Spring ISD holds community feedback forums
SPRING ISD held community forums in November and December asking staff, parents and residents to address concerns and provide input to help strengthen the district.
The forums were moderated by staff from Virginia-based consulting firm K12 Insight, which is under contract with the district to conduct focus groups and surveys throughout the school year.
"Since joining [SISD], I've heard many people express a desire to be part of the district's ambitious plans to strengthen our academic offerings and improve our school environments," SISD Superintendent Rodney Watson said. "We want to make [SISD] a district of choice in Northwest Houston. It will take all of us working together as a community to achieve this ambitious goal."
A Nov. 20 staff forum held at Twin Creeks Middle School was attended by about 50 district staff members. Several staff members in attendance characterized their positions as challenging while others cited a lack of accountability from the administration.
Staff members and teachers in attendance said they worried about job security and felt micromanaged.
Attendees were also concerned about students at lower grade levels being pushed to levels they should not be in, often sharing the same classroom as honors students despite behavioral and literacy problems.
Although staff members acknowledged improvements in communication, they said more people need to be hired by the district to support teachers and work directly with students.
Forums were also held Dec. 2 at Spring High School and Dec. 4 at Westfield High School.
Board member Ron Crier said the forums were intended to help gather information as the district deals with recent changes in administration and changes in the state's curriculum.
"Our superintendent wants to get the lay of the land, so we are doing some fact gathering so that we know how to proceed forward," Crier said.
Klein ISD announces plan to lower district's budget reserves
Klein ISD In anticipation of a potential bond election in May to finance the district's needs, the Klein ISD board of trustees heard a plan Nov. 17 to lower the district's reserves by $17.5 million.
The plan takes the district's operating fund balance from $128.3 million to $110.8 million an effort to properly size the proposed bond package.
KISD Chief Financial Officer Thomas Petrek presented the board with the plan, taking out projects from the bond package to be paid with reserves of about $8.4 million.
District finance department records show the 2015 bond package began with proposed projects totaling $725.6 million. There were several projects deemed necessary, but they were excluded in the recommendations package totaling $498.1 million.
District finance staff determined it would be prudent to put some projects back in the bond package and take out approximately $8.4 million of short-term technology purchases in order to lower the debt service tax rate by 1 cent.
Technology projects to be paid out of the district's reserves include computer services, student support services and security services totaling $6.3 million.
Meetings and Tweetings
Klein ISD
Meets Jan. 5 and 12 at 7 p.m.
7200 Spring Cypress Road, Spring
832-249-4000
Spring ISD
Meets Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.
16717 Ella Blvd., Houston
281-891-6000
Harris County
Commissioners Court
Meets Dec. 16, 2014 and Jan. 6, 2015 at 10 a.m.
1001 Preston St., Houston
713-755-5000
