COPPERAS COVE â To mask or not to mask? That is the question â or option â now facing parents of Copperas Cove ISD students, as well as faculty and staff, heading into the 2021-2022 school year.
In a unanimous vote, 7-0, the Copperas Cove ISD board of trustees approved a request by Superintendent Joe Burns to repeal the districtâs mask mandate, effective July 1.
Trustee Jeff Gorres vocally cast his vote via telephone as he was unable to be at the meeting in person.
Another trustee, Dr. Karen Harrison, gave a doctorâs perspective as to why she voted in favor of repealing the mandate.
The district is proposing a 3.5% pay increase.
Administration officials contracted Texas Association of School Boards to do a thorough review of the compensation plan for its employees, according to the board packet attached to the agenda.
âObjectives of the review included assessment of pay structure, competitiveness with market, appropriate pay grades in relation to job titles and duties, the development of an implementation model with a cost estimate, and alignment with district goals,â the agenda item said.
The district is also planning to present a revised teacher placement schedule, which would increase the base salary of a teacher with zero years of experience to $52,000.
Texas home-school students are as close as they’ve ever been to getting the chance to compete in public school sports, despite vigorous objections from coaches and others worried about creating an uneven playing field.
House members could vote as early as today on a bill that would allow school districts and charter schools to choose whether home-schooled students can participate in academic, fine and performing arts and athletic activities regulated by the state’s governing body, the University Interscholastic League.
A companion bill is expected to be heard by the Senate’s Committee on Education in the coming week.
Troy Independent School District student Maddox Cozart was happy to return to class after 12 days serving in-school suspension.
Raymond Mays Middle School had deemed the sixth-graderâs choice of hairstyling â two braids that laid down in the back â was against the campusâ dress and grooming code. Each day he did not adhere to the student handbook, he was sent to ISS.
âHe was excited to get back to class,â Hope Cozart, Maddoxâs mother, told the Telegram Friday. âHe said, âItâs dumb that Iâm in ISS for my hair, mom. Iâm just ready for summer.ââ
Maddox is biracial. His father is black and Maddox decided to explore the different hairstyles that many black men wear â a choice Cozart said her son made because he wanted to be like his dad.