Frisco-Online survey: Frisco ISD and Lewisville ISD school board candidates

by Staff of Frisco-Online

Members of Frisco-OnLine.com posed the following questions to the Frisco and Lewisville ISD School Board Candidates. Their responses are below, listed in alphabetical order.

Please note that no responses were received from Buddy Minett (FISD, Place 6), Kevin Gies (LISD, Place 1), Christine Boudreau (LISD, Place 2), nor Vernell Gregg (LISD, Place 2).

1) Do you think that the homes in the city of Frisco currently zoned for LISD are being served optimally? Do you think there is a better solution, and if so, what is it?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - Since those students are not in Frisco Independent School District there is no way of knowing. What I do know is that Lewisville Independent School District has a good reputation.

John Hoxie - I have discussed this with several parents in the LISD and they would like to move to FISD due to transportation issues and also due to smaller school size and the advantages associate with this.

There are only two solutions to this: 1. Stay in the LISD and run Frisco citizens for LISD school board to influence the changes desired by Frisco residents. 2. Start the “Detachment and Annexation of Territory” process as defined in the Education Code.

How I would vote for an annexation of this area depends on several issues: 1) What do the residents of LISD prefer? 2) What is the impact to our current schools and any displacement issues caused by a rapid influx of LISD students? 3) How much debt would LISD give FISD due to buildings already in place for students? 4) What does FISD receive for the debt? A school? Does that make sense?

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - There is a large portion of Frisco residents within LISD that do not believe the District is adequately serving their needs. The District needs to do a better job addressing their concerns. They feel like they are being ignored. It is not acceptable for any group of residents, including Frisco, to believe that their interests are not being considered. The District has a job to educate all students. If we are not doing this, then changes need to be made. I will work with all LISD Frisco residents to ensure we consider their concerns.

I have also heard that many residents do not want to be part of LISD and would rather be annexed by Frisco ISD. The Texas Education Code outlines the process for residents to be detached and annexed into another district. If the proper procedures are followed, then I will listen to the resident’s arguments and apply the factors in the factors in the Education Code and Commissioner of Education decisions and then make my decision.

More information is available at www.dubnerforlisd.com.

Tom Ferguson - If this question is really “Why are our middle school and high school so far away?”, I can sympathize with that. I, too, live on the edge of the District; my residence is about a mile from Creekview HS (in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD). My residence is zoned for Hebron HS which means a 7 mile bus ride for our sophomore. We have been pleased with the education all of our children have received within LISD schools even though Carrollton schools are much closer. If there are specific educational issues behind this question, I would appreciate knowing what they are.

On the other hand, if the question is: “Will another middle school or high school be built to address growth in Frisco, or will Frisco students be rezoned?”, then I would answer as follows: The Administration monitors the demographics and growth of the communities throughout LISD and makes school zoning and school construction recommendations to the Board based on that analysis. The school board carefully reviews such proposals and often recommends changes. We always have public hearings (although not required by state law) before voting on any school zoning changes; we always receive valuable input from the public which often affects the final decision. I commit to continue to listen to the input of all those affected by our decisions. I cannot commit to vote a particular way on something that is not yet before the Board. I want to get the facts; hear the stakeholders’ opinions, and THEN make what I believe is the best decision for the LISD community. That is my thought process for any vote on the Board.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - Areas are rarely served optimally, but as I school board member, they will be served equitably to the best of my ability.

The award-winning 9th grade campuses seem to be an answer, which I hope can be replicated throughout the school district. As the numbers climb, I will work to make sure that students are given the best opportunity possible from LISD.

2) What do you consider the greatest weakness of your district and what do you plan to do to address it?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - The uncomfortable truth/greatest weakness that I perceive in our district is complacency. Things have gone well for some time and we could be easily lulled into thinking that we have "arrived". School improvement is a journey not a destination, and we need to continue to strive to provide better services to our students . . . all of our students. We don't need to forget that the world improves through innovation.

John Hoxie - 1) Academic - Raise the level of the lower sub-populations across district.

2) Business - Better use of property. Using valuable property along the NDT for a bus barn does not strike me as a wise use of land. I believe the district would be better off using less valuable land in their development allowing revenue generating entities the ability to develop such property (increasing the tax base).

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - We have several schools in the District that desperately need to be updated. Elementary school playgrounds need to be addressed. Many students are being educated in portable classrooms. Parking and physical appearance of the building are of issue as well. These conditions can negatively impact the student’s pride in their school. I believe that when students and their families have pride in their school, they will be more encouraged to support and participate in their school’s activities, programming, and academics. I want to work with our administrators and teachers in collaboration to assist in providing the necessary resources for them to be successful. I also value parent and student ideas for solutions to improve our schools.

Tom Ferguson - I would classify this as an area of vulnerability rather than a weakness, but to be frank, we have a looming budget issue. Funding per student is frozen at the 2006 level while our costs have continued to go up. Therefore, student growth impacts our budget negatively, and we continue to grow. Because of our fiscal discipline, we have managed to build a significant “Rainy Day” fund balance over the last eight years. With the status quo, we can make it another 2-3 school years without impacting our programs or staffing.

How will I address this issue? I have already outlined my decision making process at the end of answer 1; that applies to any changes we might have to make to as a result of budget problems. In the meantime, I am urging everyone to contact their legislators and let them know that we need an equitable, sustainable, and predictable source of funding for all of our public schools.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - I feel we can do more to address the college readiness of those who are moving on to college and more to address the problems of drop outs and low graduation rates.

We should offer more options to those students who want to pursue college through dual credit courses and CLEP Exams, instead of just AP exams. I would like for LISD to start a college readiness program whereby students can accumulate 15 or more semester hours of college credit by the time students reach the end of their senior year.

As for drop out and low graduation rates, we need to consider more options such as accelerated school programs, internships, interventions, etc… Watching and hoping for the best is not an option.

3) Administration keeps schools accountable, so how do they keep themselves accountable?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - One of the purposes of the school board is to keep the administration accountable and that is why we evaluate the superintendent, the financial situation and the results of the academic program.

John Hoxie - The Board of Trustees keeps the administration accountable. It is the job of the board (including the Superintendent) to set the goals and objectives of the district and hold them accountable. If goals and objectives are not being met and the board does nothing, it's time for a new board.

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - The Board holds the Superintendent accountable. The Superintendent then holds all the administrators accountable. It is up to the Board to set the standards of accountability and require the Superintendent to implement those standards.

I believe too much emphasis for determining accountability is based on the results of the TAKS test. I believe accountability should be based upon a number of factors such as student participation in extracurricular activities, parental involvement, preparation of students for college or work after high school, principal evaluations, parent surveys, and student improvement.

Tom Ferguson - The administration is accountable to the Board of Trustees. We, the Board, are in turn, accountable to you, the voters within the LISD community.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - Cycling in new blood to the school board instead of re-electing the same people every time.

4) When was the last time you were in a classroom and what was the purpose? How often, as an individual on the board, would you make campus visits?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - have been in many classrooms recently but only as a mom and a volunteer. The governance structure of a school board does not call for board members to observe individual classrooms. It calls for the board to make “big picture” observations based on the wealth of academic and financial data that is available.

John Hoxie - I'm frequently in the Fine Arts' wing at Frisco High School. I believe the board should visit campuses on a regular basis; however, the campus is the domain of the Chief Operating Office of the district, the Superintendent. Let's be clear… the day-to-day operation of a campus is the principal's responsibility; the day-to-day operation of the district is the primary job of the Superintendent.

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - I am an attorney that represents school districts around the state. As a result, I have been in several classrooms in the last year. Unless directed by the Board or for reasons related to their child, individual Board members should not be visiting campuses. The role of a Board member is policy and governance. It is not the role of a Board member to conduct their own investigations or run the day-to-day operations of a school district.

Tom Ferguson - During my 6 years on the board, I have made it a point to visit every school within the District (I have not made it to the new Independence ES yet though). I visited several classrooms in January 2009. My purpose in visiting schools is to observe our principals, teachers, staff, and students in action and to observe the conditions of our facilities. It is a chance to see and hear first-hand what is going on. I enjoy visiting our schools and plan to continue to do so as often as possible.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - I am in a college classroom every day, and even go to Lake Dallas High school every day to teach a dual credit course.

How often, as an individual on the board, would you make campus visits? I’d make frequent visits to campuses to see if they have what they need to succeed. I would make it a point to visit every campus at least once a year.

5) What are the top three agenda items you think the board should focus on in the upcoming school year?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - Currently the school district is approximately halfway built out. Over the next 20 years build-out will occur. The most important issues that we will face in the near future are assessing the viability of our mission up to this point, as it relates to our continued growth. That mission includes: improved educational attainment for all, building campuses with smaller enrollments at the secondary schools, hiring the very best teachers and designing engaging activities for classroom instruction.

John Hoxie

1. Pending law changes from Austin and implementation of such changes

2. Pending changes in No Child Left Behind from Washington and implementation of these changes

3. Budget and Tax issues due to the downturn in the economy

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - a. Potential Overcrowding/Dispute - We have several schools that are overcrowded. There is a large community debate as to how the District is addressing this issue. For example, the splitting of the Lewisville High School into three campuses is generating a large amount of controversy. We need to ensure that all schools are treated equally.

b. Schools need to be updated - I will work with Administrators to help improve the condition of their schools. We have several schools in the District that desperately need to be updated. Elementary school playgrounds need to be addressed. Many students are being educated in portable classrooms. Parking and physical appearance of the building are of issue as well. These conditions can negatively impact the student’s pride in their school. I believe that when students and their families have pride in their school, they will be more encouraged to support and participate in their school’s activities, programming, and academics. I want to work with our administrators and teachers in collaboration to assist in providing the necessary resources to be successful. I also value parent and student ideas for solutions to improve our schools. Better working environments will lead to higher retention rates.

c. Preparing students for life, not to pass test - We have a responsibility to prepare students for life after high school. For those students who plan to further their education, we must prepare them for the rigorous and challenging curriculum that they will face in college. We also have an obligation to provide educational opportunities for students that plan to embark upon a career directly out of high school. The programs at the Dale Jackson Career Center are an excellent start. However, I would like to investigate ways to expand this program to allow more students to participate. Unfortunately, Texas schools use TAKS to develop curriculum to determine classroom performance. What TAKS preparation does not take into account is that children have different learning styles and interest levels. Sadly, upon graduation, many children who are not academically motivated by TAKS criteria have either dropped-out of school, or are only prepared to take a test. LISD should be complimented for the pro-active programming that has already been put into place to combat the drop-out rate, such as night school, STAR programming, and accelerated learning programs. In addition to these efforts, I would like to propose more options for extracurricular involvement in school which students may receive credit while stimulating the student’s desire to attend school. Certain activities and classes can also be taught in a way that upon graduation would prepare students immediately for a career. Ideally, it would also be wonderful to explore Magnet Programs at some point. I believe recognition and action to provide students more opportunities to enjoy learning outside of TAKS preparation would stimulate students to stay in school.

Tom Ferguson - These are the top three issues that I believe are facing our District:

a) We need an equitable, sustainable, and predictable funding mechanism from the state. We have enough rainy day fund balance to ride out the current funding situation for 2-3

more years.

b) Despite the current economic slowdown, we still need to be planning and executing to accommodate the expected build out of the District to about 65,000 students from the current 50,000. This involves acquiring land, maintaining our excellent debt rating so we can sell bonds at reasonable rates as well as implementing our new secondary plan (including 9th and/or 9th/10th grade centers as appropriate).

c) We need to be prepared for the transition from TAKS testing to end-of-course testing. With the teachers we have, and the Curriculum and Assessment department we have in place, I believe we are positioned to be very successful at this. We must keep our eye on the ball – providing excellent academic opportunity for every single student in the LISD community regardless of the state testing environment.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - College Readiness, re-think adding the 10th graders to the 9th grade campuses in Lewisville and work at reducing the dropout and low graduation rates.

6) Are you open to online schooling options and if so would you bring it up to the board for consideration?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - We currently have a wealth of online courses for credit taking place on every campus and at our Student Opportunity Center.

John Hoxie - Online schooling could be used for some students. I would like to run a pilot on this and create guidelines for implementation. I firmly believe that all children learn from interaction with others, but online courses have their place in a curriculum. Would we be creating smart couch potatoes with no social skills by using online classes?

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - Online schooling is currently available in LISD. I would consider expanding online schooling options provided our Administration and teachers believe that it is a suitable method to educate our students. While the internet can be a valuable tool in the education process, I do not believe it should replace a good classroom teacher or the interactive learning process that a classroom provides.

Tom Ferguson - I believe online courses are an important part of instructional delivery. We have begun offering certain high school courses online already and will add courses as warranted.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - I would bring it to the school board as an option, but it is not an option for very many students, as on-line courses take lots of mental self-determination, which not many students have. In some cases it could be an option, but only in a few special cases to begin with.

7) Would you consider having a student Diversity Task Force to insure that the district is meeting the needs of all students?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - The Student Diversity Task Force could be one component to consider in trying to insure that the needs of all students are met. There are other groups in place that currently address the issues of excellence and equity including but not limited to the district Adult Diversity Task Force, the Campus Intervention Teams, the Superintendent Student Advisory Council, the Student Opportunity Center and the KEYS Program.

John Hoxie - I love that idea! I was part of a student council in college and I still believe in the concept. We can learn a tremendous amount by asking students their opinions.

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - I would welcome the input of any group that will help ensure that we are meeting the needs of all students.

Tom Ferguson - I would certainly consider such a proposal. I would like to see a more precise definition of the mission and makeup of this suggested task force.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - Why can’t the PTA handle this? I am all for more options, at least for consideration, but it will be up to the school board to make priorities and make sure everything is handled equitably.

8) Do you feel that some type of character education program should be instituted in the district middle schools to give guidance to the rapidly changing emotional and psychological growth of this age group?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - Throughout our school district we have character education programs imbedded in our core curriculum. Also, classroom guidance programs at the middle school level focus on the unique emotional and psychological needs of this age group.

John Hoxie - I would be in favor of such programs as long as they don’t dilute the main task of educating the students in the fundamentals. During my run for school board I have been confronted with a great deal of ideas on how to educate our students; many of which are not related to the fundamentals but are focused on today’s political agendas. Fads come and go but reading, writing, math, and science are foundational necessities.

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - It is my understanding that these types of programs are already implemented in our schools by specific administrators. I do not have an objection to these programs being expanded throughout the district.

Tom Ferguson - There are many factors that affect building character. I believe that our schools have a role, but we cannot substitute for good parenting. That being said, we offer a wide variety of extracurricular programs to all of our students at the middle school and high school levels and we strive to get as many of students involved in these as possible. There are many reasons for this but one is that we can hold students involved in these to a higher standard of conduct. The extracurricular activities themselves are also good character building tools – students have opportunities for teamwork as well as to learn how to lose – and win- gracefully. I am not just referring to athletics here either, there are many UIL academic competitions – there really is something for everyone if we can just get them connected. Before committing to adding a character building program, I would want to understand what is not being addressed by our existing opportunities and instructional activities. We must insure that every taxpayer dollar is invested wisely.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - Only if it is a quality program. Too often groups will be more than happy to take your money, and return it with worthless workbooks and lame role-playing exercises. The problem is finding a good quality program without stepping on everyone’s toes. Some parents prefer to teach their kids their own character education, while other parents would welcome character education. It could be that this would have to be a voluntary program, and only mandatory for the most unruly children.

9) What would you do to ensure staff development is meaningful for teachers?

FISD - Place 7

Cindy DePaolantonio - Part of our staff development program allows for professionals to seek staff development outside of that offered by the district through “exchange days”. District staff development is designed to meet established district goals and objectives. Both types are assessed through evaluative tools used by supervisors. Supervisors are especially trained to gage the impact of staff development on teacher performance.

John Hoxie - Like any career, people want to be included in the process and decision making. Cross campus dialog and career development/continuing education should be available throughout the district.

LISD - Place 1

Stephen Dubner - We need to allow teachers the freedom to select the staff development programs that they feel would be most beneficial to them. Employees should be encouraged and rewarded for advanced training. We need to cultivate an environment where teachers want to further their skills. When teachers go above and beyond the basic training minimums, we should reward. Highly skilled 4/13/2009 10:42 AM teachers can benefit their students. The bottom line is that teachers should be paid extra money when they receive advanced training.

Tom Ferguson - I know the importance of good staff development since I have served as a public school teacher and am currently a math professor. I know that our teachers need training in ever changing technology and they need to be kept up to date on their subject matter as well as the latest instructional methodologies. As part of the Board, we review proposals and status on staff development from the Administration. I believe that in general we are providing meaningful staff development for our teachers because our schools are producing good results. If there are specific issues behind this question, I would like to know what they are.

Place 2

Kevin Davis - You could start by asking the teachers what they would want, and hold them accountable for improvement if the program were instituted.