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The Muleshoe Independent School District Board of Trustees appointed Madeleine Hettinga to fill its vacant District 4 seat, heard a proposal for a corporate sponsorship program and approved several policy, insurance and transportation items during its July 9 meeting.
Hettinga appointed to District 4 seat
Trustees unanimously appointed Madeleine Hettinga to fill the District 4 vacancy created by the resignation of Brett Bamert.
Following the vote, Hettinga took the oath of office and joined the Muleshoe ISD Board of Trustees.
SummitED presents sponsorship proposal
Trustees heard a presentation from Matt Bullen of SummitED concerning a proposed program to help MISD develop corporate sponsorships and additional community partnerships.
Bullen described his previous fundraising experience at Trinity Christian School and Lubbock-Cooper ISD. He said corporate sponsorship revenue at Trinity Christian increased from approximately $40,000 annually to $185,000 during his first year leading the effort and to $225,000 the following year.
He said the program retained approximately 95% of its sponsors.
Bullen also said corporate sponsorship revenue at Lubbock-Cooper increased from approximately $60,000 annually to more than $200,000 during his first year and to just under $300,000 the following year.
“My heart is kids, plain and simple,” Bullen told the board.
He explained that additional sponsorship revenue could help schools pay for athletic equipment, student travel, academic competitions and other opportunities that may not be fully covered through existing budgets.
The proposal would involve forming a local team of approximately three to five community members. SummitED would train the team to approach businesses, develop sponsorship packages and maintain relationships with donors.
Bullen said the program would also seek to coordinate with booster clubs rather than replace them. He discussed “donor fatigue,” which can occur when the same businesses and families receive repeated fundraising requests from numerous school organizations.
Under the proposal presented to the board, MISD would enter a three-year agreement costing $15,000 per year. Funds raised through the program would not pass through SummitED. MISD would retain control of the money and decide how it would be used.
Bullen told trustees that SummitED was a startup and had not yet signed a school district as a client. He said the group had met with approximately five superintendents and that MISD was the first school board to receive the presentation.
Trustees asked about the proposed fee, management of funds, coordination with booster clubs, selection of community team members and the time required to establish the program.
The board did not vote on the proposal during the presentation.
Board approves policy update
Trustees approved Texas Association of School Boards Update 127.
District officials explained that the update included legal changes associated with the most recent legislative session. Although some legal language had changed, officials said the general substance of many district policies remained the same.
The board also approved certification that MISD had adopted the applicable policy updates required for compliance with certain laws under Texas Education Code Section 39.008, as enacted by Senate Bill 12.
Board receives thank-you notes
Scott Bicknell read two thank-you notes addressed to the board.
One note thanked MISD trustees for expressions of sympathy, flowers and support following the death of a family member.
The second thanked trustees for approving the purchase of new band instruments. The note stated that the instruments would help students perform with greater confidence and would support their musical, academic and personal development.
Bicknell reminded trustees that the board had approved approximately $100,000 for new band instruments near the end of the previous budget cycle.
MISD reports full staffing
Bicknell reported that MISD was fully staffed as of the July 9 meeting.
He described the hiring season as especially difficult and said the district received no applicants for some available positions. Administrators, coaches and staff members actively recruited candidates to fill the openings.
Bicknell said the district ultimately hired qualified employees who were excited to join MISD.
Football seating and ticketing discussed
Trustees discussed ticketing and seating arrangements for the 2026 football season.
Board members generally supported continuing open seating rather than reserved season-ticket seating. They also discussed whether lower rows could be made more accessible for older spectators who may have difficulty climbing the stadium steps.
The board discussed advance ticket purchases and possible online ticketing. District officials noted that some online systems charge both a percentage of ticket revenue and an additional fee for each ticket sold.
No separate formal vote on a comprehensive online ticketing system was reflected in the transcript. District officials agreed to continue examining available options.
TASB delegate selected
The board selected a trustee to serve as MISD’s delegate to the 2026 Texas Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly.
Trustees agreed to postpone selection of an alternate until they knew which board members would attend the TASB conference scheduled for Oct. 8-11 in Houston.
Board members also discussed training they had attended through the TASB Summer Leadership Institute and encouraged participation in future governance training.
Hazardous transportation areas approved
Trustees approved the district’s annual identification of hazardous transportation conditions involving U.S. Highway 84, State Highway 214 and railroad tracks.
The designation is connected to transportation funding and must be reviewed and approved annually.
Insurance rate decreases
Myles James reported that MISD’s property and casualty insurance rate was expected to decrease by approximately 15%.
James said the reduction was significant because the district had experienced increases of approximately 20% in previous years.
The board approved coverage through the Property Casualty Alliance of Texas for the 2026-27 school year. The district also increased educator liability coverage from $1 million to $2 million.
Officials said the deductibles remained unchanged.
Following Hettinga’s appointment and swearing-in, the board unanimously voted to adjourn.
