KATY TIMES ARTICLE 1994:

Candidates Vie for Board Positions

Katy Independent School District will hold a board of trustee election May 7 for positions 6 and 7.  Members of the board are elected for 3 year terms.  The candidates according to their place on the ballot are:

Position 6

Mary McGarr and Jerry Kroll

Position 7

Carl Dore' and Joe Kimmel

The candidates were asked to submit background information and respond to the following questions: 

1.  What about your experience, background or education would make you an effective trustee?

2.  What budget cuts would you recommend in order to keep the district's operating costs down?

3.  What changes, if any, would you recommend in the KISD curriculum?

4.  Why are you running for the board?

5.  Do you think communication between the district and the public needs improvement?  If so, what changes would you like to see?

6.  The 1994 board of trustees will have the task of selecting a new superintendent.  What qualities would you look for in a new superintendent?

7.  Where do you think the district should be five years from now?

Mary McGarr is a homemaker and former teacher.  She received a B. A. in English and Political Science from Texas Tech University, taught school in El Paso for 9 years, and in Houston ISD for 3 years, and was a substitute in Cy-Fair for two years.

McGarr is a past member of Pi Sigma Alpha, honorary political science fraternity, and Sigma Tau Delta, honorary English fraternity in college, a 28 year member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honorary teachers' organization.

McGarr was a former president of her community association; chairman for Neighborhood Watch in Nottingham Country; volunteered in the Nottingham Country Elementary library; started a PTA at Kate Bell Elementary, a new school in Houston where her children were enrolled at the time; helped start the parent organization at Memorial Parkway Junior High and served as its first president; served on many KISD committees over the years including ones on drug awareness, the Superintendent Advisory Committee, junior high schools, testing, and block scheduling; served as a member of Partners in Education; served as secretary of Katy National Little League; served as a board member for Ranger and FUN football; and helped organize and served as vice president of Katy Parents of Gifted and Talented students.

1.  "My background as a teacher, my experience as a parent of two children who attended KISD schools and who graduated from Taylor, my three years as a KISD school board member, my willingness to listen, and my inquisitive nature all enable me to be an effective trustee.  I believe that my vote has always been carefully considered and thoughtful.  I am willing and available to listen to parents, and I am capable of finding solutions to problems.

2. "I am concerned that in the five years of the current administration the total budget has increased 40 per cent, and the tax rate has increased 34 per cent, while the student population has increased only 18 percent.

What makes cutting the budget so difficult is that 70 percent of it is payroll, and when personnel are cut, then programs and services must be cut, and these cuts directly affect the quality of education the students receive.  I try to hold the line where possible.  My votes against upper level administrative salary increases are well known.

3.  "The KISD curriculum needs lots of attention.  I was greatly dismayed a year ago when I discovered that there were no curriculum guides (not even a scope and sequence) for the 6th, 7th,and 8th grade math or for Algebra I.  I also am concerned about our not having in place a coordinated curriculum.  As someone who has developed curriculum, I see the need for teachers new to our district to have something that tells them what is expected in this school district.  Otherwise, we have a situation such as that found at one of our middle schools last fall that allowed a flawed methodology to be used.  Katy ISD needs a curriculum thrust that moves back to a more traditional bent; one that ensures that students have acquired adequate basic skills in elementary school before they enter secondary school, and one that allows our graduates to pursue the career of their choice.

4.  "Being on the school board has been a challenge for me.  I think our community needs someone who is supportive of students and teachers, someone who will ask questions and not be a rubber stamp.  I wanted the best for my own children, and I want no less for everyone else's.  My standards are high.  I have been "Six-to-one Mary" at times, but I can defend each of those votes.  The concept of dissent is part of our republican form of government and one I hold dear.  No change occurs without it.  I have supported teachers, parents, and students and want to continue that effort.

5.  "Communication is always an issue during school board races.  However, once the election is over, nothing changes.  Communication in KISD is mostly from the top down.  Input from the public should be encouraged and not just tolerated.  I have been a listener and have always been available to anyone who wished to discuss school district matters.  My intent has been to assist parents by directing them to the proper school district employee for solutions to their problems.  As a school board member, I am a public servant, and I always try to remember that I am.  Hopefully, that perspective allows me to be effective.

6. "Having the opportunity to help select a new superintendent is my most important reason for running for this position again.  If I am re-elected, I will be looking for someone who loves all children, who is a strong leader wherever he/she has been, who has a grasp of curriculum development, who can generate community and teacher support for our educational programs, who believes in local control of public schools, who understands technology, who has some experience in the business world, who will be able to work with the present members of our administrative staff, who can take criticism, who has a grasp of financial issues, who will take part in our community's activities, who will lead the fight against the initiatives coming from Commissioner Meno, who will accept blame when he/she errs, who will not ignore the "regular" student, who demonstrates a clear understanding of the needs of special populations, including special education, minorities, gifted students, and agricultural and business vocational students, who has knowledge of and respect for Texas' Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act and someone who is cheerful and easy to like.

7.  "With the quality of our students, teaching and administrative staffs, with the possibility of strong new leadership, with the willingness of our residents to underwrite our district with their tax dollars, there is no reason why KSID cannot be the premier district in Texas and the nation in five years.

In five years I hope that KISD will be on the cutting edge of technological education.  Technological advancement is occurring at such an accelerated rate, and our students need every opportunity for acquiring suitable and appropriate knowledge in this field.  In five years I hope graduating students will have acquired the skills necessary to allow them to pursue whatever career  they choose.  They must not have their options limited because they have not learned anything of substance in our schools.

The potential exists for KISD to be exemplary.  The element necessary is a board of trustees that has vision and will commit to the work necessary for achievement.  I believe that I have that vision and commitment.

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Unfortunately the rest of the board did not "see" or appreciate the vision that I had, and hired someone who was just another mediocre superintendent--incapable of anything except currying favor with vendors and lining his own pockets.