ALTON FRAILEY'S FAREWELL ADDRESS:

January 12, 2016

Dear Katy ISD Staff, Students, and Community,

This past fall [in the October executive session] I informed the Board of Trustees of my intention to resign from Katy ISD for the purpose of retiring, effective August 31, 2016. For the past nine years, I have been blessed and honored to serve as the Superintendent for one of the most extraordinary school districts and communities in the nation. I have cherished the work accomplished, and relationships built with our Board of Trustees, our exceptional students, parents, staff, faith leaders, elected officials, and business community. This decision comes after much thought, deliberation and heartfelt prayer. This is my 33rd year as a public school educator [sic] and I have had a truly rewarding career, but it is now time for me to focus on the next chapter of my life and consider other opportunities before me.

I am making this announcement mid-year so that the Board of Trustees will have sufficient time to recruit and select the best possible candidate to lead the District into the next phase of its legacy. Nevertheless, as we talk about the future, we know there is yet much to accomplish. There are still five months of the school year remaining [sic] and I look forward to the ongoing mutual work that we will engage in together as we stay the course in fostering learning environments conducive to student achievement.

There is a lot to be proud of in the Katy ISD school community. From our eight consecutive years of sustaining the Texas Education Agency’s highest ratings,* to being ranked this year by Niche* as the number one school district in the Houston area, to our students consistently outperforming the state in SATs and ACTs, to our highly regarded fine arts, FFA and athletic programs, to two successful community developed bond referendums, to working with advisory councils like our Superintendent’s Student, Employee, Parent and Community Roundtables, to our enhanced financial picture, and to becoming a national leader in the implementation of technology innovations. All of these initiatives have and will continue to support and prepare our young people for the future they will create with their minds, and hold in their hands, as they build upon their legacies.

The remarkable level of District and community support I have experienced while at Katy ISD is something most superintendents can only hope for during their tenures as educational leaders. I want to thank all of the Board members over the years for giving me the opportunity to serve the Katy ISD community. Together, with a dedicated, exceedingly knowledgeable and committed staff, we have continued to form one of the highest quality school districts in America. I also want to thank our parents, faith leaders, business partners and numerous volunteers (our secret sauce) who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the values-embedded vision of our community serves as the foundation for our culture of excellence in Katy ISD. Finally, I want to acknowledge my leadership team — principals and central office staff who have served with me. These staff members are visionaries who I respect, admire and have had the pleasure to refer to as my leadership team over the past nine years.

As you know, creating and supporting safe and nurturing school environments that provide students access to unparalleled learning experiences that few districts can offer, requires a will and determination that has always been, and continues to be, the primary focus of the Katy ISD community. I feel certain that this mission will continue as Katy ISD advances its legacy as a leader in educational excellence.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Alton Frailey

Superintendent

* TEA ratings are clouded by the fact that the test scores are manipulated annually so that all schools succeed even if the students are not doing very well on their tests!

* "Niche" is a gimmick web site generated by a 2002 graduate of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg--you know, that place the KAEDC wants Katy to be like.  The owner, Luke Skurman, is a millennial who found a way to make a lot of money quickly through advertising. If you go to the web site (https://k12.niche.com/ ) you will see that most schools are rated A or A+ and then, of course, there's the selling of real estate in the background.

This is just like all the other bogus awards from the Internet that KISD seems to generate.  Always check the giver of the award!  Caveat Emptor!