May, 2011
Volume 19, Issue 10
EYES ON THE BOARD
THE TRUTH IS HARD TO FIND! OR IS IT?
Board Meeting, May 23, 2011
First came the swearing in of Debbie Aliseda, Eric de La Garza, Hilda Garza DeShazo, and Danny Vela.
Then came nomination and voting for board officers. Sam Saldivar, President; Danny Vela, VP; Hilda Garza DeShazo, Secretary; Erica de la Garza, Asst. Secretary.
We will try to tell you what we think we understood during the voting.
The voting was something never seen in 26 years of attending school board meetings. Sam Saldivar and Danny Vela were both nominated for President. There were two rounds of voting with 3-3 with Debbie Aliseda not voting. Then Sam Saldivar called for a point of order to vote for VP--whoever has the most votes wins. Again two rounds of voting with 3-3 each time--with Debbie Aliseda not voting. Then a vote came for Secretary and Hilda Garza DeShazo was elected. Then two more rounds of voting for President--with Debbie Aliseda not voting. Then nominations for VP--Danny Vela relinquished his quest for president after Sam said that many people on the board were eligible and board presidents did not seek another term. Danny Vela agreed to be VP. Suddenly Javier Farias name was in the president's race. Then voting for president proceeded and Sam Saldivar won. Debbie Aliseda voted on the last round for Sam Saldivar. Then Erica de la Garza was elected Asst. Secretary.
On the agenda was the legal case of Delia Longoria, former principal of McAllen High School--Board President said to attorney Crain to proceed as directed.
Summer school will be at Seguin Elementary, Cathey Middle School, Rowe High School, and Lamar Academy. Renovations to the cafeteria at Lamar Academy where approved including Wi-Fi.
Final approval of the pavilion at Seguin was given even though the budget was $4,500 short.
The superintendent talked about a four-year grant for 3rd-8th graders called STEM. Begins in June. A new AP grant was mentioned. In addition, Kids College grades 2-5 will have a week of adventure this summer.
The fire alarm upgrade at Roosevelt was approved at a cost of $46,000.
McAllen ISD Budget Meeting at 7:30 p.m.
The budget was discussed, but there was little new as nothing has been decided in the legislature.
Story in the Monitor, May 24, 2011
The Washington Post honored McAllen High (score of 1,371), Memorial High (Score of 1,290), and Rowe High (Score of 1,079) for their Challenge Index--the number of college-level tests given divided by the number of graduates.
School Board Meeting, May 10, 2011 and 7:30 pm. Budget Meeting
Javier Farias and Mynra Garcia were absent.
The McAllen ISD Board voted 5-0 to close Crockett Elementary. We hope the park around Crockett will not be closed off from the neighbor community.We have good news. The library clerks will be on staff in our school libraries next year. The $830 million dollar stimulus money--McAllen ISD getting $4.1 million--saved the clerks for one (1) year. The RNs' on our campuses will be replaced by RNs' not LVNs.
There will be IB in middle and Lamar Academy, but none in elementary. Those teachers who were specialists for IB in elementary will move to other teaching jobs. That is what I think I understood--more later. Remember--words said at a McAllen ISD Board meeting get changed.The McAllen ISD 2011-2012 budget announcement will be posted in The Monitor on June 8,2011 and voted on June 20, 2011.
Mr. Saldivar ask that Fine Arts and Athletics budgets be left alone for 2011-2012. We did not see a response from Dr. Ponce.Repair of tracks for each of the three (3) high schools will begin.
Seguin was approved for a new pavilion. Work should be done by the first day of school. Approximately $200,000+ is available in transportation and will go to new buses.
The stimulus money can be used for health benefits--thus the $44 increase in health insurance MIGHT be reconsidered. When I see it, I will believe it.
PreK is still being funded for 1/2 day.
Presentation to the McAllen Board of Education, May 23, 2011
Good evening. Congratulations to our new McAllen ISD school board members—Debbie Crane Aliseda, Erica de la Garza, and Hilda Garza DeShazo. We look forward to working with all of the board in the coming months.
As the Board continues working on the budget for 2011-2012, we urge you to carefully think about those curriculum projects that you fund. For example, if you continue to fund CScope, each school should have the necessary supplies for required activities to be accomplished. Teachers should not have to fund the supplies for CScope out of their own pockets as some have had to do.
As you enter into High School Redesign with your high school 9th graders, be sure that you “the Board” are deeply connected to how this very, very expensive curriculum change is handled. Ask yourself the following questions:1. Is the staff completely behind this project--that is--were they involved in every aspect of the curriculum change?
2. Does the staff have the support from administration to handle the parent component of this project?
3. Does the staff have the backing of the administration at each campus regarding discipline?
4. Does the staff have the support of administration to make changes in regard to what does not work?
5. Is there a Plan B in case sudden concerns appear as they have in other school districts across the U.S. with this plan? Lastly, we want to thank the Board for providing the health clinic called PCI handling preventive health concerns. Tonight we are giving you the petitions signed by staff members supporting the clinic.
Thank you.
Career and Tech funds will be done $200,000+.
