ECISD board forum

An informal forum between ECISD school board candidates and community members focused on revitalization of the district and how constituents saw the ways to achieve the goal.

ECISD school board candidates answered questions from an audience of about 20 educators, parents and community members Monday evening at Odessa College.

The almost two-hour informal forum, organized by the group tentatively called Ector County Citizens 4 Kids, gave members of the public a chance to ask candidates questions about the Ector County Independent School District from topics like the superintendent search to communication between administration, teachers and the community.

Many of the candidates said they'd like to see the district move back toward people "being proud of ECISD," having a unified board and a student-focus on issues.

Positions 2, 4, 5 and 7 are up for election to the ECISD board of trustees.

A majority of the meeting Monday centered on constituents and what they'd like to see in a permanent superintendent along with their concerns about current administration.

Candidates and many attendees agreed the superintendent selection is an important decision.

Kathleen Shaffer, Ector County Citizens 4 Kids co-organizer, said the current atmosphere in the district doesn't seem like it'd lend it self to a good in-house superintendent candidate pool.

"We don't have an environment that we think could produce a successful candidate," Shaffer said, noting a superintendent would need to come forward and make statements about issues in ECISD.

Some parents in the audience said they feel left out about issues concerning their children or a large amount of students.

Shaffer said she didn't know about the Career Center redesign until after the board approved it, and she only heard about the bell schedule change consideration because a friend told her about it.

Louise Ellsworth said some mail-outs or information about students needs to be better communicated to parents and the public.

Ellsworth said it seemed like ECISD interim superintendent Hector Mendez and his leadership team had made up their minds on the high school bell schedule when they met with parents at two meetings last week.

But, not many parents knew about the meetings, and Ellsworth said administrators needed to think how the schedule would affect all students.

"You have to consider every single kid," she said.

Position 4 incumbent Doyle Woodall said the administration did listen to community members' concerns as far as the bell schedule because administrators reversed their thinking.

Position 7 challenger Donnie Norwood said parents are always welcome to attend the ECISD Council of PTAs meetings once a month where parents meet with administrators.

But, he said open forums may also be a good idea.

Position 7 challenger Jay Pease said he'd be glad to meet with constituents in open forums.

Attendee Karen Hildebrand, also Planned Parenthood director, said the district needs to focus making advancements to help students be successful through using technology in the classroom because she hires many former ECISD students who can't read or write.

"They aren't really the caliber I need," she said.

Daphne Lampman asked about confidentiality for teachers who would potentially call board members with concerns, noting some teachers now are fearful of retaliation to speak out about things.

Position 5 candidate Yollie Wilkins said as a teacher in ECISD for 37 years she never felt like she couldn't have an opinion about issues, but now confidentiality is important for teachers who are fearful.

"We're in the real world, and there are people who will come back and do things," she said.

Local Texas State Teachers Association President Chuck Isner suggested a workshop to teach administrators how to build positive relationships with their staffs.

Woodall said he's asked ECISD attorney Mike Atkins to review how to approach that issue and possibly offer some type of board workshop for campus and district administrators.

Permian English teacher Cindy McKeehan suggested a group of educators conduct an open forum for the public to meet and ask questions of superintendent candidates.

Lampman said the forum would allow teachers and parents to feel as though they have a say in the decision-making.

Attendees and candidates discussed whether the district should hire a consulting firm to hire a superintendent after ECISD posted the position since Feb. 29 and only one applicant had responded as of Friday.

Attendee John Wilkins - also Yollie Wilkins' husband - said it would take "some money" to find a qualified superintendent, which he related to coaches.

"They don't come cheap," he said, and many attendees verbally agreed.

With all the issues discussed, candidates agreed the focus needs to be on students and how to help them become successful.

"There needs to be some work done and obviously that comes from the top down," Pease said.

WHO WAS THERE?

>> Incumbent Fay Batch, who runs unopposed in Position 2, didn't attend the meeting.

>> While Position 4 incumbent Doyle Woodall attended the meeting, Woodall's challenger, former county fiscal services director, Tom Pace, was out of town.

>> Position 5 candidates former ECISD teacher Yollie Wilkins and Lorrie Vickers, School Health Advisory Council member, attended the meeting. Current Position 5 trustee Randy Rives isn't seeking reelection.

>> Position 7 candidates financial adviser Jay Pease and Donnie Norwood, former ECISD executive director for support services, also attended the event. Incumbent L.V. "Butch" Foreman III was out of town.