Weatherford ISD recaps a successful season at meeting

New principal announced for Austin Elementary School

Special to the Democrat

Weatherford ISD school board members accepted the district’s recommendation to hire Jenny Morris as the new principal at Austin Elementary during Monday’s meeting in the WISD District Services Building.

The position became vacant after Linda Crownover was named the district’s new director of curriculum and instruction last month.

“We’re very excited to have Jenny as our new principal at Austin Elementary,” WISD Superintendent Dr. Deborah Cron said. “She is a perfect fit for our district’s mission and vision.”

Morris, a 1988 graduate of Weatherford High School, is a former assistant principal at Austin and Martin Elementary schools. She has worked for the district since 2002. She also taught third and fourth grade classes at Crockett Elementary and Fitzgerald Elementary in Arlington.

In other board meeting actions, WISD Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Darryl Cross and Director of Career and Technology John Allison shared recent student survey results on the possibility of having a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program at Weatherford High School.

“Approximately 300 students expressed interest in the program,” Cross said, “and it takes at least 100 students to get one implemented.”

Cross also said the startup cost for a JROTC program would run around $138,000.

“A community survey was recently placed on the district’s Web site, and results will be available by the next board meeting,” he added.

Board member Charlie Martinez said he would like to see every child engaged in student activities, and relayed his appreciation for the work the district has done in researching on implementing the program.

“I would also like to applaud Mr. Martinez for coming up with the idea to survey both students and parents,” WISD Board President Yale Young said.

Joe Schultz, assistant superintendent for business and operations, presented a transportation scorecard review, which included pick-up and drop-off consistency rates, bus route lengths, number of student riders and other data.

“We’re proud to report there were no bus accidents or student injuries while riding on buses during the 2006- 07 school year,” Schultz said. “Transportation would be the first to report that the safest method for a child to come to school is on a school bus.”

Schultz also said the division is working on improving other bus issues including reducing early pick-up times.

WISD Chief Technology Officer Harry Jones followed Schultz with his scorecard review on the district’s current technology status as well as a projected status for the next five years.

“We have set goals and objectives to address both current and future technology issues at Weatherford ISD,” Jones said. “Our Technology Plan will also be updated on an annual basis.”

Jones presented statistics the department discovered during the 2006- 07 school year such as:

n The WISD Web site received 1.84 million daily Internet transactions (about six e-mails per second).

n 5,996 work orders were completed (pp 2,423 from 2005-06).

n 18,791 videos were streamed (opposed to 545 in 2003-04).



Even through the challenging obstacles, the WISD technology department maintained more than 90 percent satisfaction ratings by staff in work order completions, hardware and software issues.

“I know several companies who would like to have those numbers for customer satisfaction,” WISD Board Secretary Paul Paschall said. “This is a huge accomplishment by the technology department.”

Board members presented the district’s Financial Integrity System of Texas (FIRST) rating for 2005-06 where the district received a “Superior Rating.”

Schultz said the district scored positive marks on 20 out of 21 of the state’s indicators.

Cron updated board members on an increase of test takers for the SAT and ACT exams, student-teacher ratios at each campus throughout the district, and reported on the state-mandated Anabolic Steroid Testing program as approved by the 80th Texas Legislature.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Administration Holly Teague also reviewed data provided by WISD’s Leading Indicator Process (LIP), which was designed to meet the goals of the district through its strategic plan.

Other agenda items approved by the board at Monday’s meeting included:

n Control Innovations was selected to install digital controls for air conditioning and heating at Tison Middle School and Wright Elementary School for $163,291.

n Out-of-district transfers (tuition required, excluding non-resident children of district employees).

n Campus attendance committees.

n WHS male wrestling team tournament trip to Shreveport, La.

n Membership of the District Central Textbook Selection Committee.

n IESI as the district’s contractor for waste management services (beginning Oct. 15).

n Tex-Air Filters Company selected to supply air conditioning and heating filter supplies for 2007-08 (possibly through 2009-10).

n Southwest Greens to repair the WHS putting and chipping green.

n Sherwin-Williams Company (Weatherford) as district paint supplier through Oct. 14, 2008.

n ESC-Region 11 approved for district to join Shared Services Agreement to participate in the Multi-Regional Purchasing Program.

n Master bidders list approved for 2007-08.

n District Campus Improvement Plan Goals and Objectives for 2007-08 were approved.

n Vendors were awarded for catering services, charter bus services, printer ink and toner services, printing services, screen printing and monogramming services.

n Warner Killough and Jerry Durant were recommended for the Parker County Appraisal Board of Directors.



The next regular-scheduled school board meeting will be Nov. 8, in the WISD Board Room located in the district services building on Longhorn Drive.

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