KILLEEN, TX — The Killeen ISD Board of Trustees held their first virtual meeting on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The majority of the topics surrounded around the continued school closure tied to the spread of COVID-19.
Trustees approved two resolutions to suspend parts of grading and class rank policies, allowing for the third nine-week grading period to be the last of the current school year. For dual credit courses offered through Central Texas College and Temple College, the fall semester average will serve as the final grading period.
One of the resolutions will showcase the creativity of teachers to maintain communication with students and parents regarding academic progress, since face-to-face conferences are not feasible at this time. Students are encouraged to improve their grade by engaging with their teachers through the Continued Learning Center.
Employee compensation was another large portion of the meeting. Board members voted to continue paying all KISD employees during the COVID-19 school closure and to honor requests for leave. A resolution was passed ensuring any employee impacted by COVID-19, would not be negatively affected.
Out of an abundance of caution for the public’s health and potential economic concerns, Trustees voted to postpone the school board trustee and bond election to November 3, 2020. In March, Governor Greg Abbott signed a proclamation allowing political subdivisions to postpone their May 2020 local elections due to COVID-19.
Superintendent Dr. John Craft maintained that the possibility exists that the district might cancel the bond election based on economic issues related to coronavirus.
“As a community we will have to pull together and re-prioritize,” said Craft, pointing out the necessity to hold off on a bond election for the foreseeable future.
The district plans to hold similar virtual meetings for the two board meetings in April. The meeting will be televised on the district’s cable channel and online.