Soup with the Sup!

3/26/2019

Blog by Liz Ramos

Soup with the Superintendent

I want to note that KISD board members Mr. Greenwood and Mr. Crites were in attendance and helped answer some of our questions. I hope they keep showing up and more members come. Mr. Garza Sr. popped his head in the first one and said in so many words, “Bera has a job to do and she needs to turn our grade around or the state will take over. It will be so bad if that happens and we don’t want that.” Then he left as fast as he arrived. So, thank you Mr. Greenwood and Mr. Crites for staying! Maybe it was the free Chilis food? Just kidding!

I am going to stop writing about the meetings with the Superintendent as if I am a reporter. It is our job as a community, as parents, as students, and as teachers and admin to make sure we attend those meetings. Bera shouldn’t have to force parents to come, they should just come. Bera is extending a hand. Not many parents and teachers are taking it and she doesn’t have to do it. So, go! If you want to know what goes on at these events, figure it out by going yourself. I'm done. I will keep writing my own minutes to school board meetings and blogging about KISD. I think this is important and parents should go!

I don’t know why there isn’t a bigger turn-out with the Superintendent. I am still trying to piece that together. My thoughts on why? I feel maybe parents are at their wits end trying to communicate with schools. Maybe they have expressed concerns in the past and were blown off? Maybe they have already been at their wits end trying they no longer care or they take the answer as face value not knowing that it is illegal (I have been told by several parents that many schools will call parents to come pick up their kid after 10am because they don’t know what to do with them or they are an inconvenience to staff), or not right? I am starting to feel that way, but I am a beast. I don’t let stuff slide. I hold people accountable, especially when my tax dollars go to that system. Maybe some parents feel like KISD has defeated them, who knows? Or maybe parents are fine with the way the schools are run and how KISD is working. Could be most parents just don’t care in general. Or maybe parents are hoping to put all their trust into the new board and superintendent and are hoping for the best. But you can hope or wish in one hand and, well, you know the end of that saying.

I will write a small summary of what went on during the meeting with Superintendent, Bera. She wanted to address Early College withdrawal at H.M.King. Between 1-4 students actually enroll in the program, or at least that is what I got out of it. I was concerned because my child will attend next year. I don’t care now. I just want my child to graduate, get some scholarships, and start her new life as an adult. I do though, wish that was an option as I have a younger child that may or may not attend H.M.King in the future. (Side note: I will probably talk about that in later blogs.)

I was wondering if the early college classes were properly advertised to parents and students. Did they have enough counselors to deal with enrolling students in those classes? Was every student given an option? Did parents and students even want to do early college? The Kingsville Record did a poll about stopping the early college and last time I saw the poll, people wanted to keep it. So why keep it if 1 student is the only one participating?

Concerns addressed, per usual, was campus communication with parents. There isn’t a whole lot of that going on. Some of us parents feel like we have to put too much work into finding out what is going on within the campuses. For example, beg for scholarship information, being blown off by administration, yadi, yadi, yadi.

Some parents use the Remind app and that is fine, but it shouldn’t be the only outlet. Other parents use social media group pages. Last July-Aug. parents posted TONS of questions about wanting information on school campus information. Information such as what color uniform, what supplies they need, when school starts, what school should they go to, drop off times, when teacher meet and greet will be, etc. It is a sad month in Kingsville when parents have to go onto Kingsville Community Help group page to get basic information. Shoot, I sent my kid to school in regular clothing, just to find out I needed uniforms. By that time, it was slim pickings for uniforms in Walmart. Getting information is like pulling teeth. KISD webpage isn’t updated. A lot of the information is old. Trying to navigate the website is too ridiculous. Way too many tabs to click. And who is to say that information is still correct?

Another issue brought up by parents was the fact that there is little public parental support to advocate for their child. Not a lot of parents want to participate in school events or issues. I brought up that I wanted to join our child’s school PTA but, “I tried to pay for it and no one would take my money.” Seriously! I asked the teacher who do I pay and where do I hand in slip?” Response? “Up front at the office.” I go waddle my way back to the front office. “Where do I pay for this and do you take a check?” Office staff’s response, “You pay the class teacher.” Waddle my way back to the classroom. “They said you take the payment.” Teacher’s response, “Uhhh, I don’t think so, they didn’t tell me anything about that.” I stopped. I shouldn’t have to Sherlock Holmes my payment for PTA. If it was going to be that difficult to join, I don’t even want to know what it would be like to be in the PTA! Oh, but I’m being over dramatic, right? No, I am a busy person. I manage two households and have a special needs child. I have a life and tracking down the mystery person who takes a PTA payment was not in my current duties of stuff to get done especially when I was about to pay a measly fee to work for free. THIS, is what I and others have been complaining about. There are parents out there that want to participate but KISD can’t seem to get their stuff together. Maybe that is why parents don’t care? Can all the students hear the announcements in the morning about what is going on at school? Can we be 100% that our kids will tell us things we need to know? Do our kids even know?

On another note, please don’t be that parent that complains unless you get out there and try. I don’t believe you should try too hard though. Give the effort you believe you should give and if they offer crap in return, don’t give up, but also pick your battles. I wasn’t about to walk back up to the office and ask about PTA again. Like I said, if it was going to be like that, I don’t want to know what the PTA was going to be like. Parents need to be more involved in their child’s education, with the community, and network with other parents or community members. It takes a village to raise a child, right? Or maybe not in Kingsville? You figure for such a small town this would be KISD’s new moto. If you believe battling the system isn’t worth it or you cannot do it on your own, reach out to other parents. Reach out to me. Reach out to Bera. Reach out to the KISD board members. You elected them for a reason, right? Remember, they work for YOU! Just don’t go to a board meeting and stand up in front of them and throw the word “incompetence” at them. They will have a field day on you and kick you off the stand. I know from personal experience.

If you are one of those parents that absolutely loves KISD and has never had a problem then good for you. Go buy a lotto ticket because you are one lucky parent! So many people on social media advise new residents to take your child to private school or Bishop ISD. That is just sad! Just an FYI, I haven’t had an issue with a teacher. I think you all are doing a fantastic job considering the BS you have to deal with on a daily basis. I have heard of other parents having issues with teachers. I had issues with teachers in the past. Not every teacher is going to be great or great for your child. I believe the problem with KISD is KISD, the people at the top, and some of the higher administration, well, you know who you are!

The processes to express concerns are like a labyrinth and everything spreads faster than a California wildfire around the school. I know fear of retaliation is alive and well, and I feel for you. I really do. I asked a question on a Facebook group page about KISD and someone who works at my kid’s school told me not to be asking questions like that and I should be careful. I looked at that person dead in the face with my piercing “I mean it” eyes and said, “Listen, I have the right to say WHATEVER I WANT thanks to my first amendment right. If you have a concern with me, you should probably look at yourself first.” That shut that person up fast. Don’t back down!

Parents and teachers get involved!

Look forward to a venting blog on KISD soon or my minutes of the next board meeting. Whichever comes first. I may also have another blog about something else too. So, put that in your soup and sip on it!