The Brownfield ISD School Board met in regular meeting Monday night, May 19, 2025 at the high school commons area. The purpose for meeting this time at the commons area was to have room for all the recognitions of several students and staff. After the invocation and pledges, the Board moved to recognize all the students who advanced as state qualifiers from tennis, track & field, cross country, powerlifting, FFA CDEs, and Esports. There were over 40 students recognized as state qualifiers.
After the state qualifier recognitions, the board recognized the student of the month and the employees of the month. Those recognized were Student of the Month, Haisley Garcia of Colonial Heights; Colonial Heights Employee of the Month, Amelia Garcia; Oak Grove Employee of the Month, Leah Blakeney; Middle School Employee of the Month, Grant Gomez; and High School Employee of the Month, De Ann Burris. Other employees recognized were the nurses, trainers, and crossing guards.
The Board took an important step in approving and certifying the canvass of the May 3rd General Election. While districts 1, 2, and 3 had unopposed candidates, state law necessitated the certification process. This motion, proposed by Tim Swaringen and supported by Cat Gonzalez, was successfully passed.
Geoff Cooper, the President of the BISD Board of Trustees, convened with the Board acting as the canvassing body on May 19, 2025, in Terry County, Texas, to review the results of the May 3rd election. He confirmed that, due to unopposed candidates, the election was canceled. This decision allowed Terry County Clerk Kim Carter to proceed with swearing in the candidates who ran unopposed.
As a result, Julian Hernandez (Position 2) and Keri Barnett (Position 3) were officially sworn in. Although April Salas, representing Position 1, was not present at the meeting, she is scheduled to visit Carter’s office at the Terry County Courthouse to complete her swearing-in process. This ensures all elected officials are in place to serve their communities effectively.
The following item on the agenda was the superintendent’s report, presented by Assistant Superintendent Melissa Vera in the absence of Superintendent Chris Smith. Vera provided an update on student enrollment for the Brownfield Independent School District (BISD), highlighting both challenges and opportunities for growth.
Currently, the district has a total enrollment of 1,617 students, which is a decrease of 55 compared to last year. Here’s a breakdown of the enrollment figures by school: the high school has 447 students, representing a small decline of three; the Brownfield Education Center has maintained its enrollment at 54 students; the middle school has 322 students, down by 33; Oak Grove Elementary has 674 students, a decrease of six; and Colonial Heights has 120 students, reflecting a drop of 13.
During the Superintendent’s report, CFO Ronald Kuehler presented the board with the monthly financials as of April 30, 2025. Kuehler reported that the district has spent $19,297,772.35, which is approximately 57% of the total budget, leaving a remaining balance of $15,186,886.60. He also provided the board with investment reports showing a total of $17,012,780.80 combined in bank and investment accounts. Additionally, Kuehler proposed a budget amendment to allocate $24,539.25 to the activity fund for Project Graduation, all of which has been raised from outside donors. The board approved the financial reports.
Next, the Board moved on to the personnel portion of the agenda. First, they approved the hiring of Felicia Mojica as the Assistant Principal for Oak Grove. The following sections of the personnel agenda included new hires and resignations. According to Board Policy DC (LEGAL), the superintendent has the sole authority to recommend personnel selections to the Board. For new hires, BISD welcomed:
- Tiffany Garza, SPED Teacher, MS
- Kealy Dean, SS/AG Teacher, MS/HS
- Samantha Moorhead, Science Teacher/Coach, HS
For resignations, they are:
- Presleigh Parker, Teacher, OG
- Sara Maines, Teacher, OG
- Rode Morrow, Asst. Principal, OG
- Bethany Browne, Teacher, OG
- Amanda Graue, Teacher, OG
- Jeremy Graue, Teacher, HS
The Board then adjourned the meeting.