Great start to 2006-07 school year

I just want to let everyone know what a great start we are having to the 2006-07 school year. There are several items of interest I'd like to pass on concerning the great things going on in our district.

• •Robin Fry, a physical education teacher at Bluebonnet Elementary School, was named the Region XI Elementary Teacher of the Year for the 2005-06 school year. Robin embodies everything LISD looks for in a teacher by caring about the student’s success both in and outside of the classroom. All of us at LISD are proud of Robin and her outstanding achievement as the Region XI Elementary Teacher of the Year. To read more about her accomplishment, click here.

• In other news, the district received a rating of “Superior Achievement” under Texas’ Schools FIRST financial accountability rating system. The Superior Achievement rating is the state’s highest, demonstrating the quality of LISD’s financial management and reporting system. This is further proof that our district is making the most of our taxpayers’ dollars. This rating shows that LISD’s schools are accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently. More information about LISD's FIRST rating can be found here.

• The LISD Board of Trustees unanimously passed the 2006-07 fiscal year budget and tax rate during the Aug. 21 meeting. The school board imposed a tax rate of $1.64 per $100 valuation, which is a decrease from the $1.77 tax rate that had been in place since the 2002-03 school year. The trustees decided to forego raising the rate an additional 4 cents that is allowed through House Bill 1 without voter approval. The board came to the decision that it would not levy that additional four cents because of the healthy fund balance that the district has built over time. For additional information, click here.

I want to conclude by wishing everyone a safe and productive school year. I know this will be yet another successful year for LISD.