Take 2 with Hawk

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins take a deep dive into CCHS student activities coordinator Rebecca Garbacky's recent award through the Fort Hood Adopt-a-School/Adopt-a-Unit program. Plus, Summer Around the Pound talks about all of the projects taking place in the district to prepare for the 2026-27 school year. Then, they discuss at-length the action taken at a Special Called Board of Trustees Meeting on June 8th, where Heather Copeland's resignation from the board was accepted, Mike Wilburn was appointed, additional staff retention measures were made and budget challenge steps were taken.Table of Contents:00:00 Welcome00:32 Good Things04:53 Summer Around the Pound: Maintenance Projects07:20 Summer Around the Pound: Teacher Preparation & Budget Planning08:08 Summer Around the Pound: Facilities & Bond Update09:30 Summer Around the Pound: Camps & Student Activities10:09 Summer Around the Pound: Lighting & Track Update11:09 Summer Around the Pound: Understanding why summer is so crucial13:09 Summer Around the Pond: Deeper dive on the new outdoor lights16:58 Special Board Meeting Recap: Heather Copeland resigns, Mike Wilburn appointed 28:15 Special Board Meeting Recap: Staff Retention Incentives & Where That Money Came From46:13 Special Board Meeting Recap: Resolution to navigate budget challenges49:50 Takeaways from the State House Public Ed Committee Meeting01:09:46 Central Texas Innovation Academy: What Sets CTIA Apart?01:24:27 Looking Forward: June 22nd Board Meeting Preview01:27:07 Looking Forward: State Accountability Scores Coming Soon

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins recap both CCISD graduation ceremonies and discuss the reason and goals with expanding Capturing Kids' Hearts to every campus in the district. Plus, the challenges CCISD is facing in preparing for the 2026-27 school year and how the district is working to avoid the pitfalls in other districts. Finally, they discuss the nuances of digital learning.Table of Contents:00:00 Welcome00:29 Good Things04:58 School Board Recognitions in May07:01 Capturing Kids’ Hearts expanded for 2026-2717:47 Budget & Planning Challenges in preparation for 2026-2733:09 Navigating Communication Challenges36:01 Bond 2025 Update & Looking forward to the 2026-27 school year43:52 Things to consider with online public schools and why CTIA is different48:35 Debunking the myths surrounding digital learning

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins are joined by Deputy Superintendent Dr. Amanda Crawley to discuss the launch of Central Texas Innovation Academy, a new free online public school open to students across Texas in Grades 3-12. Plus, new programs headed to Cove, updated principal assignments and salary schedules for the 2026-27 school year.Table of Contents:00:00 Welcome00:33 Good Things18:20 Central Texas Innovation Academy42:44 EMT program coming to CCHS & other new academic programs headed to Cove in 2026-2751:36 Crossroads HS named CKH National Showcase School57:22 Updated principal assignments for 2026-2701:07:10 Salary & Compensation updates for 2026-2701:27:28 Month of the Military Child & Resolution in Support of Military Children and Families01:32:16 Looking Forward: Banquet Season

Copperas Cove ISD hosted its annual State of the District presentation on Feb 12, 2025, inside Lea Ledger Auditorium at Copperas Cove High School. Superintendent Dr. Brent Hawkins updated the community on the district's performance, his vision and then answered community questions.Table of Contents:0:00 Martin Walker & Williams/Ledger Elementary Joint Choir8:48 Welcome10:55 Singing Jewells from Fairview/Jewell Elementary18:46 Welcome & National Anthem by Copperas Cove HS Voices of Cove Choir and Bulldawg Battalion Army JROTC Color Guard22:59 Board of Trustees address29:12 Superintendent address35:54 Today's Educational Environment38:17 The Cove Difference44:32 Annual Performance Report48:22 District Awards49:52 Student Breakdown53:27 Financial Integrity & District Tax Rate54:26 Bond 202501:02:00 More Facility Improvements01:05:57 Budget, Fund Balance & Administrative Cost Ratio01:07:54 A-F State Accountability & STAAR Distinctions01:09:55 Academic Results01:10:37 Program Achievements01:12:47 Child Nutrition & the Community Eligibility Provision01:14:06 Class of 2025 by the Numbers, Dual Credit & Student Opportunities01:20:39 Student Success01:23:09 Programs Coming Soon to Cove01:26:52 Question & Answer Session

Kurtis Quillin and Dr. Brent Hawkins return for a lengthy update on recent awards to several CCISD campuses, the reason CCISD is advertising transfers into the district, new programs coming to the district, construction and facility updates in the district, and preparing for the 2026-27 salary schedule.Table of Contents:0:00 Welcome & Good Things10:26 Bulldawg Vouchers & Transfers30:16 Lifetouch in CCISD39:06 Programs Coming Soon to CCISD52:10 Construction & Facility Updates1:20:46 Salary Preparation1:53:30 Looking Forward

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins discuss Crossroads HS's upcoming winter graduation, where the district is on implementing Bond 2025, an update on other ongoing construction projects and the district opening applications for new transfers at no cost to families.Table of Contents:00:00 Welcome00:51 Good Things07:30 Bond 2025 Update17:13 CCISD Ongoing Construction Update34:54 Texas Academic Performance Report Key Takeaways44:57 Bulldawg Vouchers53:22 Looking Forward

Dr. Hawkins and Kurtis discuss student success in CCISD, Bond 2025's passage and what those two propositions look like moving forward, Mike Wilburn's retirement from the Board of Trustees and provide an update on the reconstruction at Williams/Ledger Elementary.Table of Contents:00:00 - Welcome00:47 - Good Things: Playoff Dawgs03:39 - 2 Bond 2025 propositions pass, what this looks like moving forward34:18 - Mike Wilburn retires from the Board of Trustees, recent Board Recap57:59 - Williams/Ledger Elementary reconstruction update01:07:57 - Looking Forward: Continued progress

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins are joined by Doug Whitt, from Samco Capital, to take a deep dive into school finance and how school bonds work from a financial viewpoint.Table of Contents:00:00 - Welcome00:55 - Good Things: Pizza with Parents03:22 - How finance is examined for bond capacity04:42 - How often is a district debt free?06:17 - What is CCISD's maximum bonding capacity?07:16 - What is the process to form a Long Range Facilities Planning Committee?11:42 - What happens once a district passes a bond?17:38 - What might it look like in CCISD if Bond 2025 passes?21:34 - What does it mean when a district pays off its debt & how often does that really happen?24:30 - What has the CCISD board done to address facilities so far?27:44 - How did we get here?29:57 - Capital projects vs. Maintenance in schools31:55 - A look at today's bond environment35:26 - Common bond misnomers, including how the M&O tax rate works39:28 - Personal finance vs. public school finance41:08 - School bonds vs. Federal Government debt41:58 - How bond capacity is calculated & how refinancing could work47:52 - Understanding a parent's perspective51:32 - Estimated financial impact in the community54:13 - Normal place to be & final bond stats55:04 - Looking Forward

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins begin by discussing the academic pep rallies which have taken place across the district. After that, they dive into a discussion on trying to build community unity and addressing misinformation surrounding both Bond 2025 and the district, at large.Table of Contents:00:00 - Welcome07:07 - Final Community Walk & Talk14:22 - Community Unity & Misinformation Management23:30 - Who conducted the facilities study in CCISD?30:53 - School finance basics surrounding bonds43:02 - Financial Management48:19 - Band & Football Uniforms59:01 - Proposition C: Open Air Pavilion & Artificial Turf01:07:24 - Maintenance in CCISD01:13:30 - Addressing Overcrowding01:17:22 - What happens if it doesn't pass?01:23:01 - Estimated funding impact and how it was calculated01:26:52 - Tax Rate comparison & selling the bonds01:31:27 - Looking Forward

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins start by celebrating a great start to "Bandtober" with the Pride of Cove, answer Bond 2025 FAQ's and break down Proposition B.Table of Contents:00:00 - Welcome00:55 - "Bandtober"04:57 - Dr. Hawkins' speaking tour05:57 - Bond 2025 FAQ's26:32 - Bond 2025: What deferred maintenance is and why it matters35:03 - Bond 2025 Proposition B breakdown48:48 - Looking Forward51:16 - Bond 2025 Key Dates

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins start by talking about Homecoming in the Five Hills before addressing bullying and the procedures outlined in the board policy manual on making an investigating a bullying report in Copperas Cove ISD. Finally, they pivot to breaking down Proposition A of Bond 2025 and addressing misinformation.Table of Contents:00:00 - Welcome00:42 - Homecoming05:39 - Bullying Procedures29:21 - Update on Williams/Ledger Elementary31:16 - Bond 2025 Proposition A33:43 - Proposition A Copperas Cove High School41:45 - Proposition A Fairview/Jewell Elementary46:30 - Proposition A Copperas Cove Jr. High 51:00 - Addressing Misinformation related to Bond 202558:09 - What is Wet Bulb Globe Temperature and what are the restrictions?01:05:55 - Bond 2025 Important Dates

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins welcome CCISD Director of CTE Robert Turner to discuss what modern CTE looks like in Texas public schools. Plus, the current state of the Cove Jr. High cafeteria and the launch of a new program.Table of Contents:00:00 - Welcome00:40 - Good Things08:22 - The current state of the CCJHS Cafeteria11:58 - Why are restrooms necessary in the CCJHS cafeteria15:06 - What does the proposed renovation of CCJHS look like?18:25 - Modern CTE in Texas schools36:40 - Current CTE facility struggles55:10 - What the proposed addition would do for CTE

Dr. Hawkins welcomes special guest Hudson Henderson from the architecture firm GLS Texas to break down school design.

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins welcome special guest Bowie Franks from Gallagher Construction. They will be discussing a number of issues related to school construction in general, and what that process looks like. Table of Contents:0:00 Introduction03:13 Process Leading Up to Calling the 2025 Bond Proposal11:47 Career Technology Education (CTE)13:42 Changes in Construction Pricing Over the Past Five Years21:09 Why Renovation and Not New Construction23:29 Getting Bids, Hard Costs Vs. Soft Costs, Construction Codes and Permits33:35 Inflation and Tariffs35:27 Hidden Costs and Additional Considerations38:42 Challenges of Renovation vs. New Construction40:41 Why Not a 9th Grade Center47:09 What is the Construction Process if a Bond is Approved?49:42 How Can Construction Take Place on an Active Campus?52:59 Why Can’t It All Be Done With Fund Balance?53:44 What are Some Other Misconceptions About School Construction?56:08 Conclusion and Where to Find More Information

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins discuss the first two days of school, recap the Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday where conversions to the baseball and softball fields were approved, as well as new uniforms and instruments for the Pride of Cove Band. Finally, a breakdown of the bond election called by Trustees this week.

Kurtis and Dr. Hawkins recap Convocation with the CCISD staff, discuss Back to School for the 2025-26 school year, discuss what to expect in the regular August Board of Trustees meetings and the district takes a step forward in improving communication with the community.

Kurtis & Dr. Hawkins discuss the join Cove Jr. High & S.C. Lee Jr. High choir's performance at Fort Hood's recent Change of Command ceremony. They also talk about the Board of Trustees passing pay raises for teachers and staff, as well as changes to the start of the school year at Williams/Ledger Elementary due to damage to the campus.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Hawkins and Director of Communications Kurtis Quillin discuss, at length, the process and discussions with the Long Range Facilities Planning process, as well as what's next in the process.

Dr. Hawkins and Kurtis update the community on the recent graduation festivities, how the district is already working to prepare for the 2025-26 school year, an update on the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee and end on a lengthy legislative update following the end of the state's regular legislative session.

CCISD Superintendent Dr. Brent Hawkins and Director of Communications Dr. Brent Hawkins discuss the facilities committee reconvening next week and how they'll proceed. Plus, a new technology pilot program comes to the district, a sneak peek of the CCHS Top 10 exclusive to Take 2 listeners and Dr. Hawkins debunks mythology surrounding school taxes.

Copperas Cove ISD Superintendent Dr. Brent Hawkins and Director of Communications Kurtis Quillin discuss the new format of Take 2 with Hawk, update the community on the ongoing legislative session, Employees of the Year and the recent State of the District address.