1. How Will Katy ISD Be Better If You Are Elected?

Recap of Katy ISD Candidate's Forum hosted by Rotary of Katy, Part 2:

1.  How Will Katy ISD Be Better If You Are Elected?

• Position 6 Race: 
• Terry Majors said she had been a campus principal for 18 years, and there are lots of wonderful things happening on campuses.  She said she has the knowledge about what needs to happen at the campus level for the kids.
• Bryan Michalsky said he would bring his professional experience to the district, because the biggest challenge facing the district is funding.  He is the Chief Financial Officer of a local business, Cotton Industries.  He has 4 children currently in school, and a child who will enter kindergarten next year, so he has a vested interest in the district for the next 13 years.  He is a problem solver who listens to different points of view and gathers data to make up his mind.  He is a relationship builder.  Katy ISD is a Destination District which attracts families and the best teachers.  He moved here for the schools, like so many others.
• Position 7 Race:
• Charles Griffin said he is a Katy High School graduate, as is his father, his wife and 2 of his children.  He has two children still in KISD.  He believes KISD's biggest problem is the leadership of the school board.  He is a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel and 737 pilot for United Airlines, and at one point was furloughed from the airline for 2 years and 10 months.  Also, his wife lost her position at Griffin Elementary in last spring's layoffs.  He understands the process of being furloughed.  He feels the way the layoffs were handled went badly.  If had been on the board at the time they would have been handled differently.  As a captain and military officer, he feels prepared to work with different people and different issues.
• Betty Powell said the district would be better because education is her heart and passion for learning and teaching.  She was a teacher for 23 years, the last 11 at Katy.  She retired last spring.  She has worked in every building in Katy ISD because she was a campus technologist and a district technology specialist.  She has a global view of what is happening in the district.  Her background is in technology so can help move the district forward and make sure the students all have the opportunities they need for the future, like webinars and virtual schools.  She "thinks outside the box, but colors within the lines".  She currently works for the U.S. Marshal's service as a trainer who develops e-learning.  She wants to bring those skills to the district.
• Cynthia Blackman started her remarks by saying she almost won last time she ran, and would talk more about that later.  She has one son who graduated from CRHS and attends HCC.  She and her husband own a business here, and she is concerned about taxes.  Last year's teacher layoff was tragic.  She taught 22 years and is also a tutor.  She would look at the budget and NEVER cut teachers.  Teacher morale is low, and there is a lack of support for teachers.  As a school board member, she would go into campuses and evaluate what is going wrong.  She is not afraid to go into a school building as a school board member and evaluate what is going on in schools.  She wants to evaluate what is going on at the campuses.  She wants to get rid of TVs in class rooms and add special ed teachers and teacher's aides.  
• Neal Howard remarked on the big turnout, and introduced his wife and youngest daughter.  He has two in college.  He has been on the board for 3 years and has 3 years of a voting record to review.  He does his homework and shows up prepared.  He thinks independently, and brings a long-term perspective.  He described himself as "cheap", but said his focus is always on student achievement.  He brings a strong financial background, evaluating proposals for an oil and gas company, and he said board work is very similar.  He voted for the 2010 bond which is being used to build all the new schools in the district.  He was against a budget measure on benefits because it would have cost teachers and staff more money for health care.  He opposed the IB program and would have preferred to repair rather than replace the big screen at Rhodes.  

The questions were asked in "ballot order" on the first question, and the next questions were asked in different order so who answered first rotated among the candidates.  In the next posts, I'll recap the answers in the order they were given, not in the order they will appear on the ballot.