Many of the people employed by a school district are salaried with a yearly contract, but not all, such as the secretaries, custodians, lunchroom workers, maintenance staff, and bus drivers.
In light of that, Ganado ISD trustees voted Wednesday to make sure that their hourly employees did not lose money because the school district closed on Dec. 19 and 20 to allow students and staff to attend the UIL State Football Championship in Arlington.
“How can you not do that?” Ganado Superintendent Dr. Jonathon Szymanski said Thursday.
“We have great people, and they deserve to go see that game. Not only that, it’s a morale booster. We love our employees.”
Ganado defeated Stamford in the Class 2A Division I state title game, 30-28, in three overtimes.
In honor of the school’s first state football championship, trustees also voted to purchase commemorative rings from Southern Recognition for the players, coaches, and administrators.
Trustees also approved the purchase a permanent monument in honor of the 2024 state championship team to be erected at Indian Stadium.
“It’s going to be really nice,” Szymanski said. “It will be six feet (of) granite. It’ll have the State of Texas and state champions on there.”
In addition, the district honored its board of trustees for School Board Month with special Ganado ball caps with “state champions” embroidered on the side, as well as a plant and a certificate.
Trustees met in closed session for a personnel update, to discuss security, and to consult with the district’s legal counsel regarding pending litigation in Ganado ISD v. Don Krueger Construction 08-24-00040-CV in the District Court of Jackson County.
No action was taken when the board reconvened in open session.
Earlier in the week, though, Szymanski posted on the Ganado ISD Facebook page that the district reached a settlement in a lawsuit with Travelers Insurance Company.
That post read, “After several years of negotiations and mediation, the Ganado ISD School Board acted to approve a final settlement in the case Ganado ISD v. Travelers Ins. Co., et al, on Jan. 10, 2025. Under the various settlement agreements reached, Ganado ISD will recoup a total settlement amount of $6,450,000.
“Per Texas Education Code – EDUC 44.151, Ganado ISD will use settlement funds to remediate professionally identified deficiencies with the elementary and secondary buildings, which were both newly erected in 2019 after a bond was passed by a vote of 219 to 52 in 2016, which provided $19,600,000 for two new schools.
“Ganado ISD Superintendent, Dr. Jonathon A. Szymanski, would like to thank the Ganado ISD School Board for their tireless work ethic and countless discussions to get the students and taxpayers what they deserve.
Dr. Szymanski stated that the district will learn from the past and prudently begin the remediation process this spring.
When asked Thursday about the district’s settlement and the pending litigation, Szymanski declined further comment until legal proceedings are completed.
In other business, trustees: Heard public comments; Heard the Superintendent’s Report; Heard Administrator Reports; Heard a presentation and discussion with the Jackson County Appraisal District; Tabled a change order with Ranger Security Solutions for doors and locks; and Approved the consent agenda, which included reports, bills, and investment reports; purchase orders; donations; and minutes of the previous meeting.
