Michelle Burke Turek

The council reviewed several key programs, including health instruction covering the skeletal, digestive, and respiratory systems and various diseases. Updates were provided on health screenings and the TEA Health Survey, physical education preparations for Field Day and FitnessGram, and school counseling milestones such as standardized testing completion and end-of-year events. Nutrition services discussed inventory management and potential updates to milk guidelines. The council also discussed family and community involvement, the upcoming SHAC Annual Report, and future topics including UIL heat guidelines and new legislative requirements for nutrition elective credits.

The council discussed the SHARE Program, focusing on its three-day classroom-based instructional model covering topics such as abstinence, healthy relationships, peer pressure, digital safety, and sex trafficking. The presentation highlighted that the curriculum is aligned with Texas Health TEKS and emphasized that schools must obtain written parental consent for student participation. Furthermore, the meeting addressed mechanisms for family and community involvement, including opportunities for parents to review curriculum materials in person at the school or via the program's website.

The second meeting for the 2025-2026 School Year covered program reviews across several departments. Health Instruction updates included rotation of staff and curriculum plans covering human systems, STDs, First Aid, and substance abuse. Health Services reported on illness monitoring, ongoing health screenings (Vision, Hearing, Spinal), and detailed plans for the upcoming SHARE program, including a mandatory parent informational meeting. Physical Education plans included starting the AHA Heart Challenge and Fitness Gram. School Counseling addressed the extensive testing schedule for the Spring (ACT, SAT, TSI, TELPAS, STAAR), scholarship season for seniors, and planning for 8th-grade course selection meetings. The Character Traits review listed Inclusiveness for January and Respect for February, noting a successful Red Ribbon Week in October focusing on health, safety, and substance abuse effects. Nutrition Services discussed the signing of the "Whole Kids Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025" into law, which allows for non-dairy beverage substitution, and plans to introduce strawberry milk to encourage consumption. Family and Community Involvement mentioned shared recreational track facility use. Open discussion items included posting the completed Triennial Assessment and the execution of an optional Stop the Bleed certification course for students in grades 7-12.

The Shiner Independent School District's District of Innovation Plan aims to provide local control and flexibility to the Board of Trustees to better serve students, employees, and the community. It addresses key operational areas including student-to-teacher ratios, school calendar adjustments, teacher and administrator appraisals, inter-district transfers, teacher certification, teacher employment contracts, excused absences for college and military visits, local school health advisory council meetings, counselor work time, grievance policies, and GPA calculation methods. The plan seeks to tailor educational experiences and operational decisions to local needs, ensuring lasting positive effects on students, parents, and communities.

This document outlines a local innovation plan for a school district to achieve designation as an Innovation District. The plan details a comprehensive educational program that includes innovative curriculum, instructional methods, community and parental involvement, governance, school year modifications, budget and funding provisions, and advanced accountability measures. A core component involves identifying and seeking exemptions from specific Texas Education Code requirements that could impede the plan's objectives.