Wylie Today

Ronni Fetzer is a WISD School Board Trustee and running for re-election. She has served on the board for the past 6 years. She took out some time to answer some questions for everyone.

1) What is the key unique asset that you provide as a WISD Trustee?

I’m positive, open to new ideas, and often benchmark WISD against other districts and our own past track record.

2) What is the most challenging aspect of this position?

Moving targets. First we had TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills), then we had TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills). Now we are moving towards End of Course exams. One year we have to focus on physical education, the next year we are testing our students for diabetes. We have new mandates from Austin every session that take more time away from the classroom.

3) You are head of the Parent Think Tank sub-committee. What is the objective of this sub-committee?

The initial objective of the think tank was to gather an interested group of parents and provide an open forum to explore different concepts in education which may eventually result in political action. However, with the parent forums planned for the multiple high school scenarios, it was decided to hold off on a think tank and move more into a parent communication mode after the forums. Once the parent forums were completed, we set up a schedule and visited various school organizations and activities to cover important district issues, and answer questions. We are currently reviewing communication methods used by other districts to leverage for our district web site.

4) What is your main focus as a WISD Trustee?

My main focus is what’s best for the student’s education without unnecessarily burdening the taxpayer.

5) How do you feel about state involvement in Independent School Districts?

State involvement is reactionary and slooooooow to change unless you’re in a crisis. The state government considers students as expenses instead of investments in our future. It imposes mandates on schools to provide proper health and nutrition for students in addition to an education. With half of Texas’s students qualifying for a free and reduced lunch, we can expect to see more mandates coming down the pike, with no funding to implement them.

6) What would you like to accomplish if elected to another term?

I’d like to get salaries on par with neighboring districts so we can continue to attract and retain excellent staff. Lower student/teacher ratios to improve classroom learning and retention. Provide a smooth transition into 2 high schools. Expand after school activities.

7) Now that Wylie has plans for two 9-12 high schools, do you support building a new stadium like Pirate Stadium for the Raiders?

Not at this time. It was not in the plan, and not what we told the neighbors we would do. We owe it to our taxpayers to maximize the use of the two existing stadiums we have.

8 ) What are your thoughts on WISD funded after school programs?

After school programs…. yes…. funded mostly by the participants. We also have some shared opportunities coming up soon with the recreational facilities coming down the pike with the new City and commercial developments.

9) There is chatter in the community that the WISD School Board has a less than stellar success rate when it comes to planning. Do you feel this talk is justified?

I’m not sure what aspect of planning you’re referring to. We have consistently planned the building of our new schools to be “just-in-time” schools, which means we don’t build them till we need them. The good news about this is the fact that we delay increasing our bond indebtedness, which keeps our tax rates lower longer. The bad news is, a few children may have to go to a different school if a certain grade level is maxed out before the new school is completed.

Likewise, the planning of Wylie East High School was based on the same principle to complete it in phases, as needed. Our growth has dropped from 11% last year to 6% this year.

With regard to course offerings, we can offer just about everything Wylie High School offers except for Culinary Arts. Currently the staff is looking at additional course offerings in Health/Science, Arts, A/V Technology and Communications, Hospitality and Tourism. Although these are not yet cast in stone, visits are underway by high school staff to nearby districts known for these courses. As the second phase expansion of Wylie East has not yet occurred, any special structural requirements for additional courses can be addressed at that time. Current projections indicate the expansion of Wylie East could take place in 2010, which affords ample time to incorporate special structural requirements.

In terms of locations of schools, we don’t have complete control over that, since we are limited by the availability of property, and the price we are willing to pay. As new schools are built, new boundaries must be redrawn. The boundaries will continue to change in the new growth areas until the growth stops. We currently have almost 11,000 students in Wylie ISD. Build-out is projected to be 20,000 to 25,000 students. So, we still have a way to go.

So, now to answer your question, I believe we are right on track in planning for future growth without burdening our taxpayers before we need to.

10) Do you believe that WISD staff and teachers are adequately compensated compared to surrounding districts?

No. Our salaries are lower than most of our neighboring districts. However, many teachers come to Wylie ISD for other reasons, our reputation, technology, grants, to name a few. We are surrounded by some of the richest districts in Texas. In order to attract and retain excellent staff, we have to offer competitive salaries.

11) What is currently being done to lower the drop-out rate?

Drop out rates are on the rise throughout Texas due to recent State requirements to pass exit level tests in order to graduate. Wylie’s annual dropout rate for all students has been less than 1% since 2000. But we are seeing a rise too. Currently our Choice School has been very successful in catching students at risk of dropping out. By providing flexible, self paced courses, they have an achievable path to graduation. All schools offer tutorial times, varying between before and after school, as well as some evenings.

12) Do you have any ideas for additional programs to keep kids in school?

You mentioned after school programs. I think that could be a big area, ranging from math and science activities, chess clubs, jazz clubs, other fine arts, recreation. Internships with local businesses, continuing the distinguished lecture series, computer graphics/web design/technology programs. I’d like to see an orchestra, more dual credit courses, auto mechanics and Drivers Ed programs, but imagine aomw of those are pretty pricey. As the Wylie Education Foundation grants continue to grow, we will see some creative ideas from the teachers.

13) What is your opinion of TAKS?

What gets measured gets done. I believe we need some benchmarks to measure progress. We must make sure we are effectively covering the material our students need to be “college ready” or “business ready”. I don’t believe you should have a test that covers material beyond one year. Tenth graders should be measured on 10th grade material only.

14) Do you like the currently proposed attendance zones for WHS/WEHS?

For now, they seem reasonable, given the current concentrations of our population. I like the split by school boundaries. I wish my crystal ball was a little clearer on when our growth will necessitate a 3rd high school.

15) There is talk of an increased WISD tax rate next year. Why is there a short fall and is raising taxes a good thing?

We traditionally build our budget on a conservative growth rate. That way, if we get more new students than we budgeted for, we will receive more State money, and have some wiggle room for unexpected items or add to our fund balance. This year, we gained about 600 students instead of the typical 1,000+/- students we’ve seen in the past 5 years. So, we haven’t seen a surplus this year. Next year we are budgeting for about 600 more students. Just from the number of seniors exiting (514) and the number of Kindergarteners coming (1,100 +/-), we can see a jump of almost 600 students.

With regard to increasing the tax rate, it’s difficult to find ways to get our staff up to competitve salaries any other way. Salaries comprise approximately 80% of our current budget. WISD’s current tax rate is in the lowest quartile among school districts in Collin County. You ask if raising taxes is a good thing. I ask you, is educating our children an expense or an investment in our future? And… you will get to answer that question, because we can’t raise the WISD tax rate without a vote.

Below is the video from the Meet the Candidate Forum held on April 24th. It is separated into two parts to make sure no one passes out from excitement. The lighting is a little dark in the beginning, but that was fixed during the second question, I believe. One answer from mayoral candidate Eric Hogue was missed as I had to switch out tapes. Sorry!

I hope you enjoy the show and I hope this helps you decide for whom to cast your vote anytime this week, next week, or May 10th.

Part 1


Part 2

Dear Editor,

First, I want to thank the Wylie News for hosting the Candidate forum on last Thursday night.  I think many such forums are needed.  It is in such public settings that candidates’ feelings show best.  Web sites, prepared literature and even newspaper interviews insulate the candidate from the voter.

I saw one particular viewpoint that I hope to spotlight, in order that others may see it more clearly.  There were two questions that dealt specifically with ethics.  One was about a proposed “Code of Ethics”, the other about a demonstration of ethics.  The answers were interesting.  The incumbents were unanimous in stating that they didn’t have a problem with a code being developed, that such a code had been debated and dropped.  Many candidates expressed a willingness to abide by such a code, but most stated that they were pretty confident that they were ethical.

One candidate stood out in contrast.  Eric Hogue spoke resoundingly in favor of a Code of Ethics.  He likened standards to rules of the game.  He said that a clear statement of Ethics is commonplace in “Corporate America” (I was trained repeatedly in ethical decision making at the last Fortune 500 company I worked for).  Playing without rules leaves room for indiscretion.

Another question was asked which was telling about the apparent regard that each candidate places on ethics.  As reported in the Wylie News, and acknowledged by the candidates, only two of the candidates did the ethical thing by reporting their expenditures on time. (Kudos to Rick White, he submitted his early).  Particularly egregious to me was the fact that Mayor John Mondy gave as an excuse that his campaign treasurer (“Red” Byboth) was out of town.  This means that two currently serving officials have a lax attitude towards ethical rules.  (A side note: I know that it is old news, but these two men were also two of the main players in Mayor Mondy writing a letter, as Mayor, not as a private citizen, attempting to influence the outcome of a trial of one of Mr. Byboth’s employees, an accused sex-offender, a few years back.  This should have been a warning, then.)

Mr. Porter stated that we as voters have the right to remove those that act unethically.  We have that opportunity now.  I ask all concerned citizens to vote now for ethics.  Support Eric Hogue and Rick White.  I also call for an appropriate Code of Ethics to be written and adopted, with clear language and appropriate, enforceable results.  We shouldn’t have to wait until an election to see the same consequences expected when unethical behavior occurs in industry.

Sincerely,David Dahl

Letters to the Editor are personal opinions of the author listed and do not necessarily represent the views of wylietoday.com.

First of all, I want to apologize. I took video of this event, but have run into technical difficulties getting the video downloaded. Old software, new computer. :/ I’m going to be away from the “machines” for the weekend, but I will get it resolved and get it uploaded for your viewing enjoyment. That is, if you are into an hour and eighteen minutes worth of talking.

As a quick recap slash opinion, here is what I liked about each candidate’s performance or values.

Rick White

City Councilman Rick White did a fantastic job communicating with the audience about his passion, drive, motivation and proven experience with success. He was cordial and concise and seemed very comfortable speaking to the group. His direct involvement with the Fire and Police Departments let me know that he is in tune with everything happening in the community.

Chris Trout

I like the fact that Chris Trout is a community friend and a dedicated parent. His daily interaction with people in the community is a great asset. From personal conversations, I believe he is quite the intelligent man.

Carter Porter

City Councilman Carter Porter also did an excellent job speaking to the group. He is available to the community whenever the need is present and has been open and honest about his first three years on City Council. He is an elected member to the NCTCOG and while I don’t know exactly how that has benefited us to this point, I’m sure it couldn’t hurt going forward.

Bennie Jones

Bennie Jones has a definite message and goal. I believe that he believes in what he is saying. He seems frank and honest , speaking from the heart about his vision. He spends time interacting with the teenagers in the City of Wylie, providing a positive adult presence.

John Mondy

Mayor Mondy has a certain swagger about him that makes me feel confident he can get anything done. While he did leave the military long ago, I’m not sure if the military ever left him. He is proud of his accomplishments and is confident in a future vision of Wylie that is larger than anyone could expect. I think he has put a lot of time and effort into city affairs over the last decade. His knowledge and experience is certainly valuable.

Eric Hogue

As I mentioned before, Eric Hogue is a natural public speaker. I believe in his ability to make and secure contacts at any level. His desire and enthusiasm to serve the community is unrivaled. His past tenure on the City Council is valuable in terms of experience and knowledge of city affairs.

Everyone did an excellent job last night and whenever you get a minute, you should let these guys know you appreciate what they are doing for us. Let them know you support them and what their families are enduring right now. Their email addresses can be found on the Wylie Today Voter Guide.

Don’t forget about the Meet the Candidates Forum tomorrow night! I hope to see you all there.The Wylie News is hosting the 2008 Meet the Candidates Forum on Thursday, April 24th at 7pm. The event will be held at the Bart Peddicord Community Center on 100 W. Oak street in downtown Wylie. All City Council candidates have been invited to attend.

The forum will be moderated by the League of Women Voters. The public is invited to attend and questions will be accepted for the candidates to answer.

For more information, contact news@wylienews.com or call 972.442.5515 x29.

Download this flyer and pass it out to your friends and neighbors!

“As an elected county official, I have tried to stay out of municipal races.  But when a man of Eric Hogue’s talent and character offers his service, I just can not stay on the sideline.  Wylie has a wonderful opportunity to elect a great leader in Eric Hogue!”  Joe Barton, Collin County Constable, Precinct 2

I want to thank Mr. Barton for his kind words and his support. I am very excited about the opportunity to serve the citizens of Wylie as your next Mayor. I believe we have so many good things ahead of us; but in order for us to be successful, we must have the support from our county, state and federal officials. As I have said many times before, Wylie is the forgotten city of Collin county, and we need to be in front of these officials to promote our plans for the future of our community. We must have a good, positive relationship with these officials for the betterment of Wylie.  They need to know what is happening in Wylie and we need to use our “political muscle” of being the eighth fastest growing city in the nation to get the services and resources needed to enhance our city.

As mayor, I believe my primary focus should be on building a strong network with each and every group and organization that interacts with our city. The Mayor needs to be a positive force in moving Wylie forward.

Thanks again to Constable Barton for his kind words.

For The Promise of Wylie,

Eric Hogue

Early voting begins April 28 - May 6, 2008 at Wylie City Hall and Election Day is May 10, 2008

Jim Griffin is a WISD School Board Trustee Candidate for the May elections. He took some time out to answer a few questions for the readers of Wylie Today.

How can Wylie ISD be improved?

We have what I believe is a great district and have great teachers and staff.  It can be an even greater district if the following were implemented:

1.    Better and more open line of communication - This is most likely the greatest concern that I have heard in the community regarding WISD.  It is critical that the stakeholders of our district (parents, students, teachers and community) not feel that their voice is ignored or lost in the shuffle.  Now that the district student enrollment is over 11,000, it is imperative that the district be mindful of parental and community concerns as they arise and not let situations turn into serious issues like has occurred with the dress code modifications.

2.    Provide teachers with better pay and incentives - Our teachers in WISD work hard for our kids but are paid less than teachers in neighboring districts.  What is amazing though is many choose to stay with the district despite receiving lower pay as compared to other districts.  I want to see WISD continue to recruit and retain quality teachers while providing a salary and incentives on par with neighboring districts.

3.    Recognize and understand the importance of diversity within the district - This is an aspect that will continue to have a major impact in the district and is an area where the district must be proactive rather than reactive.  I strongly believe that WISD needs to ensure that no student, parent or staff feels uncomfortable or unwelcome in our schools.

What is your experience with the WISD?

I have volunteered for the Wrestling team at Wylie High for the past three years, have been a member of the Wylie Athletic Booster Club, am a season ticket holder (Football) and briefly substitute taught with the district in 2005-06.  I have attended many school board meetings and attended all 3 high school forums.  I also was a volunteer back in 1986-88 when I previously lived in Wylie.

What makes you an ideal candidate and potential WISD Trustee?

I believe that my degrees in Secondary Education and Urban/Regional Planning uniquely suit me to become an ideal WISD trustee   My background would be a valuable asset as the district works towards build out.  I also believe that I am knowledgeable about the district and community and can handle making decisions that can be difficult, challenging and crucial to the success of WISD.

I am deeply concerned that we as a school community provide our kids with the best opportunities for academic success and the skills necessary to have productive lives as adults.  If given the opportunity to be a WISD Trustee, I will work diligently to see that the district provides the best education possible for our students.

Dear Friends, Supporters and Citizens of Wylie,

We’ve got 57 days left until election day, and only 44 days until early voting begins!

My web site, www.erichogue.net, is finally completed. Up until now, it has been a work in progress. We’ve been moving files all around trying to find the right spot for each of them. Our goal was to have the web site completed 60 days prior to the election, we came in almost on schedule with the finishing touches being completed just after midnight last night. Be sure to check out the newest page, called Fast Facts. It gives a brief history of my time on the Wylie CIty Council.

A number of you have also allowed your names to be added to my endorsement page and I want to thank you for showing your support in this way. It takes dedicated people from all different walks of life, with different views, different opinions and different ideas to make a successful community, and a place we want to call home. I want to thank each of you for your support and your willingness to stand with me during this campaign. If you would like to be added to this list, just send me a note.

The yard signs have arrived! For those of you who have requested a yard sign, we will be distributing them this weekend. If you would like a yard sign, please let me know, and we’ll get one to you!

Many of you have also been generous with a donation for my campaign and that is greatly appreciated. It does takes funds for those yard signs, newspaper ads and mailers, and I really appreciate your help in this area.

My goal as your next Mayor is to uphold the responsibilities of the Office with commitment, dedication, integrity, professionalism, leadership and respect.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding my candidacy.

Please keep my family and I in your thoughts and prayers, as we continue down the road to City Hall.

For The Promise of Wylie,

Eric Hogue

Education Background: I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education from Indiana University (1991) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban/Regional Planning from Murray State University (1985).

Profession/Experience: Currently working for Lowes Home Improvement in Allen, TX as a customer service associate. Have been with Lowes over 8 years. I also have 3 ½ years experience as a travel agent and 2 years experience as a customer service/inside sales rep for a sportswear marketing company.

Why I want to be a WISD Trustee: I desire to see that the Wylie ISD continue to provide our students with quality programs and instruction and to build and grow additional programs that will properly equip students to meet the challenges of the future. Of great importance to me is the proper planning and management that will be required as the district goes to multiple high schools. I also want to make sure that district resources are appropriately managed while still providing a quality education and to assure district patrons that their school dollars are spent wisely. On a minor note, I would like to honor my late grandfather, George D Chalk, who served on the Sonora ISD Board of Trustees back in the 40’s and 50’s.

Campaign Focal Points: Listed below are points of focus that I will be concentrating on during my campaign.

1. Ensure smooth transition to two 9-12 high schools culminating with the first graduating class of Wylie East in 2012.

2. Require all future bond elections to include requests by line item (no more blank check) as was done for recent City of Wylie bond (2005).

3. Develop better means of communication between WISD and district patrons which include students, parents, teachers and the community.

4. Implementation of AVID Program (Achievement Via Individual Determination) to include Intermediate, Jr High and High School grade levels.

5. Continue development of Dual Language Program.

6. Work to implement magnet style programs that are unique to each high school campus.

7. Develop a “build-out” plan for district facilities to avoid having to catch up with growth in the district, build facilities only when needed and start the process for determining what the district student population will be at build-out.

8. Work to build good working relationship with the municipalities that make up our district - Wylie, Sachse, Murphy, St Paul, Lucas and possibly Rockwall should they annex into Collin County. Each of these communities have an impact on student population.

9. Explore opportunities to partner with Collin College (or other area colleges) to offer college level courses for students at each high school.

Look for a Q&A with Jim Griffin next week on Wylie Today.

Barbara Goss is a candidate for WISD School Board Trustee Place 1. She was kind enough to forward her thoughts about her goals as your Trustee.

What do you hope to accomplish as WISD School Board Trustee?

I have a few things that have driven me to run, and I believe I can improve in our district.

I would like to see more consideration for people. For example the recent ‘updates’ to the standardized dress were pushed through at the 11th hour.  This did not allow the parents time to prepare prior to the new school year.  All I could think about was growing up with a single mom.  I know it would have been a struggle had my mom been put in that situation while trying to raise three kids on her own.  I do not want to put our citizens in that situation. It is unfair to assume they can afford to go out and re-purchase or have the time to exchange school clothes already purchased.  The changes should not have been announced so close to school starting.  Many people who were in favor of the dress code are now unhappy due to the last minute changes.

We should do a better job of hearing the people. The Parent Think Tank is a committee that was set up to help in determining the High School decision.  I sat in the meetings for over a year waiting for an update.  Every month the answer was “no update, we haven’t met.”  Ultimately the decision came down to the community showing up en mass to voice their opinion.  What if the community had not shown up? I have sat in lots of meetings where huge decisions were made and no one showed up.  The voice of the people has not always been heard.

We must take better care of our teachers.  They are the true assets to our school system.  On average our teachers are paid much less than teachers in similar local districts.  We have some amazing teachers, and we cannot afford to lose them to competing districts.  We talk about how great a school system we have, but the bottom line is without great teachers we can’t have great schools.

We need to plan before we act. We must begin planning before we are in the midst of transitions.  Wylie is transitioning to a multi-high school format with no ‘concrete’ plans in place.  At a recent meeting Dr. Fuller said the following, “we must begin to plan as we move into the transition period.” What???  Plan as we move???  Why haven’t we already planned?  We should not be in the position where the parents and the kids do not understand what schools they will be attending and how those choices were made.  We don’t know how we will fund the programs.  We don’t know what programs will be in place.  The building is not fully “built out.”  We don’t know where the money will come from.  There is ‘hope’ a bond will pass and everything will be good.  We have got to be more fiscally responsible and plan ahead.

I think we need to understand the people.  The board currently does a good job of looking at the data, but they do not always see the people.  This was apparent last year when the district lines were drawn.  Creekside was set to change elementary schools for the 4th time in 4 years.  The parents spoke at a board meeting, and it was changed.  I believe the board should have had the forethought to recognize such an issue prior to the parents requesting a review of the school district line.

This is why I respectfully ask you to consider choosing me as your representative on the WISD school board.