Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Kerens Elementary School (KES) Principal Brittany Mathis (from left) presents her school’s Staff Ambition Awards to Lisa Pratt and Lana Engel during the Nov. 17 Kerens ISD school board meeting, saying “these two educators consistently go above and beyond for our students and staff. Their dedication, positivity and heart make them invaluable pieces of our KES puzzle.” Kerens ISD also presented Pam Lane, Tia Prince and Carol Foreman with its Staff Members of the Month awards.

KERENS—Kerens ISD’s school board learned Nov. 17 that its finances received an unmodified opinion on its 2024-25 fiscal year audit, and that its fund balance grew nearly $1.5 million because of solar farm funding received in January, which moves that number to about $5.5 million.
KISD Business Manager Kaitlyn Cotten, who presented the audit report, also reminded the school board that the district added five new buses, a new ag pickup truck and “a few other assets” during that fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. The audit report also mentioned that the district completed renovations to its Burton S. Sneed District Library.
The meeting also held a public hearing about the final FIRST rating for Kerens ISD, on which the school district received a 98. The Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) ensures that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve these practices, according to the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
The system is designed to encourage Texas public schools to better manage their financial resources to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes, TEA says.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the $62,000 purchase of a 2025 Chevrolet Suburban from Caldwell Country Chevrolet.
• Approved the school district’s employee longevity stipends.
• Approved giving all 344 of its votes for the Navarro Central Appraisal District Board of Directors to A.L. “Buster” Atkeisson.
• Heard an update from Superintendent Martin Brumit about the progress of the school year. “The kids are learning, I’m really proud of them,” he said.