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.
School Board Trustee candidate Barbara Goss is hosting a meet and greet picnic at Community Park this Saturday, April 19th from 10:30am to 3:30pm.
Lance Goff is a candidate in the May election for School Board, Place 4. He is running against appointed Trustee Baron Cook. This is a Special Election to fill an unexpired term for 1 year. The previous seat holder, Eric Lindsey, moved to Colorado last year. The Board of Trustees appointed Baron Cook to his seat until the May election.