GISD approves Pre-K class tuition rate

The Gonzales ISD Board of Trustees met for their regularly scheduled meeting Monday, March 4 before the district heads into Spring Break Monday, March 11.

One of the main agenda items was setting the rate for pre-kindergarten tuition for the 2024-2025 school year.

“This is an annual item that we typically bring to you in April, but this year, student registration actually opens on April 1. So to facilitate a smooth transition and registration process for all of our Pre-K age families in the community, we bumped it up to March this year,” said GISD Chief Financial Officer Amanda Smith.

Smith recommended to the board that the tuition stay at $5,150 and the board approved keeping it at that amount for the upcoming school year.

In other business, Athletic Director Joey Rivera spoke to the board about approving the GISD Local Board Policy FFAA(Local) A-1 Update 114 Amendment.

Rivera said the policy is in regards to “required medical clearance” to participate in University Interscholastic league (UIL) programs and other district extracurricular programs.

“This amendment will change the current policy of physical examination from being completed prior to junior high participation, and again, prior to first and third years of high school participation to an annual physical examination,” Rivera said.

Athletic trainer Jeremy Phillips said currently the district does it every other year for band and some of the other extracurricular activities.

“The downside to that is they don't see their physician every year. They see them every other year. Most districts have moved to yearly because in that off year, things slip through the cracks. Something happened, something changes in their health, and we don't know about it, something happens. And we have to address it,” Phillips said.

Phillips added in a post-COVID world, they are seeing athletes and young students who had COVID who are having cardiac issues. He said seeing a physician yearly is highly recommend.

GISD will fall in line with other districts who do yearly physical examinations like Cuero, Lockhart and Pleasanton.

“Additionally, there's no added costs to our kids or district. We work with Sievers Medical Clinic to do our physicals for free in May and we're doing it again this year. And it is open to all GSD students, extracurriculars, band, cheer athletes — they can all come whatever that day is,” Phillips said.

“Furthermore, even if they want to go to their own physician for clearance, most medical insurance policies will cover annual physicals, so there's no cost for them out of their pocket and there's no cost for us either,” Phillips added.

The board approved the amendment for GISD Local Board Policy FFAA(Local) A-1 Update 114 Amendment.

In other business, the board approved the following agenda items:

--approved Representatives for Lone Star Investment Pool.