The Wylie News (Wylie, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 52, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 2, 1993 Page: 1 of 20
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Volume 46: Issue 52
s s i va<
Wylie, Collin County, Texas
Wednesday, June 2,1993
mm
1 Wi
Two Sections 25 Cents
WmM- -
Christian Care Center
104 N. Jackson Street is now the
temporary headquarters for Wylie’s
Christian Care Center. The building
is the former Paper Clip office
supply.
The East Fork
Masonic Lodge
The East Fork Masonic Lodge
will have a fish fry on June 5 at
11:30. The public is invited to enjoy
good food and entertainment.
Erin Henry
Erin Henry, daughter of Jane and
Bill Henry of Wylie was among
1,970 students listed on the 1993
semester honor roll at McNeese
State University in Lake Charles,
La.
Miss Henry also received a
certificate naming her an honor roll
student for the Southland
Conference athletics.
Millwood Cemetery
70,080 pounds
School Board to use firm
of tires recycled
I he City of Wylie is happy to announce
that 70,080 pounds of tires were removed
from Wylie for recycling.The average
passenger tire weighs 18.8 pounds, so the city
and residents of Wylie caused approximately
3,747 tires to be removed.We can be proud
that each participant helped not only the visual
appearance of the town, but also helped
eliminate culex mosquitoes’ favorite breeding
grounds. The culex mosquito is the carrier of
encephalitis.
Code Enforcement thanks all who
participated including the volunteers from the
local VFW, Gibson Recycling out of Atlanta,
lexas, the lexas Water Commission for
encouraging recycling by allowing a waiver of
normal hauling fees. If you have tires and
were not able to participate, you can dispose
of them at the landfill for an additional charge.
Congressman Sam Johnson
Still in the process of rebuilding after being stuck by the May 9 tornado, Extruders, Inc. of Wylie suffered further ,, immunity
damage Wednesday morning, May 26, when fire broke out in a paint booth area. Wylie Fire Department t,n Saturday, June at
personnel worked 15 minutes in an initial attack, and after TU Electric shut off power to the plant fought 1 .'30 p.m. You are cordially
another 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control. Fire Chief Jim Lynch said Friday investigations were under invited to visit with your
congressman at this time.
wav to determine the cause of the fire. Damages, he said are an estimated $300,000.
Millwood Cemetery located off
FM 2755 on C.R. 535 in southeast
Collin County will hold its 1993
homecoming ceremony, Saturday,
June 12.
A short program will be conducted
beginning at 10:30 a.m.and a Hag
will be presented by Congressman
Ralph Hall. Lavon Baptist Church
Choir will sing and the keynote
speaker speaker will be Senator
Florence Shapiro.
Millwood was established in 1853.
It is the burial place for a veteran of
the War of 1812 and 10 Civil War
veterans.
Note: Speed limit
changes on Brown St.
& N. Ballard St.
The speed limits have changed on
North Ballard Street from 40 m.p.h.
A 35 m.p.h. and on Brown Street
uetween Ballard Street and
Highway 78 from 30 m.p.h. to 35
m.p.h. The Wylie Police Depart-
ment is giving citizens a two-week
grace period before enforcement
begins on June 1
Softball Tournament
A co-ed softball tournament
sponsored by Community Youth
Association will be held on
Saturday, June 12. Entry Fee is
$100,00 per team and there is a 14
team limit. First and second place
individual T-shirts will be given.
Deadline for registration is Sunday,
June 6. Contact Dede Shewbirt ut
853-3980 for more information.
Graduation
The Wylie High School Class of
1993 graduated on May 28. Because
of our early deadline for the
Memorial Day Holiday, pictures and
names of scholarship winners will
be in next week’s Wylie News.
in superintendent search
By Patty Flint
A report from an investigative team from
the Department of Governance and
Special Inv ations of the Texas
Education Agency (TEA) was sent to the
WISD on May 10 and revealed several
violations.
“As a result of this investigation, no
sanctions against the district are being
implemented. However, failure to abide by
the rules and laws referred to in this report
will result in reconsideration of sanctions
against die district,” the report slated.
The visit was the result of concerned
citizens writing letters of complaint to die
agency and making numerous phone calls
regarding the behavior of the board and
how meetings have been conducted. In
addition, the Agency was urged to visit the
district "by die president of the hoard of
trustees on at least four occasions.”
Forty-two interviews were conducted in
the district office with the acting
superintendent, the seven trustees, the
principals, the business manager, other
staff, students and patrons.
The investigation team also reviewed
hoard agendas and minutes of board
meetings, a variety of other documents
and a video tape of board meetings held on
March 26 and M arch 29, 1993.
The allegations were: an illegal board
meeting was held on March 26; some
trustees were not informed of meetings in
compliance with local policy; the board
failed to follow policy concerning the
open forum at meetings; an attorney was
TEA cites
By Patty Flint
Hie WISD Board of Trustees decided to
utilize (lie services of a search firm to fill the
position of superintendent at last Monday
night’s meeting.
Board president Vie Eggemeyer had
earlier appointed Rock King, Dr. l ed
Trimble and Brenda Burroughs to find out
what firms other districts had used.
They recommended Townley and
Watson Consultants over the Texas
Association of School Boards because of
cost, the fact that the firm came highly
recommended and neighboring school
districts had used the firm.
Trimble said factors in favor of using a
search firm would be its objectivity,
efficiency and thoroughness. On the other
hand, a negative factor would be die cost.
But, he said the board wanted to get the
“right” superintendent - not the “quick"
‘'iperintendent.
retained for the board without hoard
approval, and payments of bills for legal
services were not authorized by die board.
Also, a recently appointed trustee is
several years in arrears on his school
taxes; individual trustees are going to the
district office and calling for so much
information that staff members are unable
to get their jobs done; individual trustees
are assuming audiority outside of board
meetings.
And, staff members feel intimidated and
insecure; site-based decision making is not
working in the district; some of the
trustees are not getting all of their required
training and the board failed to approve
the superintendent’s contract in February
1992.
The conclusion of the report is as
follows: “Individual trustees and the board
as a whole have taken action that is
detrimental to the district and to the
educational process. Individual trustees
have overstepped dieir authority, and the
hoard has taken action in direct violation
of local policy and state law.
“ The results are fear, confusion, distrust,
and insecurity among staff. At a time
when die district needs to be focused on
student achievement, energies are being
dissipated because of the confusion
generated by the board.
“The Audits Division of the Texas
Education Agency has also had serious
concerns about the financial operation of
the Wylie ISI). A report from that division
detailing their findings will be
forthcoming shortly.
“Since the investigative visit, two
significant events have taken place in the
Wylie Independent School District. First,
the board has setded its disagreement with
the superintendent. 'Hie conflict, which so
di’ iued the community and schools, has
been resolved by a legal agreement
between die superintendent and the board.
Second, die school hoard election of May
1, 1993 resulted in die election of two new
trustees.
“Telephone interviews with some
trustees and patrons indicate dial the board
can and will work to heal the bad feelings
among some members of the community.
The trustees have pledged to work
together, cooperate, and refocus the efforts
of the board on the education of the
students in the district.”
The team made the following required
improvement actions: “The superintendent
and board president must place this report
on the agenda of the next regular mecung
of the board and discuss the report in its
entirety; the board must pass a resolution
to cooperate and work together and to
conduct all district business in accordance
with both the spirit and the letter of the
Texas Open Meetings Act; the board must
develop a training plan to address the
needs of individual trustees and die board
as a whole based on an assessment of their
training needs, considering the Statewide
Standards on Duties of a School Board
Member and the board must encourage
public participation in the decision-
making process by complying with both
the spirit and letter of state law, State
Board of Education rule, and local board
policy as they relate to site-based decision
making, district improvement plans, and
public input at board meetings.
The recommended sanctions are:
"Findings detailed in this report indicate
serious violations that have occurred,
confusion and distrust districtwide, and
lack of leadership from the Wylie ISD
Board of Trustees, The Conclusion section
of this report refeis to changes that have
occurred in the make-up of the board and
in the superintendency of the district.
“Therefore, the Agency will not
intervene at this time. We do expect the
board to review carefully this report, to
pass resolutions for improvement, to
rebuild harmony in the school district, and
to dedicate itself to the continued
improvement of student performance.
“If the Agency continues to receive
reports of inappropriate board behavior
that infringes on the instructional program
of the district, we will not hesitate to
recommend to the Commissioner of
Education that sanctions be applied as
necessary."
The report is available at the WISD
administration office for public review.
Schoolfs Out
Watch out for the Kids
‘serious violations’ by board
King said a questionnaire that was sent
to the teachers revealed that they fell
education, experience and communication
should play key roles in die selection of the
superintendent.
It was decided that Townley and
Watson will he invited to die next regular
meeting to answer questions from die board.
During the open forum, three citizens
addressed die board - two regarding hiring a
new superintendent and one on the Texas
Education Agency C1EA) report.
Mike Whitcomb said he would like die
candidate to have a strong emphasis on die
basics of education, with strong beliefs in
discipline and teaching moral values.
lie said he thought the new
superintendent needed to be someone who
could lead, direct and work with both
teachers and the community. Whitcomb
also recommended hiring a consulung firm
in die search.
Bryant Barry, a former board member.
advised hiring a search firm because he
“believed in consultants and professionals.”
1 le also advised die board not to interfere
with the administration of the district, but
concentrate on policy making.
Irene Messenger directed her remarks to
the TEA investigation, that was conducted
in April. She said she had the original letters
dial were sent to the agency and that die
allegations were “awful”, “untrue” and “bad
for diis district."
In addition, she told the board they had
problems in the middle and high schools
and asked if die agency«was investigating
die board at that time, then why was her
name brought into the investigation as
someone who took a steno pad into the
school.
After the open forum, the board went
into a two-hour executive session to discuss
the employment of a principal at 1 lartman
Elementary and to confer with the school
allnrnri»
Honnie C!z»hnlkn.
Reneker to discuss die Birmingham Land
Trust litigation.
After emerging from the closed-door
session, die hoard voted in open session to
employ Rick Smotherman as the elementary
principal..
Hie ho;ird took action on the following
items: approved the financial reports;
approved a lease agreement regarding farm
property; appointed a committee consisting
of board members Bill Collins, Brenda
Burroughs and one other to decide how the
board will address the areas in the TEA
report; tabled any action for approval of
personnel positions based on current
enrollment; approved hiring Lynne Tinsley
for two to four weeks (his summer to
complete special projects; set dates in June
for budget work sessions; set June 14 as the
next regular board meeting; set June 28 as
Compensation Elan Workshop and tabled
any recommendation to develop a
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Cook, Margaret. The Wylie News (Wylie, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 52, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 2, 1993, newspaper, June 2, 1993; Wylie, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth750676/m1/1/: accessed June 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Smith Public Library.