It is with heavy hearts that Weatherford ISD announces the passing away of Raymond Curtis this morning.
Mr. Curtis was a pillar to both the Weatherford ISD family as well as the Weatherford community. He was first employed at Weatherford ISD in 1954 and served as a high school principal before later becoming superintendent of schools.
Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday, July 27, at North Side Baptist Church in Weatherford beginning at 10 a.m.
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Raymond Curtis began his career with Weatherford ISD in 1954 and for the next nine years he served as principal of Weatherford High School. In 1963 he began serving as our Superintendent, a position he held until his retirement in 1986. Since that time, he has continued to be a public servant to both our school district and the Weatherford community. His name is proudly displayed on Raymond E. Curtis Elementary School and on the high school baseball field as a tribute to his 32 years of service to Weatherford ISD.
Over the years, Mr. Curtis has received many well-deserved honors. He has been named the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen of the Year, Rotarian of the Year, and he received the Outstanding Service Award from United Way. He was a founding member of our WISD Education Foundation and a past president of the Weatherford Chamber. Mr. Curtis’ name is synonymous with the word “service” to the students and the education community in Weatherford.
Weatherford ISD Board calls tax ratification election, but overall tax rate will remain the same
Written by Derik Moore
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Weatherford ISD Board members unanimously voted on Thursday
to call a Sept. 11 tax ratification election (TRE) that will provide voters the
opportunity to lower the debt service, moving 13 cents to the maintenance and
operations rate.
The overall tax rate would remain the same at $1.40 per $100
valuation, a rate that has been in place since 2007.
WISD Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations
Tracy Ray said the proposed restructuring of rates will help address the
District’s deficit budget for 2010-11, and avoid deeper personnel and program
cuts.
“Total costs of the District’s day-to-day operations are exceeding
those funds allowed by the state,” WISD Superintendent Dr. Deborah Cron said.
“Our funding is based on a target revenue amount that was set by the state in
2006, and we have received no new money to help compensate for increased
operational costs over the past four years.”
In 2006, HB1 (79th Legislature) made dramatic changes to the way
state funding was allocated to school districts.
Weatherford ISD has saved $9,975,472 in cost-avoidance
practices since 2003, including $2.1 million in budget cuts this spring.
“Under the $1.04 rate, the District had to eliminate some
key staff positions, restructure important programs such as Gifted and
Talented, and increased the student-to-staff ratio at the secondary level,”
WISD Board President Yale Young said. “We also expect to see operational costs
in utilities, fuel, insurance, transportation, and other fixed expenses
continue to increase.”
TRE INFORMATION
Tax Rate Information
Dr. Cron said approval of the TRE would not change the overall tax rate of
$1.40 which has remained the same since 2007.
Current
2009-2010
Tax Rate
Proposed
2010-2011
Tax Rate
Change
In Total
Tax Rate
Maintenance & Operations (M&O)
$ 1.0400
$ 1.1700
$ 0.1300
Interest & Sinking (I&S)
$ 0.3600
$ 0.2300
$ (0.1300)
Total Tax Rates
$ 1.4000
$ 1.4000
$ 0
Age 65 Freeze / Disability Exemption
Residents age 65 or older, or disabled individuals, will see no increase in
their property taxes because their taxes are frozen at the time of their 65th
birthday, if they have applied for the exemption.
Ballot Language
Although the District is lowering the I&S rate by 13 cents and moving them
to the M&O rate to equal the existing $1.40 total rate, the official
language of the ballot is determined by the state and will read as follows: Approving the ad valorem tax rate of
$1.4000 per $100 valuation in Weatherford ISD for the current year. A rate that
is $0.1300 higher per $100 valuation than the school district rollback tax
rate.
The above statement never mentions the 13-cent decrease
approved by the Board in the I&S portion of the tax rate, which maintains
the overall tax rate at $1.40.
Early Voting / Election Day Voting
Early Voting: August
25, 27, 30, 31 and Sept. 1, 2, 3, 7 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the following
locations: WISD District Services Building, 1100 Longhorn Drive; and Parker
County Courthouse Annex, 1112 Santa Fe Drive.
Extended Early Voting
– August 26 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) only at the following satellite locations:
WISD District Services Building, 1100 Longhorn Drive; Parker County Courthouse
Annex, 1112 Santa Fe Drive; Austin Elementary, 1776 Texas Drive; Crockett
Elementary, 1015 Jameson Street; Curtis Elementary, 501 W. Russell; Ikard
Elementary, 100 Ikard Lane; Martin Elementary, 719 N. Oakridge Drive; Seguin
Elementary, 499 E. Eighth Street; Wright Elementary, 1309 W. Charles Street;
Hall Middle School, 902 Charles Street; Tison Middle School, 102 Meadowview
Road; WHS Ninth Grade Center, 1007 S. Main; and Weatherford High School, 2121
Bethel Road.
Election Day Voting –
September 11 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) at the following location: Parker County
Courthouse Annex, 1112 Santa Fe Drive.
Additional Information:
Please visit the Weatherford ISD website at http://www.weatherfordisd.com in the
near future as school administrators are currently working on an information
website. For all other inquiries, please contact WISD Superintendent Dr.
Deborah Cron at 817-598-2800.
Weatherford High School 210 F/JV/V volleyball schedules available
Written by Derik Moore
Thursday, 22 July 2010
WeatherfordHigh School's 2010 F/JV/V
Volleyball Schedules may be found by clicking HERE.
Weatherford ISD mourns the loss of Raymond Curtis
