To Hell With - KISD Regular Meeting

3/4/19 Regular KISD School Board Meeting

Blogged by Liz Ramos

Superintendent Bera walked around and shook hands and said “hi” to a majority of visitors who came to the meeting. That was nice.

H.M.King JROTC helped with the Pledge of Allegiance and a cute little girl said the words out loud. Indivisible became invisible, and that is perfectly okay with me.

One parent, myself, touched on the topic of start times for schools. Another, asked the board to consider new uniforms, warm up gear, and appropriate space in locker rooms for JV boys soccer team in upcoming budget.

Garza talked about supporting kids somewhere, but he didn’t speak up enough for me to hear what it is I should have supported. To be honest, there were many times tonight I couldn’t hear most board members. I guess in my young age I should invest in hearing aids!!!!

Tornado drill training will be done the week after spring break around KISD campuses. Remember kids, the police will be at campuses after spring break!

Perez elementary will get a fence installed around the school.

Benchmark testing results will be available immediately to KISD. Garza Jr and Crites wanted to know how do they let parents know what their child scored. Greenwood stated there have been problems with grades going into Parent Portal. Teachers could call parents and put it in grade book. Bera wanted to talk to parents in meetings and ask them. Yaklin then stated, “parents at meetings aren’t ones to be reached.” To hell with us I guess!

We are the ones who may reach out to other parents and let them know KISD is trying to reach out to us and in turn we can preach to parents about becoming more involved and be an active participant for the betterment of our children as a whole. Also, parents need to start being parents.

Truancy issues are going to hell in a handbasket. This topic took forever to talk about. Mainly because the only fact or information the board had was the performance of attendence has gone down every quarter. It was a hot, hot, hot mess! To make a long story short, truancy officers seem spread thin and they work at the KISD building and not in schools they are needed most on a full-time basis such as middle and high schools. The board didn’t know minimal standards of truancy policy or law. They also didn’t know if there was a district policy. Bera stated she met with a truancy judge and she told the board he said, “If they miss too much, I advise them to get a GED.” That is fuuuuuny! Not really, but it is! It makes me want to bang my head on a table.

Prado asked what the consequences were for students and parents when they go before a judge. He wanted to know if they were enforced and what happens with the fines the judge imposes. Greenwood and Crites explain the damage has already been done at that point and the chances of those kids coming back to school and passing are already gone. Prado was again still concerned about where the monetary fines go.

Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t Prado married to the Assistant Principal at a KISD school? I thought her job deals with the detail of truancy issues. Why haven’t they conversed about this and the problems? Why did he seem so dense about the subject? I will redact that thought if someone can tell me otherwise!

Points were brought up that there are no At-Risk Counselors at the schools and the truancy officer can only do as much as he can. Someone brought up, I forgot who, that school principals and counselors can go do home visits. I find that to be a liability issue, and staff is already spread so thin. Why give them something more to do?

Proposed start times for schools were: Elementary 7:30am-3:15pm Middle 8:00am-3:45pm High 8:30am-4:15pm

There was argument back and forth. Greenwood stated he has never heard of an elementary school kid having to start at 7:30am and it was early for a child who needs sleep. I agree. You wonder why they bounce off the wall and yawn and take naps throughout the day. This was the time in the past but it is now 8:00am.

Yaklin stated high schoolers should take the 7:30am slot because they need to learn to wake up early.

Either way they want to hear from the teachers and principals, the hell with the parents, and come back to a decision at a later time, but not too late so the calendar can be made for next year. They didn’t state how they were going to go around and ask principals and teachers. Principal Ramos was in the audience and was called upon to help the board. He stated very little in helping to make a decision. Decision was tabled. In my opinion, little kids need more sleep. Period. If someone wants to argue that topic with me, please do. I can find you a gazillion links to studies. Early start times only benefit the parents.

They tabled the decision to close KISD Clinic.

Garza Jr had the idea to change the KISD logo. He got his way and it will be changed to a bull with a K. I couldn’t see what it was. Even sitting up close. I guess I need glasses and hearing aides. I really need to set up an appt with my Dr. They seriously need to utilize the projector for the audience.

Yaklin brought up that this may be costly and everything with an old logo needs to change. I have personally delt with logo and name change of businesses and let me tell you, it is not cheap. This will also add one more thing for everyone to do as if they don’t do enough already. I cannot believe this was a pertinent issue to pass. This could have waited.

Warning parents! Don’t go and buy anything else with an old logo on it, you will be, “Soooo last week!”

They later went into closed session and an hour later I had to leave. My back was killing me. Maybe a call for my Dr is in order? Massage, yes please!

I am new to the ongoings of this district. I have no idea what has happened in the past and I look at all of this with very fresh eyes. I guarantee I can point out all of the new blood on the board and the old ones. Usually based on how they vote. I am seeing that trend at KISD.

What concerns me, do they ALL do their homework before they sit down for board meetings? The last two meetings I’ve attended it sounds as if most members are flying by the seat of their pants! At least that is the way I perceive it. You can also tell who did their homework and who says in their mind, “The hell with it.”

Please pray for Superintendent Bera.

Till next meeting!