. 
Superintendent Burns told the board that the students and staff will be back on that campus again full-time starting next week.  
For district purchases of more than $25,000, the board approved the purchase of classroom Furniture for the New CTE Building for $49,999; iPads and cases to be used in STEM and Robotics Education at the district’s Elementary and Junior High campuses, for $116,564, from - DoDEA Grant Funds; as well as software renewals with Microsoft ($166,945.86) and Barracuda ($39,372), both from budgeted funds; and student laptops for -$194,959.60, to be paid for via ESSER II, IMA, and local budgeted funds.
The board also approved upgrades to the district’s internet and Wide Area Network (WAN) infrastructure ($95,850 of budgeted funds), and the purchase of 135 Meraki switches, access points, licenses, and UPS, for a total of $280,457.92, to be paid for via 20 percent of budgeted ESSER II and local funds.