Mineral Wells Area News

Mineral Wells ISD and the City of Mineral Wells are launching a first-of-its-kind shared services agreement that trades police protection for tech support, Superintendent David Tarver announced at Monday’s school board meeting.

The partnership provides the district with five school resource officers (SROs), while MWISD’s technology team will handle the city’s IT network infrastructure.

“It’s uncharted ground,” said Tarver in a follow-up interview. “Our technology department is great. Their technology has needs. This is two public entities working together, maximizing public resources for the benefit of taxpayers.”

City Manager Jason Weeks addressed the board and said the city had been contracting IT support from a private company but had not had a positive experience.

“I bartered,” Weeks said. “You’re getting something, we’re getting something, and we’re able to keep everything running.”

Under the agreement, no money will be exchanged. MWISD’s network administrator and IT director will support the city’s systems while continuing district duties. The city will hire an on-call technician for hands-on needs, and the district will add a new IT staff member to assist both entities.

Tarver said he is unaware of any similar agreement between a Texas school district and city government.

“I want Justin Lasek, our IT director, to be able to present this at TASA and TASB,” Tarver said, referencing state education leadership conferences. “It’s a true example of making useful production out of public resources.”

The agreement was unanimously passed by the board and heads to City Council for final approval at their next meeting.

Schools Navigating New State Laws

Like districts across Texas, MWISD is working to implement multiple new state-mandated policies — including those stemming from House Bill 1481, which restricts student cell phone use during school hours, and Senate Bill 763, which allows homeschool students to participate in UIL activities if districts opt in.

The board has not finalized its cell phone policy, but Tarver said locking pouches are off the table due to cost and limited effectiveness.

“Those would cost around $50,000 just for junior high and high school,” he said. “And kids already know how to break into them.”

The current direction leans toward a “keep it in your bag” model, which aligns with existing policy and places the emphasis on enforcement during instructional time.

“Just like with the dress code or anything else, it comes down to people actually enforcing expectations,” Tarver said.

As for homeschool UIL participation, the district has until September 1 to decide whether to opt in. Tarver said the board will likely address the topic during its August meeting after gathering input from other districts already allowing participation.

“We want to make an educated decision not just out of theory, but out of practical use,” he said.

Tarver acknowledged that the volume of new legislation passed during the recent session has created hurdles for districts across the state.

“This was a big legislative session. It’s going to come with lots of changes and challenges,” he said. “We’re working through each one carefully, but the reality of implementation can be daunting.”

Also Noted: $100K Mower Purchase to Improve Efficiency

Trustees also approved the purchase of a new Toro 4000D commercial mower for just over $100,000. The mower is the same model the district had previously purchased used.

The new equipment is expected to significantly improve efficiency — increasing mowing capacity from 4 acres per hour to 11 acres per hour — and free up maintenance staff for other campus projects. The district currently maintains approximately 160 acres of grounds.

Board Recognizes Baseball Team’s Historic Season

The meeting also included recognition of the 2025 Mineral Wells High School varsity baseball team, which advanced to the 4A Region I final — the school’s best finish since 1958. Head Coach Jacob Clay was recently named Regional Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

“This team’s journey, marked by grit, sportsmanship and unity, brought pride to Mineral Wells High School and to the entire community,” Board President Sunny Lee said during the proclamation ceremony.

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