Early Voting Has Started-- VOTE YES FOR KATY ISD BOND!

Early voting has started.  Since this is a November election, you will vote at the early voting sites OF YOUR COUNTY. 
Information about Early Voting Locations in Harris, Ft. Bend and Waller Counties is HERE.  GO VOTE!


Last Monday, the School Board discussed what would happen if this bond is defeated.  The Chronicle has a headline in today's paper saying Katy is "ready if voters say no".  YIKES!!  

Of course the District and its staff and teachers will "rise to the occasion".  That does NOT mean the schools and student experience won't change.  There WILL be changes:  Overcrowded schools will have to be the priority, as the district is required by law to educate every child who shows up.  That means Operating Fund money (the same pot of money that pays teacher salaries) will have to be used to do things like buy additional portables, rent and build-out additional facilities like shuttered retail space to be classrooms or offices, rent out-of-district stadiums for sporting events, and buses will have to be re-directed to take children to those out-of-neighborhood facilities.  Older schools will not be renovated so will continue to serve their students poorly (e.g. Memorial Parkway Jr. High) or not as securely (e.g. Mayde Creek HS).  Secondary teachers will not be assigned a classroom and will have to have their planning period in the teacher's lounge.  While it ensures every inch of space will be used every minute of the day, why would a talented teacher stick around if they are not even given a desk?  
This bond was carefully crafted to NOT require a tax increase.  The risk is a tiny 1/2 cent per $100 valuation.  To put it in "homeowner terms", we are basically borrowing against our equity, with no increase in our mortgage payments. 
If you, like so many people, moved to this district BECAUSE of the wonderful schools, why would you risk the value of your home by voting to change those schools dramatically for the worse??       

The School Bond vote is near the end of the ballot.  Be sure to scroll down and cast your vote!

I will vote "YES" on the Katy ISD School Bond, and encourage you to, as well.  I served on the Bond Committee and am proud of the package we developed.

This bond will provide:

• Six new schools (1 high school, 2 junior highs, and 3 elementary schools) (47.7% of the bond)
• Six comprehensive renovations of our older schools: Mayde Creek High School, Memorial Parkway Jr. High, and Memorial Parkway, Golbow, Cimarron, and Pattison Elementary Schools (18.1%)
• Additional component replacements at 43 other schools and 3 district facilities. (5.6%)
• Program Support Facilities: An additional stadium and Ag Sciences Center (both scaled back from what was proposed and rejected in the Nov. '13 bond) (10.8%)
• Expansions to Miller Career Center and 5 Junior Highs (4.9%)
• Technology (6.7%)
• Security upgrades (1.7%)
• Other items, including design and planning fees for 2 additional elementary schools, buses, portables, etc. (4.5%)

Of critical importance to the Bond Committee was including as many necessary projects as possible with little or no tax increase risk.  This bond accomplished that goal with an addition potential tax rate increase of 1/2 cent.  Additional facts and information can be found HERE.

I believe we need this bond, and we need it now.  The district has already delayed this bond by over a year, due to concerns at that time about the flagging economy and how that might impact our growth.  Thank goodness those concerns did not come to pass here in Katy— we have growth and plenty of it!  The 70,000th student enrolled this year, and about 3000 new students come to Katy every year.  They come for excellent schools and programs that provide a well-rounded education for our students. The projects in this bond will address that growth, as well as provided badly needed renovations for our older schools. 

Do You Believe In Public Education? If So, VOTE FOR HODGE!

First, I recommend you read George Scott's article about what impact Schofield's election will have on education legislation next year.  George and I don't see eye-to-eye on some things, but he is spot-on that Schofield is NOT a friend of public education.    

Secondly, Run-off Reports have been filed by Schofield and Hodge and they are every bit as interesting as the earlier reports, showing once more that Schofield is more connected to Austin than to District 132, Cy-Fair or Katy.  

Schofield's report shows that between February 23 and May 17, he received 85 contributions.  Of those, two are from District 132; 37 are from Austin, and 35 are from Houston zip codes that are NOT in District 132 (zip codes in District 132).  Most are from "downtown" attorneys or PACs, and the remainder are from other cities.

Contrast this to Ann Hodge's report, which contains 93 donations in the same time period.  Of that, 42 are from District 132 zip codes, 17 are from other Houston zip (but checking the names I recognize many of them as being from or having businesses in the Katy area).  Fifteen donations are from Austin zips.  The remainder are from other cities.  

Take a look at who the contributors are, as well.  This will help you know the candidate's interests and where they will spend their energy.  Schofield's largest contributor ($25,000+) is from Texans for Lawsuit Reform.  Ann Hodge's largest contributor is Texas Parent PAC, for about $5,000.  They are a non-partisan organization committed to strengthening Texas public schools.  If you are concerned about public education, you need to vote for Ann Hodge!  This is a notoriously low-turnout election, so please forward this and my previous post to everyone you know in District 132, and make sure the district has a LOCALLY FOCUSED representative!  Early Voting continues through Friday; Election Day is Tuesday.  Polling places etc are here.

The Choices for District 132

I’m dusting off “Musings From Katy” for some comments on a very important election: The Republican Primary Runoff for District 132 (Ann Hodge vs. Mike Schofield).  Early voting starts on Monday May 19, and Election Day is Tuesday, May 27.  ANYONE can vote in this election (except those who voted in the 2014 Democratic Party Primary last March).  Frankly, this election will be decided in this run-off, so if you want your voice heard, you need to get to the polls for this election.  Your choice is between a 30-year community resident business leader and a district-shopping professional wanna-be politician.  

Ann Hodge’s resume is impressive, including being appointed by several Texas Governors to the Texas Workforce Investment Council, the Texas Council on Vocational Education and the Texas Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness.   She is neither a professional candidate nor an ideologue.  Many entities and individuals, including the Houston Chronicle, have endorsed her.   See the list here.  You’ll notice it’s your neighbors and people who love Katy and Cy-Fair.  Her 30 years of living in and working for this area will serve District 132 well.

Mike Schofield, in contrast, has just moved here to run for office.  Don't misunderstand me; we are growing and I welcome our many newcomers.  The question is WHY did they move here?  What concerns me is that Mike Schofield has continuously been raising money for SOME State Rep job—he doesn’t seem to care which.  (See the bullets below.)  The Texas Constitution created a part-time, so-called citizen legislature, which meets for a relatively brief 140 days every other year.   I understand Mr. Schofield has no day job but has been going door-to-door through the district charming people into putting his sign in their yard.  Ann Hodge has a job—running our local Chamber of Commerce.  She is what the Constitution had in mind—because she lives in, works in, and betters our community.  She will be a true Citizen Legislator.  Also, she knows the area well enough to know that wide swaths of Katy ISD and Cy-Fair ISD, while not in District 132, are important to District 132.  Bill Callegari understands this, as does John Zerwas and Glenn Hegar.  Mike Schofield has not spent any time learning about the broader Katy and Cy-Fair areas—they can’t vote for him so they are not worth his time.  

Mike Schofield has been funded and endorsed by lots of folks with zip codes other than those from our area, and has a long history of “District Shopping”.  The information below is from the Texas Ethics Commission.  Candidates who have any campaign funds on hand are required to file reports semi-annually (In January & July) and before elections.  They are a wealth of information about a candidate, sometimes in the questions that are raised by what they DON’T say. 

·       In his January 15, 2006 campaign finance report, he doesn’t know what office he is filing for (Box 12), but has $60,000 contributed to get him elected SOMEWHERE.   His address is listed as 10714 Overbrook Ln, a home near Westheimer and the Beltway, which property records list as owned by a Norma Garbizu in 2006.

·       In the 30 Days before the Election report, he finally reports he is running for State Rep for Dist. 133, near the Galleria.

·       His July semiannual report filed after he lost the primary election in 2006 shows he spent over $186,000 trying to win District 133.

·       All filings (annual and semi-annual) through Jan. 2012 continue to list his address as the house on Overbrook and that the office he is seeking is for District 133. 

·       Schofield eventually files to run for District 136, in the Memorial area.  In November 2011, maps are redrawn and District 136 is rolled into District 133.  Schofield does not appear on the primary ballot.  

·       In the January 2012 report, his address changes to an office address in Greenway Plaza, which is the same address as Blakemore & Associates, a political consulting firm.  He does not list any office that he is seeking.  However, he raises over $67,000 and spends nearly $34,000.  Why would people give money to him without knowing what office he is running for?  Or does he tell them what he’s running for but omits that information on the report?   His expenditures show he spent money for “travel in district” and for Filing Fees to the Harris County Republican Party, but we don’t know which district?!? 

·       In the July 2012 report, people are still donating but he doesn’t list an office that he is seeking, his address is still the office in Greenway Plaza, he’s traveling in the unnamed district and spending money on print advertizing (which you’d think would mention WHAT office he is running for).

·       For January 2013 and July 2013, he is sitting on about $20,000.  No change in address and he still doesn’t know what he’s running for.

·       On September 23, 2013, Bill Callegari announces he is retiring from District 132.  On September 25^th, Schofield rents a house in District 132. http://coveringkaty.com/2014/03/16/candidate-mike-schofield-covering-katy-investigation/

·       In his January, 2014, filing, Schofield finally lists District 132 as the one he is going after.  His address on campaign reports remains the Greenway Plaza office address. 

 

So, in 8 short years, Mike Schofield has moved to and filed for office in three different districts.  Do NOT let Mike Schofield use us this way!  Get out and VOTE!  Remember, you do not need to be a “registered Republican”—it doesn’t work that way in Texas.  Unless you voted in the 2014 Democratic Primary, you CAN and SHOULD vote in the Republican primary run-off. 

Early Voting is Monday, May 19 through Friday, May 23, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Locations are here: 

I'm Back! To talk about the Open Meetings Act

Actually, I never left.  But I've spent the last few months working on settling my mom into her new digs, and working on some projects that I promise to write about soon.  But tonight I'm writing to comment on the School Board's new initiative called "The Exchange".  I went to the first one tonight, and I have some comments:

• It was exciting to see a fairly large number of people there for the first time.  The usual folks who follow the Board were there, but also a number of people I didn't know, and that's a good thing.  The Board needs to hear from lots of people.
• It was hard to hear in that particular setting, primarily because of the size of the crowd.  Easy to fix.
• Some people were frustrated, because they thought this would be a chance for them to bring THEIR issue to the Board and get an answer.  This was not going to happen because of the Open Meetings Act ("OMA"), but perhaps we'll get closer as The Exchange initiative progresses.  As I listened at my table, I realized some of the people there didn't understand what the OMA is, so here is an explanation, and a request that you hang in there:  

The Open Meeting Act is NOT a district policy or a marketing name for these meetings.  It is a state law that dictates how a governmental body can talk to "the people".   The intent behind the law is to make sure that if a quorum of a governmental body is present and talking about something, that topic is disclosed to the rest of the world so that anyone else interested in hearing the conversation can show up and listen to it.  That's why the Board had to frustrate some folks this evening-- they came to hear what the Board had to say, but the Board could not comment on specifics that had not been posted.  For instance, one of the ladies at my table wanted to talk about specific books used in 12th grade at a particular high school.  The Board could listen to her concerns (everyone has Free Speech rights) but could not comment on them because it wasn't posted so that my absent friend Jan, who is VERY passionate about books, could be there to hear what the Board has to say about the topic.  

That disclosure happens by "posting" 72 hours ahead of the meeting, meaning the topics to be discussed are literally tacked up in a public place so that people can plan to attend and listen to any discussion that interests them.  Nowadays, the posting also appears on the website, so you don't actually have to drive down to the ESC to check out the bulletin board outside, to see the topics to be discussed.  Of course, there are exceptions, but this is the general intent of the law.  

Speaking of the topics, they have to be posted with some specificity.  Since the entire Board was expected to be present, tonight's discussion had to be posted, so the Board chose the topic "Governance and The Role of The Board."  The Trustees were able to talk about how they decide policy, the difference between oversight and management (this is their role under the Texas Education Code), etc.  That was frustrating because people wanted to talk about lots of specific topics.  The Board handled this by telling people to write the topic they wanted to discuss on a piece of paper, all those papers were gathered and posted on the wall, and then everyone was given three dots to "vote" for topics they want to discuss next time.  This way, the School Board can post some specific topics to discuss at the next Exchange meeting.  It's a compromise, but it is does prioritize the topics that those present want to hear about from the Board in upcoming meetings, and then gives those who were unable to attend tonight a chance to be sure to be present when topics they are passionate about come up for discussion.  Hopefully, those who were frustrated tonight will hang in there until their topics gets to come up for discussion.  The really GREAT news is that even when the Board was unable to comment on something, they were LISTENING to what people were saying.  

Thank you for hanging in there with me.  I look forward to "musing" some more with you...

Summer Time, and The Living is...

Well, not exactly "easy".  I have spent the last month looking into assisted living options for my mother.  This is not a fun exercise. All I'll say is if you don't yet have a long-term care insurance policy or about $40K per year for each year you plan to live in assisted living (not talking nursing homes, which are double the cost), then you are going to be in trouble...

My summer might not be easy, but here is something that is sort of fun to explore.  This very interesting Texas Tribune website is an interactive tool exploring public education numbers at the school, district and state levels.  You can see numbers and graphs that show demographics, academics, college readiness, staffing and spending.  For instance, here you can see a comparison of how Katy ISD spends relative to the state average.  You can see that Katy spends well below the state averages by program (Regular, Bilingual, CATE, Athletics and Accelerated) but a bit over the state average for Gifted & Talented and Special Ed.  I'll have to think about and ask smarter people about why that might be.  Scroll down and you see Katy ISD spending per pupil by function, and you'll see that Katy spends below the state average in all areas (Instruction, Student Support, Central Administration, School Leadership, Food Services, Transportation, etc) except Security and Data Processing.  I understand about security; being situated in three counties necessitates our own police force while many districts in the state just have agreements with another law enforcement agency in their county or city.  I'm not sure about Data Processing, but will have to ask.  (Not sure what "Student Support" means?  Scroll around and find where the term is underlined and a box will pop up explaining what it means.  Cool.)

Anyway-- numbers, numbers, numbers.  They can provide answers but often raise questions, too.  I'm sorry the Tribune didn't include a tool allowing us to easily compare demographically similar districts, or districts in our geographical region (Region IV), but with more exploration on my own I'll be able to see that picture, too.  Good news is, it is a comparison that shows where we are below the state average (spending) and above it (academics).  Since it is only a comparison tool, it doesn't answer absolute questions such as "are we as a state spending enough money on education?".  However, as a tool to give us insight on how we are spending and what we are achieving compared to others in our state, it's a fun way to see how we stack up in Texas, and good data to use as a filter through which we can process emotion-driven statements like "Katy spends too much at the District Administration level".

Enjoy your summer-- it will be over too soon!

Robotics and Thinking Outside the Box

The School Board met on Monday night for a very long but very informative meeting.  The highlight of the evening was seeing the Cinco Ranch CRyptonite Robotics team and its robot.  It shoots baskets, but does SO much more.  I encourage you to check out the presentation including a video of the robot in action here.  Just click on item IV on the right hand menu.  Frankly, when I heard the challenge was to make a robot that shoots basketballs, I thought it would stand on the free throw line and chunk them up there.  But this robot actually PLAYS basketball-- it scoops up three basketballs and then loads them into a chute, beams a light to the backboard and adjusts trajectory and velocity to shoot the ball from wherever it is with amazing accuracy.  And high school students designed and produced it.  WOW!  The Cinco Ranch Robotics team participates (and excels) in competitions sponsored by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).  Check this out. This is a terrific organization whose motto is: Igniting Young Minds. Nurturing Passions. Practicing Gracious Professionalism. 

Professionalism, poise, confidence: the students who spoke at the board meeting certainly exhibited those qualities!  And how exciting for them to be able to report that 100% of the graduating seniors in the club were accepted to colleges where they will enter a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) field.  Kudos!

The club not only impacts its members but the surrounding community, too. The club mentors other clubs at the feeder Jr. Highs, and they appear before sponsors with their requests for funding and to justify costs.  They learn that even in science fields, there is a business side to the endeavor.  This is a very real world experience.  They are anxious to have similar clubs at every high school, and have helped get one started at Morton Ranch.  This is a tough situation, because as a general rule, club formation and participation is not done at the district level, but is driven by student interest and, more importantly, sponsor availability at the campus level.  I wish them well, and hope they will ignite fires all over the district!

They have corporate sponsors who cover costs, but asked the district to provide space for them to use as they build their robots.  I hope the district will "think outside the box" on this one.  I'm reminded of my former school board colleague, Eric Duhon, who always felt the district should utilize the space under the seats at a stadium by building it on top of another building, rather than on top of a big pile of dirt.  He suggested meeting space, offices or even storage-- just so long as it is used the OTHER five days a week. Perhaps providing space for "robot garages" in a centralized area (sort of like an Ag Barn for robots) would be a good use of that space when a new stadium is built?

Kudos to City of Katy for Recycling!

Here's news that will make my friend Karen K very happy-- the City of Katy has started recycling!  I know change is hard, and some of the people in Katy will complain, but recycling is so important.  The more we implement Reduce/Reuse/Recycle, the less our children will have to clean up from landfills in the future.  Kudos!!

I've been a recycler for many years, and feel better about using a product if the container it comes in is recyclable.  In looking up info about recycling, I realized I MUST get with the program as far as using shopping bags, though.  This is from the Clean Air Council:
Every year, Americans use approximately 1 billion shopping bags, creating 300,000 tons of landfill waste.⁶
Plastic bags do not biodegrade. Light breaks them down into smaller and smaller particles that contaminate the soil and water and are expensive and difficult to remove.⁶
Less than 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled each year. Recycling one ton of plastic bags costs $4,000. The recycled product can be sold for $32.⁶
When the small particles from photodegraded plastic bags get into the water, they are ingested by filter feeding marine animals. Biotoxins like PCBs that are in the particles are then passed up the food chain, including up to humans.[7]

While I find the last sentence motivating in a gross-out sort of way, I'm staggered by the cost outlined in the penultimate one.  If it costs $4000 to recycle a ton of bags, but only $32 of that cost can be recouped, a different solution has to be found.  Switching to paper is not the solution; Paper takes more water and energy to produce than plastic and since paper is heaver, the environmental impact is greater to truck paper bags from the manufacturing facility to a warehouse and then to a store.  So, I am going to develop the habit of carrying reusable shopping bags.

I confess, it could be easier:  In Rochester, NY, I visited a Wegman's grocery, and they really have it figured out.  Their bags are a reasonable size (some of the ones I've seen here weigh 25 lbs. when loaded), they have little loops under the handles so they fit on a standard-sized rack that holds them open while being loaded at the store, they have a plastic liner in the bottom so the bag holds its shape even when filled with oddly shaped items, and when I stand up and carry them, the handles are short enough that the bags don't drag on the ground.  Also (and perhaps most importantly), they train their baggers so you don't wind up with one bag full of all the heavy stuff.  

Next thing someone smarter than me needs to figure out is how to get rid of the little plastic bags to collect your apples and hold them as you check out.  When I was a kid, there were paper bags.  That's not a solution, but maybe someone else has modern idea?  

Graduation Perspiration Inspiration

Another round of graduations has come and gone.  I am so proud of all the young men and women who crossed the stage and got their diplomas, and of the parents, grandparents and siblings who supported those students in this achievement.  For some grads, it was a pretty easy trip, with enough money and support for cars, clothes, tutoring, grad parties, etc.  For others, the trip was not so easy.


I heard about a student at Morton Ranch High School who must have had a rough road getting to graduation.  I'm filling in blanks, here, because I only know about his arrival at the graduation ceremony, and am imagining the path that got him there.  I'm told he arrived dripping in sweat, without a dress shirt.  He was at first chastised for not dressing appropriately, but when the circumstances were known, Herff-Jones fashioned a man's "shirt" collar out of a ladies' collar, a staff member lent a tie, and he walked across the stage and got his diploma.  Why did attitudes change?  Because they learned that the young man is homeless, and in order to get to graduation, he JOGGED there.


I'm sad that this student did not have the family support that the vast majority of our students do, but he certainly had the support of someone at Morton Ranch, which I learned a little bit about when I followed up with Mark Grisdale, MRHS Principal.  Apparently, the young man had a falling out of some sort with his family several weeks before the end of school, and felt he had to drop out to work.  Someone helped him see that with so few weeks left, it would be possible to graduate and he'd never have to do it again, if he just worked through the end of school.  It took a lot of cajoling and follow-through, but he made it to enough classes to graduate, and passed them.  He could have so easily fallen through the cracks, but he was "caught" by someone at Morton Ranch.  Another cool side note: Mark didn't know about this and had to track down the story for me, which means he is lets his people handle problems on their own and doesn't feel the need to micromanage. The best leaders hire great people and then get out of their way.  Kudos to him!


I'm THRILLED this student moved a mountain to get to graduation, and am wondering what fabulous Morton Ranch teacher, class, or experience with his peers or campus staff inspired this perseverance?  What inspired this young man to jog for miles in 90+ degree heat to get to the ceremony?  It must have been powerful...  But not surprising.  There are thousands of terrific stories in our schools of someone making a difference in another's life.  It could have been something like the teachers at another High School who worked till the wee hours of the morning with students who barely missed the mark to help them make the KOLA requirements so they could graduate with their peers.  It could have been like the community member who organized a fund-raising campaign to help a group of Miller Career Center students travel to a national competition because he knew they had no "booster club" to help make that happen.  We are so lucky and blessed to live in a community where these types of stories are common.  Sadly, we don't really have a "news source" willing to cover those stories.  The traditional newspapers don't cater to the entire district geographically, and the internet "news" pages are all about generating "hits", so the tear-down stories are preferred over the feel-good.  Closest thing is a Facebook page called "IHeartKISD".  Not enough people know about it, though.


In addition to being proud of the graduates and their families, I'm particularly proud of the people of our school district, and especially those wonderful folks at Morton Ranch who did not let this young person fall through the cracks.  Katy ISD is a terrific school district, where wonderful things are happening, and we need to shout about it more often.  Tell those wonderful stories!  Anywhere and everywhere!  

Importance of Funding Innovation in Education

Back from Montana by way of St. Louis.  Daughter is in southwestern Alberta researching grizzly bears, Son is in his new house but summering in Chicago, and GrandDog is here visiting.  Whew!

With one child at UT and one graduated from A&M, I try to keep up with what is happening in the world of Higher Ed.  I'm glad to see the University of Texas receive a foundation grant that will allow them, along with other institutions of higher learning, to develop and implement cost-effective ways of increasing educational attainment and improving student success.  The Lumina Foundation has given the university and others a $745,000 grant to expand collaboration among higher education institutions, with the goals of improving educational access and increasing postsecondary completion rates.  
This is exciting, important work that should be done a larger scale.  I suspect UT would not be able to do this work without the grant, because in May, the Regents elected to freeze tuition for the next two years for in-state students, against the recommendation of UT President Powers.  Like K-12 public education, any innovation in education will happen only when funded from outside sources, because the current funding systems are only sufficient (and even that is arguable) to cover current delivery.  Fortunately, there are foundations that understand the critical role they have in fostering innovation and improving the "industry" of education by funding projects like these.  It's unheard of for a major corporation to not have a "research and development" department, but this is not something that our legislatures have agreed to fund in the educational arena (although they understand the critical importance of it as evidenced by the P-16 initiative).  As a result, we have school districts and colleges doing great jobs of educating the current crop of students with the current crop of teachers using current thinking and current tools, but not many are able to fund anything innovative.  As a result, what will education look like in 25 years?  

Board Meetings are Finally Available On-Line

How great is this? Here I am struggling to thumb-type on my i-pad in Great Falls, Montana, but I was able to watch last night's board meeting online at www.katyisd.org (sorry; can't get a link to work).

While my daughter is thoroughly bored, I am very glad to be able to watch what went on in the last meeting. This new tool was too long in coming, and I'm glad it finally happened. Thank you to the Old New board members who got this idea moved from bucket list to reality.

ALL change is not bad...

Primary Elections

Primary elections are May 29, with early voting going on right now.  Here are links to information from
Harris, Ft. Bend, and Waller Counties.  In Harris and Ft. Bend, you can even vote on Sundays, although the hours are different, so check out the websites.

In many of these races, the only real contest is between two people in the same party, so it is very important that you vote in the primaries.

GO VOTE!

Mrs. Murray Langley is Brewing Tea...

For heaven's sake-- what a tempest in a teapot.  This is a response to the ridiculous allegations raised by Cynthia Murray Langley and "reported" in Instant News Katy--  I won't comment there because I don't want to actually acknowledge them as a "news" source.  Perhaps one of my readers will post this to INK so others can get the full story.

Anyway, if Mrs. Murray Langley had taken three minutes to ASK the election officials what the delay was, as I did, she would have had the whole story, too, and put her mind at ease:

To set the stage for those not present:  the election officials were counting the ballots in the back of the ESC.  Observers in the room included Eric Duhon as the properly appointed Poll Watcher named by Michalsky and/or Griffin.  Mrs. Blackman's and Mrs. Majors' husbands were there representing them.  This is customary and there is nothing sinister about it.  They were present early in the process (by 7:15 p.m., I'm told) so they could see the ballot boxes and electronic machines come in after the polls closed, and were present during the count.  A rather large gathering of interested persons were assembled in the lobby and in the board room awaiting the results.  (Typically, results are announced between 9 and 10 o'clock.)  I saw Mr. Adams and Mr. Shaw come in the FRONT of the building along with all the other interested parties (including myself) and never left that area of the building; I imagine they were reluctant to go past the big sign "ELECTION OFFICIALS ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT" placed just past the bathrooms near the board room.

Results were not announced until around 12 o'clock.  The reason it took so long to announce them explains the "missing" votes:  The machines are new to the district, because the State's redistricting nightmare pushed the primaries to May 29, so we couldn't have the machines we usually use.  No matter; the various election judges went to trainings and were ready to go.  Apparently something had to be done to the machines after early voting but 2 of the polling places followed the directions in the booklet provided by the voting machine manufacturer which unfortunately omitted that step.  The remaining polling places followed the directions provided in the training and did that step.

As a check to the whole process, Kathy Adams, the assistant to the Election Official, Bill Haskett, kept a chart showing the exact number of early and election day voters.  When her list did not match the list that came out of the electronic machines plus the paper ballots, she would not sign off on the results, and caused a ruckus with the electronic machine company's representative over the two lists not "balancing".  Eventually, they narrowed the issue to the few machines that were treated differently, fixed the problem and re-ran the tape from the electronic voting machines.  VOILA, they balanced perfectly with the hand-written chart that Mrs. Adams kept, so there was confidence that the number of ballots cast were there on hand to be counted, and therefor the results were correct.

Yes, it was a long night, and I'm sure tempers were taut.  But I have to give Kathy Adams and Bill Haskett a big atta-boy for maintaining order and ensuring an accurate count.  Mr. Haskett did NOT allow additional poll watchers, including Mrs. Murray Langley, to bust in while they were attempting to reconcile why the two lists had different numbers of voters.  This was exactly the correct thing to do-- the LEAST productive thing would be to allow additional people in the room.  If you ever worked as a cashier or bank teller who had to balance the books at the end of your shift, you know what I'm talking about:  what you need to figure out the discrepancy is quiet reflection and no additional fussing with your cash drawer.  Since poll watchers from both "sides" were already present who could attest to what transpired, adding additional people halfway through the process is actually COUNTER productive.  I find it telling that it was someone standing OUTSIDE the room that is belly aching the loudest; Mr. Blackman and Mr. Majors are NOT saying anything was amiss.  Since they were present in the room as every ballot was counted, I want to hear what THEY have to say, not Mrs. Murray Langley!

While I'm talking about Mr. Haskett and Mrs. Adams, I want to note they have conducted Katy ISD elections for many years, and I dare you to find more earnest or honest people.  This lady and gentleman take great pains to be fair and above-board with everything they do.  To have Bill Proctor verbally assault them is reprehensible, and to have the process of tabulating these votes called into question by Mrs. Murray Langley is ridiculous.  Bill Proctor should be ashamed of his appalling behavior towards these people.  I certainly am.  While I understand his extreme disappointment in the outcome of this election because it derailed his power grab, he needs to learn to control his temper.

In summary, Mrs. Murray Langley's complaint to the Secretary of State is a terrific waste of her time, his time, and your time.  More theatrics for political gain.  I encourage you to dismiss this behavior as such.

Teachers of the Year

Last week, I attended the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year luncheon, and had a wonderful time celebrating this year's best teachers. What an amazing group of teachers--they represent a small portion of the talented men and women who move mountains every day in our classrooms.  I was happy to have the opportunity to congratulate them on being chosen by their campus peers for this honor.

It was also great to be with a wonderful community of business leaders and elected officials that appreciates what teachers do for our kids and how the health of our school district impacts every aspect of our community, such as our home values, business income, availability of skilled workers, ready customers, informed electorate, etc.  Their generosity to these teachers is absolutely incredible, and reminds me that people other than students' parents recognize the importance of a strong school district.  Please say "thank you" to them for showing our Teachers of the Year that the Katy community is grateful for these dedicated educators.  For a list of sponsors, see here.  Also thank HEB Katy Market for beautiful floral arrangements, and Sam Schultze of Country Park Portraits for photographing the event.

What's Next?

Check out this idea.  Babytiger has done a great job of identifying a vacuum in our community, and suggesting a way to fill it.  I look forward to hearing how many people show interest in establishing such an organization.  I hope many do; I know three different people who have already talked about a similar idea.

Gotta work on the name, though, and think BIGGER!  My independence-loving nature would rather not identify it with any political outlook, because in my experience, the "liberals" of Katy (who aren't all that liberal compared to, say, Massachusetts) might differ with you on "national" issues but agree whole-heartedly about wanting Katy to be the best community in the State, doing the right thing, and elevating the good in our community.  When you say "What if they just came together from all over our area and started to, you know - talk", think beyond geography!

Party affiliation is irrelevant for school boards (and SHOULD be for judges, too).  This is because school boards occasionally act in a judicial capacity and the LAST thing you want a judge to do as he is considering an issue is to factor in your political affiliation-- it is not relevant.

Perhaps Keep Asking and Thinking Year-round (K.A.T.Y.)?

Election Results Are In!

The election is over!


For Position 6: Bryan Michalsky won with 55.8% of the vote.  (2931 votes to 2322 for Majors)
For Position 7: Charles Griffin won with 48.6% of the vote.  (2569 votes to 1846 for Blackman, 635 for Howard, and 233 for Powell).  


My take-away: 

1. 5283 voters cast ballots.  YEAH!  While this is still well under 5% of the registered voters in the district, it is more votes than those cast in recent years by a good bit, particularly since this was a 2-seat race with no real hot-button issue: 
• 2008: 4893 voters.  3-seat races typically bring out more voters.
• 2009: 2063 voters.  2-seat race.
• 2010: 1744 voters.  2-seat race, but Fox was unopposed.
• 2011: 4544 voters.  3-seats plus a hot-button issue: teacher layoffs.
2. It would appear that a lot of new voters came to the polls.  That is a good thing-- people in Katy are beginning to pay attention to and understand what is happening in the community and do what is necessary to protect it.  We are no longer in an environment where it works to express your overall satisfaction with the district by NOT voting.  
3. Many new people worked on the various races, and that is a VERY good thing.  More engagement by a broader base of people means more viewpoints factored into our trustees' decisions.  
4. Enough people voted for Griffin to avoid allowing Blackman to win with 35% of the vote.  That's exactly how Huckaby won last year.  While I respect Neal Howard and his service to the board, incumbents faced huge challenges this year.  Just check out Ft. Bend ISD's election results.  I appreciate Betty Powell's willingness to run for the board and hope she will continue to be engaged in the process.  I hope she will do Leadership Katy next year and be a resource to new board members regarding technology.   

Is it over yet?  Already rumors of voter fraud and tampering are being spread by the Nay-Sayers.  Lawsuits are being threatened. Fortunately, Mrs. Blackman's and Mrs. Majors' husbands served as poll watchers and witnessed the counts.  Although there was a technical problem with the electronic voting machines, the election judges waited until all issues were resolved before announcing results around midnight.  Perhaps a good night's sleep will help people see there was no wrong-doing, just as there was none last year.  

Now, the real work starts:  The new board will have to form a new team (because the board as a WHOLE, not individuals, oversees the district's management).  That will be difficult, given that Proctor and Huckaby hand-picked and openly campaigned for Majors and Blackman, including Instant News Katy  comments, robo-calls and mass e-mails.  I hope the remaining five members can move Proctor and Huckaby to work for the good of the district rather than for power plays.  I also hope the new board can make a commitment to stop infighting and get out of the way of the district's regular business.  Too much has been put "on hold" for the past year. 

"A bend in the road is not the end of the road...unless you fail to make the turn."

--Unknown

Why You Should Phone a Friend

If you voted early, WAY TO GO.  Numbers indicate about 5% of registered voters will wind up voting in this election, so every vote has impact.  That actually is a (relatively) large increase in the number of people voting this election compared to recent years, even though it's still a small number.

I spent some time this morning wondering why people don't vote.  5% is so small-- why do over 100,000 registered voters let 5,000 people decide on the Katy ISD school board?  And yes, that number is REGISTERED voters.  I'm sure a large number of people aren't even registered, given Katy ISD has over 250,000 residents. 

Yet 93% of infrequent voters and 81% of non-voters in a survey said it is an important part of being a good citizen and an important way to voice their opinion on issues that affect their families and communities.  

The strongest motivators influencing infrequent and non-voters are conversions with family (65%) and friends (59%).  So, TALK TO THEM!  Encourage them to get to the polls on Saturday.  They will listen to you!  If everyone who voted talked to 3 friends and only 1 of them made it to the polls, that would double our turnout!  WOW.  A small effort with a huge impact.

POLL INFO:  Here is the rub:  in order to cut costs, the number of election day polling places was reduced this year.  

IT IS LIKELY THAT YOUR POLLING LOCATION CHANGED.  

Be sure to check this map  before you head out.  Saturday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Be a good friend, and tell them where their polling place is when you call them...

Questions Remain as Election Day Approaches

The Chronicle has published a story about an ethics complaint filed against the Save Our Teachers PAC by John Eberlan.  Read it here. 

Now that an 8-day report has been filed, where is the missing $88.68?  The report is here.  Perhaps we need to elect Mrs. Horsley to the school board, since she was able to pay a $900 bill with $838.11.       :-)

So many questions remain unanswered as we rapidly approach election day. The treasurer for the Unity PAC (it paid for a mailer that was sent on behalf of Mrs. Blackman and Mrs. Majors) has not returned my calls.  His name is Curtis Williams, Jr., and he, as well as a Michael Harris are listed on the PAC establishment documents I received in response to a PIR as the "contribution and expenditure decision makers."  I'd like to know their connection to Katy ISD, and who contributed the money to mail these fliers.

Also of note:  as I read the election laws, Unity PAC was also required to report their activities to Blackman and Majors so they could report it on their own campaign finance reports.  I wonder if they are trying to figure out who is behind Unity PAC?

By the way, hurrah for new law that requires the school districts to post on-line the campaign finance reports of the candidates and PACs.  So much easier than public information requests, and more cost-effective for school districts, too.

VOTE! 

ELECTION DAY: SATURDAY, MAY 12, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

Find your precinct location at the bottom of this page. 

He's No Relation To Me...

Whoa-- someone confused me the other day for the Crockett mentioned in another blog, "babytigersays." My name is Chris Crockett, and although my middle name is Anne, I am NOT the Ann Crockett mentioned in the post, nor is MY mister the W.E. Crockett that babytiger mentions.  My husband is David Crockett and he and I are not related to Ann and Bill Crockett and we don't know much about them.  My husband's family hails from West Texas, not this area, and we moved here when my husband's job transferred him to the area in 2000.  
When I heard that a candidate's family was being attacked, I was horrified. In the past, candidates were called names, but an unspoken rule was in place that families were "off limits."  Please, PLEASE, PLEASE do not confuse me or my husband with this "gentleman."  Anyone who knows me knows that I believe his tactics are beyond the pale.  I am so saddened by what his actions say about our community.  Thank you, babytiger and others, for standing up to this kind of bullying. 

Why I Will Vote for Michalsky and Griffin

I've had people say to me, "OK, Chris, I get who you are AGAINST, but who will you vote for?"  This is an updated post from several days ago:

Bryan Michalsky is my choice for Position 6.  He is chief financial officer for a local company, and has five children ranging in grades pre-K through 12.  He has children at both Seven Lakes and Katy High Schools.  The board needs someone with a strong financial background, and Mr. Michalsky's business experience will serve the board well on many of the decisions coming up.  

In Position 7, I will vote for Charles Griffin.   Mr. Griffin is a retired Lt. Colonel and airline pilot with strong Katy roots, having graduated from Katy High School and the Air Force Academy.  He has four children, and his wife was a cafeteria monitor who was let go when those positions were eliminated last year.  His uncle is Michael Griffin, after whom Griffin Elementary is named.  He brings a depth of knowledge about our heritage, and is anxious to work hard to improve the reputation of the district, and he is keenly interested in improving the communications from the district. 

Like most Katy voters, Mr. Griffin and Mr. Michalsky were not paying attention to school board elections before last year.  They are working hard to catch up fast.  They have met and are meeting with administrators, teachers, community leaders, former school board members such as myself, and the current board members, including Proctor and Huckaby, in order to ask opinions on issues the district is facing.  They will bring a diversity to the board that is envisioned in the State Law that requires seven board members elected from the community to oversee the professional educators who will actually run the district.  We don't need five superintendents; we need one superintendent properly tasked and evaluated by seven school board members who bring to the board expertise in a wide variety of areas such as business and financial acumen, community relations, technology, human resources, law, government relations, etc.

I have tremendous respect for Neal Howard and would be happy if  he won, too. However, given the anti-incumbent fervor I still see in our community, I believe it will be impossible for an incumbent to be re-elected this year.  I also respect Betty Powell for being part of the electoral process.  However, remember: in our school board elections, THERE ARE NO RUN-OFFS.  Whichever candidate gets the most votes will win, even if it's only 26% of the vote in a four-person race.  I am very concerned Cynthia Blackman will win if the vote splits, just like Huckaby won last year with only 35% of the vote.  Please vote, talk about the election, and encourage your friends and neighbors to vote. 

Early voting is Monday and Tuesday this week only;  7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m at:

KISD Education Support Complex,

Wolfe Elementary,

Cinco Ranch High School, and

Taylor High School. 

You can vote at any of those locations during Early Voting.  On Election Day (Saturday, May 12), you will need to vote at your polling place.

More information on voting is here.