Four of the six candidates running for election in Saturday?s KISD Board Elections released statements this week. (Voting is Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Kennedale Community Center).?Here, in the order of their place on the ballots, are the candidates? statements. {{more}}?Janet Adams, candidate Place 4?
I want to “Thank” everyone in the KISD district for allowing me to serve on the board for the last 9 years it has been an honor. I sincerely appreciate your support over the years. There have been many great accomplishments in the district over the years, however, there are still many more important issues facing the KISD School Board. I’m proud to say that we have taken many steps to improve the quality of education for the students of KISD.?If re-elected to the board on May 11th I will continue to work on positive communication between the board and the community, improve technology on each school campus, build upon the programs that will keep our children safe in the schools and keep the district focused on the students as our community continues to grow.?I’m so very proud to be a Wildcat and a member of this great district!!
?Elisha Woodson, candidate Place 4?
Thank you to everyone who has followed the Kennedale school board race. It has been an intense campaign, and I know that no matter which candidate you support, we all appreciate the passion you have for this district. As community members, we will not always agree, but we must work together to move forward. I am ready to move the district forward by seeking input from staff and community members and working with administration and other board members.?I ask for your vote on Saturday, May 11th because I see that Kennedale has real academic concerns that need focus. The independent watchdog group, Childrenatrisk.org, recently graded campuses throughout the state and scored Delaney, Patterson and Kennedale High School with a ?C.” The educational programs established by administration and sent to teachers to implement have resulted in lowering the Delaney campus from Exemplary to Recognized and reducing the High School status from Recognized to Acceptable. Community members should vote for candidates who are ready to face concerns head on, not for those who think there’s no area for improvement.?As a mother of a Junior High student and a preschooler, I am vested in the long-term improvement of this district. When deciding between two candidates, don?t base your decisions on the advice of people who don?t have to deal with the results.
?Steward Richardson, candidate Place 5?
As we prepare for Election Day on Saturday, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for all of our community members who have early voted and to all who have become more informed about our district because of this election.?It is my hope that all of our community members will realize that this election is not about adults and their opinions or their perceptions of our district. This election is about our students, all of our students, and preparing them for their futures. The current board members have addressed some of the topics being discussed and I offer my dedicated commitment to the public service of this school district, to address the topics from a new viewpoint.?The KISD, as a whole, needs to focus on our students first and the administration needs to offer more inclusion to our teachers, so that this district will continue to be successful in educating our children. I believe the KISD administration will seek to understand the scenario?s the teachers face in the classroom and bring those suggestions to the board for consideration and discussion. Communication and the effective transfer of information between all of the parties involved in running our schools are essential.?School districts across Texas share one common goal that is centered on the success of our students. Student achievement is a common thread that binds us together. KISD strives to see our students graduate and go on to become productive citizens in society and I hope you will allow me the opportunity to further that goal in our district. Thank you again for your support.
?Maria Douglas, candidate Place 5?
An independent advocacy organization Childrenatrisk.org recently published a 2013 school rankings report. Delaney Elementary, Patterson Elementary and Kennedale High School all received ratings of a ?C?. Kennedale Jr. High received a rating of ?B? as compared to all the public schools in Texas. Whether we look at 3 of the 5 KISD schools missing Adequate Yearly Progress goals for the past two years, or this report, KISD is not achieving the academic success deserved by our students nor expected by parents.?Instead of acknowledging substantial work and academic improvement is needed, much effort and passion is being spent attempting to explain or justify statistic after statistic, report after report. Those like me, who point out the data, ask the hard questions and insist we can and must do better, are painted as ?divisive?, ?negative? or unwilling to work as a ?cohesive team?. I, like many of you, remember when Delaney Elementary was rated as Exemplary, when our High School was rated as Recognized. I?m not satisfied with the direction we are headed. I am not satisfied with the status quo or with being average or rated as ?C?. I can?t accept convoluted answers when administration attempts to ?explain? why our children are not learning or performing better in math or why their scores on standardized tests are not better.
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Providing a quality education for all the children in our community, my children, your children and grandchildren must be our top priority. Instead, we ignore unpleasant facts, reports or statistics and hope the situation will change by??.extending contracts and providing pay raises for the administration. How is that performance based accountability??Where do we go from here? We need school board trustees who will ask hard questions, challenge the status quo, and accept nothing but the best for our students and district. We need fresh ideas, new perspectives. We need trustees with children in the school district that are invested and involved. We need improved educational quality and school board trustees who will hold administrators accountable for moving this district forward. Our future and our children?s future depend on it. I would appreciate your vote May 11th!?Dr. Maria Douglas
