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Board Briefing: January 2026

Posted Date: 01/22/26 (10:41 AM)
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Board Briefing: January 2026

The Board convened for its first meeting of the new year, balancing a celebration of community achievements with a focus on long-term fiscal systems and strategic transparency.

Celebrations & Community Recognition
The meeting opened with several highlights celebrating the achievements of our students, staff, and partners:
  • Student Excellence: We celebrated our Middle School UIL competitors and received beautiful custom artwork from High School students in honor of Board Appreciation Month.
  • Growing Families: The RAPS family continues to grow! We celebrated the arrival of three new "Rapoport babies."
  • Legislative Advocacy: We recognized State Representatives Curry and Orr with Charter Champ Awards for their continued support of our schools.
  • Heritage & Culture: Looking ahead, the Board highlighted the upcoming Black History Month celebration.
Public Comment & Engagement
The Board values feedback from our community and staff. This month, discussions included:
  • Student Safety: A public comment from a parent reminded staff to remain vigilant regarding student needs and supervision, particularly in our cell-phone-free environment.
  • Student Nutrition: Following parent outreach, the Board discussed growing a supplemental snack program for elementary students. This initiative is currently being developed through a working group within the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC).
  • Staff Feedback & Surveys: In response to questions regarding staff survey anonymity, the administration clarified that demographic questions are used solely to disaggregate data
Committee Updates & District Progress
Our committees provided updates on the district’s operational and academic initiatives:
  • Financial Oversight: The Finance Committee reviewed endowment performance and investment policies. A notable proposal includes potentially making unused scholarship funds available to staff members pursuing further education.
  • Facilities & History: The Raven Court dedication plaques have been received; an installation date will be announced soon.
  • District Improvement: The committee reviewed quarterly data, noting steady progress in several areas. While restorative practices at the Middle School are successfully reducing referrals, the Board noted that—consistent with national trends—disparities in discipline still exist across race and gender that require ongoing focus.
Financial Health & Strategic Outlook
The district is making significant strides in refining its financial systems and looking toward the future:
  • FY25 Audit Update: All documentation has been submitted to auditors. A specific finding regarding the gym asset transfer has been successfully reclassified, and a draft audit is expected for the February meeting.
  • YYY CFO Partnership: Our transition to YYY CFO partners is nearly complete. Weekly meetings are helping to build faster, more accurate forecasting and reporting systems, with a full mid-year budget report scheduled for February.
  • Strategic Planning: Timelines for all major initiatives are now set. The final, graphic-rich Strategic Plan will be presented next month. While the workload is significant, initiative leads reported seeing a tangible positive impact on their campuses.
  • Advocacy: The Board was encouraged to use a new district presentation (created for recent legislative visits) to share the RAPS story with the wider community.

Watch the FULL Board Meeting >
 
grady crowson

Board Highlight: Grady Crowson, Treasurer / Business Rep

Grady is a native Texan, growing up here in Central Texas. Grady and his wife, Carroll, are proud parents to one son, Jack. Grady is Vice President of Administration for PB&H Benefits, a retirement benefits subsidiary of Pattillo, Brown & Hill, LLP. Grady currently serves as Treasurer of Rapoport Academy Public School and DaySpring Baptist Church.

Grady enjoys traveling with his family, church, being outdoors, volunteering, and advocating for others.