Changes coming to CSISD

31,945 Views | 148 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by Stupe
CS_Aggie
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I am hearing that the one CSISD board member (Wesson, the guy who is a professor at A&M) is leaving College Station. That would mean his seat is up for grabs on the board. Heard he's moving to Arkansas or Alabama....somewhere like that. I hope we'll see a big change on the school board this fall. In addition to Wesson's seat, there are two others up for election in CSISD. Big change would be nice. After last year's display of total disrespect for community members in the notes of one board member, it's time for new blood. Term limits would be nice. Harris has been on the board way too long. Time for him to go, too.
jac4
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AG
I heard Auburn thru the rumor mill.
Tigermom84
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AG
What happens when someone leaves like that part way through their term?
Oogway
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It's published information, look it up and then you'll know!
Tigermom84
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AG
Nah. I'm not that interested. Wanted to save some clicks and see if someone here knows. Oh well we will see I guess.
Oogway
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CS_Aggie
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Also, can anyone confirm that every single time Jeff Harris has run for CSISD school board he has run unopposed? Heard that this week as well. Harris has been on the board since 2010 and he's never had to run against anyone?? Time to put someone up against him, if he actually has the gall to run for a fourth term.
AggieMom_38
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Found this:

"If a vacancy occurs on the board, the remaining board members may fill the vacancy by appointment until the next trustee election, or may order a special election to fill the vacancy. If more than one year remains in the term of the position vacated, the vacancy shall be filled not later than the 180th day after the date the vacancy occurs."

His term is almost up, so I assume this means they just appoint someone (upon departure) for the last few months. Or maybe if it's only a couple months remaining in the term, they just move forward with not filling the vacancy. That last sentence makes it sound like there is a deadline to get it done but only when there is a longer term vacancy. Honestly, the policy isn't all that clear about timing and what happens process wise, so maybe there is more detail elsewhere. Maybe Oogway has more knowledge of where to find the detailed information?
techno-ag
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AG
"Kick the bums out" is a time-honored mantra in American politics. Watchlisted.
Stupe
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S
Quote:

After last year's display of total disrespect for community members in the notes of one board member, it's time for new blood.
Wesson was the person that made the notes.

From talking to parents at church, fundraisers, and other functions, the chances of him getting re-elected were slim, anyway. The underhanded way that the last rezoning was handled ticked off a lot of people and it didn't matter if they were on the maroon or the purple path.
Three Twenties and A Ten
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AG
Any chance that (3) new "purple" board members could push another rezone that actually is fair/realistic I n what our district should look like? Not aware of legalities in when this can happen. Besides disrupting numerous families lives, splitting up siblings and more, it's continued to inflate an ever growing real estate bubble in SoCo with artificial sales prices!
AggieMom_38
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The potential for rezoning can occur every year. Their document - FC Local - leads to evaluating the comparable composition and capacity data each year and deciding whether a boundary adjustment is needed (again each year). I believe CSHS is still well over capacity so it may even occur this next year - although can you imagine the outcry in the community if that were to happen so soon. Now we have at least one board member just elected that has a long term, compassionate and seemingly rational bent (someone that is actually asking questions, not playing with the numbers, etc)
TAMU1990
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AG
csag97 said:

Any chance that (3) new "purple" board members could push another rezone that actually is fair/realistic I n what our district should look like? Not aware of legalities in when this can happen. Besides disrupting numerous families lives, splitting up siblings and more, it's continued to inflate an ever growing real estate bubble in SoCo with artificial sales prices!
What's fair?? You obviously have an idea since you only mentioned purple. The parameters of the district do not change regardless who is in office.

And if you think a group of purple people are going to gerrymander something you are sorely mistaken.
Oogway
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While I was not a fan of how the last boundary adjustment was handled, I would hope that any current and/or future board members would be circumspect and mindful during any discussions w/respect to potential impacts of growth given recent past history.

That being said, if current and/or future board members dissolve into factions over the two high schools, then all the adults, parents included, ought to be put in timeout because that is going to send CSISD into a tailspin into which it cannot recover.
AgTrip
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Well step up and throw your hat in the ring. Good luck to ya!
AggieMom_38
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CS_Aggie said:

Also, can anyone confirm that every single time Jeff Harris has run for CSISD school board he has run unopposed? Heard that this week as well. Harris has been on the board since 2010 and he's never had to run against anyone?? Time to put someone up against him, if he actually has the gall to run for a fourth term.
From searching online for CSISD elections I believe you are correct. He was appointed in 2010 (I do not know the circumstances on that --- anyone?), went unopposed in 2013 and unopposed in 2016 (the other two with seats opening this year also were unopposed that year). That was the year everything hit the fan --- right after they were reappointed (good timing for them).

Oogway
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I haven't bothered to look it up, but I thought he was elected and came on board at the same time as Pitcock and one of the Watsons. I do know that Coulson was Super then and sometime around there (maybe the year before?) was when we voted on the big bond.
A little slammed this week so everything is going to be relying on memory.
AggieMom_38
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No record of Harris being elected (and definitely hasn't had an opponent). the board agendas online indicate he joined the group late spring or early summer in 2010--- agendas don't go back before then so can't tell when he first popped on exactly. Doesn't really matter.. just trying to answer the question and it does give insight to what may happen next in regards to people running/open positions


Edit to correct info: Found an article and he did run in 2010 (took Broussard's place who didn't seek re-election). For some reason it doesn't show in the election information I found online. But it does appear that he has been "elected" 3 times, unopposed
MTTANK
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AG
Wendy 1990 said:


What's fair?? You obviously have an idea since you only mentioned purple. The parameters of the district do not change regardless who is in office.

And if you think a group of purple people are going to gerrymander something you are sorely mistaken.
Fair is how 99.9% of every other school district in the state of Texas rezones. The only gerrymandering we have seen was under the current maroon track dominated school board. Who else would come up with Zoning every single estate type high net worth neighborhood in College Station to the school their kids are zoned? The sad part is they promoted it as a way of helping the low income "demographic", all while busing the low income "demographic" AWAY from Consol. These low income kids lived within walking distance to Consol, and some are now no longer able to participate in extracurricular activities because they don't have proper transportation. The current school board has already done irreparable damage to the district, and lost the trust of many in the public eye. Hence the mass exodus to the new charter school, and according to the Houston Chronicle a pending lawsuit.
GIG 'EM
Turf96
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CS_Aggie said:

I am hearing that the one CSISD board member (Wesson, the guy who is a professor at A&M) is leaving College Station. That would mean his seat is up for grabs on the board. Heard he's moving to Arkansas or Alabama....somewhere like that. I hope we'll see a big change on the school board this fall. In addition to Wesson's seat, there are two others up for election in CSISD. Big change would be nice. After last year's display of total disrespect for community members in the notes of one board member, it's time for new blood. Term limits would be nice. Harris has been on the board way too long. Time for him to go, too.


Not just how long he has been on the board , but I was puzzled at one of the board meetings I attended why he had to not vote on most if not all of the purchases that night. It was technology purchases if I remember correct. Don't think it is in the best interest of himself or the school if you are that tied to any set of vendors. Just another observation. I think it is time for new blood no matter if purple or maroon. I feel change is good on any board for the record. Keeps ideas new and fresh.
cslifer
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It isn't unusual at all for someone to have some sort of ties to vendors. Sounds like he was doing the right thing and not voting so there was no conflict.
cslifer
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"Irreparable damage"...are you serious?
Stupe
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S
Wendy 1990 said:

csag97 said:

Any chance that (3) new "purple" board members could push another rezone that actually is fair/realistic I n what our district should look like? Not aware of legalities in when this can happen. Besides disrupting numerous families lives, splitting up siblings and more, it's continued to inflate an ever growing real estate bubble in SoCo with artificial sales prices!
What's fair?? You obviously have an idea since you only mentioned purple. The parameters of the district do not change regardless who is in office.

And if you think a group of purple people are going to gerrymander something you are sorely mistaken.
The gerrymandering has been done by Wesson and his "Yes, sir" crew.
Tigermom84
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AG
Heard some quotes on Wtaw this morning about the board meeting and Green's suggestions that we have more common sense policies and give the community some reassurances, and Wesson says "that just won't happen". Is he kidding? How is not possible to give the community some reassurance under this board?

Then he says that the charter school will fold and we have a "giant influx of students"??? What?!?! I thought they were all proud of how the charter has taken very few csisd students and a lot have come back? How many exactly have left? Whitbeck in Bryan knows the EXACT number and talks about it often, using it as a data point to reflect on Bisd quality. Ealy and the board dance around it and reference it as a threat, minimizing the real story and ignore the fact that it's helping students and families, and SHOULD help the district to improve and get better. I can't stand this talking out of both sides of their mouths so that no one knows the TRUTH about what's going on in the district!
Stupe
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S
That guy is isn't just clueless, he's irrational if he thinks that the charter school is going to close. Once they have a couple of years under their belt and get the kinks out, it will be at capacity with a waiting list every year.

And that is coming from a parent that has no interest at all in sending my kids there.
cslifer
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Why don't you enlighten us with the "real story" and "truth" about what is going on in the district? I for one would love to hear it!
scs01
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Stupe said:

Once they have a couple of years under their belt and get the kinks out, it will be at capacity with a waiting list every year.

Pretty much already is. I think there are at most one or two grades not full for next year. Apparently the kindergarten class had only one student who did not re-enroll for next year, and that student is moving out of state.

It would be interesting to know what percentage of attendees come from which district (maybe this info is out there, I don't know). IL draws from a lot of districts, not just CS and Bryan. Which is another reason why I think that the charter will not fold.
Tigermom84
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AG
Last numbers I heard from charter enrollment this year was 55% came from csisd. 19% from bisd and the rest from other isds. Super/board claim it's only 38% based on how many they said they lost at a previous board meeting. I don't think they are accounting for the new kinders which would've gone to csisd but chose charter instead. Which is a lot. Will be interesting to see what the new year enrollment numbers look like in the full. Scs is right though, all grades with the exception of 1, maybe 2 are full. And there were even some 9th graders that are joining the new 9th grade class. On the funding question, ILT CS for sure has a healthy supply of money to meet the needs (fundraising from PTO and title 1 funds from being more than 40% low Ses).

If the board can't get some continuity and stability with the expectations of parents in the district (something that Green appears to be trying to accomplish but isn't getting widespread support YET on), then I think the discontent will continue to grow in the community, and charter is one of the beneficiaries of that.
missB
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A lot of posters come on here saying the charter school is full. Just curious what full/capacity is for them? Anyone know? Truly just curious. Are we talking 20 kids per grade? 50?
TAMU1990
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AG
You would think if there was a pending lawsuit the local media would be all over it.

And still no good answers to address the parameters of our district. I'm sorry you can not go to the HS that is closest to you - this is true for families of all income levels all around CS. I too live closer to one HS, but zoned for the other. This town isn't that big. It's not a significant inconvenience for the majority of residents in this district to drive past one school to go to the other. There are low income kids rezoned to CSHS that are happy to be there - just as there are kids happy to be rezoned to Consol.

You can not have a majority minority HS with high numbers of low income students juxtaposed to an majority white HS with low to no low income students two miles away. That sounds like something you would see in the 1950's. There's your lawsuit waiting to happen. And in this national hyper charged political environment there will be someone or some political organization willing to take that suit on.

What would be a good use of time is figuring out how to allow the kids championed in this thread, but trashed in the free summer lunch program thread, a choice in schools without inadvertently setting up the scenario I just described. However, higher income kids wouldn't have the choice of schools. I don't think people who post on this thread would be in favor of that though.

The best post was Oogway's - she is correct. We need board members that do what is best for all taxpayers (purple, maroon, elderly, young, childless, etc) of the district.
Tigermom84
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AG
The building holds 1350. K-5 is 20 kids per class, 6-8 is 26 per class.
ripthebandaid
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If the board discussion is simply to consider the timing when reviewing enrollment numbers, have the goal be proactive. For high school rezoning aim to review the numbers annually so that every 7th grader knows where they are going to start and end their high school degree. I don't see any harm in having a goal to grandfather a student so that they start and end at the same 4 year high school. Harris himself said "that same future board could just change the policy". So what is the harm in writing this in as the goal when planning a rezone?
scs01
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Tigermom84 said:

The building holds 1350. K-5 is 20 kids per class, 6-8 is 26 per class.
I think capacity is roughly 160 per grade (K had about 8 classes x 20/class=160 students this year, for example, and 1350/9=150).
Agmaker
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ripthebandaid said:

Harris himself said "that same future board could just change the policy". So what is the harm in writing this in as the goal when planning a rezone?


Exactly! Good observation.
AggieMom_38
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