2009 FBISD Tax Hearing (On YouTube)

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2009 FBISD CONTROVERSIAL TAX HEARING (YES THEY ARE RAISING THEM AGAIN--see petition of over 500 district taxpayers asking for board accountability) --In case anyone missed it they raised the property tax rate again (4th time) in 2010 and more than likely will do so again in 2011 facing another projected 15-20 million dollar budget deficit, according to some media reports. ***NEW*** ..Petition TO STOP THE GSTC (Global Science Museum being planned at the district central office--near $30 million dollar project that superintendent Jenney is pushing): http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthegcst/ (see update below on this apparently ending this project after 2 years)

Monday, June 30, 2008

FB Star Publisher Critical Of FBISD Administration On Information Access!

This snip-it was taken from the publishers personal column in the FB Star. It is becoming a view point shared by many given the hectic '07-'08 school year:

...Have you noticed......The clamp down in news coming from Fort Bend ISD. Before this new superintendent, (I believe his name is Jenny, although I have never spoken over three words to him--”Hello, how are you?” Nor he to me.) the school district was pretty open with its news. If there were problems, they told you and they told you they were working on them.

Now, there are no problems. Problems? What problems? Oh, you mean that concussion one of our police officers has? Oh, you mean the ambulances hauling students out? Oh, you mean the county-wide “officer assist” call that went out at Marshall high school with news copters hovering overhead? Oh, the three policemen attacked three days in a row? Oh, the computers stolen and the grades hacked were not connected?

Here’s the way it is. FBISD’s paid liar is Mary Ann Simpson. She’s the head of community relations and any news the district issues. She works for the superintendent. If the superintendent tells her to lock down, she locks down.

When Betty Baitland was superintendent, I think she believed that honesty was the best policy and that by being forthcoming, she could depend on the community to help. You see where that got her.

So this Dr. Jenny gets hired and he wants a good face put on FBISD, even if it involves shading the truth.

Since the school police force, and the school news team depend on Dr. Jenny for their jobs, you can see how we can be manipulated.

Oh, there are so many problems in running a large school district. Maybe we don’t need to watch them make sausage.

Get the full story at:

http://www.fortbendstar.com/Columns/burner.htm

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Updated Calendar-

Important Dates Coming Up!

July 4 - Independence Day Holiday

July 14 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM

August 11 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM

August 19 - Summer Graduation, Wheeler Field House - 6:30 PM

August 25 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM

Monday, June 23, 2008

FB Star: Teacher Federation Supports Pay Increases In FBISD

FBISD urged to give bigger raises this year
By Barbara Fulenwider

Fort Bend ISD board meetings on the proposed 2008-09 budget are well underway so at their June 9 regularly scheduled meeting, Karrie Washenfelder, president of the Fort Bend Employee Federation, asked trustees to provide their employees with more than the 3.25 percent raise they got last year.

She pointed out the huge increases in gasoline and groceries, and said that “while everyone is paying higher prices, it’s obvious that our classified employees (bus drivers, skilled laborers, groundskeepers, cafeteria workers, custodians, etc.) will be hardest hit by this explosive rise in the cost of living. Unlike the school district they do not have millions in their fund balance account to make ends meet.”

She went on to urge trustees to use some of their fund balance to pay employees more. . .

FBI Reports On Hannover & Hillwood Property Purchases For New High School

Visit: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=545&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com

and FB Star coverage at:

http://www.fortbendstar.com/061808/n_Sienna%20gets%20its%20high%20school%20as%20Fort%20Bend%20ISD%20inks%20amended%20contract.htm

FBISDWatch question: With the purchase of two properties for one high school in the Sienna area, when did FBISD get into the land speculation business and what do they plan to do with the extra property purchased with our tax dollars?

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

IMPORTANT DATES!

Important Dates Coming Up!

July 4 - Independence Day Holiday

July 14 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM

August 11 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM

August 19 - Summer Graduation, Wheeler Field House - 6:30 PM

August 25 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM

Friday, June 13, 2008

FBN: What will the BOT do with the excess property purchased in the recent Sienna HS land deals?

With Sienna School Site A ‘Go,’ What Happens With Hannover Property?
by John Pape, FBN
With the Fort Bend ISD school board’s decision earlier this week to again proceed with the purchase of a school site in Sienna Plantation, the district will now have to decide what use it will make of the Hannover property in the Arcola area.

Although the Hannover location is still under consideration as the site for a future campus site, some Fresno/Arcola area residents are unhappy with the board’s latest decision, saying trustees “bent over backward” to respond to complaints from the more affluent Sienna community without considering the needs of the less-affluent part of the district.

The Hannover site, located off FM 521 in extreme eastern Fort Bend County, was purchased earlier this year when negotiations to purchase the Sienna site fell through for the first time. Trustees voted to buy the 110 acres from Hannover Estates at a cost of $5.3 million.

In limited public discussions, it was disclosed that the Hannover site was the board’s second choice, but the initial asking price for the preferred Sienna location was too high. Only after the board voted to buy the Hannover property did Sienna developers come back to the table with a lower asking price.

After extensive deliberation, trustees voted to buy the Sienna property for $3.35 million while keeping the Hannover property as well. Several weeks ago, when the Sienna deal appeared to fall through for the second and final time, it appeared the Hannover location would become the home for the school district’s eleventh high school.

When last-minute negotiations between the school district and Hillwood Development revived the Sienna deal, the district was, once again, left with two parcels of property in eastern Fort Bend County. Now, residents in Fresno and Arcola are asking if the district will put the Hannover location to use or simply sell it as surplus property. . .(get the full piece at http://www.fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?page_label=home&id=88131-With-Sienna-School-Site-A-‘Go-’-What-Happens-With-Hannover-Property-&article-With-Sienna-School-Site-A-‘Go-’-What-Happens-With-Hannover-Property-%20=&widget=push&instance=home_news_lead_story&open=&)

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Trustees Reverse Course Yet Again In Purchase Of HW Sienna Property

FBISD Trustees Approve Purchase Of Sienna School Site – Again
by John Pape, FortBendNow

Fort Bend ISD’s on-again, off-again deal to purchase property in Sienna Plantation for the district’s eleventh high school is on again.

Only two weeks after voting to terminate the contract with Hillwood Development for 77 acres during a specially-called meeting, school trustees reversed course again and voted unanimously to approve an amended contract. During the previous meeting, trustees alluded to “conditions” and “constraints” placed on the deal by the seller that caused board members to vote 5-2 to cancel the deal and request return of earnest money paid to secure the property.

The latest vote came early during Monday’s board meeting following a closed-door executive session. Trustee David Reitz, who made the motion two weeks ago to cancel the purchase, moved that the board approve the amended agreement hammered out by representatives of the district and the developer. . . get the full piece:

http://www.fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?page_label=home&id=85754-FBISD-Trustees-Approve-Purchase-Of-Sienna-School-Site-–-Again-&widget=push&article-FBISD-Trustees-Approve-Purchase-Of-Sienna-School-Site-–-Again-%20=&instance=home_news_lead_story&open=&

or

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/5828507.html

Monday, June 9, 2008

Bush Associate Principal Claims Innocence, Says His Arrest Sends Wrong Signal

Update: Bush Associate Principal Claims Innocence, Says His Arrest Sends Wrong Signal
by John Pape, Fortbendnow

The Bush High School associate principal charged with aggravated assault during a campus disturbance last week has proclaimed his innocence and said his arrest for attempting to control students will have a chilling effect among educators trying to do their job.

From:

http://fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?page_label=home&article-Bush-Associate-Principal-Claims-Innocence--Says-His-Arrest-Sends-Wrong-Signal%20=&id=85154-Bush-Associate-Principal-Claims-Innocence--Says-His-Arrest-Sends-Wrong-Signal&widget=push&instance=home_news_lead_story&open=&

Or more from the FB Sun:

http://www.hcnonline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19754168&BRD=1574&PAG=461&dept_id=635575&rfi=6

Thursday, June 5, 2008

FBISD Employee Union, Teachers Question Arrest Of Bush Associate Principal

FBISD Employee Union, Teachers Question Arrest Of Bush Associate Principal
by John Pape


At a Thursday afternoon press conference, representatives from the Fort Bend Employee Federation and several Bush High School teachers questioned whether the arrest of Bush High School Associate Principal Andre L. Credit on aggravated assault charges was warranted, and challenged the thoroughness of the investigation.

Credit was arrested by Fort Bend ISD police following a disturbance Tuesday afternoon in the Bush High School cafeteria. According to witnesses, students started a “food fight,” and during the incident Credit got into a struggle with student Edgar Arrellano.

Representatives of the teachers’ union were joined at the press conference by about a dozen Bush faculty members. Several said the investigation conducted by Fort Bend ISD police was flawed and that officers may have acted too hastily in arresting Credit.

Get the full story at:

http://fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?page_label=home&id=84124-FBISD-Employee-Union--Teachers-Question-Arrest-Of-Bush-Associate-Principal-&widget=push&instance=home_news_lead_story&article-FBISD-Employee-Union--Teachers-Question-Arrest-Of-Bush-Associate-Principal-%20=&open=&

&

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/5823194.html

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Chron: FBISD and developer in talks again on land deal for new high school

Follow this link for the update:

http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2008/06/fbisd_and_devel.html

FBN: FBISD Principal Arrested At Bush HS After Student Discipline Issue (A food fight in the cafeteria)-

Bush High School Associate Principal Arrested For Assaulting Student
by John Pape, FBN

Fort Bend ISD Police arrested Bush High School Associate Principal Andre L. Credit on aggravated assault charges Tuesday afternoon following an altercation with a student.
An associate principal at George Bush High School has been arrested on aggravated assault charges following a fight with a student on campus yesterday afternoon.

Andre L. Credit, 32, was arrested by Fort Bend ISD police following a disturbance that occurred around 1:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of the school. According to witnesses, students got into a “food fight” in the cafeteria, and during the incident Credit got into a struggle with a male student. The name of the student has not been released. . .(get the full story at: http://www.fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?article-Bush-High-School-Associate-Principal-Arrested-For-Assaulting-Student%20=&page_label=home&id=80082-Bush-High-School-Associate-Principal-Arrested-For-Assaulting-Student&widget=push&instance=home_news_lead_story&open=&)

Also:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/5819601.html (Updated June 5th)