At their Thursday, Feb. 19 meeting, the Mineola ISD School Board voted to accept the recent Senate Bill outlining prayer and religious texts. 

According to the bill, schools who vote to participate must require every campus of the school to provide an optional “period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text” for students and employees. However, the bill also requires that all interested parties must have a signed consent form before they are allowed to participate. Each campus of a school that participates must also separate all reading of any religious text, including but not limited to the Bible, to a separate space where no one who does not have a consent form can hear or see it. The bill also outlines that no prayer or religious readings can be done over the loudspeaker, and that the period must be non-instructional time.

The vote to participate in the bill was unanimous.

The vote was also unanimous to accept a tax exemption request for the Lake Country Playhouse and the Historic Select Theater.

The school board also approved several administrative contracts for school officials during their meeting: Assistant Superintendent for Finance Keith Sparkman, Curriculum Director Melisia Foster, Assistant Superintendent Chase Thomas, High School Principal Adam McMahon, Middle School Principal Brittany Thompson, Intermediate School Principal Angela Shine, Primary School Principal Jole Ray, High School Assistant Principal Camron Frazier, Middle School Assistant Principal Josh Snook, Intermediate School Assistant Principal Nick Kelley, Primary School Assistant Principal James Kanbenshue, Student Services and Records Coordinator Marquita Stottern, Transportation Director Bill Self and Special Education Co-op Director Tammy Willis.

The board recognized the following individuals: Torres and Aden Reyes, Primary School Students of the Month; Suann Pullen, Primary School Teacher of the Year; Raeden Perez and Sailor Armendariz, Intermediate School Students of the Month; Jessica Bryant, Intermediate School Teacher of the Year; Carly Pierce and Bentley Bates, Middle School Students of the Month; Heather Crain, Middle School Teacher of the Year; Matthew Ballew and Victoria Kinder, High School Students of the Month; Katherine Elmore, High School Teacher of the Year; Eddie Guerra and Austin Blalock, football awards; and Aiden Shepherd, Buzz Award.

The board took no action on approving a notice of general election for the May 2 election, as there were no contested school board seats.