Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Waiting for a Superintendent who wants to live in Dallas

While others are "Waiting for Superman", a myth that never existed, I'm waiting for a Superintendent who wants to live in Dallas.

How strange that Dallas ISD elected Trustees would now bring forth a policy that would allow even the Superintendent to live in another city on Dallas taxpayer money while making decisions about the education of children in a city not good enough to live in.

How strange - after the current Superintendent declared himself to be the "perfect fit" for the Las Vegas (Clark County) public school system and Trustees rushed to increase the liability of Dallas taxpayers by over one million dollars - now a new policy comes forth that would allow even a Superintendent of Dallas ISD to live outside the city.

What is really going on here?

I don't really know the real story behind this strange and peculiar new policy push to enable any five Trustees to make a special arrangement with a Superintendent in his contract - even though the official school district policy requires the same Superintendent to live in the Dallas community.

I only know that a Superintendent who does not want to live in the city of Dallas is a Superintendent who should not be here.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Dallas ISD Officials To Break Ground On Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School

Ceremony set for Oct. 29 at site of new middle school 
2810 St. David Drive  Dallas, TX. 75223


DALLAS – Dallas ISD and community leaders will celebrate the beginning of construction of Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at 2810 St. David Drive. At more than 192,000 square feet, the new facility will accommodate up to 1,250 students in grades 6-8. 

The building’s design comprises environmentally sustainable features such as a geothermal HVAC system, reduced water consumption and a system for easier separation of waste materials for recycling.

Speakers slated for the groundbreaking ceremony include Second Vice President of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees Carla Ranger, District 6; Superintendent of Schools Michael Hinojosa; Cynthia Goodsell, executive director of the West Secondary Learning Community; Dallas County District 3 Commissioner John Wiley Price; and honoree Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. 

Special remembrances will be provided by former member of the State Board of Education Eleanor Conrad, and Friendship West Baptist Church Senior Pastor Frederick D. Haynes III. 

A civil rights advocate, theology professor and former state legislator, the Rev. Holmes was the first African American appointed to the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System. 

He is Pastor Emeritus of St. Luke Community United Methodist Church in Dallas, where he served for 28 years.

The event will feature the T.W. Browne Middle School Leadership Cadet Corps and the Jimmie Tyler Brashear Elementary School Glee Club. 

Everyone is invited.
– 30 –