But then I don’t talk to too many people who thought it should have been named for Leonard Edd Merrell in the first place. It was just the Team of 8 that thought so.

You publish pictures of club houses, open fields and even provide us with video clips of old men at board meetings and such, but when you have an opportunity to take us to new places with this article, not a picture in sight or ON site.

Frankly, I am struck with your lack of journalistic follow through. Shame on you Mr. J. P., shame, shame, shame…………

I am offering you a “redo” and I hope you take full advantage of this opportunity before I lose complete faith in your ability or willingness to take your job more seriously. Now please get to it. please, please, please……

Like Just Wondering I would have no problem with these funds being used for emergency needs like emergency repairs to a school, but I do not feel like I can trust this Board to exercise caution in these matters.

I know that we need school bonds and I generally support them, but I would feel more comfortable supporting this bond referendum if the Board put in a clause stating that they would only spend the funds on projects listed in the package. Does anyone know how and whether this can be done? Has it been done elsewhere?

Just Wondering:

Would you drop me an email at ghscott2050@aol.com. You don’t have to tell me who you are, but I’d like to write you a direct note on the subject matter you have addressed here (as well as other subjects you have discussed in prior posts here and elsewhere)

Thanks

Given his intent to fund these other items, I want all of us to take note that the BOT has already spent millions of dollars identified as “savings” from previous bonds and they will do so again with these monies. In the interest of full disclosure I would like the BOT to publish want they asked for the last three times around and show us where the money was ACTUALLY spent. I would also like them to pledge NOT to spend any money on things NOT listed in this package other than emergency repairs and to tell employees they will NOT lose their jobs if the bond fails to pass as this has been the practice in the past.

Of course, and par for the course, these ongoing requests will be totally ignored and not even commented upon by the BOT and the administration.

Recall that in the bond issues of 2006, the first one failed by a tiny margin and the second one passed by a similar tiny margin.

Since there seem to be almost equal numbers opposed as well as in favor of a bond issue, a good discussion should transpire so that everyone can understand the issues and make an informed as opposed to an emotional decision.

There are a lot of things on the bond I would vote FOR, but unless the bond is itemized, I will be voting against all of it.

For example I’m guessing there aren’t many who would oppose as an itemized listing a K-5 regular elementary school to replace Wolfe. I have been an advocate of such a school for many years, and it’s high time Wolfe Elementary stopped being a political football and instead became a new school! It’s unbelieveable that the people who live in the Wolfe area have let Judy Snyder, who also lives in the Wolfe area, remain on the school board when she wasn’t able for fourteen years to get a new school built! How many times has she been the President of the Board?

I also might vote for a new high school, but not one that gives the architect 6% of the cost. That’s just outrageous and shouldn’t be allowed. Also, I think the inflation increase percentages that are used to figure out what the costs should be are truly overinflated, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. And I think the District should wait until we know for sure that the high school population isn’t decreasing because of the Recession. High school attendance, for the first time ever I imagine in KISD, went down from last November to the middle of last May by 367 students. The District was projecting 17,152 high school students this year but only 16,646 were around at the end of the year which means the projection was off by 506 students! (These more current nubmers generated by the on retainer Demographer who is often off the mark, weren’t given to the bond committee.)

Rezoning could take care of some of the overcrowding at west side high schools.

What I most fear however, is that we are voting for “savings” which is a bizarre situation. The District pads costs in the bond so that they can claim “savings” and build whatever they want to with the “excess” funds, and what they want to build is a Socialist United Nations International Baccalaureate school and a new stadium. Katy doesn’t need or want a Socialist school in our midst and those who want one need to move somewhere else and ply their wares there.

We don’t need a new stadium because the UIL recently zoned Spring Branch schools with KISD schools, and so we have their stadium to use which takes the pressure off of Rhodes.

If there’s not an itemized bond, you can bet everything you own, that “saved” (read padded) funds will be used to build IB school(s) all over the place and probably a stadium that we don’t need yet.

The bottom line is they can’t build an IB school or a stadium if there’s an itemized bond, because with an itemized bond they are legally required to use the money only for what they asked in the bond referendum. And that’s the way it should be. School Boards that are honest and transparent itemize their bonds; those that aren’t, don’t.

The usual suspects from the edc and foundation hand picked to vest the districts with more debt for their special projects (we went to 1.5 billion this year). In FBISD they just elected another vendor who has a $30 million dollar project (district museum) waiting for the superintendent to push through. We elected someone else we also thought will speak up but he turned into a yes boy himself pretty fast (he is developing two faces as we speak). They keep cutting our services and raising our taxes too all the while paying Jenney 350K after laying off over 400 faculty and support staff so they can keep pushing the vendor projects.

All I can say is amazing that the public doesn’t know any better.

I am a Mom of current child at West Houston Charter School and one who graduated from 8th grade last year and is now in a private high school. My children were in private school before West Houston Charter school and I feel so lucky to be able to have (had) them in a classical public charter school with no tuition. I drive over 20 miles one way to get my children to school. We have had great teachers at WHCS. I just asked in the office what our enrollment is for next year and it is 325 with a waiting list of 120 so no, enrollment has not plummeted. I liked Mrs. Pickering a lot but I also like Mr. Johnson and I can’t imagine him being anyone’s “puppet”. Google his name and you can see his credentials and know why he was hired. The school board president is not David Dwyer as stated in the InstantNewsKaty article, Lucina Botand is, who I deeply respect having know her from another school. InstanNewsKaty should have said David Dwyers was the past president at the risk of being accurate. By the way this information is on the West Houston Charter School website. Regina Argueta-Misra and Donelle Hamilton are also board members who came on after Mrs. Pickering left. They are both wonderful and volunteered innumerable hours to West Houston Charter School before joining the board. Our school board does have a tough job of trying to create a budget but so does every other school district. Google HISD budget and you’ll see for example that April 21st, 2010 Channel 13 reported:
HOUSTON (KTRK) — Houston ISD’s classrooms are expected to run on a leaner budget, as more than 400 jobs, including 99 teaching positions, already have been cut.
On June 20th, 2010 the Houston Chronicle Fort Bend section reported the FBISD budget for 2010-2011 is 18.1 million dollars smaller than this past year which was made possible by “belt-tightening strategies including layoffs” .
I truly believe vs. “allege” that West Houston Charter School offers our children a great classical education with great teacher to student ratios and that it will only get better under the guidance of Mr. Johnson.
Sincerely,
Julie Deshotels Soldano

This school has had a long and troubled history. It has a lot of debt and has to struggle to work around it. The problem with this article and the “insider” commenting on it — the debt precedes everyone currently involved at the school. It is true that Jean Pickering’s charismatic energy helped turn the school’s enrollment around — but it is also true that the school has maintained high enrollment since she left. I loved (and miss) Mrs. Pickering’s energy and leadership, but she was also rather combative. Picking on the school board is getting to be old news. Jean couldn’t get along with the board, the board changed personnel (including many people she personally asked to join the board) and she couldn’t get along with THAT board, either. I doubt there is a board anywhere that she could work with.

I have worked on some board committees and I have never heard any board members or school staff talk about special needs students in a derogatory or dismissive way. If a board member’s spouse did speak out of turn that is regrettable but doesn’t represent the entire school or school community.

This school and its board has done a great job even in the face of financial worries that predate everyone currently at the school. So let’s stop picking on them, and wish them luck instead.

And here’s another great quote from Mr. Henry: “This is not a wish list; they are truly legitimate needs. At the end of the day it will be something everybody may not like but something everybody can support.” Really, Mr. Henry?? Is the new stadium part of the planned initiative? I would say if it is then I think his characterization of this bond being “legitimate” may be called into question. And how many new schools are planned when many of our current schools are under capacity? How many new schools are being proposed so that our Board can avoid the nasty business of rezoning? Mr. Henry, “legitimate needs” of the students and taxpayers or the “legitimate needs” of the district? Mr. Henry claims that he asked the “toughest questions”. Mr. Henry, did you ask why the district doesn’t itemize bond initiatives on the ballot so that the taxpayers can decide what is needed and what is not needed? Did you ask why the taxpayers of this community should give this district more money when they can’t even balance their yearly school budget? Did you ask why no educators were sitting on the committee? Did you ask why the committee is so stacked with members that have a vested interest in seeing that all bond initiatives pass?

A bond that “everybody can support” – well this is one taxpayer that won’t be supporting any bond this November. This is one taxpayer that will be voting NO to any new taxes! I am sick and tired of this district passing the hat when their own financial house is in chaos. I’m sick and tired of an immature and impotent Board that represents no one but themselves and the selfish needs of this district. I am sick and tired of a bobble-headed Board that functions as a rubber stamp for a Superintendent and his fiefdom. I am sick and tired of being overtaxed without proper and competent representation. I am sick and tired of this district’s liberal tax and spend agenda. But most of all I am sick and tired of these bond committees being stacked with people that either have clear conflicts of interest and/or people that think this district can do no wrong. “Let them eat cake”; right Mr. Henry?

JUST SAY NO TO THE KISD TAX BOND IN NOVEMBER!!!

The purpose of the committee is to decide IF we need a bond, and supposedly what is included in the bond.

Anne Marie Barrios is a two time member of a bond committee having served on the last one. Evidently she performed admirably and is back. Her claim to fame is that she’s been a member of the Katy Area PTA Council which means she’s been the president of a PTA somewhere.

Mary Carroll Benson is a new participant, but her husband, Kyle, was on the 2006 Bond Committee, so I’m guessing the whole family would pass muster, and it doesn’t really matter which one of them serves.

Jack Black is also a new participant. I’m guessing he isn’t THE Jack Black, and with that name, it’s hard to find anything about him.

Eric Bruchas is with Exxon Mobil Corporation. All board committees will always have an Exxon Mobil manager aboard. In case you forgot, Exxon Mobil is a member of the Business Roundtable, the group that helped foster the decline of public education through their “Restructured Education” initiative in the 1990’s when their members decided they needed a lot of dumbed down workers who would not want high wages. The government takes care of BRT companies (http://www.businessroundtable.org/about/members).

Robert Carpenter is an editor of an oil and gas journal, but that has nothing to do with his acceptability on this committee. Mr. Carpenter, who had children in the fine arts program, helped deliver the votes to pass a previous bond that included building all the theaters (the bond wouldn’t have passed without his help.) The District has been grateful ever since, and he has been on two previous bond committees.

Susan Comensanas is a parent volunteer at Cinco Ranch High School who has a son who is a swimmer.

Jose Delgadillo was a member of the Leadership Katy ISD group that exists to curry favor from community residents about school matters. Mr. Delgadillo posted a perfect attendance record for that group in 2008.

Scott Doyle has also been a member of Leadership Katy ISD, but I couldn’t find that he had also posted a perfect attendance record. In a good move by the superintendent, he placed his wife, Anissa Frailey, in this same group. I’m sure she has a keen eye for detecting those who might support a bond referendum and was willing to pass along that information to her husband.

A. J. Duranni is a Democrat precinct worker and sent around an email notice of the Katy Democrat Party’s endorsement of Joe Adams and Rebecca Fox, who were running for the school board last spring. Mr. Duranni is also an unsuccessful Katy ISD school board candidate (two times). He also served on the 2006 Bond Committee.

Tim Fromm was a member of the 2006 Bond Committee. He is listed on the Internet as a swimming pool builder in Brookshire, Texas (http://www.zipperpages.com/find/Swimming-Pools-in/BrookshireTX.html).

Robert Garza was a member of the 2006 Bond Committee and is a perennial supporter of the school district. He is a psychiatrist at Baylor College of Medicine.

Tommy Harrison is a dentist who practices in the Katy Area. He has been on four previous bond committees and often acts as the spokesman for the committee, a role he apparently enjoys. He’s also good at giving quotes to local newspapers to the effect that if we don’t pass the bond, bad things will happen to Katy students. Dr. Harrison’s wife, Mary Sue Harrison, is a practicing audiologist in Katy. Dr. Harrison hasn’t always been so supportive of Katy public schools. Before he got involved with bond committees he, and his former dental partner Gary Garrison, sponsored a speaker on Education, Dr. Don Petry, who was the former President of CBN University (Christian Broadcasting Network), a Consultant to the International Christian Accrediting Association, and was on the program with speakers from Faith West Academy, Northwest Academy, Academy Hall, West Houston Home School Association and the Encourager Academy. The subject of the speech was “Are Private Schools An Alternative for Your Children?” Other sponsors included Mac Haik Chevrolet, Southern Vintage Homes by Hennessee, John Hamm Plumbing, Co., R. W. Rifley Residential Contractor, Dan Krock, C. P. A, G. Russell Edwards, M. D., Technical Laboratory Systems, Inc, John Cartwright, C. P. A.,Chapin’s Jewelers, Katy Vacuum, Sewing & Janitorial Supply, QUAD Transport, All Good Things, R. L. Miller Contractors, Rick Hammond, D. D. S, and Republic Management. A “Valu-Pak“ from the sponsors was provided to all the Attendees. (Source: advertisement in the Katy Times)

Tony Henny is in the custom home business. He is with O’Malley Homes which is developing a new subdivision, Westland, in Old Katy.

Greg Henry served on the 2006 bond committee. He is the President and CEO of XperNet Services, Inc. which is a computer networking services member, and he is a member of the Seven Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club.

Kathy Hooper has also been a member of the Leadership Katy ISD program and currently serves on the Board of the Seven Lakes PTSA with Ann Marie Barrios, a previously listed Bond Committee member.

Gary Jones will be serving on his fourth bond committee. He is the owner of Gary Jones ReMax Cinco Ranch Realty, and has been a Contributor to the Pro Bond KIDS PAC in past bond referendums.

Jerry Kroll is a State Farm Insurance Company agent. He was once a Texas All State high school basketball player and friend of former Katy Superintendent Hugh Hayes. They were friends when they were both administrators in Spring Branch ISD. Mr. Kroll ran against me when I ran for my second term on the Katy school board, and I beat him heads-up 1,598 to 1,272. (That was in the days when the superintendent only had 1000 votes in his pocket instead of 2000.) Recall that State Farm is one of those Business Roundtable companies, so the more of their representatives that get involved, the better for the school district. After the election that he lost, Mr. Kroll reportedly sent his children to school in Spring Branch where his wife was a teacher. I’ve often wondered why Mr. Kroll doesn’t get himself on Spring Branch ISD board committees.

Frank Lombard is the Vice President of the Katy Area Economic Development Council/Corporation. He served on the 2006 Bond Committee. The KAEDC seeks to improve business opportunities for its members. Go here to see who the members are:
http://www.katyedc.org/node/444 Among the members of the KAEDC governing board is Superintendent Alton Frailey.

Gus (Gustavo) Lucas and his wife Jana were listed in a political newspaper advertisement endorsement for Katy School Board Member Chris Crockett. I guess that’s enough to get one on an important school board committee.

Vince McDermott Anyone know why he’s on this committee?

Wayne Meyer has served on two previous bond committees. He is the General Manager of the Firethorne Subdivision and is a member of the Katy Area Economic Development Council.

Jack Moller served on the 2006 Bond Committee. Mr. Moller is a retired physical education teacher, school administrator and principal from Florida who “retired to Katy to be near his daughter.”

Margaret Needham is a Katy High School parent with a son on the Katy High School football team.

Kim Sheehan Anyone know why she’s on the committee?

Kathy Shelden is the Banking Center President at Prosperity Bank in the Cinco Ranch Banking Center.

Joseph D. Joe Simmons is the President of the Brazos Valley Teachers Credit Union. He served on the 2006 Bond committee.

Stephanie Unger is the president of the Wood Creek Junior High PTA. She has been a member of Leadership Katy ISD.

Terri Yanoviak is the current president of the Katy Council of PTA’s.

Tess Zimmerman is serving on her third bond committee. She has been an officer of the PTA and is a past president of the Katy Area PTA Council. She was also an unsuccessful Katy ISD School Board Candidate.

So much for diversity. So much for unbiased opinions. So much for doing what’s best for the students!

And where are the people who truly understand educational issues including curriculum, or anything at all about education? These buildings and projects that we MUST have are related to education, yes?

Anyone besides me think it’s unconscionable for those with a vested interest, who stand to make mega bucks from the passage of this bond, to serve on this committee? They should all look in to the practice of recusal.

And since all of us, not just the folks in the East End, get to pay for this Socialist intrusion into our midst, and make no mistake, an IB school is a progressivist/liberal endeavor, why weren’t ALL of us asked for our opinion?

I can answer my own question. The matter wasn’t brought before the public in a public way because the school district is trying to slip this one in under the radar. They know that if the public knew what an IB school is, they would be outraged. Go to http://www.truthaboutib.com if you want to know the facts for yourself.

I applaud those members of the (third) bond committee who questioned their purpose in being on the committee to “decide” matters when Mr. Frailey told them the IB school was already a done deal.

Actually, it isn’t “done” until there is funding, so if the bond committee decides not to put it on that bond referendum, or if the public votes down the bond referendum, the board can vote to have it all they want, and it won’t happen.

Those are the facts. Where is the public outrage?

Similar shenanigans have occurred in Monticello, NY, where the Superintendent is forcing the IB PYP into all of the elementary schools and where one of the neighborhood schools was shut down due to a claimed “low enrollment”. Once the remaining two elementary schools are authorized by IBO, parents will have no choice to send their children to a school that has not been taken over by this globalist indoctrination “framework”.

There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the IB PYP will draw more students to a school. In fact, quite the opposite is happening. I know of parents in Arkansas, Texas, Idaho and Nevada who have pulled their children from their local public IB PYP in order to homeschool or enroll them in private schools.

Investing hundreds of thousands of dollars for the IB application, fees and teacher training is a waste of taxpayer dollars. Where is your American ingenuity? You don’t need some Swiss/UN organization to control your public schools. Invest those taxdollars in an elementary science teacher, smaller class sizes, library resources, teaching assistants, enrich your arts, upgrade communications, provide more after school programs, etc, etc. Use some common sense and invest wisely instead of falling prey to IBO’s slick marketing.

http://truthaboutib.com/

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/removeibfrompubliceducation/