VETERANS’ DAY ACTIVITIES We have attached an invitation to board members to attend a Veterans’ DElementary. There are also a number of other special programs schedulehonor our veterans. We have also attached a list of the other activities ofpresentations are always some of the most heart-rendering performancespossibly squeeze one or more of the programs into your schedule, I knowuplifted by your attendance at such events. I plan to personally attend asUnfortunately, there is one program scheduled on the same night as our bscheduled on Thursday when I will be at the Commissioner’s Cabinet inmake programs at Ridgewood, Groves Elementary, and Woodcrest (@ cInvitation for program at GE, List of other Veterans’ Day Programs

BOND PREPARATION Perhaps one of the principals at the meeting this week stated it best whenhave really shortchanged ourselves in this community.” He was referrinrecently visited the new facilities of other school districts and he felt thatmodeling that we did in our schools simply did not compare to the new fconstructed in other districts. I agree with his assessment, but it will be dnow in which we have sunk significant dollars for renovation and repair.that the demolition and construction of new buildings would still be the bfacilities, I am equally convinced that we could not sell such a propositiothe fact that we have old buildings that we cannot afford to abandon or dbest repairs and renovation possible to prepare an adequate environment We have spent considerable time in the past week discussing our needs abond proposal. We have discussed this issue in our weekly cabinet meetprincipals’ meeting. I am attaching a copy of the minutes from the Princreview. You will note that I have scheduled meetings with all faculty beconcluding on December 10, 2003. With the exception of the high schoocombine at these meetings so that I can speak to our employees more effthem on board in support of a bond proposal at the beginning of our effotalk to the support staff in the near future as well. I have enclosed for yoof the letter that was sent to each bond nominee. We are also attaching f

November 7, 2003

—

“The Dallas Independent School Districdistricts is in a subtraction mo e as we budget. We simply have no r ources wDr. Mike Moses testifying to legislative

t along with many other school begin preparing for next year’s ith which to add to our budget.”

committee this week.

des

ay Program at Groves d throughout the district to which we are aware. These by our students. If you can you will be blessed and many programs as possible. oard meeting and another is

Austin. However, I plan to emetery). (ATTACHED: )

he said, “I am afraid that we g to the fact that he has the renovation and re-acilities that have been ifficult to abandon buildings

Even though I am convinced est solution for most of our n among our voters. Given emolish, we must make the for the generations to come.

s we prepare for a possible ing and also in our monthly ipals’ Meeting for your ginning on November 19 and l, we have asked faculties to

iciently and hopefully, get rts. I also will make plans to ur review a copy of a sample or your review a copy of the

bond committee that you generated with your nominations. There are two people on the committee whom I placed on the committee as a result of their perceived influence in the community or their expertise and knowledge, or their experience. There will probably be others added to the committee before we are through. For example, I have asked Lani and Jay to work with the PTA Area Council to get a parent representative to serve on the district level committee as well. (ATTACHED: Copy of Minutes of Principals’ Meeting and Copy of Bond Exploration Committee List, and copy of sample of letter sent to Bond Committee Nominees)

INDOOR AIR QUALITY CONCERNS I knew when I saw all that water in the high school a couple of weeks ago that we would likely begin to receive complaints about air quality. Frank met with Roy Esquivel this week to discuss complaints that Roy has received in recent days. Frank will visit with each teacher who lodged a complaint and will request that they keep a two-day diary for his records and he will also set up a testing machine to evaluate the air quality in each classroom. The 1974 model air coils in parts of the high school are inefficient and ineffective in addressing the needs of the high school. This is an example of the extreme needs that should drive a potential bond proposal for May of 2004.

NON-CERTIFIED PERSONNEL CHANGES Please find attached a copy of a memo from Jay Martin regarding the selection of Jeannie Adams as the secretary for Frank Wilson in the maintenance department. Jeannie was a strong member of our team at the administration building and we hate to lose her. However, I am glad for her that she was able to acquire this position and benefit from the promotion that it represents. As I have mentioned previously, it is always nice when we can promote from within to fill positions in our district and this is another example of our efforts to give first consideration to qualified candidates from within the district. As is our customary practice when employees leave a particular position, Mr. Martin has reviewed and revised the job description for the position. You will note that Mr. Martin has recommended to me that we upgrade the position to a Job Grade 3 and redirect the position somewhat by naming it the Transportation Secretary. It appears that this is a much needed revision and I have given my approval of the proposed changes. We are now posting the new position and hope to fill it in the near future. Again, we will be seeking qualified individuals from within the district, however, our first priority is to select the BEST individual regardless of where they live or come from. We have also provided for your information a copy of the Job Grade Classification Table, and a copy of the job posting. In addition, please find attached a copy of a letter from Mr. Martin in which he informed me that Karl Manuel resigned from our maintenance department last week. In reviewing this position and considering the payroll savings achieved with the selection of a new maintenance secretary, Frank Wilson has recommended that we fill the position with two grassmower positions beginning at the rate of $10 per hour. As you know, we have hurt the maintenance department with previous personnel reductions and they are really struggling to keep the grass mowed and the outside of our buildings clean. Therefore, I have approved this proposal as well. We have also attached a copy of the job postings for these two positions. I hope that we are able to attract some quality applicants for these positions and I am confident that Mr. Wilson will screen the applicants carefully before making his

decision on who will be selected for these positions. We will keep you informed of our progress in filling these positions. (ATTACHED: Copy of memos from Jay Martin dated October 30, 2003 and November 4, 2003, Copy of Job Postings for Transportation Secretary and 2 grassmowers).

CTA “CONCERNS” I received a request from Mrs. Lower this week to be placed on the agenda of the board meeting for the purpose of presenting CTA “Concerns.” As you may recall, I asked CTA to change the format of this activity about two years ago. After sitting through a presentation at a board meeting of a long laundry list of “concerns,” many of which were inaccurate or invalid, and many of which should have been handled through other appropriate district channels and processes, and very few concerns that actually rose to the level of board consideration, I asked CTA to change their format. I have again asked Ms. Lower to follow district policy for the presentation of concerns. I have asked her to present her concerns in writing and personally to our administrative forum. If past experience holds true, we will find many of the concerns to be misperceptions and misconceptions on the part of those who submit them. However, after screening and clarification of the issues through an administrative forum, I have invited CTA to address the Board with any item that has not been addressed or has been inadequately addressed. I have provided a copy of my letter to Ms. Lower for your review as well as a copy of the letter I wrote to Ms. Lege several years ago. (ATTACHED: Copy of correspondence to Ms. Kay Lower)

Port Neches-Groves ISD BOARD SPONSORED GUMBO DINNER I am not aware of whether or not all board members have been informed of an upcoming Gumbo Dinner being sponsored by the Board. In case you are not aware, I have provided a copy of a flyer that was prepared for this purpose. If you have any questions, please contact Darren. (ATTACHED: Copy of Gumbo Dinner Flyer)

STAPH INFECTIONS You may have been reading about the increasing number of staph infections that are being sustained by young athletes. I have read several articles about this issue, one of which is attached to the letter I have written to our coaches and high school principal. I have asked the responsible parties to ensure the cleanest conditions and to be sure that appropriate sanitation is occurring in our athletic areas. (ATTACHED: Copy of memo to athletic administrators, copy of article dated November 1, 2003 from The Houston Chronicle)

LAWSUIT INFORMATION I have attached a couple of articles that tell the current story of our lawsuit. The first article comes from The Paris News and is dated November 3, 2003 and the article from The Tyler Morning Telegraph which is dated November 1, 2003. (ATTACHED: Copy of article from The Paris News, dated November 3, 2003, and copy of article from The Tyler Morning Telegraph dated November 1, 2003)

PLAYOFF NEWS Our girls’ volleyball team played a tough Foster team on Tuesday and, by virtue of their win, advanced to the next level. They will be playing Brenham on Saturday (November 8, 2003) at 3:00 p.m. at North Shore. Our football team will be advancing in the playoffs regardless of the outcome of the Friday night game. Therefore, Coach Burnett will be meeting with opposing team coaches on Saturday to determine the particulars of the next playoff game. Even though it represents a slight change from our past protocol, Sue Capedonna has asked that she be allowed to sell general admission tickets to anyone and everyone beginning next Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m. She indicated that season ticket holders will probably gripe that they did not have an opportunity to buy tickets first. She is probably right and I could see a legitimate reason for giving season ticket holders a preference if the tickets were reserved seats. However, all seating is general admission and one can purchase the exact same ticket on Tuesday or Thursday or at the gate and still get general admission. In other words, there is no real benefit to having first shot at the tickets since they are all the same and there is a real benefit to our limited ticket-selling personnel if we do not provide a season ticket preference sale. I have approved Sue’s request for a single sale of general admission tickets beginning next Tuesday.

NEXT WEEK Next week, I plan to continue our bond preparation as Bonnie and I work to create a Powerpoint Presentation to use in communicating with our staff and with other patrons of the district. On Wednesday of next week, I will be presenting a program to the superintendents of Region V and I will be leaving for Austin immediately after the presentation in order to attend a meeting of the Commissioner’s Cabinet on Thursday. I plan to return from Austin Thursday night.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

GO INDIANS!

GO ROCKANOOS!

ON TO STATE

~ a t aI /

!i ~ C}~de mU6 ic 6tttden t6 un~ tile di'tedion oj.M1t6. fi>a uta ~ne6 aw

9> 'te6 ent

Patriotic Programs

Groves Elementary (auditorium) 11/10 @ 10 a.m. (school performance) & 7 p.m. (parent performance) Ridgewood (cafeteria) 11/10 @ 6 p.m. 11/11 @ 9 a.m. Woodcrest (gym) 11/11 - 8:45 a.m. & 6 p.m. 3rd grade will perform @ Oak Bluff Ceremony @ 11 a.m. on 11/11 Port Neches Elementary (high school auditorium) 11/11 @ 7 p.m. Taft (Groves Elementary auditorium) 11/13 @ 6:30 p.m.

Minutes of Staff Leadership Meeting November 5, 2003 9 a.m. - West Groves Education Center

Present: Doak Lamb Sara Jo Murphy Roy Esquivel Jimmy Creel David Guidry Stacey Arnold Lani Randall Lane Emmett Sammy LaRue Charlie Wallace Renée Wells Cheryl Hernandez David Jones Cheryl Hernandez Billy Curl Frank Wilson Jay Martin Absent: Suzanne Mondey

Bond Proposal Dr. Creel explained that a combination of low interest rates, decreasing tax rates, and increasing property values as well as our Chapter 41 status, make this an ideal time to pursue a bond. There are maintenance needs at every building that include items that were identified but not addressed during the last bond. He stressed that we will do everything we can to meet the most critical needs and to communicate ahead of time what will be done. Principals were given the following instructions: Make a list of the needs (not wants) at your campus (get input from as many different people on

your campus as possible) o Prioritize the list o Items from the list that Frank has already compiled for each campus should also be

included if you agree they are needs o As you prepare the list, try to think of what would best serve the staff and students in years

to come o Send the list to Frank Wilson and Dr. Creel before the Thanksgiving holidays

Once you have established your list, you will need to ask your staff to elect two campus representatives (not to include the principal) to meet with representatives from other campuses.

o This campus committee will be asked to compile and prioritize a district needs list for submission to the bond exploration committee.

o Information regarding this meeting will be forthcoming. Dr. Creel scheduled the following meetings to provide bond information to employees: November 19 @ 3:45 at Groves Elementary Auditorium: Groves Elementary, Groves Middle, Van Buren, Taft & West Groves Ed. Center December 3 @ 3:45 at Pt. Neches Elementary Auditorium: Pt. Neches Elementary, Pt. Neches Middle, Ridgewood, Woodcrest, & Alternative Center December 10 @ 3:15 at the High School LGI room – high school staff

Dr. Creel’s presentation will last approximately 30 minutes and there will be a Q&A time at the end. Separate meetings will be scheduled for maintenance, transportation & food service employees. If the Board decides to call a Bond election, the election would be May 15, 2004.

School Board Appreciation Month: Jan. 2004 Board members especially enjoy getting recognition from students. Please ask someone on your campus to use a digital camera to video a short clip (a minute or less) of students and/or teachers communicating their appreciation and then e-mail the clip to Lynne James. If you don’t have anyone on your campus who knows how to do this, please contact Lynne and she will make arrangements for someone to help you. Lynne will combine the clips for a presentation that will be shown at the January 13, 2004, Board meeting. Board member will be invited to a “Board Appreciation” supper @ 5:30 p.m. prior to the January Board meeting. All principals are asked to join this celebration. Lane Emmett has volunteered to prepare the meal. Circus Tickets

Each K-8 principal was given tickets for a circus on November 23 @ the entertainment complex. The tickets were provided by BASF as part of their “Celebrate Success” student initiative program. It is up to the discretion of each principal as to how students can earn tickets or how the tickets will be distributed on each campus. Christmas Activities Dr. Creel reminded principals of the following: Student-created Christmas cards are due Friday, Nov. 7 in the superintendent’s office Student-created Christmas ornaments are due December 5 in Dr. Randall’s office Christmas Open House is December 9 @ the high school cafeteria, 5-7 p.m. Dr. Randall is working with the campuses to schedule groups to perform during the open house. Service Awards/Retirement Reception The district’s service awards/retirement reception is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11, 2004 @ the high school cafeteria and auditorium. Once you know who is planning to retire, please try to get pictures of them that we can use in a PowerPoint.

Leadership Lesson At the October staff meeting, principals were asked to read chapter 5 from the book titled Teaching Tools for the 21st Century before the November staff meeting. Dr. Creel stressed the importance of instructional leaders being aware of multiple intelligences. Principals should take time to find out what kinds of things teachers are doing to address different learning styles. Kids do learn in different ways and they have different strengths and it is important that we address them. We shouldn’t assume that a student will always be the way he is today…intelligence can be cultivated. District/Campus Security Training Dr. Randall shared information from a recent crisis workshop she attended. The training included identifying bullies and gangs, how to behave in a hostage situation, how to respond in the event of a biological or chemical attack, and how to recognize youthful offenders who may be contemplating a serious act such as a school shooting. She also showed an example of a small flip chart that could be posted in every classroom that would provide a campus map, instructions for sheltering in place and what to do during a building evacuation. This information could be very important for substitutes or if the PA system isn’t working. In order to provide more in-depth information from this workshop, Dr. Randall will provide a half day of training for principals on December 11 beginning @ 8:30 a.m. in the staff meeting conference room. Billy Curl was the only principal who indicated a conflict with this date.

November 5, 2003 Page 2 of 4

Lane Emmett provided each campus a video that provides the latest information regarding shelter in place procedures.

LPAC Certification Dr. Randall provided certificates that principals need to submit to her office for their LPAC members who have completed the required training. Reviewing the nine steps for implementing a bilingual education and/or English as a second language program will meet the training requirement. The ESL parent representative on the committee can’t be a district employee. An ESL parent can serve the LPAC for more than one campus. Including English, there are 12 languages in the district. Jan. 19 Staff Development Dr. Randall asked for input so she can begin planning for the January 19 staff development day. The following was noted: Brenda Duhon is willing to develop a ½ day of technology training. Middle school social studies curriculum writing could be addressed on this day. K-5 Title teachers would like to be able to meet together. Resource teachers would like to be able to meet together. Kindergarten and PK teachers could meet together so that kindergarten teachers can see the new curriculum the PK teachers are using. Cheryl Allan does an excellent presentation on content mastery & modifications for regular education teachers. Dr. Randall will see if she is available. Dr. Randall will check with Suzanne Mondey to see who needs a CPI refresher course. Please poll your faculty to see if any of your staff got their CPI at Region 5. These individuals may not be on Suzanne’s list. 3-Year Appraisal Schedule Dr. Randall reviewed the administrative guidelines that will be used for establishing groups for the new teacher appraisal cycle. The Board will be asked to consider approval of the second reading and final approval of DNA(LOCAL) that addresses the proposed appraisal policy changes. Mr. Martin explained that the new law doesn’t address the appraisal requirements for counselors, librarians, nurses and diagnosticians. He is researching the requirements for these employees and his findings will be included in the administrative guidelines. Mr. Martin will also find out if the district can change the appraisal schedule for secretaries and clerks. Dr. Randall will also add a statement to the guidelines to clarify that the teacher or principal can request an appraisal at any time during the schedule. After the policy receives approval at the Nov. 11 Board meeting, each principal will receive a copy of the policy, the administrative guidelines, and a form that each teacher will sign as acknowledgement of their understanding of the appraisal cycle and their placement on the cycle. After your groups are established, please send Mr. Martin a roster of your groups.

Miscellaneous Information The traveling ESL teacher who is assigned to the high school is resigning and we need someone to fill this position after the Christmas holidays. It would be helpful to have someone with certification in secondary and elementary.

Dr. Randall provided principals with documents that need to be included at the back of their campus improvement plan and it will also be included at the back of the district improvement plan.

November 5, 2003 Page 3 of 4

Dr. Randall is working with Dale Fontenot to have core curriculum documents for the Reg. 5 coop placed on the server for teacher access.

Brenda Duhon is in the process of working towards providing the WebCCat system for teachers. It costs 75 cents a student and allows teachers to create tests that are comparable to the TAKS.

Dr. Randall reviewed a chart based on research that shows that beginning in the second grade students aren’t being taught on grade level. She stressed the important of teachers looking at the TEKS to be sure they are teaching on grade level. Many times the assignments we spend valuable time on are below grade level.

Principals were urged to read the memo from TEA regarding the NCLB Bulletin that addresses the state definition of highly qualified teachers.

If you want to send more than one person to the TCEA conference, contact Dr. Randall if you need help with funding. She stated that it isn’t a problem if the principal chooses to send an aide to TCEA.

This is the last year that teachers who are interested in becoming ESL certified, will have the option to take the old ESL EXCET test or the new one. Only certified teachers are eligible to take the test. Teachers who take the test should do so with the understanding that there may not be district funds to pay for their testing as there was last year. Mr. Martin will check to see if funds are available and he will also check with Region 5 to see if they are offering a one-day refresher course for the test. Teachers have until June 26 to take the test.

The calendar waiver we are asking the Board to approve next week may not be used if results of the teacher survey indicate that we don’t need to request an early start date.

The meeting ended at 12:10 p.m. Minutes submitted by: Bonnie Jennings

Next Staff Meeting:

Wednesday, December 3 @ 9 a.m.

November 5, 2003 Page 4 of 4

LNAME FNAME E-mail Address City Home Phone Work Phone

Bond Exploration Committee

Nominated byArnold Joe joe@arnoldconsultants.com 3166 Gardendale Port Neches 724-0877 729-1110 At-Large

(Chairman)

Bailey Brad PO Box 846 Groves 960-5773 McCutcheon

Belaire Gaynelle 330 Nugent Dr. Port Neches 721-6591 Hawkins

Bost Brian 5230 Brigitte Groves 962-1001 Holder

Bowser Jack 6560 Coolidge Groves 962-2919 Brown

Broussard Carol 2624 Hugh Ann Port Neches 722-0772 Hawkins

Brown Jackie 3575 Cleveland Groves 962-6298 Brown

Colvin Clark PO Box 847 Port Neches 723-3363 At-Large

Devillier John 6249 Capitol Groves 962-1512 Holder

Dungan J.W. jwdsrl@aol.com 2729 River Oaks Port Neches 722-8486 Brown

Fiorenza Mark 2025 14th St. Port Neches 722-4332 838-3771 x. 1 - 687 Westbrook

Green James 4539 Gulf Ave. Groves 963-0370 Deaton

Hollier Veva 2225 12th St. Port Neches 727-4064 Westbrook

Johnson Glenn 634 Ave. C Port Neches 727-2182 At-Large

Judice Rauline 6948 Willow Groves 962-0802 Deaton

1 11/7/2003

LNAME FNAME E-mail Address City Home Phone Work Phone

Bond Exploration Committee

Nominated byMcReynolds Steve 305 King Arthur Port Neches 721-5067 Brittain

Parker Lana laparker@esc5.net 6821 32nd St. Groves 962-6134 962-2262 Deaton

Powell Les 6320 25th St. Groves 963-0373 Brittain

Provost Ricky 2617 Miller Port Neches 724-1860 722-8317 Westbrook

Rozelle Terry 211 CambridgeCircle

Port Neches 722-0261 726-2419 At-Large

Runnels Robert robert.runnels@philpottmotors.com

1711 Hebert WoodsDr.

Port Neches 724-2510 727-1451 Brown

Sosa D.E. dsosa@tt.rr.com PO Box 846 Groves 960-5773 McCutcheon

Viator Mark viatorm@basf.com PO Box 2506 Port Arthur 989-5900 McCutcheon

Wilson John 7150 Willow Oak Dr. Groves 962-1325 Hawkins

Worley Joe 6654 Jefferson Groves 962-3435 Holder

2 11/7/2003

November 3, 2003 (NAME AND ADDRESS) Dear (NAME), You have been nominated to serve as a member of a Community Bond Exploration committee for the Port Neches-Groves ISD. The committee will be charged with the responsibility of studying the current facility and long-term capital expenditure needs of Port Neches-Groves ISD in an effort to develop a recommendation to be presented to the Board of Trustees. The responsibilities of the committee will include the following: • Develop a current needs analysis for the district • Prioritize the needs analysis • Establish cost estimates for the identified needs • Study the financial and tax implications of any bond proposal • Develop and present a recommendation to the Board of Trustees • Assist in the promotion of any bond proposal recommended by the committee and

approved by the Board of Trustees The work of the 1994-1995 Facility Study Task Force has provided the foundation for our current initiative. We know, for example, that there are approximately $20 million in facility needs from the 1995 Bond that were not addressed. This list of unaddressed needs will provide the starting point for our evaluation. In addition, I have asked each principal to facilitate an update to the list of needs from each campus and each facility in the district. This information will be provided to the committee. In an effort to maximize the efficiency of the Community Bond Exploration Committee, I have asked Mr. Joe Arnold to serve as the chairman of the committee and he has graciously agreed to do so. Joe brings experience from the previous bond committee as well as experience in other public initiatives and economic development projects. I am enclosing for your review a copy of the list of patrons who have been nominated to serve in this capacity. Certainly, as the work of the committee progresses, there may be other individuals who will join the committee in order to provide expertise or experience that may be of benefit in making critical decisions.

The first meeting of the Community Bond Exploration Committee is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, 2003, at the Port Neches-Groves ISD Board of Trustees Meeting Room. At that time, we will present an overview of the current conditions and needs and establish calendars for future meetings as well as discuss the structure of the committee. I hope you will make plans to attend this very important meeting. We look forward to working together to make decisions that will determine the condition of our learning environment for future Indians. If you are unable to attend this first meeting, please do not be discouraged from participating on the committee. If you have a conflict that precludes your participation in this first meeting, we will be happy to notify you of the next meeting date and time. Thank you for caring enough about your school district to agree to serve on this committee. I am confident that we can identify the needs of our district, establish appropriate cost parameters, and generate a recommendation that the Board of Trustees will use in making their own decision to call a bond election if such an election is appropriate. Please be aware that the Board of Trustees maintains absolute authority to call an election and to set the parameters of the proposal. While it is not likely that the Board will deviate significantly from the recommendation of the committee, it is possible that any proposed bond issue may not reflect the exact recommendation of the committee if the Board determines that such deviations are in the best interest of the district. I look forward to working with you on this project. Please do not hesitate to call me or any member of our administrative staff if you have questions or if you seek clarification regarding a potential bond proposal for Port Neches-Groves ISD. Please mark your calendars and plan to be present on Thursday, November 20, 2003, at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Meeting Room at 5840 West Jefferson in Groves. If you are unable to attend the first meeting, or if you have chosen not to participate as a member of this committee, please notify my secretary, Mrs. Bonnie Jennings. Mrs. Jennings can be reached by phone at 722-4244 x. 22 or by e-mail at bjennings@esc5.net. Respectfully, Jimmy Creel c: Board of Trustees Update, November 7, 2003

Port Neches-Groves ISD Personnel Office

620 Avenue C Port Neches, TX 77651

409.722.1689

Memo To: Dr. Jimmy Creel, Superintendent

From: J. Martin, Assistant Superintendent

Date: October 30, 2003

Re: Receptionist Position at Admin. Building

As you know we have just filled the Maintenance Secretary position with a promotion of Jeannie Adams who has been at the Administration Building. Since this left her position open, I have gone through the process of reviewing and revising the job description with Lane Emmett and Cheryl Hernandez to determine how best to replace the position. Reviewing the position is in keeping with our personnel policies and practices whenever a position becomes open.

In reviewing Jeannie’s position we brought her to the administration building in August 98 as a Job Grade 1 at 204 days. In July 99 we reviewed the job and upgraded it to a Job Grade 2 at 226 days because of the responsibilities of the job. In July 03, Jeannie requested a job upgrade and after reviewing the position and going through the budget process, we added four days to her work year to make it a 230 day position. I told her at that time this was all I could do for the present but would review it throughout the year. She asked for the upgrade because of the added responsibilities that she had taken on with transportation.

In reviewing the position, it seems all jobs evolve over time with many assuming additional responsibilities. This is what has happened in this position. Lane is the only director that does not have a secretary designated to the position. Transportation alone would be a full time position because we have buses running all day long. It is not a morning and evening transportation system and with the number of drivers it takes constant monitoring. Since Lane has a variety of duties and responsibilities he is out of the office much of the time and someone has to make on the spot decisions. The transportation secretary can make most of those decisions once they learn the system. Add to this the other responsibilities of receptionist, selling tickets, getting sub drivers, scheduling vehicles for staff and field trips, all add up to a responsible position. This position is also the first contact for many patrons who call the district and we must have a knowledgeable person of the district who can answer and direct calls in a people friendly format.

It is my recommendation to upgrade the position to a Job Grade 3 and title it Transportation Secretary. I have attached a proposed job description and a job grade classification from the salary schedule book. If you have questions I have not answered, please contact me.

Thanks.

TABLE 1A Clerical/Technical Job Classification

Job Grade l Instructional Aide Library Clerk Special Education Aide Special Assignment Aide

Job Grade 2

Attendance Secretary Middle School Counselor Secretary Receptionist Receptionist/Clerk (Present classification) Clerk/Aide

Job Grade 3 High School Counselor Secretary Registrar Secretary, Coordinator of Student Activities Secretary, Food Service

Secretary, Transportation (proposed) Job Grade 4

Accounting Clerk Campus Secretary, Elementary Campus Secretary, Middle School Data Management Specialist Secretary, Business Office Secretary, Special Education Secretary, Curriculum Secretary, Maintenance

Job Grade 5

Campus Secretary, High School Employee Benefit Specialist Payroll Specialist

Job Grade 6

Administrative Secretary, Assistant Superintendent

Job Grade 7 Executive Secretary

Port Neches-Groves Independent School District

JOB TITLE: Transportation Secretary WAGE/HOURSTATUS: Nonexempt

REPORTS TO: Director of Transportation PAY GRADE: Clerical – 3 for 230 days DEPT./SCHOOL: Administration Building DATE REVISED: October 30, 2003

PRIMARY PURPOSE: Serves as receptionist for the Administration Building and secretary to Director of Transportation and Safety. QUALIFICATIONS: Education and/or Experience:

High School diploma or general education degree (GED) One to three years experience, preferably in public education environment

Eligible for state Paraprofessional Certification and Notary Public or such alternatives as may be acceptable to the district.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Answer telephones; respond to inquiries or routes calls to appropriate person. • Operate office machines. • Perform reception duties with the public and staff. • Prepare and follows-up on purchase orders for department’s vehicle operation and

supplies. • Prepare field trip forms for distribution to drivers. • Prepare attendance and payroll reports for mechanics. • Assist with transportation routes and keep them updated. • Maintain accurate files and records. • Transmit transportation information to schools, drivers and the public. • Receive and process work orders. • Assist in compiling pertinent data to prepare various required state and local reports. • Maintain physical and computerized departmental files on transportation issues. • Manage requests that fall within level of responsibility. • Input all supply and equipment purchase information in computer. • Hand out teacher and substitute applications. • Prepare all applications for handout. • Assist with weekly ticket sales during football season. • Welcome all visitors and handle their requests or refer them to appropriate personnel • Assist the personnel office in filing and routine functions as assigned. • Other duties as may be assigned.

Transportation Secretary

NECESSARY SKILLS:

• Ability to use a personal computer with database, spreadsheet and word-processing

software. • Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. • Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole

numbers, common fractions, and decimals. • Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs. • Proficient typing, keyboarding and file maintenance skills. • Knowledge of correct English usage, grammar, spelling and punctuation. • Ability to interact positively with school and community. • Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. • Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of

Education policies. • Have basic knowledge of streets in district. • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff and the

school community.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None

Equipment Used: Typewriter, computer, printer, copier, calculator and two-way radio system Working Conditions: Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:

Repetitive hand motions; prolonged use of computer. Ability to maintain emotional control under stress while performing multi-task operations.

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required. __________________________________________________________________________ Reviewed by Date __________________________________________________________________________ Approved by Date

Port Neches-Groves ISD Personnel Office

620 Avenue C Port Neches, TX 77651

409.722.1689

Memo To: Dr. Jimmy Creel, Superintendent

From: J. Martin, Assistant Superintendent

Date: November 4, 2003

Re: Requested Personnel Actions

As you know, Karl Manuel resigned last Friday to take a job in Louisiana. In talking with Frank about replacing the position, he has requested to hire two grass cutters to replace the one. The Maintenance Department has been working with less people because of the recent cutbacks in personnel and budget reduction actions the district has had to undergo in recent years. In my opinion we have asked the maintenance employees to “step up” because of the reductions and they have done so. However, that does not mean that additional hands are not needed for the variety of jobs they are called upon to do. With the money we are saving with Mrs. Green’s replacement and with Karl’s leaving, we can afford to hire two grass cutters with the money budgeted for this year. Because maintenance operates year round, I do not feel we can hire someone at the 230 days like we have in other positions. The maintenance and mechanic departments are exceptions to that rule because they are year round and it would be difficult to have some employees on different schedules. During the grass growing season, which is almost year round, and during the summers is when these departments need help the most. We also want to keep our campuses trimmed and in a manner that is both aesthetically pleasing and safe for our students and parents.

Therefore it is my recommendation to advertise for two grass cutters at a beginning rate of $10 per hour for 260 days. In keeping with the present compensation practices for the maintenance department there would be a 90 day probation period before they would earn vacation and paid holidays.

Attached find a job description and sample job posting. If you have any questions please call me.

Thanks.

1

PORT NECHES-GROVES INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT620 AVENUE C

PORT NECHE~ TEXAS 77651

Telephone: (409) 722-1689 Ext. 25 FAX: (409) 714-7452

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

DATE: November 4.2003

Position Title: General Laborer/Grounds KeeperLocation: Maintenance Department

Salary: Schedule for Job Grade MT -1Length of Work Year: 260 Days

POsmON SUMMARY: Perform maintenance of campus grounds, assist craftsmen on various projects asneeded.

QUALIFICA nONS: Must hold at least a high school diploma or GEDValid Texas driver's licenseor such alternatives as may be acceptable to the district

POsmON REQUIREMENTS. Ability to read, write and speak English. Ability to communicate effectively (verbally). Ability to operate power and hand tools. Ability to work independently

MAJOR RESPONSmll.lTIES AND DUTIES:. Mowing and detailing of campus grounds throughout the district. Assist skilled workers with repair and maintenance of district facilities, including

repairing woodwork; replacing electrical switches, fixtures, and motors; painting,repairing, and replacing plumbing fixtures and drainage systems; and replacingbroken glass. Perform maintenance and minor repairs

. Complete repairs as requested on work orders or by maintenance supervisor. Other duties as assigned.

APPUCA nON PROCEDURES: Submit district application toPersonnel OfficePort Neches-Groves ISD620 Avenue CPort Neches, TX 77651

APPUCA nON DEADLINE:

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Port Neches-Groves Independent School District JOB TITLE: General Laborer/Grounds Keeper WAGE/HOUR STATUS: Nonexempt REPORTS TO: Director of Maintenance PAY GRADE: MT - 1

DEPT./SCHOOL: Maintenance DATE REVISED: November 4, 2003

PRIMARY PURPOSE: Perform maintenance of campus grounds; assist craftsmen on various projects as needed. QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must hold at least a high school diploma or GED • Valid Texas driver’s license

Special Knowledge/Skills

• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions • Ability to read, write and speak and understand the English language • Ability to communicate effectively (verbally) • Ability to work independently and with other district employees

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Mowing and detailing of campus grounds throughout district. • Assist skilled workers with repair and maintenance of district facilities, including

repairing woodwork; replacing electrical switches, fixtures, and motors; painting, repairing, and replacing plumbing fixtures and drainage systems; and replacing broken glass.

• Perform maintenance and minor repairs. • Detect and report needed major repairs on building structures and their systems,

including lockers, furniture, and equipment. • Complete repairs as requested on work orders or by maintenance supervisor. • Assist with relocation of furnishings, such as desks, tables, chairs, file cabinets,

etc. • Move, install, assemble, and repair all school furniture and playground equipment

as needed. • Assist other crafts as the need occurs. • Other duties as assigned.

Driving

• Operate light truck to transport furniture and equipment throughout district.

General Laborer Safety

• Operate equipment and use tools following established safety procedures. • Follow established safety procedures and techniques to perform job duties

including lifting, climbing, etc. • Correct unsafe conditions in the area and report any conditions that are not

correctable to the supervisor immediately. • Maintain tools and equipment and perform preventive maintenance as required. • Must practice reliable and regular attendance.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES None

EQUIPMENT USED:

Power tools (drill, saw, etc.), hand tools, welder (gas and electric air), concrete mixer, mowers, weed trimmers, blower, edger and garden tools

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors: Continual walking and standing; frequent heavy lifting and carrying; climbing, stooping, kneeling, and reaching. Work outside and inside. Exposed to extreme temperatures, dust, fumes, and odors. Exposed to mechanical, electrical, and chemical hazards. Work around moving objects or vehicles

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required.

FrankWilson _________________________________

Reviewed by Date J. Martin ________________________________________ Approved by Date

2

7'~ -' II~ . ~(#

",,;:.r. ;.\ ",CO10" of f ,r.

PORT NECHES-GROVESINDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

620 Avenue CPort Neches, Texas 77651

(409) 722-4244 Ext. 22 FAX (409) 724-7864e-mail jc~I(~esc5.net

'It-=-Office of SuperintendentDr. Jimmy Creel

November 3, 2003IfIr

1 iIJI'Mrs. Kay Lower ~ -Port Neches-Groves Classroom Teachers Association \) 0

Port Neches Elementary ,

~Dear Kay,

I have been made aware of your request to be placed on the agenda of the November 11.2003 Board Meeting for the purpose of presenting "concerns" on behalf of the ClassroomTeachers Association. While I welcome your communication with the Board. I wouldlike to request that you follow a somewhat different format in making this presentation tothe board. I have enclosed for your review a copy of a letter I wrote to then-president ofCT A. Diana Lege. in the spring of 200 1 in which I suggested a different format forpresentation of these concerns. Please take a moment to review the proposed format asoutlined in the letter.

If you agree that this fonllat is appropriate and acceptable, I would request that youprepare a written list of concerns that would be presented to the administrative staff. Theadministration would then address the concerns item by item and provide a writtenresponse to the concerns that includes necessary research or clarification. After yourreview of this infonllation, you may choose to make a list of concerns that have not beenaddressed, or you may wish to list items that have not been addressed adequately in theview of the organization, or you may merely wish to list items that merit, in theorganization's opinion, an emphasis on their significance. This list could then bepresented to the board in a regularly scheduled board meeting. Please allow me to alsopoint out the paragraph in the April 26, 200 1 letter in which I mention the variouschannels of communication through which issues should be addressed. I am convincedthat many of the items that tend to be listed as "concerns" when one asks employees togenerate such a list are items that could be more appropriately addressed through theestablished chain of command and the appropriate mechanism for addressing such issues.

If memory serves me correctly, CT A has sought to present these concerns in the pastduring the spring semester. Therefore, if there are no pressing concerns with immediateimplications, I would like to suggest that the presentation be postponed until the springsemester in order to provide time for you and the CT A leadership to screen your list ofconcerns and to redirect as appropriate those items that should be addressed through

some other mechanism or process already in place. A spring target date would alsoprovide time for you to complete your written list and make arrangements to present it tothe administrative staff prior to seeking an audience with the board for this purpose.

I appreciate your consideration of this proposal. As I mentioned in the previous letter toMrs. Lege, most of the items presented to the Board in the past have been, in my opinion,administrative in nature and do not rise to the level of policy issues for which the Boardis responsible. If, on the other hand, your recent request is based on a policy issue thathas immediate implications, please feel free to call me so that we can discuss this item. Itis not our intention to limit your communication with the Board. However, it is our goalto address the concerns of employees through the appropriate administrative andinstructional channels in an efficient and collaborative manner that reflects theappropriate levels of responsibility, authority, and governance. I shall be happy toschedule an administrative forum at the earliest possible date when you are prepared toshare your concerns and issues. Please feel free to call me or e-mail directly tojcreel@esc5.net if I can answer any questions or provide clarification on these thoughts.Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

ENCLOSURE: Copy of letter addressed to Mrs. Diana Lege, CTA, April 26, 2001

'.;"1:-

a?

7 ~~ (,~

.",. "'.~", c."'io" of f,~

PORT NECHES-GROVESINDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ~620 Avenue C ~

Port Neches, Texas 7765] .(Q)\\? (409) 722-4244 Ext. ~2 . - FAX (409) 724-7864(r \~ \.#

e-mail Jcrcel(~esc5. net ~

Office of SuperintendentDr. Jimmy Creel

April 26, 2001

Mrs. Diana LegeClassroom Teachers AssociationPort Neches-Groves ISD

Dear Mrs. Lege,

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the concerns you presented to the Board atthe regular Board Meeting on April 10, 200 1. As you will be able to observe in thedocument we have prepared, the response has required significant time and energy in myoffice as well as from the administrative staff In my opinion at least, most, if not all ofthe items presented at this meeting are administrative in nature and do not rise to the levelof policy issues for which the Board is responsible. Even those areas listed that willrequire Board action cannot be addressed by the Board until a recommendation is broughtby the administration. Therefore, if I may suggest, it may be more appropriate andproductive if we arrange a format next year, whereby the CTA representative couldpresent screened concerns to the administrative staff. This format would be moreproductive in my judgment because it would allow for interaction between theadministration and CT A representative or representatives and clarification of each issue.The administration could then provide a written response to the concerns that requireresearch or a detailed explanation. A list of concerns that are not resolved during thediscussion as well as the response from the administration could then be forwarded to theBoard for their review. This format would protect valuable Board meeting time, preservethe focus of administrative staff at a critical time of year, and it would direct theconcerns and issues to the appropriate area of responsibility. The Board would still beaware of each concern that the Classroom Teachers Association has identified throughthe list that would be forwarded to the Board.

In addition, I would like to request that the leadership of the Classroom TeachersAssociation identify a process to screen concerns and issues that are submitted to the listof concerns to ensure that each item that is brought forward has been pursuedappropriately through district channels of communication or administration prior tolisting them as a concern. The district has several vehicles in place to address the needsand concerns of employees including the DEIC, Superintendent's Advisory Council, andthe administrative chain of command. I am confident that many of the issues listed bymembers could be addressed and perhaps resolved if they were first pursued through theappropriate channels.

\\e,.Gro,,~Co or -f'

Respectfully,

TlmmY Creel

Cc: Board Update, April 27, 2001Administrative Staff

I trust that you and the CT A will consider th~posed format for next year as we makeefforts to address the needs and concerns of our employees in an efficient andcollaborative manner that reflects the appropriate levels of responsibility, authority, andgovernance. I shall be happy to accommodate an administrative forum for the purpose ofreceiving CT A concerns next year if this proposal meets the approval of yourorganization. Thank you for your consideration.

c.\\C,-Gro"t'~'t; s&

~ ,IJ']' ('-1AO I 0- ,,0

...

7 ,I CI

~ CI"(;.-. - "'~""'to' .. f,~10" of f,~c;

PORT NECHES-GROVESINDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

620 Avenue CPort Neches, Texas 77651

(409) 7224244 E.xt.22 FAX (409) 724-7864e-mail jcrcelr4!esc5 - net

--Office of SuperintendentDr. Jimmy Creel

November 4, 2003

FROM

In recent weeks, I have heard and read of several incidents in which student-athletes havesustained life-threatening infections that are thought to have originated in the athleticfacilities in which they participated. I have become increasingly concerned about thisthreat as more and more student-athletes are impacted. Please find attached a copy of anarticle from The Houston Chronicle that I noticed today on TexasISD.com.

While there is no way to guarantee that such infections will not impact PNG students, Iwould like for us to implement proactive steps to reduce the likelihood that our studentswill suffer from such infectious life-threatening diseases. Please instruct the custodianresponsible for cleaning all athletic facilities to make an extra effort to establish andmaintain utmost cleanliness in these areas and ensure that appropriate sanitizing isoccurring on a daily basis. Please inspect these facilities personally to ensure that theyare cleaned thoroughly and that sanitation strategies are being implemented daily. If youneed assistance in acquiring additional sanitation materials and/or chemicals, pleasecontact Mr. Martin to discuss this matter. If, upon your inspection, the athletic facilityfor which you are responsible is not thoroughly clean and sanitized, please issueappropriate directives to your custodian or custodian crew to ensure a clean, sanitizedfacility. Thank you for your assistance in providing the safest environment possible forour student-athletes.

Mr. Jay Martin, Assistant SuperintendentBoard of Trustees, Update, November 7, 2003

HoustonChronicle.COIllNov. 1,2003, 1:13AM Pr.-.r-fri8nc1v fom\at

Pick a section

Section: Health & MedicineSection: Local & StateSection: Front RageSection: Plge 1

By LEIGH HOPPERCopyright 2003 Houston Chronicle MedicalWriter

Current stories in Frontpage:

A 14-year-old baseball player from Alief,unconscious and on a breathing machine in theTexas Children's Hospital intensive care unitsince Oct. 22, is the latest in an alarming seriesof hospitalizations triggered by antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as MRSA.

Mub8I.lnc.8I

Platinum Acoount.1.62-Ji APY

MRSA is the acronym for methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus, a bacterium once seenonly in hospitals but now widespread incommunities across the country - and causingsevere, sometimes fatal, disease in Houstonyoungsters. In the past four months, TexasChildren's has seen at least three deaths amongpatients with overwhelming staph infectionsand a dozen more children requiring ICUtreatment.

Stop Smoking

: NORDSTROM"Something is going 00. I know the intensivecare people are very upset about this because ofthe deaths and the severity (of illness)," said Dr.Sheldon Kaplan, a Baylor College of Medicineprofessor and chief of infectious disease atTexas Children's, one of the country's largestchildren's hospitals. "I think we have aproblem."

. Brothers found deadin their homes nearHumble

. U.S. soldier killed:mortars hit 'Green~

. SWAT standoff atmotel ends with arrest

. Houston .e.nicenter offlu virus this ~ear

. Man convicted ofkilling East Endwaitresses

. CBS nullscontroversial Reaganminiseries

. With girlfriend inlabor, Lettermanmisses show

World FamousTempur-Pedic SleepSystems

Typically, staph causes nothing more thanimpetigo, or small boils on the skin. But in itsmost ferocious fonD, staph can invade the heartor cause bone infections, pneumonia and bloodinfections. Scientists understand very littleabout why the microbe, which commonly

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2195114 1/4/2003

~hronicle.com - Staph infection bewilders local physicians Page 2 of5

resides hannlessly on the skin or inside thenose. sometimes turns deadly. Antibioticoveruse has been blamed for creating mutantstrains that are increasingly difficult to control.

"Some of these common strains contain certaingenes which make them more virulent, so(MRSA patients) get sicker than you mightexpect another staph to be," said Dr. EdSeptimus, an infectious disease expert with theMemorial Hermann Healthcare System.

Because of heightened concern about life-threatening MRSA, Kaplan, president of thePediatric Infectious Disease Society, is givingweekly talks about MRSA to local pediatriciansand at national scientific meetings. Letters havegone out to the Texas Children's medical staffrecommending specific antibiotics against theinfection.

At Memorial Hennann Children's Hospital,which has reported no MRSA deaths, newcases are considered antibiotic-resistant untilshown otherwise and patients are placed inisolation. "MRSA has increased markedly,"said Dr. Gloria Heresi, an associate professor ofpediatrics at University of Texas MedicalSchool at Houston. "It's concerning."

~

adolescents. No one knows why. Dr. ReginaOkhyusen-Cawley, a pediatric critical

~

"Ifs very scary from the medical standpoint totake care of these kids." said Okhyusen-Cawley .

Severe, life-threatening staph infections are themost frightening manifestation of a growingpublic health concern, the surge in MRSA casesboth lethal and mild. Health experts are wornedbecause the bacterium, once easily beaten bypenicillin-related drugs, is undeterred by many

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDNssistory .mpl/front/2195114 11/4/2003

;hronicle.com - Staph infection bewilders local physicians Page 3 of5

conventional antibiotics. Doctors must nowresort to vancomycin, given intravenously, or abattery of lesser antibiotics that take longer towork.

In August,Prevention reported MRSA infections amongfencers, wrestlers and football players at hi2h

~

COlTectional facilities in Texas and elsewhereare reporting MRSA outbreaks.

Risk factors and the prevalence of community-onset MRSA - MRSA infection not associatedwith hospitalization - are difficult to assessbecause there has been no large-scale trackingby state or federal epidemiologists. Onceconfined to nursing home and hospitalpopulations, severe, community-acquired:MRSA only recently mushroomed into awidely recognized concern. CDC is beginning anational program of surveillance for infectionswith MRSA.

In Houston, infectious disease experts say theprevalence of antibiotic-resistant staph hassoar~ particularly among children. illMedical School researchers say they canpinpoint a risk factor for contracting MRSA inabout half of pediatric cases. Those risk factorsinclude being in child care, having a familymember who is hospitalized or having takenmany antibiotics. However, in the other half ofchildren, there are no identifiable risk factorsfor MRSA infections, Heresi said.

Of the staph isolated from patients at TexasChildren's with community-acquired infections,

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2195114 11/4/2003

70 percent are MRSA, up from 33 percent inFebruary 2000. The number of invasive cases -infections of the bones, bloodstream or lungs-jumped 30 percent between 200 1 and 2003.

"That's a very big deal," Kaplan said. "This isnot just Houst~ Texas. This is being seenthroughout the state of Texas. This is becominga major issue."

Seven-year-old Zacharias Nunley was admittedto Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital inAugust with a mysterious, excruciating pain inhis leg. He had no scrapes, insect bites orinjuries anyone knew of. A surgeon found fluidin Zacharias' hip teeming with MRSA and ablood clot caused by the infection that couldhave killed him.

The second-grader spent three weeks in thehospital on IV antibiotics. Now back at school,he has his blood drawn and tested every weekand will be on oral antibiotics until March, saidhis mother, Charla Rigsby.

"I said, 'How did he get it? Do 1 need to throwaway my furniture? Was it the food?'," Rigsbyrecalled. " They said, 'No ma'am, the bacteria is

everywhere. There's no telling where he got it.'That's what really. really truly bothered me."

MRSA's origins are unclear. For years, it hasbeen a serious problem in hospitals and nursinghomes, evolving among severely ill patients onantibiotics. The birth of community-acquired orcommunity-onset MRSA - genetically distinctfrom the hospital-acquired type - remains amystery. Overuse and improper use ofantibiotics are considered one culprit.

Okhyusen-Cawley said children with fever,pain in a specific joint or bone, or respiratorydistress "need to be evaluated in an ER andmost likely admitted for IV antibiotics."

"The kids have a history of two or three days ofnot really being themselves, and then they getreally sick very suddenly," Okhyusen-Cawleysaid. "It's just nasty, nasty, nasty."

bttp://www.cbron.com/cs/CDAlssistory .mpVfront/219S114 1/4/2003

The Paris News Page 1 of 3

The Paris NewshnQ:j ~w!1hgQ~risnews.com

Copyright @ 2003 The Paris News

Suit could influence legislators

B~ Mary MadewellThe Paris News

Published November 03, 2003

It is not only what plaintiffs request but what a brief revealsthat may play heavy with state lawmakers if they convenethis spring for a special session on education reform asexpected .

Texas Supreme Court justices returned the lawsuit known asthe West Orange Cove case to an Austin district court to betried. In an amended petition adding more school districts,plaintiffs challenge that an imposed $1.50 cap onmaintenance and operations property taxes is in reality astate-imposed property tax because about 700 of the state's1,040 school districts are at the cap.

Statewide property taxes are forbidden by the TexasConstitution.

A brief filed by Houston attorneys representing plaintiffs callsfor the state to cease distributing monies until the allegedconstitutional violation is remedied.

Arguing that school districts will have to cut programsbecause they can no longer raise property taxes to generatemore revenues, the brief summarizes recent state andfederal mandates.

"Many districts, both Chapter 41 and Chapter 42, have had toreduce important curricular programs, particularly at thesecondary level, because of the State's shifting of the burdento local property taxes," the petition states.

Districts, the petition claims, have no means to keep up withrising costs associated with educating a growing population,many of whom have special needs, as well as rising teachersalaries; escalating utility costs, insurance, supply and fuel--_&._- J L .,.. .. -

Page 2 of3

Added to those costs are expenses created by a change Instudent performance standards as well as other costlymandates for which neither the state nor nationalgovernments have provided sufficient funding, the briefstates.

In addition to stepped up curriculum and implementing moredifficult testing requirements, state lawmakers mandatedthat by the 2004-2005 school year, all ninth-grade studentsmust take a more stringent curriculum.

Students must also pass a more rigid exit level examinationThe former Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, accordingto a study commissioned by Texas Education Agency, wasconsidered to measure eighth-grade skills and knowledge.

The new Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test isdesigned to assess a student's mastery of minimum skillsnecessary for high school graduation and readiness to enrollin an institution of higher learning.

The federal "No Child Left Behind Act" will also increasefinancial pressure on districts, attorneys argue, because thestate chose to comply to receive federal funds obligatingschool districts to meet a wide range of new federalmandates.

Under an Adequate Yearly Progress report, all students andeach student group (African-American, Hispanic, white,economically disadvantaged, special education and limitedEnglish proficient) must meet proficiency target gains inreading/language arts and mathematics with a 95-percenttest participation rate.

The AYP target for 2003-2004 is 46.8 percent passing inreading and language arts and 33.4 percent in mathematics.Those targets rise to 60.1 percent and 50 percentrespectively in the 2006-2007 school year and to 100 percentin both categories by the 2013-2014 school year.

Campuses and districts that fail to meet federal targets fortwo consecutive years must offer school choice, implementimprovement activities and provide supplemental educationservices.

http://www.tbeparisnews.com/print.lasso?wcd=9420 11/4/2003

Page 3 of3The Paris News

If a campus fails to improve after five years, it is forcedeither to reopen as a charter school, replace principal andstaff, contract with a private management company or betaken over by the state.

In addition, NCLB mandates that school districts hire "highlyqualified" teachers who are fully certified without theopportunity for emergency, temporary or provisional waiversbeginning with newly hired teachers in the 2002-2003 schoolyear. The requirement becomes mandatory of all teachers inthe 2005-2006 school year.

Paraprofessionals hired after January 2002 must hold a highschool diploma or equivalent and complete at least two yearsof higher education, hold an associate degree or demonstratehigh quality through a state or local test.

"Although the State opted to impose these additional federalmandates on school districts, neither it nor the federalgovernment, has provided the funds needed to meet thesemandates," the petition states.

http://www.theparlsnews.com/print.lasso?wcd=9420 11/4/2003

Tyler Morning Telegraph Pagelof4

I~II],

ROBIN HOOD LAWSUITUNITES DIVERSE ALLIES

By: BETTY WATERS, Staff Writer November 01, 2003

The crisis over public school funding in Texas has begun to spawn a previouslyunlikely alliance of "property rich" school districts with "property poor" districts ina court fight seeking to overhaul school finance. Tyler Independent SchoolDistrict officials are considering joining the fray.

Lately, some "property poor" districts started to view a lawsuit filed two yearsago by four "property rich" districts alleging the unconstitutionality of the "RobinHood" school finance system as a way to achieve a court solution to the state'soverall school finance problem.

Large districts, including Dallas, San Antonio and EI Paso, recently wereamong the first "property poor" districts to turn into allies with "property rich"districts by joining the lawsuit. The original plaintiffs were West Orange-Cove,Coppell, La Porte and Port Neches-Groves.

The momentum for "property poor" districts entering the suit appears to bebuilding. Now, lawsuit backers are encouraging "property poor" districts of allsizes to unite to pursue a common cause of pushing in court for a completemakeover of the state's school funding system.

The development appeared in East Texas suddenly last week, amid predictionsof a statewide trend of "property poor" districts joining "property rich" districts intaking legal action.

~mr40.1

5

Approximately 200 representatives of numerous school districts from theDallas/Fort Worth Metroplex east - mostly superintendents and board members- turned out for a regional meeting on the issue in Terrell on Tuesday. In theaudience were Tyter ISD Superintendent Dr. David Simmons and trusteesKristen Baldwin and Brad Spradlin.

Speakers detailed what they viewed as the lawsuit's merits and encouragedother districts to join in. Dallas ISO Superintendent Dr. Mike Moses gavereasons for his district's dedsion to get involved. David Tho~on, a Houstonattorney and co-counsel for plaintiffs in the lawsuit, explained the basis for thesuit.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1994&dept_id=226369&newsid= 1 0448540& 11/4/2003

Tyler Morning Telegraph Page2of4

~ WEEKEND

~ENTERTAINMENT

~ ATTRACnONS

~ SPECIAL SECnON

~ COMMUNITY WEB

~ PUBLIC OFFICES

~ THE TYLER PAPER

~ WHO WE ARE

~ CONTACT US

~ SITE INDEX

~ FAQ

~ POLICIES

~ SHOP ONLINE

~ Ar- Guide

: :::~~=~:=- I

; ~..um:r ~Uide I~ Coupon Sales I~ Fun And Ga- i

~ My Links I--. I~ Lif_tv~- :

Other speakers included representatives of Equity Center, a group of "propertypoor" districts around the state, and Texas School Coalition, an organization of"property wealthy" districts.

AU.

=~...

mBack in his office Wednesday, the Tyler superintendent said. "I think what youare going to see over the next 30 to 60 days is that additional 'property poor'school districts, such as Tyler lSD, may consider joining into this lawsuit, eitherat the plaintiff level or the intervenor level."

He estimated the cost to Tyler ISD of becoming a plaintiff, based pal1iy onenrollment, at $20,000, and the cost of entering the suit as an intervenor wouldrun $6,000-$8,000.

"I will be getting information to our board (in order for trustees) to give someconsideration as to what level we want to participate, if any," Simmons said. "Ido believe it warrants serious consideration of us participating, either at theplaintiff level or intervenor level, because I think the more school districts fromall parts of the state participate in this lawsuit, it will not only give us strength innumbers, but it will send our legislators a very strong message that this is muchmore than just a wealthy schooVRobin Hood issue. This is a total fundingissue."

The state and local districts have shared primary responsibility for fundingpublic schools for half a century - since the Legislature passed the Gilmer-AikinAct in 1949, setting up what is known as the minimum foundation program andvarious funding formulas.

SECTION LINKSThe plan has been dubbed "Robin Hood" because about 118 districts withproperty values of more than $305,000 per student are classified as "propertyrich" and required to share local tax revenue with "property poor" districts withper student property values below that level.

Under the state's guidelines, Tyler ISO is on the upper end of "property poor"districts, with a property value of about $277,000 per student.

Whether Tyler ISD will join the lawsuit will definitely be an agenda item for theboard to decide no later than its December meeting, Simmons said.

"Of all the issues going on in education at this time. I really believe how we fundour schools in Texas is one of the most critical," he said.

READER POLL IMPROBABLE

The Tyler superintendent said he had always hoped whatever happened onschool finance woukj address more than the "Robin Hood" provision of thecurrent funding system.

But since the system - unintentionally or not - pits "property wealthy" districtsagainst "property poor" districts, Simmons said, he initially was not optimisticthat both sides of "Robin Hood" woukj somehow be able to pull together in aquest for a more comprehensive school finance overhaul.

"Frankly, Dallas ISD is the one that got the ball rolling," Simmons said. "Irs apretty bokt move for (Dallas) to step up and say RotMn Hood needs to be re-evaluated, but (to also say the issue of coming up with a new school fundingstructure) is much more complex and there's much nDre at stake."

http://www.zwire.corn/site/news.cfm?BRD=1994&dept_id=226369&newsid= 10448540&. 11/4/2003

'yler Morning Telegraph Page 3 of4

The fact Dallas and some other large districts that are not "property wealthy"have entered the lawsuit "has caused many of us to take a different look atthis," Simmons said. "Everyone would like for the issue to be resolved at thelegislative level. However, we do believe - if need be - a case could be madebefore the court to direct legislators to pursue a certain direction to get thismatter resolved."

Simmons said as the largest district east of Dallas, "Tyler ISD could play animportant role by considering participating in the lawsuit by stating we are veryconcerned and we want to make sure the next funding system addresses all ofthe needs."

The state provided only 38 percent of funds for operation of school districtsstatewide in fiscal 2002-03 under the existing school finance plan, while statelaw sets a cap on local property tax levies for school operations of $1.50 per$100 property valuation.

M~r. III

~?fJ", Ns

.~Many districts are at or near the tax ceiling; 607 out of about 1,040 hadmaintenance and operations tax rates between $1.45 and $1.50 for the 2002-03 fiscal year.

"Property rich" districts originally argued in the lawsuit that the $1.50 capamounts to an unconstitutional statewide property tax as districts across thestate reach the cap and limits them from raising sufficient funds. Other issuesare beginning to emerge, prompting "property poor" districts to considerentering the suit. Those include concerns for providing equity in education andadequate funding to enabfe districts to provide a proper education for allstudents.

One of the biggest issues is a question about whether the "Robin Hood" planhas the capacity to fund the growth of public education. Studies showapproximately 80,000 to 90,000 new students came into Texas each year forthe last 10 years, or about 800,000. Sixty-one percent quaHfied for eitherbiHngual education or special education, which is more costly to provide.

"Knowing that trend is apparently going to continue, there is a great concernthat the current funding system does not have the capacity to fund this growthon an annual basis, particularly for districts that are at or very near the $1.50cap," the Tyler ISD superintendent said. Enrollment in Tyler ISD has beenincreasing at the rate of about 100-200 pupils a year in recent years.

It is not unreasonable to think the district will inch closer and closer over time tothe tax cap, Simmons said, while acknowledging a solution to the tax ceiHng isnot as urgent for Tyler ISD presently as for districts already at or close to thecap. Tyler lSD's tax rate for 2003-04 is $1.433 for maintenance and operationsand $0.037 to retire debt.

The tax cap is becoming more of an issue for districts across the state,regardless of whether they are classified as "property rich" or "property poor,"as they face increased enrollment, increased state accountabiity andgraduation requirements, other new state mandates, plus costs forimplementing the federal No Chikf Left Behind Act.

The Tyler superintendent vowed to look at the school funding issue from a long-tenn, big-picture perspective.

'When you consider the number of students we are continuing to get that quite

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1994&dept_id=226369&newsid=1 0448540&. 11/4/2003

:-w.1.9%':..-403 5. GI ood59 7-8994

fyler Morning Telegraph Page4of4

frankly are costHer to educate than other studen1s, those present uniquechallenges that cause us to look forward to really changing the way schools arefunded," Simmons said.

He said: "I think businesses and our community expect us to do the best wecan to be on top of these issues. While (funding) may not be a crisis for us(Tyler ISO) at this point, I think they want us to plan for the future. I also thinkthey would be very interested in us pursuing a cause that coukj reduce the localproperty tax burden. I'm hoping a new (school funding) system will somehow doa better job of redistributing the tax burden and cost."

STATUS ON TWO FRONTS

About six major lawsuits have challenged Texas' school finance system overthe last 25 years. The latest suit made its way to the Texas Supreme Court,which last May remanded it for trial now pending in a lower court.

The Legislature did not act on the school finance issue in its last sessiondespite concerns of educators from the state to the local level that schoolfunding has reached a critical juncture in Texas history.

Despite indications more districts may join the latest lawsuit in an attempt tobring about an improved school funding program, many educators remainhopeful Gov. Rick Perry will call a special legislative session, possibly in thespring, to deal with revamping public school finance.

Betty Waters oowrs Tyler public schools. She can be reached at903.596.6286. e-mail: news@tylerpaper.com

@TyierHomingTelegraph2003

Reader Opinions

Be the first person to voice your opinion on this story!

Back to top l~ ... E-lYBil thi. '~ry

~ b. frieBd:A ~k:eyo.rOp81bn

~ 011 thi. .by

Send ,. yoil ~mmunly ~ eWnf$. .,.,. *' fie ecfIor and other ~ Now. you OM .,bmltbI1h. weddjJg end ~ 8nno-"'-* o,*- too!

Copyright C 2001 T.B. Butler Pu~.hing Con.,.ny, Inc.All Rights Reserved (903)-597-8111410 W. Erwtn St, Tyler. Texa875702

Copyrllhi C 1995 - ~3 PoworOne Media, loc. All Rigbtl Reamved.

http:!/www.zwire.com/site/news.cfrn?BRD=I994&dept_id=226369&newsid= 10448540&. 11/4/2003

Coming Events

Public Hearing: State Financial Accountability Rating ............................... November 11, 6:30 p.m. Public Hearing: Annual Performance Report .............................................. November 11, 6:45 p.m. Regular Board Meeting................................................................................. November 11, 7:00 p.m. Board Social with BASF @ High School Gym (gumbo) ............................. November 20, 12-1 p.m. First Meeting of Bond Exploration Committee (board room) ............................November 20, 7 p.m. Thanksgiving Holidays (administration building will be closed)............................. November 26-28 Christmas Open House @ the High School Cafeteria .......................................December 9, 5-7 p.m. Regular Board Meeting @ the High School Cafeteria ......................................December 9, 5-7 p.m.