The Herald-Zeitung

The Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved the sale of $55.85 million in bonds left over from the May 10, 2008 bond election.

The funds will be used to pay for the expansion of Church Hill Middle, Spring Branch Middle and Smithson Valley Middle schools.

Each school is slated to expand to a capacity of 1,150 students.

Debra Smith, assistant superintendent for business at CISD, said she expects the sale to be smooth, as Fitch ratings increased their assessment of CISD’s finances to an AA- rating.

Smith anticipates closing on the sales by Dec 1.

In other business:

The board heard a presentation by school administration regarding possible changes to graduation plans and class rank that might be voted on as soon as December.

Dr. Jodi Duron, assistant superintendent for academics and student services, presented changes imposed on the recommended graduation plan for high school students, as well as proposed changes to the district’s class ranking system. The district administration is proposing the board adopt a class rank plan with multipliers, meaning the grade a student receives in a course is measured not just by their grade but the level of difficulty. For instance, pre-advanced placement courses would have a multiplier of 1.15. That means if a student receives an 85 in a pre-AP course, the grade counted towards class rank would be a 97, Duron said.

The Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3 this past session, which changed the requirements for the recommended graduation plan. Physical education courses can now count for every year of athletics taken towards graduation, but P.E. is only required for one course credit.

Health class is now an elective. The board will consider postponing the implementation of these changes until a later meeting.