Weatherford ISD site Syndication http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:48:24 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla Weatherford ISD site Syndication http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1769&Itemid=59 Weatherford ISD mourns the loss of Raymond CurtisIt 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. ---------- 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. News - District News Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:02:45 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1768&Itemid=80 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 (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. Board of Trustees - Board of Trustees / School Board News Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:42:47 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1767&Itemid=65 Weatherford High School's 2010 F/JV/V Volleyball Schedules may be found by clicking HERE (images/temp_pdf_files/whs_2010_volleyball_schedule.pdf). Athletics - High School Sports News Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:26:28 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1765&Itemid=80 Weatherford ISD Board members moved one step closer in trying to erase the District’s projected $297,135 budget shortfall after approving to publish a proposed tax rate of $1.40 for the 2010-11 school year at Thursday’s School Board meeting. Although the total proposed tax rate would remain the same as last year, reallocations to the Maintenance and Operations (M O) and Interest and Sinking (I S) funds would require voter approval through a Tax Ratification Election (TRE). “Our Board is proposing to reduce 13 cents from the District’s I S rate while, at the same time, increasing 13 cents to the M O tax rate,” WISD Superintendent Dr. Deborah Cron said. “This shifting of pennies would in turn generate $4 million of additional revenue to the District’s maintenance and operations fund.” The published $1.40 tax rate (per $100 assessed values) includes an M O rate of $1.17, and an I S rate of 23 cents. The current tax rate breakdown is $1.04 (M O) and 36 cents (I S). “Ultimately, the proposed tax rate would have to be approved by the voters since the Board is considering adopting an M O rate above the state’s $1.04 cap,” Dr. Cron said. “So, basically, the choice would be for voters to either keep the current $1.40 allocation the same resulting in inevitable future District cuts, or approve the Board’s reallocated $1.40 tax rate which would net the District an additional $4 million annually that could be used to address student growth, improve student achievement, address the fund balance while also continuing the path toward an Exemplary school district.” Dr. Cron also said the Board will not consider adopting the proposed tax rate until its next meeting on July 22. WISD Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Tracy Ray and WISD Director of Accounting Lori Boswell presented a PowerPoint presentation to the Board explaining the various scenarios of the proposed tax rate, including projected revenues and expenditures or the upcoming school year. The budget presentation also included salary step increases for teachers, librarians, counselors, nurses, and speech pathologists as mandated from a recent ruling by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott just a few days ago. Board of Trustees - Board of Trustees / School Board News Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:57:56 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1764&Itemid=59 Weatherford ISD staff members and volunteers provided and served meals to workers at Saturday's Habitat for Humanity service project in Weatherford. Pictured are (from left) Curtis Elementary first grade teacher Jenna Shatford, Kathy Shatford, WISD District Planning Manager Bill Shatford, and WISD Director of Community Education Dr. Chip Evans (photo by CHARLOTTE LaGRONE). News - District News Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:18:11 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1763&Itemid=59 Annie Apple (a.k.a. Jerolyn Goodman) and Katie Carrot (a.k.a. Michelle Beckett) recently visited the children at the Weatherford ISD Summer Meals Program at Crockett Elementary. The Summer Meals Program, which offers free meals to kids ages 18 and under, runs through Aug. 6. Breakfast runs each weekday from 7:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.; and lunch is 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Crockett Elementary will be closed on July 5 (courtesy photo). News - District News Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:12:21 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1762&Itemid=59 Weatherford ISD's beginning Prekindergarten Registration date has changed from July 6 to July 12 because of the District Services Building's mandatory building shutdown from July 5-9 following the Fourth of July break. Preregistration begins July 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bowie Learning Center, 900 N. Elm St., 817-598-2804, Option #5. For additional registration information, please click HERE (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=1640 Itemid=26). News - District News Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:09:54 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1761&Itemid=59 (From left) Weatherford ISD Executive Director of Student Services Dr. Nita Ellis and Superintendent Dr. Deborah Cron were part of a host of WISD employees who volunteered their time on Saturday to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in the Weatherford community. WISD employees worked four-hour shifts, and the District also provided lunch for all the workers (photo by CHARLOTTE LaGRONE). News - District News Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:42:54 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1760&Itemid=59 Weatherford High School Blue Belles Ashley Carter (right) and Michelle Dukeman make spinning cotton candy look easy at Saturday's 2010 Frontier Days Rodeo at the Parker County Sheriff's Posse Arena. Carter, a junior; and Dukeman, a senior; were part of a large group of Belle volunteers as well as their parents (photo by DERIK MOORE). News - Campus News Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:10:56 +0100 http://www.weatherfordisd.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1758&Itemid=59 Weatherford High School's Fightin' Roos Band, the Blue Belles, and numerous other students participated in Wednesday's parade which helped celebrate the beginning of the 2010 Parker County Sheriff's Posse Rodeo (photos by DEBBY RIEBE). News - Campus News Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:02:41 +0100