See this link for more: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/30/40910
More: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/30/40926#comment-4189
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
FBN Breaking News: FBISD Police Chief Will Leave Force By End Of The Year!
Controversial Fort Bend ISD Police Chief To Retire At End Of Year
September 24th, 2009 | by John Pape, Fortbendnow
Fort Bend ISD Police Chief J.L. Campbell has announced he will retire and the end of the year.
Campbell made his plans known to police personnel in a memo dated Tuesday. FBISD Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson also confirmed the chief had notified district administrators he plans to retire.
In the memo, Campbell told police personnel that “it is time for me to begin a new journey on my career path.” He said he would retire effective Dec. 31 after 15 years with the department....(search earlier articles on this item)
Full story: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/24/40729
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/24/40729/924-fbisd-police-chief-letter-fb
Background:
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/01/02/34462
http://fbisdwatch.blogspot.com/2009/01/fbisdwatch-issues-call-for.html
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/01/05/34534
http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/search?q=FBISDwatch+seeks+investigation
September 24th, 2009 | by John Pape, Fortbendnow
Fort Bend ISD Police Chief J.L. Campbell has announced he will retire and the end of the year.
Campbell made his plans known to police personnel in a memo dated Tuesday. FBISD Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson also confirmed the chief had notified district administrators he plans to retire.
In the memo, Campbell told police personnel that “it is time for me to begin a new journey on my career path.” He said he would retire effective Dec. 31 after 15 years with the department....(search earlier articles on this item)
Full story: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/24/40729
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/24/40729/924-fbisd-police-chief-letter-fb
Background:
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/01/02/34462
http://fbisdwatch.blogspot.com/2009/01/fbisdwatch-issues-call-for.html
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/01/05/34534
http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/search?q=FBISDwatch+seeks+investigation
Monday, September 21, 2009
Report From FBStar On FBISD "State of the Schools" Luncheon
From Bev's Burner:
"...But since I think lying about lying is a double sin, I’ll just say FBISD Superintendent Tim Jenney simply didn’t give the complete picture.
The occasion was the annual “State of the School” luncheon hosted by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Jenney was discussing FBISD’s progress of the past year.
He told the luncheon audience that FBISD met 25 of the state’s requirements of a “recognized” school district. The impression was left with the attendees that FBISD was “recognized.”
That very day I had looked up the ranking of FBISD and Katy, mainly because I thought Katy handled the President’s recent speech so much better than FBISD. I was pretty sure the TEA web site said Katy was “recognized,” while FBISD was only “academically acceptable.”
Stafford Superintendent H.D. Chambers, during his part of the program, said Stafford met 25 criteria and was “almost recognized.” Dr. Thomas Randle from Lamar CISD didn’t even bother to offer numbers. He simply talked about the technology and his district’s commitment to prepare students to earn a living.
The FBISD board was sitting right behind me, and I turned around and asked board member Susan Hohnbaum if FBISD was really “recognized.”
“No,” she replied, ”We were penalized because of too many drop-outs.”
Get the full article at: http://www.fortbendstar.com/Columns/burner.htm
"...But since I think lying about lying is a double sin, I’ll just say FBISD Superintendent Tim Jenney simply didn’t give the complete picture.
The occasion was the annual “State of the School” luncheon hosted by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Jenney was discussing FBISD’s progress of the past year.
He told the luncheon audience that FBISD met 25 of the state’s requirements of a “recognized” school district. The impression was left with the attendees that FBISD was “recognized.”
That very day I had looked up the ranking of FBISD and Katy, mainly because I thought Katy handled the President’s recent speech so much better than FBISD. I was pretty sure the TEA web site said Katy was “recognized,” while FBISD was only “academically acceptable.”
Stafford Superintendent H.D. Chambers, during his part of the program, said Stafford met 25 criteria and was “almost recognized.” Dr. Thomas Randle from Lamar CISD didn’t even bother to offer numbers. He simply talked about the technology and his district’s commitment to prepare students to earn a living.
The FBISD board was sitting right behind me, and I turned around and asked board member Susan Hohnbaum if FBISD was really “recognized.”
“No,” she replied, ”We were penalized because of too many drop-outs.”
Get the full article at: http://www.fortbendstar.com/Columns/burner.htm
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
HMNS Non-profit Museum Seeks Partnership With FBISD (Will it happen given the duplicate GSTC taxpayer supported project)?
Get the update here:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6617997.html
Back ground (see archive in article):
http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/08/fbisd_ags_rulin.html#comments
Stay informed and keep in touch!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/fortbend/news/6617997.html
Back ground (see archive in article):
http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/08/fbisd_ags_rulin.html#comments
Stay informed and keep in touch!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Chron: Reports on Zoning Plans For FBISD Schools
FBISD trustees want harder look at zoning proposals
Zen Zheng
FBN update 8/16: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/16/40395
http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/fbisd_trustees_1.html#comments (full article)
http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/zoning.cfm (zoning plans)
Starting an early planning process, the Fort Bend school district has unveiled its proposed attendance zones for two new schools under construction in the district's fareast side. Both schools are set to open in fall next year.
The district's 45th elementary is being built at 636 Glendale Lakes Drive off FM 521 south of Texas 6 near Rosharon. It is expected to enroll 448 pupils from both sides of FM 512, including 111 Sienna Crossing elementary pupils to be transferred.
With the proposal, a small southern portion of the Schiff Elementary attendance zone where there are 12 pupils would be absorbed into that of Sienna Crossing Elementary. An eastern part of the Sienna Crossing zone, where the 111 pupils are, would be annexed into the new elementary's boundaries. The plan would reduce Schiff's enrollment from 799 to 503 pupils and that of Sienna Crossing from 974 to 881.
The new high school, the district's 11th, is being built at 500 Waters Lake Boulevard in Sienna Plantation area near the Hillwood residential development. Its attendance zone would comprise Hightower High's attendance zone portion south of Texas 6 and a southeastern part of the Elkins High attendance zone.
With the new high school proposal, an expected 265 students in the Vicksburg subdivision area attending Elkins High would be transferred to Hightower while 502 Sienna students attending Elkins would be relocated to the new high school. That plan would reduce Elkins' enrollment from 2,351 to 1,626 students and that of Hightower from 2,649 to 1,796. The new high school is anticipated to open with 1,171 students.
A projected 2 percent growth for the 2009-2010 school year is factored in the above student enrollment figures.
During the workshop Monday, school board members didn't have a consensus on if the administration's proposals should be presented as is to two public meetings, originally scheduled for Sept. 29 and 30 but postponed due to the lack of board agreement. . .
Zen Zheng
FBN update 8/16: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/16/40395
http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/fbisd_trustees_1.html#comments (full article)
http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/zoning.cfm (zoning plans)
Starting an early planning process, the Fort Bend school district has unveiled its proposed attendance zones for two new schools under construction in the district's fareast side. Both schools are set to open in fall next year.
The district's 45th elementary is being built at 636 Glendale Lakes Drive off FM 521 south of Texas 6 near Rosharon. It is expected to enroll 448 pupils from both sides of FM 512, including 111 Sienna Crossing elementary pupils to be transferred.
With the proposal, a small southern portion of the Schiff Elementary attendance zone where there are 12 pupils would be absorbed into that of Sienna Crossing Elementary. An eastern part of the Sienna Crossing zone, where the 111 pupils are, would be annexed into the new elementary's boundaries. The plan would reduce Schiff's enrollment from 799 to 503 pupils and that of Sienna Crossing from 974 to 881.
The new high school, the district's 11th, is being built at 500 Waters Lake Boulevard in Sienna Plantation area near the Hillwood residential development. Its attendance zone would comprise Hightower High's attendance zone portion south of Texas 6 and a southeastern part of the Elkins High attendance zone.
With the new high school proposal, an expected 265 students in the Vicksburg subdivision area attending Elkins High would be transferred to Hightower while 502 Sienna students attending Elkins would be relocated to the new high school. That plan would reduce Elkins' enrollment from 2,351 to 1,626 students and that of Hightower from 2,649 to 1,796. The new high school is anticipated to open with 1,171 students.
A projected 2 percent growth for the 2009-2010 school year is factored in the above student enrollment figures.
During the workshop Monday, school board members didn't have a consensus on if the administration's proposals should be presented as is to two public meetings, originally scheduled for Sept. 29 and 30 but postponed due to the lack of board agreement. . .
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Meetings Approaching:
Upcoming Important Dates:
Date/Event
Sept. 14 Board Workshop - Zoning
Sept. 14 Regular School Board Meeting
Sept. 28 Regular School Board Meeting
Sept. 29 Public Hearing: Zoning
Sept. 30 Public Hearing: Zoning
All meetings are held in the FBISD Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd, Sugar Land, at 7 p.m. (unless otherwise noted)
Date/Event
Sept. 14 Board Workshop - Zoning
Sept. 14 Regular School Board Meeting
Sept. 28 Regular School Board Meeting
Sept. 29 Public Hearing: Zoning
Sept. 30 Public Hearing: Zoning
All meetings are held in the FBISD Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd, Sugar Land, at 7 p.m. (unless otherwise noted)
Friday, September 4, 2009
FB Independent Publisher Opines On TPIA & District Compliance With Texas AG!
Open records request is a farce
By SESHADRI KUMAR, Fort Bend Independent
The public information request or the open records request with Fort Bend ISD has become a farce as far as my experience goes. What could be provided routinely to a requestor are first kept confidential and then released by the district for a nominal charge.
One would think that the feasibility committee report on the Global Science and Technology Center is a public document and the district would like it to be read by as many people as possible to win their support.
On the contrary, the report was given to the media only when asked and it was released after the statutory 10-day waiting period. It cost me $14.
Then when I wanted a copy of the comments posted on the FBISD website, I thought I could have them e-mailed to me. No, a print out was provided and the cost was $6.
Then, I posed to a query to the communications department asking what documents did the district provide to Ms. Nancy Hentschel who had filed an open records request. I had asked if the district had provided response to one of the specific queries made by her, namely “any communication via mail, phone, e-mail, text, or other routes between members of the committee, the PBK company representatives, [Dr.] Jenney, and the developer...”
I asked for the clarification because of conflicting claims made by Hentschel that she got nothing from the district and the district saying they gave all that could be given.
Instead of receiving a brief response from the communications department, my request was treated as an open records request.
Again, I had to shell out $28.50. I don’t mind it, but unfortunately, barring about five or six pages, all the other pages were a reproduction of the same feasibility committee report and comments on the website.
Making an ORR, especially with any public entity, is tricky. The requestor should be clever or the request letter may require the assistance of an attorney...
Get the full story at: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=89&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=1808&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com
ALSO--SMSD adopts balanced budget, with no tax increase
COULD FBISD BOT TAKE A LESSON FROM SMSD BOT? SEE: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=&sdetail=1810&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com
By SESHADRI KUMAR, Fort Bend Independent
The public information request or the open records request with Fort Bend ISD has become a farce as far as my experience goes. What could be provided routinely to a requestor are first kept confidential and then released by the district for a nominal charge.
One would think that the feasibility committee report on the Global Science and Technology Center is a public document and the district would like it to be read by as many people as possible to win their support.
On the contrary, the report was given to the media only when asked and it was released after the statutory 10-day waiting period. It cost me $14.
Then when I wanted a copy of the comments posted on the FBISD website, I thought I could have them e-mailed to me. No, a print out was provided and the cost was $6.
Then, I posed to a query to the communications department asking what documents did the district provide to Ms. Nancy Hentschel who had filed an open records request. I had asked if the district had provided response to one of the specific queries made by her, namely “any communication via mail, phone, e-mail, text, or other routes between members of the committee, the PBK company representatives, [Dr.] Jenney, and the developer...”
I asked for the clarification because of conflicting claims made by Hentschel that she got nothing from the district and the district saying they gave all that could be given.
Instead of receiving a brief response from the communications department, my request was treated as an open records request.
Again, I had to shell out $28.50. I don’t mind it, but unfortunately, barring about five or six pages, all the other pages were a reproduction of the same feasibility committee report and comments on the website.
Making an ORR, especially with any public entity, is tricky. The requestor should be clever or the request letter may require the assistance of an attorney...
Get the full story at: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=89&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=1808&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com
ALSO--SMSD adopts balanced budget, with no tax increase
COULD FBISD BOT TAKE A LESSON FROM SMSD BOT? SEE: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=&sdetail=1810&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com
FB Star Covers FBISD Tax Increase Vote & Near 20 Million Dollar Budget Deficit--
Full version at: http://www.fortbendstar.com/090209/n_FBISD%20approves%20498%20million.htm
"Despite the debates and failed attempts, all seven board members voted in favor of the finalized budget which cast aside the insurance increase and kept the pay raise for regular district employees.
Due to the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District’s delay in certifying the property evaluations, the district’s taxable property value cannot be certified. Officials are hoping to be able to set a new tax rate in a month. The new rate may see a 3.5 cent increase, going up to $1.305 per $100 assessed value. Last year, the rate was raised by 2 cents from $1.25 in 2007." FB Star
FB Independent release on deficit/tax increase: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=&sdetail=1816&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com
"Despite the debates and failed attempts, all seven board members voted in favor of the finalized budget which cast aside the insurance increase and kept the pay raise for regular district employees.
Due to the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District’s delay in certifying the property evaluations, the district’s taxable property value cannot be certified. Officials are hoping to be able to set a new tax rate in a month. The new rate may see a 3.5 cent increase, going up to $1.305 per $100 assessed value. Last year, the rate was raised by 2 cents from $1.25 in 2007." FB Star
FB Independent release on deficit/tax increase: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=Default&mad=&sdetail=1816&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Local Media Reporting On Student Sorting Being Conducted By The District In Preparation For The President's Education Speech--
Get the full story at:
9-8 Update: http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/inspirational_o.html
Update 9-3: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/03/40126#comment-3040
http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/fbisd_gives_par.html (Houston Chronicle)
and
http://www.kissmybigbluebutt.com/#September2letter (local political blog)
--We will update this news as it happens....
9-8 Update: http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/inspirational_o.html
Update 9-3: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/03/40126#comment-3040
http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/09/fbisd_gives_par.html (Houston Chronicle)
and
http://www.kissmybigbluebutt.com/#September2letter (local political blog)
--We will update this news as it happens....
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Upcoming Important Dates:
Date Event
Sept. 7 Labor Day - School Closed
Sept. 14 Board Workshop - Zoning
Sept. 14 Regular School Board Meeting
Sept. 28 Regular School Board Meeting
Sept. 29 Public Hearing: Zoning
Sept. 30 Public Hearing: Zoning
FBN updates recent property tax rate increase vote & record budget deficit: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/01/40045
Related problems continue at FBISD police dept: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/01/40049#comment-2937
“The same gang that killed those two in Fresno has members at several of our high schools. Believe me, it’s serious and you have to have the training and equipment to handle them,” the officer said. “The chief, the superintendent and the school board wants everybody to believe everything is rosy in the schools. They don’t see what we see; they either don’t get it or they don’t want to admit it.” FBN
Sept. 7 Labor Day - School Closed
Sept. 14 Board Workshop - Zoning
Sept. 14 Regular School Board Meeting
Sept. 28 Regular School Board Meeting
Sept. 29 Public Hearing: Zoning
Sept. 30 Public Hearing: Zoning
FBN updates recent property tax rate increase vote & record budget deficit: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/01/40045
Related problems continue at FBISD police dept: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/09/01/40049#comment-2937
“The same gang that killed those two in Fresno has members at several of our high schools. Believe me, it’s serious and you have to have the training and equipment to handle them,” the officer said. “The chief, the superintendent and the school board wants everybody to believe everything is rosy in the schools. They don’t see what we see; they either don’t get it or they don’t want to admit it.” FBN
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