School board OKs bilingual stipend

By Wesley Gardner
LPR Editor

The Lockhart ISD Board of Trustees on Monday approved a measure that should help the district recruit more bilingual teachers in the 2020-21 school year.
Currently, the district offers incoming bilingual teachers a $4,000 stipend in addition to $500 for relocation costs. With the move, the district will now be able to offer incoming bilingual teachers a $6,500 stipend with an additional $500 for the cost of relocation.
In other business, board members also approved a measure that will bring an additional full-time employee to the district’s fine arts program
“Lockhart ISD has seen great success throughout the fine arts program over the last several years,” Deputy Superintendent Kimberly Brents wrote in the briefing given to board members. “This position would work with secondary students to continue the upward trajectory of success by supporting the continued growth of piano at Lockhart High School and the introduction an orchestra program at Lockhart Jr. High School this upcoming school year.”
Board members also approved a resolution in support of the upcoming 2020 Census, a measure conducted by the federal government once every ten years to update population and demographic statistics.
According to Christina Courson, the district’s director of communications and community services, getting an accurate count in the census is crucial in allocating federal funding that will go on to assist with important school programs.

To read more of this story, see this week’s edition of the Post-Register