Wylie ISD students took center stage at the June 8 Board of Trustees meeting, where board members celebrated world-level, state-level and schoolwide accomplishments before moving into regular district business.
The meeting included recognitions for Destination Imagination, UIL Academics and the Wylie High School yearbook program, along with updates on bond projects, insurance renewals, baseball and softball turf proposals and Superintendent Joey Light’s future retirement date.
Wylie DI Teams Shine on the Global Stage
Wylie ISD Destination Imagination students returned from Global Finals with major accomplishments, including a world championship trophy.
Kim Cheek introduced the district’s DI teams and shared that all five Wylie teams placed at Globals. The highlight of the night was the recognition of the Screaming Beetle Tacos, who earned first place in the world.
“I am very proud to present to you the world champions,” Cheek told the board as students brought forward their trophy and first-place medals.
Wylie’s Global Finals results included:
The Screaming Beetle Tacos — 1st Place, Middle Level Technical Challenge; World Champions
Roaring Spaghetti Ooohhhhs — 5th Place, Elementary Level Technical
Department of Facetious Affairs — 8th Place, Secondary Level Fine Arts
Golden Girl Gang — 16th Place, Elementary Level Fine Arts
Hardly Prepared — 18th Place, Middle Level Fine Arts; Renaissance Award recipient
Students also presented the board with a pin board from Global Finals. Pin trading is a major part of the DI Globals experience and gives students the opportunity to meet and talk with students from across the world.
UIL Academic State Champions Recognized
Wylie High School UIL coach Holly Kirby introduced several students following an outstanding UIL Academic season.
Addie Fuqua
Addie Fuqua, a junior at Wylie High School, was recognized as the 5A/6A state champion in the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Contest.
Addie’s paper focused on the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II. She explained that these women were not technically part of the military, but they completed essential flying duties so male pilots could serve overseas.
Kirby said Addie received excellent feedback from judges and competed against approximately 200 papers in her division.
Canyon South
Canyon South, a 2026 Wylie High School graduate, was recognized as the 5A state champion in Social Studies.
Canyon scored a 97 and was perfect on the objective portion of the contest. Kirby said Canyon had the top Social Studies score in the entire state across all classifications, 1A through 6A.
Alex Burkhart
Although he was unable to attend because he was at Boys State, Alex Burkhart was also recognized as the 5A state champion in Prose Reading.
Kirby noted that Wylie has now had back-to-back state champions in 5A Prose Reading.
Yearbook Program Presents Award-Winning Work
The board also received copies of the Wylie High School yearbook from recent graduate Kendall Fellows, who served as photography manager for the yearbook staff.
Kendall shared that the previous year’s Wylie yearbook was recognized by Walsworth in the top 10 percent for graphic design.
“I really enjoyed working on the Wylie Yearbook staff,” Kendall said. “It helped me feel more at home at Wylie.”
Wylie High School Principal Reagan Berry praised the yearbook program and said the books have become truly journalistic, with students capturing a wide range of events, activities and memories throughout the school year.
Board Members Sworn In
Following student recognitions, Brad Hill and Megan Stephenson were sworn in as members of the Wylie ISD Board of Trustees.
The board also reorganized for the 2026-27 school year and voted to keep board officers the same.
Financial Reports Reviewed
The board approved minutes from the previous meeting and reviewed monthly financial reports.
Chief Financial Officer Katheryn Bristow reported that May financial activity included:
Annual payment for the LED lighting project, with two payments remaining
Bond-funded vehicle purchases for transportation
May payroll clearing of approximately $3.228 million
Current-year expenses at 67 percent of the overall budget as of April 30
Revenue at 80.89 percent of budget
Bristow said the district remains ahead of last year and is still projected to add to fund balance.
Insurance Renewals Approved
Trustees approved the district’s 2026-27 property and casualty insurance renewal with Texas Political Subdivisions Joint Self-Insurance Fund.
The total renewal amount is $858,921 and includes coverage for items such as property, general liability, school board legal liability, auto liability, cyber liability and related coverages.
Superintendent Joey Light noted that although the district has increased property values, the overall cost is going down because the rate decreased.
The board also approved the district’s 2026-27 workers’ compensation insurance renewal with Deep East Texas Self Insurance Fund. The estimated annual contribution is $102,957 for the Sept. 1, 2026-Aug. 31, 2027 policy term.
Baseball and Softball Turf Project Approved
The board approved a proposal from Hellas for full-field turf at the Wylie High School baseball and softball fields.
The approved proposal totals $1,958,845.
Light said the district reviewed several options, including infield-only and full-field turf, before determining that full-field turf is becoming the standard for baseball and softball facilities.
“It’s a field that I think our folks will be proud of, our kids will enjoy playing on, and it’s a really good product,” Light said.
Trustees also discussed the expected lifespan, design and timing of the project. A Hellas representative said the turf includes an eight-year warranty and can often last around 10 years depending on use.
Athletic Director, Mike Fecci ,said the final design will likely remain clean and simple, with a Wylie logo and possibly “Bulldogs” near home plate.
Bond Projects Continue Across the District
The board also received an update on bond projects across Wylie ISD.
South Elementary
South Elementary continues moving closer to opening. Staff are scheduled to move in June 18. Parking lots have been paved, irrigation work is underway and hydro mulch and flower beds are planned.
Wylie High School
Work continues on the high school band hall expansion and renovations to the existing band hall. Projects include sound absorption, flooring and additional improvements, with a goal of completion before summer band begins in mid-July.
Additional high school work includes:
Pad work for the new addition
Plumbing projects
Parking lot work
Practice field lighting
East Intermediate
At East Intermediate, foundation work has been completed and work continues on the storm shelter.
Other Campuses
Parking lot work is also planned or underway at several campuses, including West Intermediate, West Elementary, Early Childhood and the Training Center.
Federal Grant Public Input Notice
As an information item, the district reviewed its public notice and opportunity for public input on possible federal grant applications.
Light explained that Wylie ISD has traditionally provided this opportunity during a board meeting, but the district is also posting the opportunity online so more community members can participate.
Superintendent Retirement Request
After executive session, the board considered Superintendent Joey Light’s request to retire on Sept. 30, 2027.
The date gives the Board of Trustees time to plan for a leadership transition while continuing the work already underway across the district.
A Night of Celebration and Planning
The June board meeting reflected both celebration and preparation for Wylie ISD.
Students were recognized for accomplishments on the world and state stage. Trustees approved important renewals and facility improvements. Bond projects continued moving forward. And the district began preparing for a future leadership transition.
From world champion DI students to state champion UIL competitors and award-winning student journalists, Wylie students once again showed what it means to represent the Bulldogs with excellence.
Watch Recap and more photos below:
