Education
BY HALEY VELASCO
FISD looks at potential new cellphone policy While a new policy has not yet been set, Friend- swood ISD officials are inching closer toward an “away for the day” cellphone policy for the 2025-26 school year. The overview At the March 10 board meeting, officials presented the following options for student cellphone usage: • Instructional time only, which is the same policy FISD currently has in which cellphones have to be put away during class • “Away for the day,” meaning cellphones must be out of sight during school hours, including during lunch, in between class periods, etc. • “Away for the day” with YONDR pouches, which are lockable phone pouches The options were also presented to the district’s “Think Tank,” which consists of 24 FISD members,
PISD OKs $3.8M for campus re-roofing Re-roofing projects at Pearland Junior High East and Jamison Middle School will start soon after the Pearland ISD board of trustees approved $3.8 million for re-roofing projects at its March 11 meeting. What’s happening? The contract was awarded to Hous- ton-based roofing contractor Strategic Roofing Solutions, LLC, according to district agenda documents. Pearland Junior High East’s re-roofing project will cost over $2 million, while Jamison Middle School’s project will cost nearly $1.8 million, according to district documents. Both re-roofing projects are a part of the district’s $105 million bond that passed in 2024, district documents note.
‘Think Tank’ survey results Most of the 24 FISD stakeholders surveyed as part of a “Think Tank” voted to require phones be stored in lockable pouches. Away for the day with lockable phone pouches Away for the day—no cellphones all day No cellphones during instructional time only
12.5%
50%
58.3%
25%
Junior high
High school
16.7%
37.5%
SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
including administrators, students, parents and teachers from each campus. The board will potentially consider a new policy at its April 14 meeting.
Alvin ISD approves nearly $4M budget amendment
$3.8M budget amendment
Tornado-related expenditures: $2.3M Transportation: $995K
documents show. Those expenses included upgrading campus furniture, technology, transportation and other urgent needs stemming from the damage. The approved budget amendment also included replacing the marching tower at Manvel High School, district phones and security cameras, and adding more vehicles for student and faculty transportation, according to district documents.
Alvin ISD’s board of trustees approved the district’s sixth budget amendment, worth about $3.8 million, for fiscal year 2024-25 at its March 11 meeting. What you need to know The majority of the amendment included expenses related to the EF-2 tornado that hit Walt Disney Elementary School in December,
District phones, cameras and wiring replacement: $269K Replacing marching tower at Manvel High School: $120K
New implementation to career and technical education curriculum: $50K Reupholstering campus furniture: $46K Platform carts: $13K
SOURCE: ALVIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION
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