Marble Falls ISD news

Marble Falls ISD trustees approved Hays CISD administrator Damon Adams as the new principal for Marble Falls High School during their regular board meeting Monday, April 17.

Adams will work with interim principal Emmett Aubry between now and the end of the current school year to transition to his full time duties as the new MFHS instructional leader in July.

Adams was recommended to the board by MFISD superintendent Dr. Chris Allen following an extensive selection process, which included community and staff input. A principal selection committee was established to help with the screening of applicants for the MFHS principal position, prior to the selection of the final candidate for board recommendation.

By Melissa Kanz

The Highlander

It wasn’t what local school officials wanted to hear as the Marble Falls Independent School District fell short of its goal, receiving a 64 percent rating on secondary readiness. 

The high school, however, did gain academic distinctions in ELA/Reading, math, science and social studies.

Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen explained there are only 25 districts, out of thousands in the state, that receive this distinction.

“Am I happy with these results, no, but I believe we are generally on the right track,” he said.

The good news is SAT scores surpassed the statewide average. 

Distinctions awarded to Marble Falls High School were Academic Achievements in ELA/Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Also awarded was Postsecondary Readiness.

Marble Falls Middle School was awarded Academic Achievement in Science.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

Depending on the value of their property, Marble Falls Independent School District taxpayers may see their individual taxes increase for the 2016-2017 school year, but they will be paying the same tax rate they have for the past several years.

MFISD trustees voted 5-0 on Monday, Aug. 29, to set a maintenance and operations tax rate of $1.0533 per $100 valuation and an interest and sinking tax rate of 22.67 cents per $100 valuation for a total tax rate of $1.28. It is the fifth year in a row the district has set its tax rate at $1.28 per $100 valuation.

School board members also approved an additional $1,123,595 in revenue and expenditures for the fiscal 2017 budget after learning that property values for the district had come in higher than expected.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

The Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees took no action on naming a new Place 7 trustee on Thursday night, Aug. 4, but wasted no time in hiring a new assistant superintendent.

Jeff Gasaway was hired during a special called meeting to be the new assistant superintendent of administrative operations. He succeeds Wade Stanford, who became the new superintendent at Westwood ISD in Palestine last month.

Gasaway comes to Marble Falls from Waco Midway ISD, where he was principal at Midway High School and worked closely with current Marble Falls ISD Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen, who was a principal, assistant superintendent and interim superintendent at Midway ISD from 2008 to 2012.

Gasaway said he is excited to be taking on a new position in MFISD.