Debate marks ECISD board decision on new staff positions
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

After quite a bit of debate and discussion, El Campo ISD trustees agreed to create two new educator positions within the district.

During the April 15 meeting, Superintendent Mark Pool presented information to show approving two more positions is in line with staffing patterns from comparable districts.

Those positions were a high school English teacher to replace one who retired last year, and a mathematics curriculum coordinator at the elementary level.

The English teaching position was not filled, in the hope the teacher's duties could be absorbed by the existing staff.

"We have survived this year, but I am asking that we be allowed to fill this position for the fall," El Campo High Principal Rich DuBroc wrote to Pool, adding the time required to grade writing assignments is currently "unmanageable."

"It put them up the wall this year," Pool told the board. The board agreed to approve the position unanimously with all seven members present.

Getting approval for the new curriculum coordinator, however, did not go as smoothly.

Trustee David Hodges said he'd been talking to teachers all week about those positions, which are being altered and reorganized by Pool and the administration. Currently, "curriculum facilitators" exist at elementary, middle and high school levels to help teachers, but their use and helpfulness has been in question.

At the board's March meeting, Pool said he was changing the positions to curriculum coordinators, who must not only have master's degrees, but also teach. That way, Pool said, they're on campus with the teachers they're supposed to help, and understand the issues because they're actually teaching.

Hodges said 10 or so teachers he spoke with "want to do away with facilitators, not hire more of them." Pool said he had about 15 e-mails supporting the new version of the job.

Trustee Cecil Davis asked all the ECISD principals present their thoughts on the new definition of the positions, and they all spoke in praise of the concept.

"Teachers are excited about this," Hutchins Elementary Principal Dollie Coleman said. "They can be the voice for the teachers."

Carolyn Gordon, the district's assistant superintendent for instruction, said she'd talked to her peers at other schools, "and this is they concept they're going with."

Board President Judy Waligura pointed out that although there was dissatisfaction with the current version of the job, the new curriculum coordinator position is entirely different.

Trustee LaKeta Jo Dennis said the new situation has negativity attached to it from the existing positions.

"It's new. Let's go forward," she said.

In total, there will be 11 curriculum coordinators - four each at the high school and middle school, and three at elementary schools - but there are existing curriculum facilitator and department head positions that will be redefined or eliminated, and the funding used for all but one of the jobs. The change would cost the district an estimated additional $110,771 per year.

The board then voted 5-2 to approve the one remaining slot, that of a new elementary mathematics curriculum coordinator, with trustees Hodges and Ralph Novosad voting against.