Yoakum Independent School District

Minutes - Regular Board Meeting - December 8, 2025 (Draft)

On the above-mentioned date, the Board of School Trustees of the Yoakum Independent School District met at 6:00 p.m. in regular session at a regular meeting of said Board, with the following members present:  Mr. Glen Kusak, President; Mr. Terry Boening, Vice-President; Mrs. Darlene Renken, Secretary; Mrs. Amanda Fling, Assistant Secretary; Mr. Rodney Svec, Board Member; and Mr. Gary Colman, Board Member.  Absent:  Ms. Donnetta Sherrer

Also present for the meeting were: Mr. Tom Kelley, Superintendent; Mr. Chris Kvinta, Assistant Superintendent for Administration; Mr. Chad Rothbauer, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction; Mrs. Maci McDonald, Yoakum High School Principal; Mr. Garet Pustka, Yoakum Intermediate School Principal; Mrs. Rebecca Fitch, Yoakum Primary School Principal; Mrs. Janice Schacherl, Yoakum Primary Annex School Principal; and Mr. Clayton Kelley, Yoakum Herald Times.

A motion by Mr. Boening, seconded by Mrs. Fling, to approve the minutes of the Public Hearing and regular Board Meeting on November 10, 2025 and the Public Hearing and special Board Meeting on November 17, 2025 received the unanimous approval of the Board.

Under communications, Mr. Kelley presented the report of the Tax Assessor/Collector.

A motion by Mr. Colman, seconded by Mrs. Renken, to approve the report as presented, received the unanimous approval of the Board. (A copy of this report is filed in the School Board Minutes Subsidiary File for December 8, 2025).

Under communications, Mr. Kelley reviewed the principals’ reports and reported the current enrollment for YISD is 1,398 students as compared to 1,452 students at this time last year.

Mr. Kusak reported that each YISD School Board Member exceeded the number of hours required for the year and read the total number of hours that each member has earned during his/her tenure.

There were no public comments.

There was no old business.

A motion by Mr. Boening, seconded by Mrs. Renken, to approve the Campus Improvement Plans and the District Improvement Plan, received the unanimous approval of the Board.

At 6:06 p.m., the Board entered into executive session.

At 6:46 p.m., the Board resumed regular session.

A motion by Mr. Svec, seconded by Mr. Colman, to approve the 2025-2026 Step Schedules for aides, teachers, librarians, counselors, & nurses and to approve payment amount to all staff, received the unanimous approval of the Board.

A motion by Mrs. Renken, seconded by Mr. Svec, to approve the payment of the bills, with the exception of payment to Gary Colman, received the unanimous approval of the Board.

A motion by Mr. Boening, seconded by Mrs. Fling, to approve the payment to Gary Colman, received the unanimous approval of the Board.  Abstain:  Gary Colman

At 6:47 p.m., the Board adjourned. 

Yoakum Independent School District

Minutes - Public Hearing and Special Board Meeting - November 17, 2025 (Approved)

On the above-mentioned date, the Board of School Trustees of the Yoakum Independent School District conducted a Public Hearing on the School FIRST (Financial Accountability Rating System) at 6:00 p.m., followed by a Special Board Meeting with the following members present:  Mr. Glen Kusak, President; Mr. Terry Boening, Vice-President; Mrs. Darlene Renken, Secretary; Mrs. Amanda Fling, Assistant Secretary; Mr. Rodney Svec, Board Member; and Mr. Gary Colman, Board Member.  Absent:  Ms. Donnetta Sherrer

Also present for the meeting were Mr. Tom Kelley, Superintendent and Mr. Chris Kvinta, Assistant Superintendent for Administration.

During the Public Hearing, Mr. Kelley presented the FIRST Report.  The Public Hearing was adjourned at 6:13 p.m.

At 6:14 p.m., the board entered the Special Board Meeting.

Mr. Kusak asked for public comments.  There were no comments so he proceeded with the meeting.

A motion by Mr. Colman, seconded by Mrs. Renken, to approve an order canvassing the returns and declaring 550 votes for the VATRE and 429 votes against the VATRE, received the unanimous approval of the Board.

At 6:30 p.m., the Board adjourned.

Yoakum Independent School District

Minutes - Public Hearing and Regular Board Meeting - November 10, 2025 (Approved)

On the above-mentioned date, the Board of School Trustees of the Yoakum Independent School District met at 6:00 p.m. for a public hearing regarding the Yoakum Intermediate Targeted Improvement Plan and a regular meeting of said Board, with the following members present:  Mr. Glen Kusak, President; Mr. Terry Boening, Vice-President; Mrs. Darlene Renken, Secretary; Mrs. Amanda Fling, Assistant Secretary; Mr. Rodney Svec, Board Member; and Mr. Gary Colman, Board Member.   Absent:  Ms. Donnetta Sherrer

Also present for the meeting was Mr. Tom Kelley, Superintendent; Mr. Chris Kvinta, Assistant Superintendent for Administration; Chad Rothbauer, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction; Mr. Shawn Brandt, Weaver & Jacobs Construction; Yoakum High School students from the Ag Issues Team; and Clayton Kelley, Yoakum Herald Times.

At this time, the FFA Ag Issues Team presented to the Board.

At 7:00 p.m. the Public Hearing opened. Mr. Rothbauer reviewed the Yoakum Intermediate Targeted School Improvement Plan. The public hearing adjourned into the regular board meeting at 7:04 p.m.

A motion by Mr. Colman, seconded by Mr. Svec, to approve the minutes for the October 20, 2025 regular school board meeting received the unanimous approval of the Board.

Under communications, Mr. Kelley presented the Tax Assessor/Collector report.

A motion by Mr. Boening, seconded by Mrs. Fling, to approve the report received the unanimous approval of the Board.  (A copy of this report is filed in the school’s Board Minutes Subsidiary File for November 10, 2025).

Mr. Kelley reported that the current enrollment for YISD is 1,404 students compared to last year’s enrollment of 1,450 students.

Mr. Kelley reviewed the principals’ reports.

Mr. Shawn Brandt gave an update on construction projects throughout the District.

Mr. Kvinta gave a school safety update.

Mr. Kusak asked for public comments. There were no public comments so he proceeded with the meeting.

There was no old business.

Mr. Kelley gave a report on investments.

A motion by Mr. Svec, seconded by Mrs. Renken, to approve Budget Amendment #2 received the unanimous approval of the Board.

No action was taken to canvas the election returns and declaring the results of a tax ratification election.

A motion by Mrs. Renken, seconded by Mrs. Fling, to cast ballots for James B. Pilchiek, Sr., Walt Hairell, and Sue Gottwald for the Directors of the Dewitt, Lavaca, and Gonzales Counties Appraisal Districts respectively received the unanimous approval of the Board.

A motion by Mr. Boening, seconded by Mr. Colman, to approve TASB 126 received the unanimous approval of the Board.

At 7:48 p.m., the Board entered executive session.

At 9:30 p.m., the Board resumed regular session.

A motion by Mr. Colman, seconded by Mr. Boening, to pay the bills, with the exception of payment to Gary Colman, Melissa Colman, Jason Fling, and Yoakum National Bank, received the unanimous approval of the Board. 

A motion by Mrs. Renken, seconded by Mr. Svec, to pay Gary Colman, Melissa Colman, Jason Fling, and Yoakum National Bank, received the unanimous approval of the Board.  Abstain: Mr. Colman, Mr. Boening, and Mrs. Fling

At 9:32 p.m. the meeting adjourned.