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Leander schools
July 20, 2009
Leander schools set freshmen orientation
With school start dates on the horizon, the Leander school district is hosting camps for incoming freshmen and open houses for all five of the district’s high schools. Students will receive their locker assignments, tentative schedules and textbooks. They also will tour the campus.
For more information, call Cedar Park High School at 570-1200, Leander High School at 570-1000, Rouse High School at 570-2000, Vandegrift High School at 570-2300, or Vista Ridge High School at 570-1800.
Camp times and dates are listed below.
Leander “Lion Camp”-
For New Students
Tuesday,Aug. 4 -(A-L), 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 5 -(M-Z), 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Open House - Wednesday, September 9 - 6:30 p.m.
Rouse “ Raider Camp”-
For New Students
Wednesday, Aug. 5 - (A-K), 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, Aug.6 - (L-Z), 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Open House-Thursday, September 10 - 6:30 p.m.
Cedar Park “Wolf Camp”-
For New Students
Tuesday,Aug. 11 - (A-K), 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 12 - (L-Z), 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Open House - Wednesday, September 9 - 6:30 p.m.
Vandegrift “Viper Camp”-
At Four Points Middle School
9th grade - Wednesday, Aug. 12 - 9:00 a.m.
10th grade - Wednesday, Aug. 12 - 1:00 p.m.
Open House Thursday, September 10 - 6:30 p.m.
Vista Ridge “Ranger Camp”-
For New Students
Wednesday, Aug. 12- (A-K), 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (café)
Thursday, Aug. 13- (L-Z), 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (café)
Open House - Wednesday, September 9 - 7:00 p.m.
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May 22, 2009
Tumbleweed Hill stadium has new name
Leander trustees voted Thursday to name the new athletic stadium near Vandegrift High School the Ed W. Monroe Memorial Stadium. Monroe was a member of the Leander school board from 1958 to 1962, district officials said.
The 5,000-seat stadium is due to be finished in August.
Trustees had initially named the venue Tumbleweed Hill Stadium, but ditched that moniker fearing that juvenile corruptions could be embarrassing. In April, school board President Don McCall said that when names were being considered, Leander trustees hadn’t considered the possibility that “the kids are going to say, ‘Tumbleweed Hill — oh, that’s marijuana.’”
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April 24, 2009
Leander considers new names for stadium tinged by marijuana reference
The Leander Ledger reports that the Leander school board is considering five new names for a new stadium located near Vandegrift High School.
As you may recall, the trustees had dubbed the facility Tumbleweed Hill Stadium, but rescinded the stadium name over concerns that kids would think tumbleweed meant marijuana. (It actually refers to the steak restaurant that used to be at the top of the big hill, right, where the stadium is located.)
Ace Statesman columnist John Kelso did some digging and found out that the trustees were operating on some bad information:
Tumbleweed isn’t dope. It’s a term for several nuisance desert plants with shallow roots that roll around in the wind after they croak.“None of those things have anything to do with pot,” said Jim Manhart , an associate professor of biology at Texas A&M . “These are people who have too much time on their hands, if they worry about stuff like that.”
Trustees had selected Tumbleweed Hill Stadium over Freedom Field, Four Points Stadium or Ribelin Ranch Stadium.
Now, they’re thinking of naming the facility Ed. W. Monroe, Hill Country, Karen Sisler or Bill Pickett Stadium or Freedom Field. Kelso helpfully chimed in with suggestions including Bong Bowl and Reefer Stadium.
What do you think the new stadium should be called?
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April 22, 2009
Pertussis cases continue to pop up in Williamson county
Letters have been sent home recently to parents of students at Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park and Caldwell Elementary School in Pflugerville informing them that a confirmed case of pertussis, or whooping cough, was found at the school.
As of April 4 there were 11 confirmed cases in Williamson County and 29 probable cases. There was one hospitalization for a confirmed case of pertussis and five hospitalizations for possible cases, according to officials at the county health district.
By comparison, this time last year there were only 18 cases reported, according to the Williamson County and Cities Health District.
Travis County health officials have also reported higher numbers so far this year.
Known to be very contagious, pertussis can be particularly dangerous for children under age 1. Health officials recommend seeing a doctor immediately if a person is suspected of having pertussis.
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April 14, 2009
Leander school board forum planned
A forum for candidates running for Place 1 and Place 2 on the Leander school board is being held next Thursday.
The forum, sponsored by the Laura Wells Bush Elementary PTA and the Four Points News, a weekly newspaper, is being held in the school’s multi-purpose room next Thursday, April 23, at Bush Elementary, 12600 Country Trails.
Candidates for Place 1, currently represented by board president Don McCall, are: Dustin Weibel, James Spires and Lisa Mallory. Candidates for Place 2 are incumbent Don Hisle, Nacole McDonald Thompson, Nathan Deckinga
The forum will begin at 7 p.m.
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November 13, 2008
No bomb found at Leander High School after phoned-in threat
Update, 3:17 p.m.: Law enforcement and fire department personnel have finished their search of Leander High School and did not find a bomb, Leander spokesman Dick Ellis said. Students have returned to class and will be dismissed as usual.
From the Leander school district:
Leander High School was evacuated at approximately 1:05 p.m. today after a bomb threat was phoned in to Williamson County law enforcement personnel. Students were evacuated as a precaution immediately and are, as of 1:45 p.m., still outside our campus as law enforcement and fire department personnel complete a sweep of the entire campus.
Some 3/4-day buses will run late due to this evacuation, and students cannot be released until law enforcement personnel provide the all-clear.
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October 30, 2008
Do schools events and election day collide?
I’ve been asked to write a story about school districts scheduling events like band performances and football games on election day and how that might affect parents, teachers, coaches and other Texans of voting age.
So:
Are you a parent worried that attending the UIL State Marching Band Contest at the Alamodome Tuesday might keep you from voting?
Or a parent concerned that enjoying the musical stylings of the Fall String Festival at Zilker Park during your lunch break might prevent you from reaching the polls?
If your kid is supposed to play in an 8th grade away football game Tuesday night, is that going to conflict with you doing your civic duty?
If you’re affected by these scheduling dilemnas, go ahead and weigh in in the comment section below, or email me.
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October 7, 2008
Leander high schools fail to meet NCLB goals
Two Leander high schools failed to meet federal academic targets set by the No Child Left Behind Act because of scores from special education students who were required for the first time this past school year to take more difficult standardized tests than they were in the past.
Leander High School and Vista Ridge High School’s failures to make “adequate yearly progress” under federal standards were revealed Tuesday in a letter to parents from Leander superintendent Bret Champion. But Leander’s fate could be a sign of the federal accountability ratings of schools statewide that will be released Wednesday.
From Leander superintendent Bret Champion:
As you may know, Texas public schools and school districts are subject to two accountability systems - the familiar Texas Education Agency Accountability Ratings System which rates campuses and districts from “Unacceptable” to “Exemplary,” and the less-familiar federal accountability system administered under the “No Child Left Behind” Act of 2001. A significant issue for Texas public schools is that the measures under these two systems sometimes conflict with one another. This conflict makes it possible for a campus or school district to be rated poorly in one system or the other, even as they strive to do what is best for students.
Such is the case this year. The release this week of federal accountability information will show that Leander ISD made “Adequate Yearly Progress” (the federal standard based on 29 test performance and participation indicators by African-American, Hispanic, White, Economically Disadvantaged, Special Education and Limited English Proficient students in grades 3-8 and 10). This data release will further show that every LISD campus also met all 29 Adequate Yearly Progress performance standards, with the exception of Leander High School and Vista Ridge High School - both of which fell short due to the performance of students enrolled in special education on the Math test.
How did this occur? The requirements of the federal accountability system are now such that special education students must be tested at their enrolled grade level, whereas the Texas accountability system had, in the past, tested students at their instructional level. Students who had been evaluated via one system for the past seven years of their school careers suddenly faced what for some was an almost insurmountable single-year hurdle.
Since this newon-grade-level testing now impacts students who will be taking the Exit-level TAKS next year, Leander ISD’s high schools did what they believe is best for these students - moving as many of these students as possible to the regular grade-level assessment. Seventy-seven percent of LHS special education students took the regular TAKS (or TAKS Accommodated) Math exam this year, versus 62% in 2007. At VRHS, the percentage of special education students taking the regular TAKS Math exam increased from 50% in 2007 to 78% in 2008. These dynamic changes are a challenge for our students and for their teachers - a challenge that is being taken because it is what is best for students.
This change, however, fell victim to the realities of the federal standards - causing Vista Ridge High School and Leander High School to fall short of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements for the Special Education group on the Math assessment. In the case of Vista Ridge High School, 49% of these special education students passed the Math exam, literally one student short of the 50% requirement. Leander High School missed AYP in two of the 29 indicators, with 94% of special education students tested in the TAKS Math assessment (versus the federal 95% standard), and 21% of special education students mastering the Math exam. It should be noted that both of these schools were rated Academically Acceptable under this year’s Texas Education Agency accountability standards.
Certainly, Leander ISD would prefer to meet all standards under both state and federal accountability systems. We would also prefer that these systems be aligned to eliminate conflicting measures. We will do our absolute best to take care of the first item, knowing that the second is beyond our control and perhaps unlikely to be repaired.
In the mean time, we will continue to do what is best for students. This is our mission, and where our efforts will continue to be focused.
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September 26, 2008
State extends drop-out enrollment deadline because of Ike
The Texas Education Agency has extended the deadline by which schools must re-enroll dropouts or risk having them negatively affect the school’s accountability rating. As we reported Thursday, the deadline was originally Sept. 26.
But in letter dated Thursday, TEA said that they’re extending the deadline to Friday, October 24 statewide because of Hurricane Ike, “to accommodate both the closing of some districts and the enrollment of students displaced as a result of the hurricane into other Texas public schools throughout the state.”
Coincidentally, the extension will also help districts throughout Texas who are trying harder than ever this year to re-enroll dropouts because of a new, more inclusive definition of what exactly a drop-out is.
If Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott, right, had not given school districts a pass this past school year on using the new definition, many districts, including Round Rock, Leander, and Bastrop, would have received unacceptable ratings.
The commissioner has said he won’t give anyone a pass on the dropout rate standard this current school year. So some districts are scouring the streets for dropouts this year, or, as TEA puts it increasing “their community-wide efforts this year to ensure parents and students are aware of the importance of returning to school at the beginning of the year.”
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September 12, 2008
Second Leander school shelter opens
From the Leander school district:
As of 11:15 a.m. on Friday, Leander ISD is opening its second shelter site for Hurricane Ike evacuees, Cedar Park High School.
Staff from throughout the District are assisting with the sheltering activities at CPMS and CPHS, allowing for a safe and productive day of teaching and learning. All Leander ISD schools opened today at their regular times, with all LISD schools closing two hours early. The early closing is due to anticipated heavy traffic on major roadways as evacuations from the coast continue, and to allow time for area residents to prepare for any potential bad weather as a result of the coming storm.
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ACT college testing postponed
FROM AISD:
The ACT college test corporation has postponed testing scheduled for Saturday, September 13, at Texas school districts affected by Hurricane Ike.
In Austin ISD, tests were scheduled to be given at Anderson, Akins, Lanier, Reagan, and Travis high schools.
ACT indicated that it will contact those students who were registered for the test with rescheduling information later this Fall.
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September 11, 2008
All Austin public school to close early Friday
UPDATE 7:59 A.M.
Classes for students at Westlake High School and Hill Country Middle School will be CANCELLED today, Friday, Sept. 12. due to hurricane sheltering responsibilities at those campuses. Staff should still report to work.
At this time school is NOT affected at West Ridge Middle School or any of the elementary campuses in Eanes ISD.
EARLIER
All Austin public schools will be closed early Friday in anticipation of heavy vehicle traffic on major roads from Hurricane Ike evacuees.
The dismissal schedule for Austin ISD is as follows:
Noon — Elementary schools. There will be no after-school care for students. Also LBJ High School and the Liberal Arts & Science Academy
1 p.m. — Middle schools, including Kealing magnet students who ride Capital Metro buses.
2 p.m. — High xchools (except LBJ and the Liberal Arts & Science Academy) Because of unique transportation issues, LBJ High School and LASA will dismiss at Noon instead of 2 p.m.
“This is a precautionary step to remove students and buses from the roadways as early as possible. We are expecting a great deal of traffic from evacuees on local roads and highways. The safety of students is our first consideration.” Superintendent Pat Forgione said in a written statement.
The Leander school district, which expects to host 3,500 - 4,000 evacuees at seven secondary campuses, will release students two hours early on Friday. Leander says that only Leander school district employees and Red Cross trained and approved volunteers may assist at the shelters and that any donations (including food) should be taken to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or other organizations, not to the schools.
Other local school closures/early dismissals include:
Bastrop (Early dismissal Friday. Pre-Kindergarten though Grade 4 will release at 11:30 a.m. Grades 5 though 12 will release at 12:30 p.m. All athletic events and activities from Friday through Sunday canceled, including after-school programs, ACT administration, community education classes, and all facility usage rental agreements, including church services.)
Leander (National Merit Scholar Camp and other events canceled)
Comal (Thursday and Friday closure, Church Hill Middle School and Morningside and Freiheit Elementary Schools only)
Drippings Springs, like most other districts, has rescheduled its Friday night varsity football game. All other planned Dripping Springs school activities including the Dripping Springs Middle School Meet the Teacher Night will go as scheduled and the district plans to keep schools open on Friday with normal release times.
Eanes (School is scheduled as usual for Friday. Check district website for updates. Three secondary schools to serve as hurricane evacuation shelters for residents being bused from Galveston. Saturday Robofest and ACT exam administration will take place as usual. After‐hours events at both middle schools have been canceled, including Friday’s Hill Country dance.)
Elgin (Thursday and Friday closure)
Hays (Early closure Friday. High schools will be released at 12:30 p.m and middle schools will be released at 1:45 p.m. Elementary schools will be released at the regular time, 2:40 p.m. All buses will run according to this early release schedule. Athletic events rescheduled.)
Lake Travis (Plans to hold classes as usual. Check district website for updates. However,both Saturday School and the ACT test scheduled for Saturday have been canceled.)
Manor (Early dismissal Friday. All buses will run two hours early. Friday afternoon pre-K canceled. All other after-school events Friday through Sunday canceled.)
Pflugerville (All campuses will release students two hours early on Friday. The schedule is as follows: high schools will be released at 2:15 p.m., middle schools will be released at 1:35 p.m., and elementary schools will be released at 12:50 p.m. All buses will run according to this early release schedule.)
Round Rock (Early release for all schools on Friday. Elementary schools will be released at 12:45 p.m., middle schools will be released at 1:30 p.m. and high schools will be released at 2 p.m. Breakfast and lunch at all schools will be available to students before school is dismissed.)
San Marcos (Plans to hold classes as usual on Friday. Check district website for updates.)
You can also check the Texas Education Agency’s list of school closures and the Region XIII Service Center’s list.
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August 25, 2008
First day of school jitters, snafus, and whatchamacallits
Today’s the first day of school everywhere in Statesman-land except Pflugerville and Round Rock.
Rejoice or mourn, the choice is yours.
Statesman photographer Larry Kolvoord talked to 4-year-old Madison Briones, right, this morning at Sanchez Elementary. Madison was heartbroken after learning that she wouldn’t be able to attend pre-kindergarten classes on the first day because of a paperwork glitch.
‘Everybody is going to school besides me,’ she cried to her mom.
Did you experience any first day of school issues? Have any words of advice to offer Madison?
Updated, 5 p.m.: Leander school district spokesman Dick Ellis says that the district welcomed 27,528 students to school today without a hitch. The district opened four new campuses today too.
“It was perfect,” he said. “A really good first day.”
Check out the sights and sounds of Leander’s first day of school.
Updated, 8/26, for the curious: A Sanchez assistant principal told the Statesman that Madison got her paperwork straightened out and will be in class Wednesday morning.
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August 21, 2008
Central Texas back to school calendar
August 25 - First day of classes for following school districts: Austin, Bastrop, Del Valle, Dripping Springs, Eanes, Georgetown, Hays, Lake Travis, Leander, Manor, San Marcos and Wimberley. Also first day of classes at Austin Community College, and St. Edward’s and Southwestern universities.
August 26 - First day of classes for Lago Vista, Pflugerville and Round Rock ISDs. August 27 - First day of classes for Texas State University and the University of Texas.
September 1 - The following school districts are closed for the Labor Day holiday: Austin, Bastrop, Del Valle, Dripping Springs, Eanes, Georgetown, Hays, Lago Vista, Lake Travis, Leander, Manor, Pflugerville, Round Rock, San Marcos and Wimberley. It’s also a holiday at Austin Community College, St. Edward’s University, Southwestern University, Texas State University and the University of Texas.
September 2 - First day of classes at Huston-Tillotson University.
September 10 - First day of classes at Concordia University.
Check your local district’s website for first-day details, like Austin’s school bus stop locator, and other events.
If you’re lucky enough to live in Wimberley, for example, your kids can get vaccinations and free haircuts — two of any child’s favorite activities — at the Back to School Fiesta on Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of Wimberley.
(Cal Warlick cartoon at right)
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May 14, 2008
How to fund a school field trip
Two weeks after we heard about these kids at Zavala Elementary School in Austin who were struggling to pay for a field trip to a butterfly garden, Melinda Floyd, a parent volunteer at River Place Elementary School in the Leander school district, sent us this lovely photo of Heather Woehl’s first grade class at the Children’s museum.
Floyd writes that five 1st grade classes — 100 students — from River Place Elementary took a field trip to the Austin Children’s Museum on May 8 courtesy of a $900 grant from Target Corp.
The students learned about sound and how we process and produce sound. They came back to the classroom energized from their trip, Floyd said.
Floyd said she worked with teachers Heather Woehl and Tina Ritzema on the grant application, which was one of 1,600 field trip grant applications selected nationwide by Target.
That’s one way to fund a field trip, but it sounds like there are a lot of schools competing for a limited pool of field trip grants and other funding.
Do you have other suggestions for teachers or parents searching for ways to pay for field trips next year?
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May 13, 2008
Central Texas high school graduation dates set
We’ve compiled graduation dates for area high schools. Let us know if we’ve left one out, and if there’s a graduating senior (or two, or three, or 1,543) that you’re particularly proud of!
(All times are ceremony starting times. Seniors should check with their schools for their arrival times.)
Austin
6/3, Rosedale School, 1 p.m., at the Rosedale School
6/4, Garza, 7 p.m., Delco Center
6/5, Akins, 3 p.m.; Anderson, 5:45 p.m.; Austin, 8:30 p.m., all at Frank Erwin Center
6/6, Bowie, noon; Crockett, 3 p.m.; Lanier, 5:45 p.m., both at Frank Erwin Center
6/6, Johnston, 8 p.m., Delco Center
6/7, McCallum, noon, Frank Erwin Center
6/7 Reagan, 5:45 p.m., Delco Center
6/7 Travis, 3 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
6/7 LBJ/LASA, 9 a.m., Frank Erwin Center
Bastrop
5/25, Genesis, 1:30 p.m., Bastrop High School cafeteria
5/30, Bastrop, 8 p.m., Erhard Field, 1602 Hill Street.
Del Valle
6/4, 7 p.m., Texas State University Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos
Dripping Springs
6/6, 8 p.m., Shoreline Center
Eanes
5/30, 8:30 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
Hays
5/30, Hays, 8 p.m., Shelton Stadim
5/31, Lehman, 8 p.m., Shelton Stadium
5/31, The Academy@Hays, 6 p.m., Performing Arts Center
Hutto
6/7, 10 a.m., Shoreline Center
Lago Vista
6/6, 6 p.m., Lago Vista High School gymnasium
Lake Travis
6/5, Shoreline Center, 8 p.m.
Leander
5/30, New Hope, 7:30 p.m., Leander Extended Opportunity Conference Center
6/6, Leander, 9 a.m., Frank Erwin Center
6/8, Cedar Park, 3 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
6/8, Vista Ridge, 6 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
Manor
5/22, EXCEL, 7 p.m., Manor Performing Arts Center
6/5, High School, 1 p.m., Shoreline Center
Pflugerville
6/6, Hendrickson, 9 a.m., Shoreline Center
6/6, Provan Opportunity Center, 7 p.m., Pflugerville High School Performing Arts Center
6/7, Pflugerville, 5:45 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
6/7, Connally, 8:30 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
Round Rock
5/29, Success Program, Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
5/31, Round Rock, 9 a.m., Frank Erwin Center
5/31, Stony Point, noon, Frank Erwin Center
5/31, Westwood, 3 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
5/31, McNeil, 6 p.m., Frank Erwin Center
San Marcos
5/30, Pathfinder Learning Center, 1 p.m., San Marcos High School auditorium
6/7, High School, 7 p.m., Texas State University Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos
6/5, PRIDE, 10:30 a.m., San Marcos High School auditorium
Wimberley
5/30, 8 p.m., Texas State University Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Austin schools, Bastrop County schools, Del Valle schools, Hays County schools, Leander schools, Manor, Pflugerville schools, Round Rock schools, Wimberley schools
Leander dress code would keep eyes visible, other areas covered
The Leander school board is set to consider a few changes to the district’s dress code at its meeting Thursday evening.
Among the proposed changes are a ban on jeans that are torn or “have holes in them in inappropriate areas” and a requirement that hair be worn “so that the eyes are visible.”
The dress code already bans necklines that “reveal too much cleavage,” tops, dresses, capris and shirts that are “too tight,” as well as tank tops.
We’re reminded of this story about a Houston-area teen denied access to her senior prom because of a dress administrators deemed too revealing. Note that the dress doesn’t appear to have inappropriate holes and that the girl’s eyes are clearly visible.
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May 9, 2008
Teacher blacklist: myth or reality, and job fairs
Someone on the Texas Teachers Chatboard is asking about a state-wide blacklist for uppity and/or naughty teachers. The posters there seem to think it’s a myth. Anyone heard otherwise?
And speaking of teaching jobs, the Austin school district is holding its job fair on Saturday at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road. Only certified teachers need apply, though student teachers can bring a copy of a transcript showing enrollment and alternative certification program participants can bring letters showing proof of participation.
Del Valle will hold a job fair on Saturday at Del Valle Middle School, 5500 Ross Road.
And the Region 13 Education Service Center, the regional state agency serving Austin-area schools, will hold a job fair on June 5 at 5701 Springdale Road.
I’ve heard the job fairs can be stressful and overwhelming. Any current or prospective teachers planning on attending? Got any tips to share with newbies?
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment Categories: Austin schools, Bastrop County schools, Del Valle schools, Hays County schools, Leander schools, Manor, Pflugerville schools, Teachers, Wimberley schools
May 5, 2008
Online gradebooks causing trouble at home?
The New York Times reports on Web-based programs that let parents track their kids’ attendance and grades already in use by many local districts:
At best, the programs can be the Internet’s bright light into the bottomless backpack, an antidote for freshman forgetfulness, an early warning system and a lie detector. But sometimes there is collateral damage: exacerbated stress about daily grades and increased family tension.
A good number of Central Texas school districts already have Web-based programs to let parents keep tabs on their kids’ schoolwork. Those districts include Bastrop, Del Valle, Dripping Springs, Eanes, Leander, Manor, and Round Rock. (The Austin school district is planning on buying a similar system if voters approve a bond proposal on the May 10 ballot.)
Leander officials offer some helpful advice to parents using the district’s online GradeSpeed ParentConnection program:
Please allow adequate time for teachers to grade papers and enter the grades into the system. Remember, teachers have the full-time job of teaching, planning, collaborating, meeting, and assessing student work.
Parents, kids, teachers: How do you use the online programs? Love them? Hate them? Do you stress out over the programs as much as some of the parents and students interviewed by the New York Times do?
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment Categories: Austin schools, Bastrop County schools, Leander schools, Manor
April 24, 2008
Leander school board qualifications
In working on today’s story on the Leander school board election, something that new candidate Bryan Martin said struck me.
In response to a question about his qualifications for serving on the school board, he referred to his experience working at Dell:
“I doubt that I’ll come across anything as complicated at the school district as at Dell.”
Contrast that with what Lake Travis school board incumbent Mayo Davidson, who has served on the board since 1999, told me about his time on the school board:
“It’s extremely more complicated than I thought it would be. It’s extremely more time time consuming than I thought it would be.”
Board candidates new and old might want to check out the National School Boards Association’s “Life on the School Board” series or the Texas Association of School Board’s leadership page.
And everyone else might want to go hug a trustee today, or offer to double their pay (which for many is nothnig), even if you don’t always agree with that particular member, just for stepping up and taking on the job. Kudos.
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April 17, 2008
Cedar Park Middle School vandalized
Vandals significantly damaged 10 portable classroom buildings at a Leander middle school overnight.
This morning, officials at Cedar Park Middle School found 20 classrooms had been trashed overnight. The vandals broke windows in the portable buildings, damaged computers and set off fire extinguishers, district officials said.
Classes for about 300 students have been relocated to parts of the main campus while the damage is repaired.
The investigation into the vandalism is ongoing, district officials said.
From the Cedar Park Police Department:
On Thursday morning, April 17, 2008, at approx. 6:30 AM, the Cedar Park Police Department was dispatched to Cedar Park Middle School on a report of Criminal Mischief at a construction trailer on site of the Middle School. Upon arrival officers were soon contacted by Leander I.S.D. staff members who had discovered that 17 portable building classrooms had been broken into and sustained significant criminal mischief damage. Reported damage included broken windows, holes kicked in, and through, interior drywall to gain access to other rooms, discharged fire extinguishers, damaged to computers, televisions, projectors and other school equipment.
The Cedar Park Police Department is prioritizing this investigation and has dedicated a Lieutenant, Two Sergeants, six Detectives, and eight uniformed Officers to process the extensive crime scene for evidence. At this time the case remains under investigation.
If anyone has information on this case, they are encouraged to contact the Cedar Park Police Department Criminal Investigations Division, lead investigator Detective Tammy Barnett at 260-4762.
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