Local Superintendents Give Overview of Successes and Goals at Luncheon

Written by Amanda Coers – The Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their August luncheon featuring presentations from local area school districts as the new school year kicks off. Presenters gave a preview of the upcoming school year, as well as a look at their district’s various successes from the previous school year.  Brownwood ISD Superintendent Dr. Joe Young, Bangs ISD Superintendent Tony Truelove, and Early ISD Superintendent Wes Beck were invited to speak.

Brownwood Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ray Tipton assured attendees the order of speaking was drawn at random, which was met with good natured ribbing from the superintendents. First to speak with Dr. Joe Young with the Brownwood Independent School District.

“At Brownwood ISD we’re always talking about ‘why,’ and why are we doing this,” Dr. Young began in his opening remarks. “Our whole goal and our whole mission is to create world class educational opportunities for our kids, where they have choices.”

Dr. Young discussed the school district’s improvement plan for the upcoming year. Some of the highlights from the plan included:

• The high school’s Dual Credit Program will be partnered with the University of Texas. “This is going to be true, college-level work from the University of Texas,” Young explained. Pre-Calculous, English, and Physics courses will be offered through the program.
• The school district saw a ‘major reconfiguration’ of grades 4, 5, and 6, with the pairing of fourth and fifth grade together and sixth grade is now standing on it’s own. In the past, fourth grade was separated and grades 5 and 6 were paired together. Dr. Young explained the new combination will lessen the number of transitions for younger students.
• New courses, including a Theater Program, will be offered at the middle school.
• High school counselors will now specialize individually in different areas, including scholarships. An additional counselor has also been added to the staff at the high school.
• Online registration was implemented for the first time this year, and the superintendent reported positive feedback from parents.

“We want everything we do to give our kids world class choices,” Dr. Young said in closing.

Next to speak was Bangs Superintendent Tony Truelove.

Truelove began his remarks with an overview of his 33 years in education, with 25 years coaching and teaching before beginning his administration duties.

“The beauty of being a superintendent is that it’s so different than when I was coaching football,” Truelove said, explaining that coaches often kept their secrets for success, whereas superintendents have been happy to share their tips. “As administrators, they’re so supportive and so helpful. We all want not just our own children to do well, but we want everyone’s children to do well.”

Truelove then gave a breakdown of Bangs ISD, sharing the district currently had 950 students enrolled, with 155 employees. This year the school’s health science program has taken off with 103 students signed up to participate. After completing the two-year program, a student can graduate from high school as a certified nurse’s assistant.

Superintendent Truelove also shared:

• The district now has a new website, designed by Assistant Superintendent Truman Westfall.
• The district is now focusing on getting students “college ready,” or “workforce ready.”
• There are currently 71 dual-credit students working on completing 500 hours of college classes this year.
• The middle school has had several renovations, including the middle school field house.
• In the last eight years, Bangs ISD has had multiple play-off appearances in every sport, the school district has had multiple state qualifying track competitors, the band has consistently received high marks in every contest, students have excelled in FFA and 4H regularly, and in the last three years Bangs ISD has swept all the District UIL Championships for elementary, middle, and high school.

“We’re invigorated, and we’ve got some God-fearing people who love to go to work everyday and take care of our kids,” Truelove said.

Last, but certainly not least, to speak was Early Superintendent Wes Beck.

“We’ve been busy,” said Beck. “Everyone keeps asking me, ‘Are you ready?’ and I say I’m tired of getting ready. I want the kids to be there.”

Superintendent Beck shared Early ISD’s successes over the previous year, including:

• Early High School graduated 100% of the senior class, with over 91% of those graduating students entering a secondary education or the military.
• The district focused on AP courses, with 28 course credits accepted.
• Students with Early ISD earned over 700 hours of college credit.
• One student was a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
• Over 10 athletes were named Academic All State, in both boys’ and girls’ athletic programs.
• The band excelled in competitions in area and district.
• The middle school robotics team advanced to state competition for the seventh year in a row.
• Ag Science students won over $26,000 in scholarships.

“We’ve got some really big things going on in Early,” said Beck in closing. “Our teachers are working hard.”