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Katy Citizen Watchdog$ |
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We’re Taxpayers. It’s Our Money. |
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The February 5, 2008 KISD Critical Issues Symposium Report |
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As has been reported on our web site and in our last Newsletter, Co-Founders, Kevin Tatum and Chris Cottrell, were invited by Superintendent Frailey to attend the first-ever “Critical Issues Symposium” on February 5th at the KISD Administration Building. As we promised in our last Newsletter, the following is a brief report of that symposium. Before you read this brief report we would strongly suggest that you take a moment a read a piece on our web site regarding what is known as the “Delphi Technique”. Watchdog Leader, Mary McGarr, wrote the piece some time ago and we think it will help you understand how district committee meetings are conducted. Click here to read the piece.
Co-Founder, Chris Cottrell, was unable to attend do to a last minute business commitment but Co-Founder, Kevin Tatum, did attend the event. By our estimation some 200 people were in attendance. Groups of eight (8) to ten (10) people were assigned to each table. You also need to understand that the seating for this event was assigned prior to the participants’ arrival. Unfortunately, many of those from the community that were asked to attend didn’t make the event. Our understanding is that the district then had numerous teachers and administrators fill in for those that couldn’t make the event. Kevin told us that district employees were in the vast majority at the symposium.
It appeared that there were two (2) district facilitators at each table. Kevin reported that at his table his two (2) facilitators were district principals. He further reported that a person with the Anti-Defamation League was sitting at his table. We also found it interesting to learn that this particular individual does not reside in the district nor does she have any children that attend KISD schools. Our question, which we have posed to Superintendent Frailey, is why someone was invited to participate in a district symposium that does not reside in the district or has any children that attend Katy schools. It would also be interesting to know why out of all the tables at the event this person was put at Kevin’s table. Coincidence or was it something more? As many of you already know we have been accused falsely of being many ugly and nasty things in the past.
Superintendent Frailey opened the meeting with some words regarding his and the district’s mission, values and goals. After Superintendent Frailey’s speech each table was given five (5) subjects to choose for discussion. Some of those subjects were: student success, school safety and organization and personnel. Kevin’s table selected school safety since that has been a hot topic in our area lately. Kevin’s table was instructed to think of values and examples of those values regarding the topic of school safety; values such as physical safety, emotional safety and safety through technology. Kevin raised the issue that every school should have fences (something that Alexander Elementary still does not have), that there needs to be much stronger presence of KISD police patrolling our local area school zones, the need for gang prevention and the need to stop bullying on some of our campuses.
The final exercise of the evening was to answer seven (7) to eight (8) various questions concerning what you thought about the district. Those questions basically sought to have each participant give their opinion about the current state of KISD and how they feel about the job that the school district is doing. Participants were asked to electronically submit their answers via an electronic clicker (small remote controls). Those answers were then displayed for everyone to see on an overhead screen. Kevin reported that the answers were predictable considering the demographics of the participants involved. However, he did report that there were some in the room that responded that they saw the district declining.
At the conclusion of the event participants were told that the second “Critical Issues Symposium” would be held sometime in April.
The Watchdog$ were very pleased that our Superintendent invited some of the Watchdog$ to the event. While we certainly were in the minority we at least were represented and gave our thoughts on the issues at hand.
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Katy Citizen Watchdog Staff |
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Date: 02/08/2008 |
