ECISD workshop helps to set agenda for next board meeting

The Ector County Independent School District’s Business Operations department gave an overview of its functions and there was a discussion of Superintendent Hector Mendez’s goals at Tuesday’s board workshop meeting.

The meeting, which lasted about two hours, began with a look at the functions of various departments in ECISD Business Operations.

Tonya Tillman, assistant superintendent for Business Operations, said there are 95 employees in the district’s Business Operations department, broken into five different departments. She said the purpose of discussing the functions of the departments helps the board members see what each area does and to meet some of the staff.

The five areas in Business Operations are: finance, information systems, information technology, payroll and purchasing.

A representative from each department gave a presentation on what they do for the district.

Tom Pace, board president, was impressed at the conclusion of each department’s complex presentation and added Tillman had surrounded herself with outstanding employees.

“I think the presentation has been outstanding,” he said.

Mendez also took time at the conclusion of the presentation to acknowledge the hard work Tillman has done in the district.

Tillman is officially leaving ECISD on Friday after being with the district for 13 years. She said she is moving to Carollton for personal reasons and an opportunity to be the chief financial officer at the Carollton Farmers-Branch Independent School District. She said is looking forward to live closer to family near Carollton, but the change is bittersweet.

“There are wonderful people working here,” she said. “I’m very sad to leave.”

Mendez also expressed his regrets to Tillman leaving.

“I do want to thank Tonya for her leadership,” he said. “We’re gonna miss you.”

Mendez said the Business Operations department is a very complex system and Tillman had been a “tremendous asset” to the district. He said after she officially leaves the position, the position will be posted and he said he will seriously look at appointing someone to take over temporarily as interim assistant superintendent of business operations. He said discussion of an interim could be brought forward at the Feb. 17 regular board meeting.

Another item discussed at the workshop, which is to be brought before the board at the next meeting are the superintendent goals. Mendez’s goals as a superintendent will be measured by his effectiveness to carry out the board’s drafted core beliefs, as defined in its Educational Philosophy.

Pace said Mendez’s goals are in support of the core beliefs. He said some of the goals cannot be supported quantitatively, but many of the items can be and will use student assessments as a measure of effectiveness. He said he thinks this is better than in the past, when evaluations were created each year.

“We had a whole new set of standards each year,” he said.

Mendez was also pleased with the new evaluation methods to be used on him in June. He said now he will be held accountable to the beliefs and commitments the board has set for the district to follow.

“It makes sense,” he said. “Now it’s connected.”

Mendez said this is something the board has worked on since the beginning of August. He said his evaluation will more clearly indicate the connection between the district’s beliefs and goals, and he said it will evolve with time.

He said in the past the board was not comfortable with what they were measuring in terms of his evaluation and as a district two years ago, so they made arrangements to change.

“We’re getting structures and processes in places to keep us moving forward,” he said.

The board will hear the educational philosophy at the regular board meeting on Feb. 17 for a second reading, and mostly likely the board will adopt the policy at that time.

The five commitments in the board’s draft version of Core Beliefs include:

• We commit to the elimination of gaps among and between individual student groups while developing each student's fullest potential.
• We will support managed instruction including vertical and horizontal alignment and focused professional development.
• While holding staff accountable for quality instructions, we will fully support the staff with focused professional development, take morale assessments and provides assistance with disciplinary support.
• We will support district staff and services necessary to confirm and strengthen these partnerships (among students, families, the community and educators) for the highest educational outcome of our students.
• We will provide resources to ensure student and staff quality well-being and quality facilities.

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