(Seguin) — The Seguin ISD Board of Trustees tonight will consider updating the district’s grading policy in response to the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The board will conduct a virtual meeting to discuss approval of a resolution that would update the current grade point average, class rank and grading policies for the current school year. Local schools have been closed since spring break, and students have been learning from home. The current instructional arrangement makes it more difficult for the district to use the regular grading and ranking system, especially for students who are graduating this year.
Under the new policy, final class rankings for purposes of identifying students to be recognized for graduation honors, including the top 10, valedictorian and salutatorian, shall be determined by considering grades available at the end of the fall semester. The 2020 spring semester will not be used for calculating GPA and class rank for the classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023. Those students will also receive pass, fail or incomplete for work done during the interrupted portion of the spring semester. In some cases, a numerical grade could be assigned.
The resolution ultimately gives Superintendent Matthew Gutierrez the authority to determine what, if any grades or progress reports were to be issued for the rest of the spring semester.
In other business, the school board is slated to consider approval of a resolution that offers additional incentives as part of a severance agreement that would be offered to district employees. The special separation agreements are being offered as the district prepares for budgeting for the 2020-21 fiscal year.
Teachers and other professionals would be offered a separation incentive of $500 per year of service, with a minimum of 10 years of experience with the district. It would offer $250 per year of service for non-professional employees.
The additional severance would only be offered to employees who submitted their resignations by Friday, May 22. The idea is to try to conserve the district’s financial resources for the new fiscal year. The board is also slated to meet in closed session to consider discussion on the potential instrument that will be used to conduct the superintendent’s evaluation. This is not expected to be the actual evaluation, but only a discussion about the documentation that will be used as part of that process. If any action is required, it would have to be taken in open session. The Seguin ISD Board of Trustees meets via video or telephone conference at 6:30 p.m. today. The public will have access to the Zoom meeting but will not be able to speak during the meeting. Those who dial into the session, are asked to mute their telephone or electronic device.
Questions or comments for the board can be submitted prior to the meeting via email. Those questions and comments must be submitted by noon today. Send them to pnramirez@seguin.k12.tx.us. The public comments will be read during the “Audience with the Board” portion of the agenda.
The meeting can be accessed via this link: https://esc-20.zoom.us/j/94762475877?pwd=V1RiU2ptalNMMHY1VTlzWlhRdGVqZz09. The password is 791460.